Devices, systems, and methods are provided that cause a controller to receive a first command to read or write first data from or to a first logical address; and determine a first mapped logical address that the first logical address is mapped to. A first plurality of logical addresses is mapped to the first mapped logical address and includes the first logical address. The controller reads a first data structure at the first mapped logical address. The first data structure includes a pointer to a first intermediate physical address. The controller reads a second data structure at the first intermediate physical address. The second data structure includes a plurality of pointers to target physical addresses. The plurality of pointers includes a pointer to a first target physical address for the first logical address. The controller reads or writes the first data from or to the first target physical address.

A controller of a solid-state storage system uses logical-to-physical (L2P) address mappings to map logical addresses to physical addresses on a per logical address basis, where a single logical address is mapped to a single physical address. The L2P address mappings are typically stored in on-controller memory. The on-controller memory includes an address location for every logical address that is implemented. When a large set of logical addresses are implemented, the size requirements of the on-controller memory can be great.

Devices, systems, and methods of logical-to-physical address mapping


64/66b encoding (IEEE 802.3ae Standard for 10 Gigabit Ethernet) is based on a self-synchronous scrambler which inherently duplicates errors occurring in the transmission line. An error carryover indicator ECI vector is used to correct duplicated errors crossing the codeword boundary and entering into the next codeword. The ECI vector is updated for each codeword C(i) to provide the position of the erroneous bit(s) carried over to the next codeword C(i+1). The codeword C(i+1) is corrected by XOR-ing it with the ECI vector.

Interconnection of high speed components of a node is performed via the backplane or wires (cable, optical fiber), requiring close attention to error handling, especially at bit rates of multiple of Gb/s. In search of a low overhead and efficient line encoding, the IEEE task force has adopted a 64b/66b encoding scheme for 10 GB Ethernet into the IEEE802.3ae. This scheme uses a small overhead for error correction (only 3.125%), which provides an acceptable level of transmission density and run length.
In accordance with the 64b/66b encoding scheme, each 64 bits word is scrambled using a polynomial of the form x58+x39+1, and a two-bit preamble is added to the scrambled word for differentiating data words from data and control words. While scrambling enables better recovery of the received data (fast synchronization), a self-synchronous scrambler has the disadvantage that it duplicates the errors, i.e. every transmission error results after descrambling in two additional errors.
On the other hand, there is no provision in IEEE802.3ae for single or multiple error correction of 64b/66b encoded lines. Error duplication at the receiver compounds the gravity of the problem. Consequently, a simple error correction scheme is not sufficient in 64b/66b encoders.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/629,690 (Raahemi) entitled "Error Correction On M-Bit Encoded Links" filed on Jul. 30, 2003 and assigned to Alcatel Inc. proposes a simple and fast error-correction scheme that can be used in conjunction with the 64b/66b encoding in products where intra-board (chip-to-chip) or inter-shelf interconnections of high speed elements are required. It utilizes the CRC16 to detect and correct all single-bit errors and detects all multiple-bit errors. The content of that patent application is incorporated herein by reference.
While the method proposed by patent application Ser. No. 10/629,690 optimizes the error detection and correction, it however considers each codeword individually, isolated from the previous codeword, meaning that it does not take into account errors which might cross the codeword boundary and enter into the next codeword. There is a need to provide a simple and fast error-correction scheme for the 64b/66b encoding that takes into account errors which cross the codeword boundaries.

Accounting for error carryover in error correction on M-bit encoded links


An assembly including a frame is attached to the fork carrier of a forklift. The assembly picks up a tarp to cover the cargo on a flatbed trailer or picks up a plurality of straps to position the straps over the cargo. The tarp or straps are secured under the frame on the assembly and the forklift elevates the frame and tarp or straps above the cargo and drapes the tarp or straps over the cargo by firstly driving along side the trailer and secondly lowering the frame.

Cargo transported by flatbed trailer is exposed to the elements during transit and frequently requires protection from contaminants. A tarp is commonly employed to cover the cargo in order to prevent damage from the elements during transit. It is also common to use straps, often not in conjunction with tarps, to cover a load.
The most common tarping or strapping approach is a manual method which requires the operator to physically place and secure the tarp or straps over the cargo. This process is not only difficult and strenuous, but can also be a safety hazard as the operator can fall off the cargo while attempting to locate and secure the tarp or straps. In the case of tarping, in order to reduce the risk of injuries, tarping stations have been implemented which provide an anchoring tether which secures the operator from falling. The drawback of these stations is that they are cumbersome to use and require extra time to restrain the operator before use. To alleviate the drawbacks of the tarping station, automatic tarping systems have been introduced that are directly attached to the trailer. While automatic tarping systems are efficient at preventing injuries from falls, there are other restrictions that make these systems less desirable. The automatic tarping systems tend to become entangled in the cargo during transit making it extremely difficult to un-tarp at the end of the trip. Furthermore, the auto-tarping systems are very expensive to repair if damaged.
It is clear that a tarping or strapping system that prevents injuries from falls, operates reliably and consistently without costly repairs would be advantageous over current systems.
Accordingly, it is an object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide an assembly that will enable operators to tarp or strap their cargo safely, efficiently and economically. Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the description that follows.
It is recognized in the prior art of which applicant is aware, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 7,182,387 which issued to Hartman et al on Feb. 27, 2007, that in the past it has been potentially hazardous for operators to climb up onto loads on their flatbed trailers so as to drag tarps over the loads so that the tarps may be secured to protect the load during transport and storage. Thus as taught in the Hartman patent, it is know in the prior art to provide a cantilevered frame which mounts to a forklift so as to extend laterally from the side of the front of the forklift. As taught by Hartman, with the frame in a lowered position an operator may walk on top of the frame so as to spread out a tarp which the operator desires to use to cover his load. Once the front of the tarp has been placed over top of the lowered frame and secured thereto, the frame may be elevated thereby carrying with it the front of the tarp. Once the frame and front of the tarp has been elevated above the elevation of the top of the load on the flatbed trailer, the forklift may be driven forward along the side of the flatbed trailer so as to translate the front of the tarp across the top of the load thereby dragging the rear of the tarp up onto the load as it trails behind the frame.
The problem with the approach of Hartman, in applicant's experience, dragging a tarp up the back of a flatbed trailer and up across the back of a load on top of the flatbed trailer, will sometimes cause the tarp to snag, requiring the operator to free the tarp for the load covering may be continued. Further, once the front of the tarp has been moved into its desired position, the tarp must be released from where it is secured to the frame, and the frame slid or pulled out from underneath the front of the tarp thereby also potentially dislodging the position of at least the front of the tarp on the load. Consequently what is desired, and which it is an object of the present invention to provide, is a frame which, once mounted to the forklift and in particular to the top of the fork carriage, so as to cantilever the frame laterally outwardly from the side of the forklift, is adapted to releasably secure a tarp underneath the frame and to carry a significant portion of a tarp if not the entire tarp then upwardly clear of the top of the load by the elevation of the frame on the forklift. With the frame and the tarp suspended underneath the frame lifted by the forklift so as to be clear of the top of the load on the flatbed trailer, the entire tarp may be then carried over and gently lowered so as to place the tarp onto the load rather than dragging the tarp over the load and the end of the trailer.


Disclosed are methods and apparatus for using an audible signal to monitor conditions at a downhole location in a well through use of a well cable containing a fiber optic, which may be either a slickline or a wireline fiber-optic cable, and providing an audible signal which varies in response to the monitored condition. The condition monitored can be strain in the fiber optic well cable, which can be sensed in one or more locations in the fiber optic well cable, in many examples through use of a sensor such as a Bragg grating associated with or formed in an optical fiber within the well cable. In some examples, a temperature measurement may be used to compensate for temperature effects impacting the strain measurement.

The present disclosure relates generally to methods and apparatus for using an audible signal to identify the status of one or more conditions in a well monitored through use of a fiber optic well cable; and more particularly relates, in at least some embodiments, to methods and apparatus for providing an audible signal responsive to a strain detected in a fiber optic well cable at the downhole location. In some examples, such strain may be detected in locations such as at, or near, a cablehead attaching the fiber optic well cable to a downhole tool, such as a logging tool or servicing tool.
In many types of well operations performed using a downhole tool supported by a wireline or slickline there can be a challenge in understanding what conditions exist proximate the tool. These challenges can be even more pronounced when using slickline, as there is no electrical connection between the surface and the tool to facilitate communication with sensors in or proximate the tool.
One particular condition that would be useful to understand during well operations is any strain that the slickline or wireline is experiencing at the tool location. For example, a collapse of some portion of a well sidewall could restrict movement of a logging or service tool. Merely monitoring tension on the slickline or wireline at the surface is only a general indicator as to what conditions may exist at the location of the tool. In other situations, a servicing tool may be used to perform a downhole operation. For example, fishing tools may be used to recover components lost in the well, or cable-conveyed hydraulic or mechanical jars may be used to provide an impact to help free a stuck component. In these operations, an indicator of the strain on the wireline or slickline proximate the servicing tool would be of great benefit to an operator; and it would be of particular benefit for the indicator to provide an audible signal representative of conditions affecting the wireline or slickline and/or the attached logging or servicing tool.

Auditory monitoring of downhole conditions through a fiber optic cable


A method for easily applying a coating agent to an electronic circuit board accommodated in a housing without leaving uncoated portions. The method includes mounting the electronic circuit board to the housing, performing an electrical connection process in the electronic circuit board, and filling the housing with the coating agent (anti-moisture agent) to immerse the electronic circuit board in the coating agent.

The present invention relates to a method for applying a coating agent and to an electronic control unit.
An electronic control unit includes an electronic circuit board accommodated in a housing. In the prior art, various measures are taken to make the housing waterproof. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-150633 describes an electronic control unit having a waterproof structure. In a vehicle, space is limited. It is thus important that space be effectively used. Therefore, to increase the mounting freedom of an electronic control unit in a vehicle, the electronic control unit must have higher water resistance. Accordingly, in an electronic control unit having a waterproof structure, it is desirable that the electronic circuit board be coated with an anti-moisture agent.
However, in cases in which there are locations that must undergo soldering after the electronic circuit board is mounted on the housing, the anti-moisture agent may hinder soldering. Thus, in the prior art, the soldered locations are masked before immersing the electronic circuit board in a coating agent (anti-moisture agent). Alternatively, after mounting the electronic circuit boards to the housing, the anti-moisture agent is coated on the electronic circuit board with a brush. However, such masking or coating is troublesome. Further, depending on how the electronic circuit board is accommodated in the housing, some portions of the electronic circuit board may be left uncoated by the anti-moisture agent. Accordingly, improvements must be made to the application of a coating agent.

Method for applying coating agent and electronic control unit


The optical switch, having a plurality of ports capable of switching optical signal routes in a network in the form of light, includes a detection means for detecting information in regard to the transmission condition of an optical signal passing through each port; and a control means for exchanging the transmission condition information between each switch and controlling the ports, so as to select one route from among a plurality of routes transmitting the optical signal based on the difference of transmission condition information between the relevant switches. The transmission condition information is the power of the optical signal. When the difference between each switch exists, or when at least one switch intervenes in the middle of the transmission route, by selecting a transmission route which minimizes accumulated differences among the switches, configuring a tree structure conventionally performed through manual operation can be set automatically in an optical network system.

Ethernet which works on layer two (including Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, and 10 Gigabit Ethernet) has been used in a local area network (LAN). At present, application area of layer-2 Ethernet expands to a metro area network (MAN) and a wide area network (WAN) as well as LAN, as can be seen wide area Ethernet services becoming popular. Further, application of a storage area network (SAN) to a metro area is being discussed. Moreover, since data processing speed has increased as the Internet proliferates, optical interface such as fiber channel for use in Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Ethernet and SAN has been standardized. In the near future, it is highly probable that a network using an optical switch becomes popular by use of ultra high-speed interface of 10 Gigabit Ethernet class, in which optical signals are being switched in the form of light.
In an electric switch, the spanning tree protocol (STP) is used to secure network redundancy while avoiding a loop phenomenon. STP is a method of configuring a tree structure in a switching network working on layer 2, extending to the entire switches in the network while only one route is existent for each of the entire destinations. With this, while a redundant route is secured even in the event of a failure, logical wiring can be determined avoiding network stoppage caused by a packet loop.
In STP, a switch located at the center of the tree is termed root bridge. As center switch, a switch having a minimum bridge ID (identification number) value is selected. In other switches than the root bridge, a root path cost against the root bridge is calculated. Also, a route having the minimum root path cost is set to a forwarding state (a state transmitting data frames), and other routes having greater root path costs than the above is set to a blocking state (a state suspending transmission of data frames). The path cost of a link between each switch is obtained from the link transmission speed. A port in each switch is shifted from a blocking state, through a listening state and a learning state, to a forwarding state. The above each state will be explained in the following FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 shows a diagram illustrating state transitions in each port of a switch. Each port can take the blocking state, the listening state, the learning state, the forwarding state, and further a disable state. In the blocking state, data traffic is neither transmitted nor received. Namely, data traffic is discarded, and only BPDU (bridge protocol data unit) is received. In the listening state, data traffic is neither transmitted nor received, and the incoming data traffic is discarded, while BPDU is transmitted and received to form an STP tree topology. In the learning state, data traffic is neither transmitted nor received, and the incoming data traffic is discarded. Learning MAC address and generating an MAC address table are performed in this state. Namely, each MAC address provided in the equipment connected to each switch port is retained in this table, correspondingly to each port. When the state is shifted to this learning state, data frames become ready for transfer. In the forwarding state, it becomes possible to transmit/receive both data traffic and BDPU. The disable state is a state other than the above four states, that is, each port stays ineffective or STP is inoperable. Transitions between each state are performed based on each condition corresponding to reference numbers (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) attached to each arrow shown in FIG. 1. More specifically, the reference number (1) denotes a case that the port becomes either effective or initialized, the reference number (2) denotes a case of the port becoming ineffective, the reference number (3) denotes a case of the port being selected as designated port or root port, the reference number (4) is a case of the port being selected as blocking port, and the reference number (5) is a case when a predetermined time (forward delay: time for shifting to the learning state or the forwarding state) has elapsed.
FIGS. 2A, 2B show diagrams illustrating an exemplary STP tree topology configuration. In a network having physical topology shown in FIG. 2A, logical topology shown in FIG. 2B is structured by exchanging BPDU to determine a route. The procedure for structuring this topology is explained below.
(1) Selecting a Root Bridge
First, a switch having the minimum value of bridge ID (a 64-bit numeral constituted of 16-bit 'priority' combined with 48-bit MAC address of each switch) is selected as root bridge.
(2) Selecting Root Ports
In the switches other than the root bridge, a root port, which is a port positioned nearest to the root bridge, is selected. First, a BPDU having a root path cost=0 is transmitted from the root bridge toward switches located downstream. When a switch receives the BPDU, the switch adds the path cost of the port that has received the BPDU, and transfers the new BPDU further to the downstream switches. By repeating the above procedure, each switch receives a plurality of BPDU. The port having received the BPDU including the least root path cost value is selected as root port.
(3) Selecting Designated Ports
All ports in the root bridge are selected as designated ports without exception. Further, among the ports in each segment (where a segment is a link between switches), a port having a shortest route to the root bridge is selected as designated port.
(4) Setting Forwarding Ports
The ports having been selected as root port and designated port are set as forwarding ports.
(5) Setting Blocking Ports
The ports having been selected neither root port nor designated port are set as blocking ports.
Through the above procedure, logical topology having a tree structure (i.e. tree topology) by STP is structured in regard to the network constituted of electric switches.

Optical switch and network system including the same


Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide improved systems and techniques for intelligently allocating cache requests to caches based upon the nature of the cache objects associated with the cache requests, and/or the condition of the caches in the distributed cache system, to facilitate cache system utilization and performance. In some embodiments, an allocation of cache requests may be performed in response to detection of a problem at one of a group of cache servers. For example, in some embodiments, a particular cache server may be entered into a safe mode of operations when the cache's ability to service cache requests is impaired. In other embodiments, an allocation of cache requests may be performed based on an cache object data type associated with the cache requests.

The invention disclosed herein relates generally to computing and data storage. More specifically, the invention relates to the operation of a distributed cache system.
In computer systems, a cache is a data structure that stores data so that future requests for that data can be processed faster. For example, the data that is stored within a cache might consist of data that has been computed earlier or it may consist of duplicates of data that is originally stored elsewhere (e.g., a database), in an application system. Frequently, repeated accesses to the same data in the application system may be required. By providing access to such data in a cache, the time required to respond to a request for such data can be shortened. Use of caches can substantially reduce system performance time in some application systems. Usually, if requested data is contained in a cache (cache hit), a computer system may service the request simply by reading the cache. If the requested data results in a cache miss, the computer system may then recompute or fetch the data from an original storage location, which takes more time.
In the past, an application system usually only employed one cache. In modern systems requiring a large number of data accesses, frequently, a distributed cache system is deployed that utilizes multiple caches distributed over more than one location. For example, a distributed cache system may include a local cache located within or in proximity to an application server, as well as a remote cluster of cache servers, which are accessible to the application. The use of multiple caches allows for larger cache sizes. As a side benefit, providing multiple caches allows for the possibility of selective use of caches. It would be advantageous to improve the performance of distributed cache systems to provide faster response times for data accesses in an application system by intelligently allocating cache requests to caches in a distributed cache system.

Allocating cache request in distributed cache system based upon cache object and marker identifying mission critical data


In a hard disk drive, a channel detector produces a first detected sequence based on a first signal. A decoder includes an error-correction decoder that produces first data based on the first detected sequence when a number of symbols in error in the first detected sequence is less than, or equal to, a predetermined number, and that asserts a failure indication when the number of symbols in error in the first detected sequence is greater than the predetermined number. When the error-correction decoder asserts the failure indication for the first detected sequence, a controller causes the channel detector to produce a second detected sequence based on a second signal, and identifies corresponding symbols of the first and second detected sequences that differ. The decoder produces second data based on the symbols identified by the controller and at least one of the first and second detected sequences.

The present invention relates to detection of signals on communications channels. More particularly, the present invention relates to marking unreliable symbols read back from a hard disk drive.
Data stored on magnetic media, such as hard disk drives, are typically encoded using an error-correction code, such as a Reed-Solomon code, so that errors that occur during storage and read back of the data can be detected and corrected. In conventional systems, the read back signal is typically detected by a channel detector, such as a Viterbi detector, that generates multi-bit symbols based on the read back signal. These symbols often include errors due to imperfect detection and noise.
Conventional systems typically include an error-correction decoder, such as a Reed-Solomon decoder, that uses the error-correction code in the data to correct these errors. Each error-correction code, and its associated decoder, has a power t, and can correct t symbol errors in the read back data sequence. When a sequence has more than t symbol errors, the decoder cannot correct the symbol, and typically triggers a retry, in which the data is read back from the disk a second time, detected again, and decoded again. This process can repeat until the detected sequence has t or fewer symbol errors, in which case it can be corrected by the decoder. Of course, this repetitive retry process consumes significant amounts of time, thus reducing the rate at which data can be read back from the hard disk drive.

Marking unreliable symbols in a hard disk drive read back signal


A method and apparatus for binding a stack of sheets which can be carried out using a conventional perfect binding machine. A stack to be bound is positioned between a pair of end leafs. Molten hot melt adhesive is then applied to the edge of the stack and to the first and second end leafs, preferably using the perfect binding machine. An elongated spine member is then applied to the edge of the stack and is secured by the hot melt adhesive. The elongated spine member is preferably part of a configuration having a form factor that generally matches that of the conventional cover so that configuration, including the spine member, can be applied using the traditional perfect binder machine. The respective edges of the spine member are secured to the outer sheets of the end leafs by way of pressure sensitive adhesives. In one embodiment, the pressure sensitive adhesive is disposed on the edges of the spine member and covered by release sheets. After the spine structure has been secured by the hot melt adhesive, the user folds the edges of the spine structure away from the stack thereby revealing the release sheets. The release sheets are removed thereby exposing the pressure sensitive adhesive segments. The edges of the spine member are then pressed back against the stack causing the edges of the structure to be secured to the respective end leafs by the pressure sensitive adhesive. Preferably, a hardcover is secured using the end leafs and pressure sensitive adhesive.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to the field of bookbinding and, in particular, to the binding a stack of sheets into a hardcover book.
2. Description of Related Art
There are several well-known techniques for binding books. One technique, commonly referred to as perfect binding, is used to bind a stack of sheets using a hot melt adhesive. The adhesive is also used to secure a soft cover to the bound stack. Referring to the drawings, the perfect binding process is illustrated in schematic form in FIGS. 1A-1C. This process is typically automated. The stack 30 to be bound is secured in a clamping mechanism illustrated by clamp members 32A and 32B. A grinding mechanism 31 at a first station is used to grind the edge 30A of the stack. This is typically accomplished using high speed rotating cutting blades 31A. The roughened edge of the stack will facilitate the absorption of hot melt adhesive and ensures that each sheet will contact the adhesive.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 1B, the stack is moved to a further station where hot melt adhesive 34 is applied to the edge of the stack. While the adhesive is still molten, the stack is moved to a third station as shown in FIG. 1C where a folded paper cover 36 is automatically folded around and secured to the stack by way of molten adhesive 34. If needed the stack 30 and/or cover 36 are then trimmed after the adhesive has had an opportunity to cool.
In some applications, a pair of special end leafs are added to the stack 30 prior to binding for the purpose of enhancing the appearance of the bound book. FIG. 2 shows one end leaf 38 that includes a folded sheet of relatively heavy paper that forms sheets 40A and 40B, joined at fold 40C. An elongated, relatively stiff, spacer member 46 is attached to the lower portion of sheet 40A and extends slightly below the fold line 40C, typically ⅛ of an inch. End leaf 38 is positioned adjacent one outer sheet of a stack 30 and a second similar end leaf 42 is positioned adjacent the other outer sheet of stack 30. The dimensions of end leafs 38 and 42, including the respective spacer members 46 and 48, correspond to the dimensions of the sheets to be bound. When the stack and end leafs are subjected to the grinding step previously mentioned in connection with FIG. 1A, a small portion of the end of the stack and much of the spacer members 46 and 47 are ground away. The spacer members 46 and 48 operate as sacrificial elements to prevent sheets 40A, 40B, 44A and 44B and the folds connecting the sheets from being damaged in the grinding step.
Once the cover 36 has been applied to the bound stack, outer sheets 40A and 44A are glued to the respective inner surfaces of the cover. Thus, when the cover is opened at one end, the reader can see, for example, sheets 40B and 40A connected near the spine at fold 40C. When the cover is opened at the other end, sheets 40A, 40B and fold 44C can be seen. Thus, the prefect bound book has the appearance that approaches that of a traditional bound book. Note also that the position of each of end leafs 38 and 42 could be reversed so that spacer members 46 and 48 are positioned on the outside of the assembly rather than being positioned adjacent the respective outer sheets of stack 30. In any event, in this application, the only functioned performed by end leafs 38 and 42 is cosmetic.
The above-described prior art perfect binding method is very popular, particularly for fairly high volume production. It is possible to produce a hardcover book starting with the bound stack or book block 30 produced at the end of the step described in connection with FIG. 1B. A hardcover is applied to the book block 30 using what can be termed a cold glue, as contrasted with the hot melt adhesive used in the perfect binder machine. Unfortunately, there is an interface between the hot melt adhesive and the cold glue that has a tendency to fail over time.
The present invention permits a hardcover book to be produced using conventional perfect binding equipment and related technology. The resultant hardcover book structure avoids the above-mentioned problem resulting from the interface between the hot melt adhesive and cold glue. These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following Detailed Description of the Invention together with the drawings.

Apparatus and method for making hardcover book


An improved radiation dosimeter device in an improved radiation dosimeter system provides a DC analog output voltage that is proportional to the total ionizing dose accumulated as a function of time at the location of the dosimeter in a host spacecraft, so as to operate in a system bus voltage range common to spacecraft systems with the output being compatible with conventional spacecraft analog inputs, while the total dose is measured precisely by continually monitoring the energy deposited in a silicon test mass accumulating charge including charge contribution prior to radiation threshold detection for improved measurement of the total accumulated charge with the dosimeters being daisy-chained and distributed about the spacecraft for providing a spacecraft dose profile about the spacecraft using the improved radiation dosimeter system.

Microelectronics in spacecraft are vulnerable to degradation and even failure from the radiation dose caused by energetic electrons and ions. It is highly desirable to have radiation sensors onboard the spacecraft to serve as continuous monitors of the radiation exposure. Dosimeters can monitor radiation exposure and should be small devices that can be colocated with the critical electronic systems and economical enough in dollars and spacecraft resources to be routinely included as part of most spacecraft subsystems. A radiation dose is the energy absorbed by an object per unit mass, for example, in ergs per gram for most electronic devices, and particularly, in ergs per gram of silicon.
Dosimeters have been flown on several missions for decades. In some cases, a direct measurement was made of the energy deposited in a test mass of silicon. These measurements can be carried out by integrating the charge created in silicon by space radiation over a satellite mission lifetime. Several test masses were used in each dosimeter, each shielded by a different, hemispherical thickness of aluminum or other spacecraft material. The shield thicknesses can be chosen to represent commonplace shielding of spacecraft systems, so that the dose at those locations could be inferred from the measurement. While the measurement of radiation energy was accomplished through directed methods, the dose at the particular location on the spacecraft was obtained indirectly. However these dosimeters weigh several pounds, consume several watts, and must be mounted on the surface of the spacecraft with a clear 2π view of space. Thus, significant spacecraft resources are disadvantageously required. Additionally, radiation dosimeters require dedicated interfacing to system processors for storing radiation exposure profiles about the spacecraft.
Other flown dosimeter electronic devices follow the degradation of the devices as a function of time and shielding thickness. However, for such a measurement to be useful in a quantitative sense, the sensitivity of a complex electronic component to radiation should be known. Annealing effects, among others, make interpretation difficult. However, the great attraction of such dosimeters is that the dosimeters are very small, require little spacecraft resources, and can be placed inside various spacecraft boxes. The dosimeters could be located directly at the desired spots of necessity on a craft, but made an indirect measurement of a radiation dose. Conventional dosimeters basically are of two types, which may be referred to as Type 1 and Type 2.
The Type 1 dosimeter consists of a box that is mounted on the spacecraft at a single location, with an unimpeded view of the external radiation environment. This sensor uses one or more silicon detectors under selected shield thicknesses representative of typical incidental spacecraft shielding. Thus, a Type 1 dosimeter gives the depth-dose profile of the radiation environment of the host spacecraft in an ideal geometry. The total dose and dose rate data acquired thereby is used with radiation transport codes to determine the radiation dose at points of interest throughout the host spacecraft.
There are several problems associated with the Type 1 dosimeter. First, the dosimeter must be fine-tuned for each host vehicle, and knowledge of the detailed spacecraft design is necessary to complete the dosimeter development. This approach requires significant ray-tracing analysis of the host vehicle design to determine an equivalent thickness of slab-shield or hemispherical-shield geometry to be placed over the detector. This detailed process is prone to error from tolerance build-up in the analysis and from inherent errors in transforming what are typically very complex spacecraft geometries into a simple single thickness of metal. Furthermore, even minor changes in the vehicle design can cause a significant error unless a new ray-tracing analysis is performed. The second problem with the Type 1 dosimeter is the necessary mounting on the spacecraft that requires that each sensor have a clear field-of-view. This is necessary to be able to control the amount of known shielding over the sensors. This constraint puts the dosimeter payload in competition for precious real estate on the spacecraft or requires that the dosimeter settle for some non-ideal spacecraft obstruction to the field-of-view. Finally, radiation transfer calculations are complex and require highly accurate models of the spacecraft of interest in order to obtain accurate results. These calculations are far from trivial or cheap to carry out.
The Type 2 dosimeters make indirect measurements of accumulated dose by measuring the response of an electronic device to ionizing radiation. An example of a Type 2 dosimeter uses a PMOS transistor as the detector element and the associated electronics measure the change in the threshold voltage required to maintain the device at a specified operating point. This Type 2 dosimeter measures the effect of radiation on the gate oxide rather than the silicon, but using the results to infer a silicon dose. This inference is accomplished by comparing flight devices against an extrapolation of prelaunch irradiation measurements to estimate the total dose absorbed by the device. Another dosimeter in this Type 2 class is an EPROM dosimeter where a relationship between memory bit-errors and total dose is used to estimate the dose as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,199, issued to McNulty. The main problem with this degradation dosimeter technique is that it is indirect, in that, the devices do not measure radiation dose but the radiation effects upon a specific device. Not all devices degrade in the same way or at the same rate and the understanding of rate and annealing effects become critical. These indirect radiation effects make the interpretation of the device output prone to serious error. A pre-irradiation test of these Type 2 devices is usually performed to establish an operational curve that represents the degradation as a function of the dose received. However, one cannot expose devices to the full range of dose when those same devices are to be positioned in orbit. So, flight devices are typically irradiated at unrealistically low doses on the ground with an extrapolation to predict higher doses actually occurring in orbit.
The most desirable dosimeter is one that makes a direct measurement of the radiation dose and is located directly at the spot of interest. Typically, a radiation dose signal originating in a detector is preamplified and compared to a radiation energy threshold limit, the exceeding of which indicates the reception of a radiation quanta dose in the form of a charge deposit that is then accumulated by integration. Upon reaching this radiation energy threshold limit, integration of the radiation dose signal is a direct measurement of the absorbed radiation energy. A problem with this threshold triggering is that prethreshold charge is not accumulated and represents an error in measurement either by failing to capture the prethreshold charge or by an approximation of the prethreshold triggering energy that is subject to inaccuracies. These and other disadvantages are solved or reduced using the invention.


Liquid crystal compositions which can improve the low .DELTA.n (refractive index anisotropy) of conventional liquid crystal compositions containing a silacyclohexane compound and which retain a low viscosity and hence show no decrease in response speed. Liquid crystal compositions having a high .DELTA.n of 0.13 to 0.25, a low viscosity of 30 cp or less, a low threshold voltage and a high voltage holding ratio can be obtained by adding thereto, as a required component, a compound having both a silacyclohexane ring and a tolan structure, or a miture of a compound having a silacyclohexane ring and a compound having a tolan structure.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to liquid crystal compositions comprising compounds having a silacyclohexane ring, and liquid crystal display devices containing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal display devices are devices utilizing the optical anisotropy and dielectric anisotropy possessed by liquid crystal materials. According to the display mode, there are various types including the TN (twisted nematic), STN (super-twisted nematic), SBE (super-twisted birefringent effect), DS (dynamic scattering), guest-host, DAP (distortion of aligned phase) and OMI (optical mode interference) types. The most common display devices are ones having a twisted nematic structure on the basis of the Schutt-Hellfritt effect.
Although the properties required of the liquid crystal materials used in these liquid crystal display elements more or less vary according to the display mode, a wide liquid crystal temperature range and stability to moisture, air, light, heat and electric fields are commonly required for all display modes. Moreover, it is desired that the liquid crystal materials have low viscosity and provide a short addressing time, a low threshold voltage and high contrast in the cells. At present, there is no single compound that meets all of these requirements, and it is a matter of fact that liquid crystal mixtures obtained by mixing several or several tens of liquid crystal compounds and/or latent liquid crystal compounds are being used. Accordingly, it is also important that these components are easily miscible with each other.
Among the various display modes, the active matrix (AM)-driven twisted nematic (TN) mode using a thin film transistor (TFT) element array or thin film diode (TFD) element array is being extensively employed owing to its high image display quality (i.e., high fineness, high contrast and high response speed). On the other hand, the simple matrix-driven STN mode has achieved an improvement in display quality owing to the development of new driving methods such as the multi-line selection method, and is finding its own applications.
One of the cell design factors directly affecting the quality of display is retardation (R=d.times..DELTA.n in which d is the cell gap size and .DELTA.n is the refractive index anisotropy of the liquid crystal material). In the TN mode, the first minimum of transmittance at which R=0.4-0.5 is chosen where visual angle characteristics are preferentially considered, and the second minimum of transmittance at which R=0.8-1.0 is chosen where contrast is preferentially considered. On the other hand, a value of R in the range of 0.8-0.9 is chosen in the STN mode.
Consequently, it is required that the .DELTA.n of the liquid crystal material be in the range of 0.08-0.09 for the first minimum of transmittance and in the range of 0.11-0.20 for the second minimum of transmittance and the STN mode.
In recent years, there is a growing demand for AM-driven TN mode liquid crystal panels predominantly using the first minimum of transmittance, and it is strongly desired to lower the driving voltages of liquid crystal materials, as well as the driving voltages of driver ICs. Conventional liquid crystal materials for use by low-voltage driving have the disadvantage that they show a rise in viscosity and hence a decrease in response time.
In the case of AM driving, it is required from reasons characteristic of this driving method that liquid crystal materials have what is called a signal voltage holding property. This signal voltage holding property designates the degree of drop of the signal voltage applied to picture elements containing a liquid crystal material, within a given frame period. Accordingly, when the signal voltage does not drop (i.e., when the voltage holding ratio is 100%), the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules is not broken and, therefore, no reduction in contrast is caused. Moreover, this voltage holding property is affected by the environment in which the liquid crystal panel is used, so that the lifetime of the property tends to be shortened in an environment exposed to high-intensity light as in liquid crystal panels for projection use, and in an environment exposed to high temperatures as in liquid crystal panels for use on automobiles. The threshold voltage of a liquid crystal material can be lowered by increasing its dielectric constant anisotropy (.DELTA..epsilon.). However, liquid crystal materials having high .DELTA..epsilon. have the disadvantage that they fail to achieve a high voltage holding ratio.

Liquid crystal compositions and liquid crystal display elements containing same


A ceramic enamel composition consists of an oxide frit, a bismuth silicate seed material, a pigment, and a vehicle. A preferred bismuth silicate seed material is selected from crystalline Bi.sub.12 SiO.sub.20, Bi.sub.4 (SiO.sub.4).sub.3, and Bi.sub.2 SiO.sub.5, and mixtures thereof. Upon firing a glass substrate coated with the enamel, components of the enamel adhere to the substrate. The glass can be formed with a die to a desired shape with reduced sticking of the coated region to the die. The ceramic enamel is particularly useful in providing a colored border around automotive glass, which enhances appearance and reduces degradation of adhesives by ultraviolet radiation.

Ceramic enamel paint compositions are well known in the art. They can be used for a variety of applications as, for example, decorative coatings for glassware, chinaware, and the like. They are especially useful in forming colored borders around glass sheets used for automotive windshields, sidelights and backlights. The colored borders enhance appearance as well as prevent UV degradation of underlying adhesives.
In general, these enamel compositions consist mainly of a glass frit, a colorant and an organic vehicle. They are applied to a substrate and subsequently fired to burn off the organic vehicle and fuse the frit thus bonding the enamel coating to the substrate.
Glass sheets for automotive use are generally coated with the ceramic enamel composition and then subjected to a forming process at elevated temperatures. During this treatment the enamel melts and fuses to the glass substrate and the glass is formed into a desired final shape. However, many prior art coatings exhibit a tendency to adhere to the materials covering the forming die, such as a fiberglass or metal fiber covered die, because these conventional enamels have a low viscosity after melting and stick to other materials at high temperature. Accordingly, these materials are not suitable for use in glass forming processes in which the heated glass coated with enamel contacts a material-covered forming die.
Various approaches have been suggested in order to facilitate the forming of glass sheets with a ceramic enamel coated thereon, withstanding of the elevated bending or forming temperatures, and repeated contact of the glass sheet and the covered forming die without the enamel adhering to the forming die. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,596,590 and 4,770,685 (issued to Boaz) and EP 201241 propose the addition of a low valent metal oxide powder, e.g., cuprous oxide, to the paint composition to provide a non-stick barrier between the coating and the fiberglass-covered forming die. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,684,389; 4,857,096 and 5,037,783 (issued to Boaz), propose adding finely divided zinc metal powder for a similar effect. The use of an iron metal powder is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,196 (issued to Stotka).
The use of other metal oxide powders, including bismuth oxide-containing formulations have been proposed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,029,605 (issued to Kosiorek); 4,098,949 (issued to Kosiorek); 4,892,847 (issued to Reinherz); 4,959,090 (issued to Reinherz); 4,970,178 (issued to Klimas et al.); 5,093,285 (issued to Murkens); 5,203,902 (issued to Murkens) and EP 370,693.
However, certain of the bismuth containing systems produce a weak glass, such as when lithium is present, and have poor silver bleed-through properties, as well as inadequate anti-stick properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,596 proposes introducing copper sulfide or copper sulfate into the ceramic enamel composition as an anti-stick agent. Sulfides or sulfates of other metals have been proposed as anti-stick agents in U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,396 (issued to Reinherz et al.).
A purportedly improved anti-stick ceramic enamel composition is proposed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,153,150 and 5,208,191 (issued to Ruderer et al.) wherein a seed powder containing Zn.sub.2 SiO.sub.4 is introduced into an oxide composition with or without the presence of bismuth oxide.
As a further problem, a number of previous ceramic enamel systems employ a lead-containing glass frit. For environmental considerations it is desirable to avoid the use of any lead-containing system.
Also, while some of the above-mentioned enamel systems may perform fairly well in conventional glass forming processes, some are not satisfactory for use in the newly-developed "deep bend" processes for forming automotive glass.
It is essential that the enamel compositions also possess adequate resistance to certain chemical agents, which they may contact, and many of the prior art compositions fail in this respect.
Each of the previously known enamel compositions suffers from one or more of the deficiencies noted above, making it desirable to provide a composition which avoids these shortcomings. The present invention provides such ceramic enamel compositions, a method for employing the compositions, and substrates coated therewith.

Partially crystallizing ceramic enamel composition containing bismuth silicate, and use thereof


An improvement is proposed in the method for adhesively bonding a decorative overlay film of a plastic resin to the surface of an acrylic resin board with a hot-melt adhesive, by which the overlaid acrylic resin board can be imparted with greatly improved stability of overlaying lamination as well as good machining workability of the board. The improved method comprises the steps of: (a) demoisturizing the acrylic resin board by heating at 60-90.degree. C. for at least 2 hours; (b) forming a layer of a hot-melt adhesive on at least either one of the resin board and the overlay film; (c) laminating the resin board and the overlay film with the adhesive layer therebetween to obtain a laminate by passing between a pair of laminating rollers while the surfaces to be brought into contact with each other are kept at an elevated temperature; and (d) subjecting the laminate to an aging treatment by heating at 30-60.degree. C. for at least 1 hour.

The present invention relates to a method for adhesive bonding of an overlay film to an acrylic resin board. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved method for adhesive bonding of a decorative overlay film of a plastic resin to an acrylic resin board by using a hot-melt adhesive to give a decorative acrylic resin-based overlaid board having improved stability of overlaying lamination in a prolonged service under adverse ambient conditions or in mechanical working.
As is well known, acrylic resins have various excellent properties such as high clarity, mechanical strengths, dimensional stability in molding and the like so that they are used in a wide field of applications not only as a material of parts of various instruments and machines but also as a material of various kinds of indoor and outdoor utilities such as, for example, doors, partition boards, arcade roofs, signboards, doorplates, telephone booths and so on, in most cases, in the form of a board having a thickness in a wide range from less than 1 mm to several centimeters.
When decorativeness or a shielding effect to light or heat radiation is desired in these acrylic resin boards not obtained with a plain resin board, it is a conventional technology that the acrylic resin board is overlaid with an overlay film of a plastic resin provided with a designed pattern by printing, with a metallic layer over whole surface or in a pattern by sputtering, vapor deposition or other suitable methods and with an embossment. The acrylic resin board and the overlay film are bonded together usually by using a hot-melt adhesive in consideration of the workability of the laminated resin board in the subsequent works such as thermal shaping or mechanical working, e.g., bending, cutting, sawing, drilling, shaving and the like.
A problem in such an overlaid acrylic resin board is that the adhesive bonding between the resin board and the overlay film by use of a hot-melt adhesive is not always very reliable in respect of stability of bonding in the subsequent works of the overlaid board or during a prolonged service of the utilities made from the overlaid acrylic resin board, especially, under very adverse ambient conditions. For example, delamination of the layers may eventually be caused in the mechanical working such as sawing and shaving for trimming of the periphery. Further, blistering of the overlay film is sometimes found in the overlaid acrylic resin board when it is prolongedly exposed to direct sunlight as is unavoidable in outdoor utilities. The requirements for overlaid acrylic resin boards include, for example, resistance against crazing, resistance against organic solvents and plasticizers, stability against blistering, adaptability to thermal forming, bendability to comply with a curved surface, adaptability to job-site mechanical working such as drilling, and so on. Various proposals and attempts, of course, have been made to solve the above mentioned problems relative to the improvement in the stability of overlaying lamination and to satisfy the various requirements mentioned above in overlaid acrylic resin boards but none of the prior art methods is quite satisfactory having its own merits and demerits.

Method for adhesive bonding of an overlay film to an acrylic resin board


In a method and apparatus to detect position changes of an implant x-ray detectable markers are arranged in the environment of the implant, and 2D x-ray exposures are obtained at temporal intervals of a region containing the implant in which a distribution of the markers as well as of marked points of the implant are visible in each 2D x-ray exposure. A first of the 2D x-ray exposures is obtained at a first point in time from one projection direction, and a second of the 2D x-ray exposures is obtained at a second point in time from another projection direction. The distribution of the markers and marked points is determined in the first and second 2D x-ray exposure by an evaluation device, and from the distributions a degree of probability is calculated that the distribution of the first 2D x-ray exposure and the distribution of the second 2D x-ray exposure are projections of the same three-dimensional distribution of markers and marked points. An automated detection of position changes by implants with reduced x-ray exposure for the patient is facilitated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a method to detect position changes of a medical wherein x-ray detectable markers are arranged in the environment of the implant, and wherein a positional change of the implant is checked using 2D x-ray exposures at temporal intervals of a region containing the implant, using a distribution of the markers in each 2D x-ray exposure, with a first of the 2D x-ray exposures being obtained at a first point in time from one projection direction, and a second of the 2D x-ray exposures being obtained at a second point in time from another projection direction. The invention also concerns an x-ray system fashioned for implementation of the method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Supervision of the change of the position of implants, in particular the position of implanted prostheses, is an important post-operative measure in order to be able to undertake timely corrections and to prevent complications. Immediately after the implantation of artificial joints, the prosthesis can loosen in the course of time due to weakening of the materials used. In order to recognize this loosening, in the implantation, in addition to the prosthesis, small metal spheres that can be clearly localized in x-ray exposures of this region are placed in the bones bordering the prosthesis. A shifting of the artificial joint relative to the bones can be detected in the x-ray exposure with these metal spheres serving as markers. Such a shifting is an indicator of the loosening of the artificial joint.
A known method for detection of the position change of an implant (as it is described, for example, in Selvik, G., Roentgen stereophotogrammetry, Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavica Supplementum No. 232, Volume 60, 1989, Reprint from the original 1971 thesis) requires the implementation of at least four x-ray exposures with a calibration pattern in order to be able to detect corresponding position changes. For this, at each of regular temporal intervals two 2D x-ray exposures of a region containing the implant are obtained together with the calibration pattern from two projection directions predetermined by the calibration pattern. Corresponding spheres as well as marked points of the implant in the exposures are respectively, manually marked in the 2D x-ray exposures acquired at each interval. With the help of these correspondences, the position of the spheres and marked points in the 2D x-ray exposures and the measurement data of the calibration pattern, a 3D model of the spheres in the bones as well as of the marked points of the implant is generated. The comparison of the 3D model calculated in this manner at each interval with a 3D model calculated earlier or later enables a decision as to whether a position change of the implant has occurred, and what dimension this position change exhibits. The comparison requires the consistent numbering of the individual points or spheres in the 2D x-ray exposures. The method is tedious and additionally stresses the patient with the x-ray dose applied in the x-ray exposures.

Method and x-ray system for detecting position changes of a medical implant


The invention provides apparatuses and methods for acoustically ejecting the fluid from a reservoir contained in or disposed on a substrate. The reservoir has a portion adapted to contain a fluid, and an acoustic radiation generator is positioned in acoustic coupling relationship to the reservoir. Acoustic radiation generated by the acoustic radiation generator is transmitted through at least the portion of the reservoir to an analyzer. The analyzer is capable of determining the energy level of the transmitted acoustic radiation and raising the energy level of subsequent pulses to a level sufficient to eject fluid droplets from the reservoir. The invention is particularly suited for delivering fluid from a plurality of reservoirs in an accurate and efficient manner.

The discovery of novel and useful materials depends largely on the capacity to make and characterize new compositions of matter. As a result, recent research relating to novel materials having useful biological, chemical, and/or physical properties has focused on the development and implementation of new methods and systems for synthesizing and evaluating potentially useful chemical compounds. In particular, high-speed combinatorial methods have been developed to address the general need in the art for systematic, efficient, and economical material synthesis techniques as well as methods to analyze and to screen novel materials for useful properties.
High-speed combinatorial methods often involve the use of array technologies that require accurate dispensing of fluids each having a precisely known chemical composition, concentration, stoichiometry, ratio of reagents, and/or volume. Such array technologies may be employed to carry out various synthetic processes and evaluations. Array technologies may employ large numbers of different fluids to form a plurality of reservoirs that, when arranged appropriately, create combinatorial libraries. In order to carry out combinatorial techniques, a number of fluid dispensing techniques have been explored, such as pin spotting, pipetting, inkjet printing, and acoustic ejection.
Many of these techniques possess inherent drawbacks that must be addressed, however, before the fluid dispensing accuracy and efficiency required for the combinatorial methods can be achieved. For instance, a number of fluid dispensing systems are constructed using networks of tubing or other fluid-transporting vessels. Tubing, in particular, can entrap air bubbles, and nozzles may become clogged by lodged particulates. As a result, system failure may occur and cause spurious results. Furthermore, cross-contamination between the reservoirs of compound libraries may occur due to inadequate flushing of tubing and pipette tips between fluid transfer events. Cross-contamination can easily lead to inaccurate and misleading results.
Acoustic ejection provides a number of advantages over other fluid dispensing technologies. In contrast to inkjet devices, nozzleless fluid ejection devices are not subject to clogging and their associated disadvantages, e.g., misdirected fluid or improperly sized droplets. Furthermore, acoustic technology does not require the use of tubing or involve invasive mechanical actions, for example, those associated with the introduction of a pipette tip into a reservoir of fluid.
Acoustic ejection has been described in a number of patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,547 to Lovelady et al. describes a liquid drop emitter that utilizes acoustic principles to eject droplets from a body of liquid onto a moving document to result in the formation of characters or barcodes thereon. A nozzleless inkjet printing apparatus is used such that controlled drops of ink are propelled by an acoustical force produced by a curved transducer at or below the surface of the ink. Similarly, U.S. Ser. No. 09/964,212 describes a device for acoustically ejecting a plurality of fluid droplets toward discrete sites on a substrate surface for deposition thereon. The device includes an acoustic radiation generator that may be used to eject fluid droplets from a reservoir, as well as to produce a detection acoustic wave that is transmitted to the fluid surface of the reservoir to become a reflected acoustic wave. Characteristics of the reflected acoustic radiation may then be analyzed in order to assess the acoustic energy level produced by the acoustic radiation generator at the fluid surface. Thus, acoustic ejection may provide an added advantage in that the proper use of acoustic radiation provides feedback relating to the process of acoustic ejection itself.
The ability to predetermine the threshold level of droplet production for a fluid disposed in a reservoir would enable the user to more accurately control droplet size, minimize fluid waste and provide substantially more effective control of the power output of the acoustic energy generating apparatus used in fluid output from the reservoirs. Because the materials having biological, chemical, and/or physical properties useful in combinatorial synthesis can be extremely rare and/or prohibitively expensive, it is desirable to provide effective controls on power output, and consequently drop volume, in their use.
Regardless of the dispensing technique used, however, inventory and materials handling limitations generally dictate the capacity of combinatorial methods to synthesize and analyze increasing numbers of sample materials. For instance, during the formatting and dispensing processes, microplates that contain a plurality of fluids in individual wells may be thawed, and the fluid in selected wells can then be extracted for use in a combinatorial method. When a pipetting system is employed during extraction, a minimum loading volume may be required for the system to function properly. Similarly, other fluid dispensing systems may also require a certain minimum reservoir volume to function properly. Thus, for any fluid dispensing system, it is important to audit or monitor the reservoir contents to ensure that at least a minimum amount of fluid is provided. Such content monitoring generally serves to indicate the overall performance of a fluid dispensing system, as well as to maintain the integrity of the combinatorial methods.
An additional feature desirable in fluid monitoring is the ability to evaluate the properties of the microplate itself. Structural anisotropies at the molecular level, such as variations in the molecular orientation in the polymers used to make the plate, can impact the transmission of acoustic energy through the plate. Variations in molecular orientation lead to variations in the reflected acoustic energy from both the plate interface with the reservoir fluid as well as the reservoir fluid interface with the atmosphere. Such variations need to be accounted for or they will be attributed erroneously to variations in composition measurements, fluid height detection and the amount of energy reaching the surface.
In addition, during combinatorial synthesis or analysis processes, environmental effects may play a role in altering the reservoir contents. For example, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) is a common organic solvent employed to dissolve or suspend compounds commonly found in drug libraries. DMSO is highly hygroscopic and tends to absorb any ambient water with which it comes into contact. In turn, the absorption of water dilutes the concentration the compounds as well as alters the ability of the DMSO to suspend the compounds. Furthermore, the absorption of water may impact the transmission properties of acoustic energy transmitted through a DMSO/water mixture and other water-sensitive compounds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,364 to Dam, on the other hand, describes a non-contact ultrasonic system for measuring the volume of liquid in a plurality of containers. An ultrasonic sensor is disposed opposite the top of the containers. A narrow beam of ultrasonic radiation is transmitted from the sensor to the open top of an opposing container to be reflected from the air-liquid interface of the container back to the sensor. By using the round trip transit time of the radiation and the dimensions of the containers being measured, the volume of liquid in the container can be calculated. This device cannot be used to analyze wave forms of acoustic energy in fluid in sealed containers. In addition, the device lacks precision because air is a poor conductor of acoustic energy. Thus, while this device may provide rough estimate of the volume of liquid in relatively large containers, it is unsuitable for use in providing a detailed analysis of the wave forms of acoustic energy in fluids in reservoirs typically used in combinatorial techniques. In particular, this device cannot determine the position of the bottom of containers since substantially all of the emitted acoustic energy is reflected from the liquid surface and does not penetrate to detect the bottom. Small volume reservoirs such as microplates are regular arrays of fluid containers, and the location of the bottoms of the containers can vary by a significant fraction of the nominal height of a container due to distortions in the plate, such as bowing. Thus, detection of only the position of the liquid surface leads to significant errors in height and thus volume estimation in common containers.
Thus, there is a need in the art for improved methods and apparatuses that are capable of efficiently delivering fluid to a plurality of reservoirs, a capability that is particularly useful in synthetic and analytical processes to increase the robustness, efficiency, and effectiveness of the combinatorial techniques employed therein.
There is a need in the art to determine the energy level of an acoustic pulse to a site at the surface of a fluid in a reservoir and the ability to process the reflected energy of that pulse to be able to raise the amplitude of succeeding pulses to an energy level sufficient to form a droplet, i.e., threshold level. There is a need to analyze the input energy level of a pulse having an energy level sufficient to disturb or perturb the surface of the fluid in the reservoir but lower than threshold level, i.e., a sub-threshold pulse, in order to be able to generate a subsequent pulse having a sufficient acoustic energy level to form a droplet. There is a need in the art for a method to map non-uniformities in the wells contained in a well plate. There is a need in the art to be able to effectively calibrate the power system used to generate acoustic energy.

Method for acoustically ejecting a droplet of fluid from a reservoir by an acoustic fluid ejection apparatus


A method and implementing apparatus is provided for transferring data from memory to a file decoder which is effective to decode the file for further processing. In an illustrated example, a video file is decoded for presentation on a display device. The methodology includes enabling a plurality of control functions for access by a user or a user system in controlling the identity, sequence and flow of file transfers in order to optimize transfer efficiency in a data transfer transaction. Application programming interface (API) calls are provided by which playlists are constructed for transfer to the decoder. Further API calls are provided to enable pause and seek functions to be activated during a file transfer. A registration methodology is also provided by which predetermined processing events may be selected and recorded as they occur. The process further includes a methodology for modifying the file transfer protocol between multiple copy transfer and minimal copy transfer depending upon the type of data transfer channel being implemented.

The present invention relates generally to information processing systems and more particularly to a method for transferring data to a file decoder.
As computer network applications increase in number, the requirements for feature control in application processing are also increasing. The popularity and growth of multimedia computing in general, and especially in network multimedia computing, has increased the need to optimize information transfer capabilities, control and management. In computer-based multimedia applications, the use and availability of digitally coded files, including video and audio files, has greatly enhanced the usefulness of the system as well as the number of applications to which such multimedia computer systems can be applied. Typically, computer systems transfer files intact between devices. In video applications for example, where files are transferred from memory to a video decoder for presentation on a display device, there is generally no opportunity for a user to modify the files being transferred or otherwise control or manage the presentation of such files on a display device.
In many media applications, the presentations (both audio and video) can be greatly enhanced. Video presentations, for example, would be greatly enhanced when video files are presented in a predetermined order or sequence for maximum impact or even for logical presentation. Other applications may be enhanced by having a capability to pause a transfer transaction during the transfer process for example, in order to make several preliminary determinations concerning the user choices or the user""s system, prior to the transfer and presentation of the entire file. That function would provide substantial benefit in cases where the entire video or audio file may contain an enormous amount of information and take considerable time to transfer the entire file from memory to a file decoder. If, for example in a video application, a user decides there is no need to view the entire file, or to switch to another file, system efficiency and system speed would be greatly increased by providing a user with the option to pause or terminate a video file transfer before the transfer has totally completed. Other desirable control features for use in transferring files include such capabilities as a jump function by which data being transferred would jump to a predetermined location of one file when another predetermined location of another file was being transferred, or to jump immediately to a certain location of a file when that file begins to transfer or reaches a certain location in the file.
Thus there is a need for an improved method and processing apparatus which is effective to provide an application programming interface to allow end users and end user systems data transfer control options in controlling data file transfers from memory through a decoder to a user system or device.
A method and implementing apparatus is provided for transferring data from memory to a data file decoder which is effective to decode the file for further processing. The methodology includes enabling a plurality of control functions for access by a user or a user system in controlling the identity, sequence and flow of file transfers in order to optimize transfer efficiency in a data transfer transaction.

International Business Machines Corporation


Collectively predicting input operations for plural operation object items (subwindows) belonging to a same window. A proposal window PG stores in a statistics information database and manages information about the input entity and an operation object of an input operation accepted from a user, and a window to which the operation object belongs, along with transition information indicating the transition of active windows concerned in previous input operations. When an active window transitions because of an input operation accepted from the user, it searches the statistics information database for information that contains information about a new active window and is associated with transition information matching the transition of active windows concerned in previous input operations.

A device for assisting operations on a computer is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 10(1998)-27089. In the device, an operation record storage part identifies the types of applications operated by an operator, and the types of operated operation objects, and stores them in a time series as operation record information along with operation commands. An operation record search part searches operation records for a location in which the same operations as an operation command string of the most recent operation procedure is performing are performed. An operation procedure analyzing part investigates an application in the operation records, the types of operation objects in the searched operation records, and the transition of the operation objects and the like in the searched operation records, and extracts an operation procedure considered to match the purpose of the most recent operation from the search results. A next operation predicting part predicts a next operation command from the extracted operation procedure.

Device and method for assisting input operations


Disclosed is a storage apparatus for storing a plurality of baby bottles. Each of the plurality of baby bottles includes a bottle body and a set of components. The storage apparatus includes a first assembly. The first assembly includes a first compartment, and at least one tray removably configured within the first compartment. The at least one tray includes a plurality of receptacles capable of receiving and retaining the bottle body of the each of the plurality of baby bottles. Further, the storage apparatus includes a second assembly. The second assembly includes a support frame detachably configured to the first assembly, and a removable second compartment slidably coupled to the support frame. The removable second compartment is capable of storing the set of components of the each of the plurality of baby bottles.

Staying organized with various necessities of parenting is of prime significance while taking care of an infant or child. One such necessity is to have an organized storage system for keeping clean bottles that are required for feeding the infant or child. Such bottles that are used for feeding the baby child may hereinafter be referred to as, 'baby bottles.' Typically, a baby bottle includes a bottle body, and a set of components such as a bottle cap, a bottle nipple, and a bottle seal ring. In order to keep the bottle body and the set of components of the baby bottle at a suitable and an accessible location thereby preventing loss of the baby bottle, a storage system is required. Further, use of the storage system helps in preventing an unnecessary and a time-consuming search for the baby bottle when the baby child is crying out of hunger.
Moreover, such a storage system used for storing the baby bottles has become a crucial and an imperative tool employed by caretakers of childcare centers and large families where a large number of infants and children are looked after, and where problems of loss and mixing of the baby bottles are much more pronounced.
Accordingly, various storage systems have been employed for storing the baby bottles. However, conventional storage systems have not been able to efficiently cater to needs of a childcare center or a large family for storing a large number of baby bottles. For example, a conventional storage system includes a multi-purpose apparatus for storing and dispensing powdered baby formula, and for storing the baby bottles thereon. The multi-purpose apparatus includes a frame and a supporting means mounted on the frame for supporting at least one baby bottle thereon. Moreover, the multi-purpose apparatus includes a dispensing means configured to the frame for dispensing the powdered baby formula from within the multi-purpose apparatus. In addition, the multi-purpose apparatus includes a container for storing nipples of the baby bottles. However, due to employment of complex arrangement involving many components, the conventional storage system is heavy and cumbersome, and consumes a large amount of space while repositing as a complete functional unit. Moreover, the components of the complex arrangement acquire a lot of space within the conventional storage system and this may lead to unavailability of sufficient space for storing the baby bottles.
Similarly, many such other conventional storage systems are known to be cumbersome and provide an insufficient space for storing a large number of the baby bottles. Further, it becomes difficult to conveniently withdraw the baby bottles, prior to use for feeding purposes, from within the conventional storage systems that involve a high degree of complexity in their respective structural arrangements. Additionally, most of the conventional storage systems are not known to include a proper means for ventilation for storing washed baby bottles in a clean and dry form in order to prevent growth of mildew or any such microorganisms inside the baby bottles.
Accordingly, there is a need for an organized storage system that provides sufficiently large amount of space for storing baby bottles. Further, the storage system should serve as an easily accessible system for parents or caretakers to easily obtain the stored baby bottles when required for feeding purposes at any point of time. Furthermore, the storage system should be compact and light-weight, and should not consume a large amount of space while repositing as a complete functional unit. Additionally, the storage system should be provided with an adequate ventilation to prevent growth of mildew or any such microorganisms inside the baby bottles.