The present invention provides an Ni-base dual multi-phase intermetallic compound alloy which has a dual multi-phase microstructure including: a primary precipitate L12 phase and an (L12+D022) eutectoid microstructure, and which comprises more than 5 atomic % and up to 13 atomic % of Al; at least 9.5 atomic % and less than 17.5 atomic % of V; between 0 atomic % and 5.0 atomic % inclusive of Nb; more than 0 atomic % and up to 12.5 atomic % of Ti; more than 0 atomic % and up to 12.5 atomic % of C; and a remainder comprising Ni.

Conventionally, an Ni-base dual multi-phase intermetallic compound alloy has been known as an alloy that shows superior properties at high temperatures (see Patent Documents 1 to 3, for example). This alloy has a dual multi-phase microstructure composed of a primary precipitate Ni3Al (L12) phase and an Al (fcc) phase existing in channels (upper microstructure); and a lower microstructure including Ni3Al (L12) and Ni3V (D022) formed through a eutectoid transformation from the Al (fcc) at a low temperature. The alloy therefore has excellent mechanical properties at high temperatures.

Ni-base dual multi-phase intermetallic compound alloy containing Ti and C, and manufacturing method for same

OSAKA PREFECTURE UNIVERSITY PUBLIC CORPORATION


A method for estimating weld nugget diameter includes receiving current and voltage inputs, a time input, and a force input. In certain embodiments, the method also uses other weld parameters including type of material, type of stack, stack thickness, applied force, preheat current, RMS value of weld current, weld level, and weld time. The method further determines a resistance curve based on the current and voltage inputs, and time input. It also derives parameters from the resistance curve, and determines a weld nugget diameter estimate based on both resistance parameters.

One estimate of weld strength is the diameter of the nugget formed by the weld. Prior art attempts to estimate the diameter of a nugget created by a weld have focused on certain weld parameters, such as, current, voltage, applied force, and weld time. Other attempts have attempted to measure resistance across a weld nugget. Other attempts require the utilization and destruction of many workpieces, requiring significant material and labor expense. Continuous online estimation of dynamic resistance has been considered difficult due to inductive noise. Furthermore, the nugget diameter will vary depending on the type of controller, and type of welding strategy used.
It is therefore desirable to provide a method of estimating weld nugget diameter that overcomes these disadvantages.

Method for estimating nugget diameter and weld parameters


A breathing device for divers that includes a breathing tube exhibiting an end having an inclined opening, an obturator that is mobile between an open position and a closed position of the opening of the end, a float that activates the obturator, a first articulator that communicates the obturator to the tube, a second articulator that communicates the float to the tube. The first and the second articulators can each exhibit a respective hinge axis to the tube. The hinge axis to the tube of the second articulator can be more greatly distanced from the end of the tube relative to the hinge axis to the tube of the first articulator.

In general, a device of this type comprises a tube provided at a first open end with a mouthpiece and at a second open end with automatic closing means for preventing inlet of water in the presence of waves or during immersion in apnoea.
In the majority of cases, the automatic closing means comprise a float which commands an obturator of the second end of the tube.
According to patent U.S. Pat. No. 2,815,751, the second end of the tube exhibits a semi-circular shape and its opening is therefore facing downwards. The tube is further provided with a pair of superposed brackets that are oscillatable about the same oscillating axis. The bracket that is closer to the second end of the tube includes the obturator, while the bracket that is further from the second end of the tube terminates with the float which pushes the obturator to close the opening of the second end of the tube, when the second end is immersed. When the tube is not in a horizontal position or when it is indeed turned over, during the diver's swim under the surface, the float loses the function of pushing the obturator to close against the opening of the second end of the breathing tube and in this case it is only the hydrostatic pressure that keeps the obturator in the closed position. Apart from the limited functioning of the float, when the tube is not in the vertical position with the second end of the tube facing upwards, the automatic closing means have an excessive volume and a heterogeneity of the component elements which are also made with different materials, and therefore the technical solution is rather expensive.
According to patent application WO 96 03313, the float and the obturator are hinged together directly on the opening of the breathing tube, such as to reduce the volume of the device. The constructional simplicity is not however accompanied by a reliable safety of functioning in view of the precarious nature of the hinge means.
In patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,791 the obturator and the float form a single piece which leads to a reduction in volume at the cost of functionality as since the obturator is solidly constrained to the float, when the float oscillates due to the presence of waves or the movement of the diver's head, water spray can undesiredly find its way internally of the tube.


A power conversion device which reduces switching losses and stabilizes the output power. A switching-mode changer generates a reference signal for switching a mode of operation of the full-bridge circuit to a first switching mode or a second switching mode. In the first switching mode, an upper arm and a lower arm are switched synchronously, and a lower arm and an upper arm are non-conducting. In the second switching mode, the lower arm and the upper arm are switched synchronously, and the upper arm and the lower arm are non-conducting. The switching-mode changer adjusts the phase of the reference signal so that the reactive power is reduced.

Conventionally, inverters are known which convert DC voltage generated from an energy source, such as the sunlight, into AC voltage. The inverters are, in general, configured of a bridge circuit having multiple legs each consisting of an upper arm and a lower arm. In such a bridge circuit, the waveform of output AC current is disturbed near a zero crossing, at which output AC current alternates in polarity between positive and negative, due to the timing misalignment between switching of the arms and the zero crossing timing. This may cause the output power rendered unstable. In order to inhibit the current waveform disturbance near the zero crossing, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2014-64363 (PTL 1) discloses an inverter which causes the upper arm and the lower arm of each leg to alternately turn on and off in a period that contains a zero crossing.

National University Corporation Nagaoka University of Technology


This invention is a system that monitors many performance parameters and many aircraft operational parameters, and broadcasts this information along with aircraft identification, audio, video, global positioning and altitude data, to a world wide two-way rf network. This information is monitored and recorded at a remote, centralized location. At this location, this information is combined with archived data, ATC data, weather data, topological data, map data, and manufacturers' data. Analysis of this combined data allows identification of problems and generation of advisories. Six types of advisories are generated: maintenance, safety of flight, flight efficiency, flight separation, safe to fly and safe to take off. In the event of a crash the remotely recorded data provides an instant indication of the cause of the crash as well as where the crashed plane can be found. Use of this invention allows replacement of the current, on-board flight data recorders thus saving costs and weight. Having the recorded data at a remote site eliminates the need to search for flight data recorders. Other advantages are back-up for ATC radar position data, better control of aircraft separation, improved flight efficiency, and allowing use of simpler and lower power radar.

This invention relates to the field of flight recorders and more particularly to automatic, real-time, collection of aircraft data and then transmission of such data to a world wide communication system for subsequent reception, analysis, storage and generation of aircraft flight, safety, fuel efficiency and maintenance advisories at a Central Ground Based Processing Station (CGBS).
Whenever an airplane crashes, authorities are anxious to find the flight data recorder. This is because it may reveal the causes of the crash. It is important to determine the cause because it may result from a problem affecting many flying aircraft. The flight data or crash recorder, sometimes also called a black box, is usually a tape recorder which is capable of recording many channels of information. However, recorders utilizing other storage media, such as compact discs are starting to be used because of their increased storage capacity. Regardless of storage medium used, the information recorded includes various flight parameters, such as engine status, fuel status, airspeed, position, altitude, attitude, control settings, and cockpit acoustic information. The information comes from sensors in the cockpit and at other strategic locations around the airplane. However, the information stored by the data recorder is often discarded shortly after each flight. If all flight data were analyzed in conjunction with weather, air traffic control (ATC) data and map data, they could become a valuable resource for detecting potential problems and improving aircraft design.
Sometimes it is difficult to locate the crashed plane, and, even when the crash site is known, it is sometimes difficult to locate the flight data recorder. The latter is frequently a problem when the airplane crashes in water.
To fulfil their intended purpose, current flight data recorders must be made crash resistant. Consequently, they are constructed of rugged materials which means that they are costly to produce and heavy. Use of a lighter flight data recorder would result in an aircraft cost and weight savings.
Moreover, except for occasional post flight analysis, current, recorded flight data exists in a vacuum. If they were analyzed in conjunction with weather data, manufacturer's data, map data, ATC data and position and altitude data, it would become a much more powerful tool.
In recent years there have been a number of developments in flight data recorders. U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,102 discloses a flight data recorder system which monitors a number of aircraft parameters and compares them to stored information to provide for more efficient aircraft operation and detection of excessive wear. This information is displayed and stored on-board and may be downloaded periodically via a link to a ground readout unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,656 discloses a system for broadcasting full broadcast quality video to airplanes in flight via satellite relays. The system includes video bandwidth compression, spread spectrum waveform processing and an electronically steered, circular aperture, phased array antenna, that conforms to the surface of the aircraft.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,274 discloses a method of recording selected flight data, including GPS data, onto a VTR and thereafter subjecting the recorded data to a data reduction process on the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,302 discloses an aircraft collision warning system which includes a position determining subsystem, a trajectory determining subsystem, a collision predicting subsystem and a warning device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,133 discloses a computerized, integrated, health monitoring and vibration reduction system for a helicopter.
However, none of these developments contemplates long term central storage of all recorded information for archival uses. Also none contemplates real-time radio transmission of aircraft data to a central station. Furthermore, none contemplates combining information from aircraft with global position data, global map data, global weather data, ATC system data and manufacturers' data and providing real-time feedback, in the form of real-time ground and in-flight advisories to aircraft.
What is needed is a flight recorder system that senses many flight parameters and many aircraft operational parameters, and transmits this information along with aircraft identification and cockpit audio and video to a world wide, two-way radio frequency (rf) network. This information could then be monitored and safely recorded at a remote location where it could be analyzed in conjunction with archived data, flight control data, weather data, topological data, global positioning data and manufacturers' data to allow identification of maintenance problems, on-ground safety advisories and in-flight safety advisories. There are three types of in-flight advisories: emergency or safety of flight, flight efficiency or fuel economy, and flight separation. On the ground there are also three types of advisories: safe to fly, safe to take off and maintenance actions.
In the event of a crash having the recorded data at a remote site would eliminate the need to search for flight data recorders and allow instant analysis of the failure mode. Further, the remotely recorded data would provide the best estimate of where the crashed plane could be found. This estimate would be based on the aircraft's last telemetry of its position, engine and control status, its flight dynamics and ATC radar data (when available). Use of this invention would allow replacement of the current, on-board flight data recorders thus saving costs and weight. Other advantages would be back-up for radar position data, better control of aircraft separation, and improved flight efficiency. Development of a such a system represents a great improvement in the fields of flight data recorder design, aircraft safety and airline efficiency, and satisfies a long felt need of airplane manufacturers, airlines, maintenance personnel and crash investigators.

Remote aircraft flight recorder and advisory system


A biosensor, including a modified gold electrode and a macrophage RAW264.7 immobilized on the modified gold electrode. The disclosure also provides a method of preparing the biosensor and a method of using the same for evaluation of antioxidant capacity of substances.

The disclosure relates to the field of evaluation of antioxidant capacity, and more particularly to a biosensor and a method of using the same for evaluation of antioxidant capacity.
Biosensors (CBBs), which employ living cells as sensing elements, can detect the functional information of biologically active analytes. Typically, CBBs are composed of biomolecule recognition elements and a physical or chemical transducer.
Oxidative stress in vivo is involved in inducing the occurrence and development of many chronic diseases. Thus, the evaluation of the antioxidant capacity of substances is of importance for the development of drugs for the prevention and treatment of diseases caused by oxidative stress. Conventional antioxidant evaluations are performed in vitro using chemicals, which fails to stimulate the antioxidant reaction mechanisms in vivo.

Biosensor and method of using the same for evaluation of antioxidant capacity


The present invention relates to a biaxially oriented polyester film comprising a metallic alkylbenzene sulfonate derivative of formula(I), polyethylene glycol and, optionally, bis(4-.beta.-hydroxyalkoxyphenyl) sulfones of formula(II), which has improved antistatic property, clarity, mechanical properties and heat resistance: ##STR1## wherein: R represents an optionally substituted C.sub.8-25 alkyl group;. M represents an alkali or alkali earth metal; PA0 m is an integer of 100 or fewer; and PA0 n is an integer from 1 to 10.

In general, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate are possessed with good chemical stability, physical and mechanical strength, heat resistance, chemical resistance and electrical insulation property; and, therefore, have been used for preparing various articles including magnetic tapes, photographic film, electrical insulating materials, capacitors and wrapping materials.
However, such polyester films are liable to generate and accumulate static electricity due to their high dielectricity; and, as a result, there may arise several problems in connection with, e.g., their preparation, printing and/or wrapping process: that is, they tend to adhere to a processing roll or among themselves; to create electric shock or spark; and to contaminate the surface of the film easily by way of attracting dusts. Moreover, the state of printing and coating onto the film tends to become non-uniform due to their generally poor receptivity to ink or coating compositions.
To solve the above-mentioned problems, many attempts have been made. For instance, to improve the antistatic property, an antistatic agent has been incorporated into a polyester film by way of, e.g., impregnating polyester with a polyalkylene glycol or a mixture of a polyalkylene glycol and a metallic sulfonate derivative. Japanese Patent Publication No. 12910/1983 discloses a biaxially oriented polyester film incorporated with polyethylene glycol and a metallic sulfonate derivative. Also, Japanese Patent Publication No. 15148/1984 describes a polyester composition formulated with a styrene oligomer and a metallic alkylsulfonate. However, such antistatic additives are not normally dispersed or mixed well in the polyester composition, which makes the antistatic property of the polyester film non-uniform. Further, the presence of such antistatic agents often deteriorates the clarity, mechanical property and/or surface tension of the film, thereby adversely affecting the coating or printing process of the film.


A multilayer capacitor having a capacitor body, first and second inner electrodes, and first and second terminal electrodes. A first terminal electrode is arranged on a first surface of the capacitor body which is parallel to a first direction, and connected to the first inner electrode. A second terminal electrode is connected to the second inner electrode. The first inner electrode has a first main electrode portion including a first no-capacity generating region and a first capacity generating region, and a first lead electrode portion. In a second direction, the first terminal electrode is set smaller than the first surface, while the first lead electrode portion is set smaller than the first main electrode portion. The first no-capacity generating region and the first lead electrode portion overlap each other in the second direction when seen in the first direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multilayer capacitor.
2. Related Background Art
Known as this kind of multilayer capacitor is one comprising a capacitor body which has a plurality of dielectric layers and a plurality of inner electrodes, and a plurality of terminal electrodes formed on the capacitor body (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-148174).


A stent is provided, which joins a plurality of stent components via a strut which, even when repeatedly bent over a long period of time, resists breaking. In particular, a stent is provided having a joining portion which integrally joins a stent main wire and a strut, the stent main wire and the strut being fitted into a restraining pipe in a non-joining portion of the stent main wire and the strut near the end of the joining portion. This construction restrains the relative movement of the stent main wire to the strut 4 is restrained and decreased, thus reducing fatigue.

There are many tubular tissues, such as a blood vessel, a bile duct, a ureter, and an esophagus, in the body. A specific disease such as a stricture or occlusion can occur. A disease such as a stricture, occlusion, aneurysm, or varix can also occur in the blood vessel. In particular, the aneurysm is a serious disease to cause massive bleeding when the aneurysm is ruptured. The aneurysm need to be treated immediately. Various instruments have been developed to perform an effective treatment.
In recent years, a metal cylindrical instrument called a stent has been often used to treat the stricture or aneurysm in a blood vessel. To treat the stricture, the stent is housed in a sheath or catheter (hereinafter, called a sheath) and is then conveyed to an affected part. After reaching the affected part, the stent is removed from the sheath. The stent whose diameter is expanded by a balloon enlarges the stricture and is then indwelled for treatment. To treat an aortic aneurysm, a stent graft in which the stent is covered by an artificial blood vessel is indwelled in the aneurysm. The stent graft resists the pressure of blood. In this manner, the aneurysm is treated so as to prevent the action of the pressure thereon.
There are provided a mesh stent using a metal cylinder formed in mesh and, as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a loop stent using a loop, in which its overall shape is formed cylindrically by bending a wire in a round rod shape in a zigzag and then joining the ends of the wire.
As the stent which is indwelled in an affected part whose curved state and thickness are different between patients, there has been typically used a complex stent in which a plurality of loop stents are arranged in a longitudinal direction according to the curved state of the affected part and the loop stents are joined to each other by a wire called a strut.
As described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a joining portion which joins the stent main wire and the strut of the stent is configured as follows. The stent main wire in a target portion of the loop stent is molded flat. The end of the strut is molded flat. The molding portions are overlapped with each other for being fitted into a pipe formed in a substantially rectangular shape. The pipe is then caulked.
The stent whose diameter is reduced is fitted into the sheath and is then conveyed to an affected part. Upon reaching the affected part, the stent is removed from the sheath. The diameter of the stent is expanded by the balloon or by itself. The stent whose diameter is expanded in the affected part is brought into contact with the inner wall surface of a blood vessel corresponding thereto, thereby treating the blood vessel.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-062087
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-097382

Stent with a joining portion and a non-joining portion for joining a stent main wire and a strut


The specification describes optical performance monitors which are simplified by coupling single tunable optical filters to multiple channels being monitored. Optical measurements for more than one channel may be made simultaneously. The optical system architecture is preferably an optical performance monitor for a WDM system. In a system designed according to the invention n channels may be monitored using n photodetectors, n optical splitters, but only n/2 tunable optical filters. Additional system simplification may be obtained using optical switching elements coupled to the optical splitters.

There exists a well known category of optical devices that perform optical filtering and can be tuned to select a narrow band of wavelengths from a wider wavelength spectrum. These devices are used in a variety of optical systems. Of specific interest are wavelength division multiplexed systems that operate typically over wavelength bands of tens of nanometers. These systems require optical performance monitoring (OPM) to ensure that signal power, signal wavelength, and signal to noise ratios (OSNR) are within specified limits. Other applications for tunable optical filters, inter alia, are for optical noise filtering, noise suppression, and wavelength division multiplexing.
For the purpose of describing this invention the focus will be OPM systems, more specifically, OPM systems for wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) systems. It will be understood that the invention is not so limited.
In WDM systems, basic system design assumes wavelength stability. However, a variety of dynamic changes occur due to temperature changes, component aging, electrical power variations, etc. For optimum system performance it is necessary to monitor these changes and adjust system parameters to account for them. To accomplish this, optical channel monitors (OCMs), also known as optical performance monitors (OPMs), may be used to measure critical information for the various channels in the WDM system. OPMs may monitor signal dynamics, determine system functionality, identify performance change, etc. In each case they typically provide feedback for controlling network elements to optimize operational performance. More specifically, these tunable optical filters scan the C-, L- and/or C+L-band wavelength range and precisely measure channel wavelength, power, and optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR).
Performance parameters for tunable optical filters are likewise important for the effectiveness of OPMs. These include adjacent channel isolation and non-adjacent channel isolation. Adjacent channel isolation is the difference between the minimum point in the pass channel and the maximum point in the adjacent channels over all relevant polarization states and over the temperature range of the specification. Non-adjacent channel isolation is the difference between the minimum point in the pass channel and the maximum point of non-adjacent channels. It is also useful for tunable optical filters used in these monitors to have very narrow bandwidth. That produces more information as the signal band is scanned by the tunable optical filter. On the other hand, for measuring optical power in a selected channel over a wider bandwidth, a tunable filter with a correspondingly wider bandwidth makes that measurement simpler. This is among several trade-offs encountered in OPM design. There is also the ubiquitous trade-off of cost.
In a multichannel system, the monitor for each channel has several operating elements. Recognizing that each of these elements are multiplied many times over in assessing the overall system cost, an apparently small cost efficiency in the design of the monitor is likewise multiplied to reach the overall cost impact. In some cases increasing the complexity of the monitors by adding elements may result in a system cost reduction depending on the relative costs of the elements.

Wavelength division multiplexed systems with optical performance monitors


Selective chemosensing agents for hydrogen sulfide are provided. The chemosensing agents can act fast under mild conditions, are chemically stable for long-term storage, are sensitive for detection under near physiological conditions, show a linear concentration-signal relationship within physiologically relevant hydrogen sulfide concentration ranges for easy quantitation, show minimal or no interference by other anions in the blood, and are functional in aqueous solutions and blood plasma.

Traditionally, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), well known for its unpleasant odor, was considered a toxic gas. However, recent studies have demonstrated that H2S is an endogenously produced gaseous signaling compound (gasotransmitter) with importance on par with that of the other two known endogenous gasotransmitters, nitric oxide (NO) (E. Culotta, D. E. Koshland, Science 1992, 258, 1862-1865) and carbon monoxide (CO) (T. Morita, M. A. Perrella, M. E. Lee, S. Kourembanas, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1995, 92, 1475-1479). Studies have indicated that H2S plays a regulatory role in the cardiovascular system (D. J. Lefer, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2007, 104, 17907-17908) by acting as a K-ATP channel opener (W. M. Zhao, J. Zhang, Y. J. Lu, R. Wang, EMBO J. 2001, 20, 6008-6016). H2S also functions as a modulator in the central nervous system (K. Abe, H. Kimura, J. Neurosci. 1996, 16, 1066-1071; D. Boehning, S. H. Snyder, Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 2003, 26, 105-131; H. Kimura, Mol. Neurobiol. 2002, 26, 13-19), respiratory system, gastrointestinal system, and endocrine system (A. Martelli, et al., Med. Res. Rev. 2011). These findings suggest that H2S exhibits many of the beneficial effects of NO without generating toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). In fact, H2S acts as an anti-oxidant or scavenger of ROS. As a result, there has been a steady increase in the interest in understanding hydrogen sulfide's physiological and pathological functions (A. Martelli, et al., Med. Res. Rev. 2011; P. K. Moore, M. Bhatia, S. Moochhala, Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 2003, 24, 609-611; R. Wang, FASEB J. 2002, 16, 1792-1798).
Progress in studying the role of H2S in biological systems has been significantly limited by the lack of sensors and agents that allow for the rapid and accurate detection of H2S. The standard method for sulfide analysis is a colorimetric assay based on the reaction between sulfide and N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine in the presence of Fe3+ and hydrochloric acid (W. Lei, P. K. Dasgupta, Anal. Chim. Acta 1989, 226, 165-170; M. N. Hughes, M. N. Centelles, K. P. Moore, Free Radical Bio. Med. 2009, 47, 1346-1353). As shown below, the reaction produces methylene blue, a common dye which possesses a characteristic maximum absorption at 670 nm.
In practice, the colorometric assay involves the addition of zinc acetate, N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride in 7.2 M HCl, and FeCl3 in 1.2 M HCl to an aqueous sample containing an unknown quantity of sulfide. After incubation for 10 to 30 minutes, trichloroacetic acid is added to the reaction mixture. The sample is then centrifuged, and the absorption of methylene blue in the supernatant is measured using a spectrophotometer. The quantity of sulfide in the sample is determined by comparing the absorbance of the supernatant to a standard calibration curve.
While useful for some applications, this method of H2S detection possesses many intrinsic disadvantages. First, the assay requires a long reaction time (10-30 min), toxic reagents, and relatively harsh reaction conditions. In addition, the relationship between the absorption at 670 nm and the concentration of H2S is not linear due to the tendency for methylene blue to form dimers and trimers in solution (M. N. Hughes, M. N. Centelles, K. P. Moore, Free Radical Bio. Med. 2009, 47, 1346-1353).
An alternative colorimetric assay was developed by Martinez-Manez and co-workers (D. Jimenez, R. Martinez-Manez, F. Sancenon, J. V. Ros-L is, A. Benito, J. Soto, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 9000-9001). This assay is based on a pyrylium-thiopyrylium transformation. Upon addition of sulfide in a water/acetonitrile (1:1) solution and further treatment with H2SO4, a dye containing an aniline-pyrylium backbone is transformed into a dye containing an aniline-thiopyrylium backbone. This transformation is accompanied by a large color change from magenta to blue.
While simple and easy to perform, the detection limit for this assay is only about 200 μM. For many applications, lower detection limits are required. For example, physiological concentrations of H2S are typically in the range of ˜10-100 μM (J. C. Savage, D. H. Gould, J. Chromatogr. Biomed. 1990, 526, 540-545; L. R. Goodwin, et al., J Anal. Toxicol. 1989, 13, 105-109). As a result, the utility of this probe is limited.
Sensitive electrochemical methods for the detection of H2S have also been reported. However, these assays require sophisticated instrumentation and long equilibration times, greatly limiting their potential applications (M. N. Hughes, M. N. Centelles, K. P. Moore, Free Radical Bio. Med. 2009, 47, 1346-1353). For example, H2S catabolism is known to be rapid, resulting in H2S concentrations that continuously fluctuate in vivo. As a result, assays which require substantial equilibration times cannot be used as biosensors to measure H2S levels.
Therefore, there is a need for the development of new methods for the fast and selective detection of sulfide in biological systems. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide improved chemosensing agents for the detection and quantification of H2S in aqueous solution.
It is also an object of the invention to provide chemosensing agents for the detection and quantification of H2S with lower detection limits and/or decreased equilibration time.
It is also an object of the invention to provide chemosensing agents for the detection and quantification of H2S that do not require additional reagents, other than the chemosensing agent, to react with and/or stabilize H2S.
It is a further object of the invention to provide methods of detecting sulfide in biological systems.

Georgia State University Research Foundation, Inc.


A computer system is provided that allows a user to switch between at least two networks having different levels of security without transferring data between the two networks. The computer system comprises a standard computer which includes a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to a random access memory (RAM), a power supply and a reset switch. The computer is coupled to each of two different network cards, each of which is in turn connected to a separate storage device, such as a hard drive. Each combination of a network card connected to a storage device constitutes a network. As in a standard computer, activating the reset switch reboots the CPU and clears the RAM. A user chooses between the two networks by using a rotary switch, a rocker switch, or a push button switch which activates one of the networks or the reset switch. The switch is constructed so that it is impossible to switch between the two networks before first activating the reset switch, thereby preventing data from being transferred between the two networks. By preventing the transfer of data between the two networks, each of the systems can have a different level of security.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to security systems for data stored in computers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In response to the need of preventing unauthorized access to confidential or classified data on computer systems, a number of different types of security systems have been developed. For example, some systems require the use of hardware keys to allow access to the hard drive. U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,514 to Renton describes such a system to prevent unauthorized access to the hard drive of a personal computer system which consists of a plug-in expansion board, a device driver program which requests the password for access, and other programs to establish the valid passwords for the security system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,729 to Schafer describes a security system which uses a hardware key. Schafer's invention provides data access protection using a security software program, a hardware key, and a user password to permit access to the hard disk or floppy disk used in a computer. The program stores the hardware key code and password on the disk and encrypts the disk partition data. An encryption algorithm operates at all times and prevents unauthorized entry once the computer is turned off.
However, the necessity to use a hardware key such as a plug-in expansion board makes the use of such a security system cumbersome. Therefore, many security systems rely solely on the use of passwords. U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,243 to Parzych et al. describes a hard drive system which prevents data access operations upon power up until the user enters a password. The password is located on the hard disk itself to prevent bypassing the hard drive's security using a new computer environment. A limit on computers which use the kind of password system described in Parzych is that they require that a computer be dedicated solely to secure use, because a user who does not have the password cannot use the computer at all. In situations when a user does both confidential and non-confidential work, the use of such a password system often requires that the user have a different computer for each kind of work. Because of the expense and inconvenience of providing multiple computers in an office environment, it would be desirable in many situations to provide a computer system which includes multiple levels of security in a single computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,884 to Sherman et al. describes a multi-level secure workstation having network access and multi-window human user interface wherein each workstation has a plurality of secure screen divisions. Security is achieved by providing a display interface coupled to receive data from independent secure processors for each screen division or from a secure source of data. There is a physical restriction on manual input or access to the display interface and isolation of processors from one another. A problem with this system is that it requires the use of multiple processors which makes such a system necessarily expensive.
Therefore, there exists a need for a security system which provides multiple levels of security for a computer having a single central processing unit.

Single computer system having multiple security levels


A vibration isolation system for the antenna of a vehicle, such as a maritime vessel. The vibration isolation system has a staged construction that slidably attaches the maritime antenna to a maritime vessel along up to three independent axes of translation. This staged construction is adapted for independently decreasing movement of the antenna along the independent axes of translation. Accordingly, the staged construction prevents the antenna from rotating due to induced translational vibration and thus enhances the pointing performance for the antenna.

Satellite antenna manufacturers are investigating high-frequency broadband satellite services for maritime vessels. In particular, spectrum in Ku Band and Ka Band is substantially broad and predominantly unused so as to provide an opportunity for economic broadband service.
High-frequency satellite transmissions typically increase the directivity of the satellite antenna. In this regard, the high-frequency transmissions typically can be received by the antenna only when the antenna is accurately pointed at the satellite. It is understood that the high degree of pointing accuracy increases the difficulty in both positioning the antenna and providing a long-term durable antenna. Namely, existing antenna, such as those on a vessel, receive vibrations that can sufficiently perturb the pointing direction or transmission toward the satellite.
With attention to FIGS. 1 and 2, one known antenna assembly 10 includes a spring suspension system 12 between an antenna 14 and a mast 16. As shown in FIG. 1, the spring suspension system 12 includes a series of springs 18 isolating vibration at the base 20 of the antenna 14 with the center of gravity 22 of the antenna 14 above the spring suspension system 12. Accordingly, the antenna 14 is somewhat movable on the mast 16 with the spring suspension system 12 affecting movement of the antenna 14. These springs 18 can be somewhat large with generally low coefficients of stiffness for minimizing low frequency vibrations. However, also in this regard, the antenna 14 deflects or sags in response to gravity and accelerations that are induced by ship motion. Examples of typical ship motion include roll, pitch, yaw, heave, surge, and sway. Referring now to FIG. 3, ship motion can cause antenna deflection and thus increase stabilization requirements for correcting the deflection or otherwise prevent the antenna from tracking a satellite under predetermined ship motions.
It will be appreciated that sufficiently large and soft springs 18 with resonances generally less than 4 Hz can typically attenuate the low-frequency vibration approximately between 4 Hz and 200 Hz. The vibrations typically are produced by rotating mechanisms of the vessel, such as the propeller, shaft, or engine assemblies. In particular, low-frequency vibrations can be transmitted from the propeller to the antenna assembly via structural components of the vessel. In addition, vibrations are also affected by sea conditions, vessel maneuvering, and vessel loading. However, the ship motion can cause the springs 18 to have substantially large deflections thereby requiring a significantly sized radome 24 and also producing a significant loss of tracking range. Pointing errors caused by the springs are greatest at low frequencies as deflection from vibration is proportional to acceleration divided by the vibration frequency squared. Accordingly, existing spring suspension systems 12 typically are tuned for isolating high-frequency vibration for providing durability rather than low-frequency vibration that provides pointing accuracy.
Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, the springs 18 are configured for rotating the antenna 14 and decreasing vibration stress. In particular, FIGS. 4 through 6 respectively show the wobble mode, the dangle mode, and the piston mode for the antenna 14. In these examples, the X-axis is positioned athwartship, with the Y-axis aligned along the longitudinal axis of the vessel and the Z-axis being vertical and aligned with gravity. The first two isolation modes about the X and Y-axes are similar in that each has a center of gravity substantially above the base 20 of the antenna 14. For this reason, vibration stress relief occurs through rotation for lateral and longitudinal vibration. Translational acceleration at the base 20 of the antenna 14 is not significantly affected by the lowest isolation mode.
Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown a matrix of exemplary graphs for the transmittance of vibration to rotation of the antenna 14 at the base 20 and a top portion 26 of the antenna 14, respectively indicated by curve 28a and curve 28b. The X and Y inputs can produce rotation of the antenna 14, which is indicated by the difference between curve 28a and curve 28b. The relief of vibration stress by rotation creates small pointing changes.
Referring now to FIG. 8, it will be appreciated that the mass distribution of the antenna 14 (shown in FIG. 3) in conjunction with the movement of the antenna 14 typically cause additional rotational torque Rx, Ry, Rz about the respective axes. The rotational torque typically rotates the antenna 14 and thus adversely affects the pointing accuracy of the antenna 14. Rotation of the antenna 14 typically is prevented by pointing control mechanisms that apply corrective torque. Further, it is understood rotations that are induced by vibration occur at substantially high frequencies, namely from about 4 to 200 Hz. Accordingly, the spring suspension system 12 and pointing control mechanisms may require substantially high bandwidth control loops and significantly high torques for accurately pointing the antenna 14. This leads to larger motors, increased heat, higher cost, larger weight, increased power consumption and generally shortened life for antenna assembly drive components.
It would, therefore, be highly desirable to provide a vibration isolation system for an antenna assembly that enhances the pointing and tracking range and accuracy performance of the antenna assembly during use on a vehicle or vessel and minimizes the wear and control torque requirements on the same.

Antenna vibration isolation mounting system


Disclosed is a communication apparatus having a small-scale circuit used for modulation. A common transmission image rejection mixer (56) supplies transmission modulation frequencies to a plurality of quadrature modulators (23) (G, D, P, W). Accordingly, it is unnecessary to prepare the transmission image rejection mixer (56) for transmission signal types, makes it possible to prevent the circuit scale from increasing.

A mobile communication terminal such as a cellular phone modulates quadrature baseband signals I and Q for transmission. A local oscillator supplies a frequency used for the modulation via an image rejection mixer.
In Europe, for example, a cellular phone is requested for transmission correspondingly to different communication systems such as GSM, DCS, PCS, and UMTS. These communication systems use different frequencies for transmission. Consequently, the local oscillator and the image rejection mixer are needed for each communication system.
However, providing each communication system with the local oscillator and the image rejection mixer may increase the circuit scale of the mobile communication terminal.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a communication apparatus having a small-scale circuit used for modulation.


A chalk line marking device includes a chalk line that is held in a storing, dispensing and retracting device. The device comprises a housing and an element for gripping the chalk line when it is extended from the dispensing device and lifting it from the workpiece surface at a point remote from the device. A spring mechanism causes the gripping element to suddenly snap back to its original position, when released, thereby causing the chalk line to leave a linear chalk mark on the workpiece surface. The device may also comprise a gripping element arranged within the housing that includes a plunger responsive to movement of the housing, for lifting and suddenly releasing the gripping element. A worker can extend the chalk line with one hand while holding the dispensing device in the other hand. The hand holding the dispensing device can actuate the gripping element with the thumb, for example, of that same hand while the other hand holds the extended end of the chalk line in position, thereby not requiring a third hand to snap the chalk line.

The present invention relates to a hands free device for marking a chalk line for use in construction, home improvement and the like.
Conventional chalk line marking devices employ a chalk line that is wound up around a spool within a case or dispenser. During use, the chalk line is extended and held taut near the workpiece surface to be marked. Typically, this requires two workers—one to hold the end of the chalk line and one to hold the dispenser. The chalk line is then grasped and released by one of the workers so that it snaps back toward the surface, thereby depositing a chalk line on the workpiece surface. Or, one worker may devise a way to secure one end of the line using a weight or the like. In any event, the procedure is inconvenient. A handle is attached to the dispenser to allow the line to be wound back into the case after use.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,944,962 discloses a chalk line marking device with an internal trigger mechanism for snapping a chalk line in combination with a chalk line positioning element. This marking device is quite complicated and costly in comparison to the within invention. Further, the '962 patent device does not snap the chalk line at a position remote from the device, nor does it disclose a plunger mechanism or cone-shaped housing as in the within invention.


A method for controlling the power of a load (1) powered from a source of AC voltage U having a period T using a phase control system, wherein, for a predetermined set power, a sequence of an integer p of elements, where p is greater than 1, is periodically delivered to the load (1), each element, numbered i, of the sequence being characterized by an integer n.sub.i with a half-period T/2 during which the AC voltage U is switched according to a series of different phase angles .alpha..sub.i from .alpha..sub.1 to .alpha..sub.n corresponding to respective durations t.sub.i from t.sub.l to t.sub.n during which the load (1) is cut: off from the power supply. The phase angles .alpha..sub.i of element i and .alpha..sub.i+1 of element i+1 have similar repetitive values so that the mean current is zero over a complete cycle.

To satisfy the standards relating to the limit of disturbances in the network by electrical apparatus which are of the resistive or inductive type or a combination of these two types, the applicant has previously described a first control process which is the object of French patent application filed under No. 94 12833.
In such a process, for a previously set nominal value, there is delivered successively to said load, periodically a sequence of a whole number p of elements, p being greater than one, each element, of number i, of the sequence being characterized by the whole number n.sub.i of periods T during which the ac voltage U is symmetrically chopped at a phase angle .alpha..sub.i corresponding to a duration t.sub.i during which the load is not supplied, the consecutive phase angles .alpha..sub.i of the element i and .alpha..sub.i+1 of the element i+1 being different and the combination of the angles .alpha..sub.i . . . .alpha..sub.i . . . .alpha..sub.p being selected such that it satisfies the standards.
This first control process could give rise in certain cases of use and particularly in electrical motors, of mechanical vibrations due to the cycle of modulation of the phase angles.

Load power control method using a phase control system, and device therefor


The invention provides methods for the measurement of carbon dioxide leakage from sequestration reservoirs. Tracer moieties are injected along with carbon dioxide into geological formations. Leakage is monitored by gas chromatographic analyses of absorbents. The invention also provides a process for the early leak detection of possible carbon dioxide leakage from sequestration reservoirs by measuring methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6), propane (C3H8), and/or radon (Rn) leakage rates from the reservoirs. The invention further provides a method for branding sequestered carbon dioxide using perfluorcarbon tracers (PFTs) to show ownership.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method to determine carbon dioxide (CO2) leaks from sequestration reservoirs, and, more specifically, this invention relates to an improved and enhanced method for the detection and quantification of leaks of carbon dioxide from geologic formations.
2. Background of the Invention
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, yet is useful for the manufacture of such chemicals as carbonates. Sequestration of CO2, produced from fossil fuel-fired electric power generating facilities and other stationary sources is an essential part of this country's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In June 2003 the United States signed a charter with the European Union's Executive Commission and twelve countries including Russia, China, Japan, Canada, and Brazil to research the technology for storage of carbon dioxide in geologic formations.
Approximately 7.4 Giga tons (Gt) of carbon dioxide are emitted annually from all fossil fuel emission sources such as automobiles, powerplants, and industrial facilities. About 25% of the 7.4 Gt are sequestered by terrestrial ecosystems, e.g., forests and agricultural plants. Less than 0.01% of the 7.4 Gt is intentionally sequestered.
United States policy may mandate carbon dioxide sequestration in geologic repositories. Exemplary repositories include active and depleted oil and gas wells, saline aquifers, salt domes, and deep, often unmineable coal deposits. Potential leaks from such repositories must be monitored.
The problem of substantiating, monitoring, and verifying the long-term storage integrity of carbon dioxide sequestered in underground reservoirs is complicated by the fact that the reservoirs may be very deep, sometimes greater than 5000 feet. Many reservoirs are covered by seemingly impenetrable rock strata. While many geologists believe that reservoirs are permanently sealed by cap rock strata, evidence exists that shows micro seepage can be a long-term factor. Accordingly, a need exists to determine if the carbon dioxide is effectively sequestered or moving vertically through or around a cap rock or laterally along a cap rock. This determination will help verify the integrity of physical barriers to the escape of carbon dioxide.
Direct determination of carbon dioxide leakage from the sequestration reservoir to the atmosphere is rendered difficult by the presence of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Further, atmospheric carbon dioxide's concentration is high and seasonally variable. The high concentration makes difficult the detection of micro seepage of carbon dioxide by simple measurement of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere above the sequestration reservoir. The seasonal variation would require that baseline determinations of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration be frequently made.
In addition, carbon dioxide is often pumped into oil reservoirs to enhance oil recovery (EOR) and well yield. A method that can monitor carbon dioxide movement could provide information about the underground flow of fluids to improve such oil recovery techniques.
Further, some leaks can be intermittent. A breach of the natural seal between the storage area and higher strata can occur. That breach may be only temporary. For example, a certain quantity of CO2 may be released until the pressure on the overburden strata is reduced and the sequestration reservoir reseals itself. Pressure buildup and release may be a sporadic process, and any tracers used could be quickly dispersed. Continuous monitoring using ground-based systems would offer the ability to detect even sporadic intermittent leaks.
Carbon dioxide, when pumped into a geological formation, causes gases such as methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6), propane (C3H8), and radon (Rn) to desorb from the formation. Experience at EOR sites shows that concentrations of these gases immediately above reservoirs are known to respond quickly to well operations such as pumping rates, reservoir flooding, and over-pressurization of the reservoir. As such, increased surface flux and/or concentrations of these gases in soil gas can be monitored as an indicator of carbon dioxide leakage. Measurement of light hydrocarbon concentrations in the soil above a sequestration reservoir as a means for monitoring carbon dioxide leakage has been proposed. This is discussed in: R. W. Klusman, "Evaluation of Leakage Potential from a Carbon Dioxide EOR/Sequestration Project," Energy Conversion and Management, 44, 1921-1940 (2003).
In any reservoir leak scenario, carbon dioxide displaces methane and other gases from any geological media onto which the methane and other compounds are sorbed. Thus, methane moves ahead of carbon dioxide. In a subsurface environment, methane, ethane, propane, and radon are more mobile because they are less adsorptive and less water-soluble than carbon dioxide. Increased amounts of methane, other light hydrocarbons, and Rn at or near the surface of a sequestration reservoir suggests a leak pathway from the reservoir to the surface. Sequestration into that particular geological formation should then be reconsidered. If methane and other light hydrocarbons from the sequestration formation can leak to the surface, so can carbon dioxide.
In the alternative, tracer molecules can be injected with the carbon dioxide into sequestration reservoirs. Radioactive tracers have been used extensively in the past, but regulation and public opinion have discouraged their use. Halogen- and/or sulfur-containing compounds can serve well as tracers. These compounds have very low background levels in the atmosphere, and can be determined at low levels using conventional gas chromatographic analysis with electron capture or photo-ionization detectors, or combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Tracers should have a high level of detectability, be free from significant background interference, have a similarity to carbon dioxide in migration and chemical characteristics, be chemically stable, be safe and environmentally benign, and be relatively non-corrosive. Also, tracer cost in bulk will be an important consideration inasmuch large amounts of the tracers may be needed to spike an underground reservoir. Several tracers can be employed simultaneously, each with its own unique advantages and limitations.
Perfluorocarbon (PFTs) tracers have been tested and shown to be an effective means to evaluate barrier integrity, as shown in T. M. Sullivan, J. Heiser, A. Gard, and G. Senum, "Monitoring Subsurface Barrier Integrity Using Perfluorocarbon Tracers," Journal of Environmental Engineering, 124 (6) (June) 490-497 (1998).
PFTs have been used to locate and quantify leaks in water cooled stator bars in nuclear power plant generators. Conventional detection methods for PFTs include collection of the leaking PFTs on sorbents with subsequent gas chromatographic-electron capture detection.
U.S. Pat. No. RE36,951 awarded to Cooper, et al. on Nov. 14, 2000 discloses the use of a leak detection dye in climate control systems.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,070,455 and 5,681,984 awarded to Cavestri on Jun. 6, 2000, and Oct. 28, 1997, respectively, disclose the use of a leak detecting dye in climate control systems. The dye is absorbed onto a non-absorbent carrier.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,568 awarded to Sheahan on Sep. 1, 1992 discloses a leak detection method using a tracer gas to test the integrity of roofing seams.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,757 awarded to Cooper on Jul. 5, 1988 discloses a fluid leak detection system for determining the rate of fluid leakage through a geomembrane.
None of the aforementioned patents disclose a method for detection of carbon dioxide leakage from a sequestration reservoir. In particular, a method to account for background/soil/bacteria sources of carbon dioxide is not disclosed.
A need exists in the art for a method of detection of carbon dioxide leakage from sequestration reservoirs. The method should account for background carbon dioxide sources when engaging in carbon dioxide leak detection from the reservoirs. The method should also be environmentally benign, and be economical in use. The method should also provide a means for branding the injected CO2 so as to identify the source/ownership of the sequestered CO2.

Method of detecting leakage from geologic formations used to sequester CO

The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy


Control instructions are transmitted to receivers by modulating light sources to generate light beams that are modulated with digital data streams for inducing control instructions in the light beams. Each light beam is applied to a pixel shaper element of a pixel shaper assembly to produce a light pixel, each light pixel carrying the control instructions of the light beam, each light pixel having a perimeter defined by the pixel shaper element. The pixel shaper assembly combines the light pixels into an image without significant overlap or voids between the light pixels. The light pixels are directed toward a projector lens for transmission toward the receivers. In a receiver, an optical receiver detects a light pixel. A controller decodes the control instructions received in the detected light pixel and uses the control instructions to control a function of the receiver.

An innovative device projecting a two-dimensional (2D) pixel matrix, in which each "pixel" of the 2D matrix consists of an infrared (IR) digital data stream, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,628,198, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Since the 2D pixel matrix is projected upon, for example, members of an audience in a stadium, it is possible to transmit different data to different locations in the stadium, so the data received in a particular location can be made specific to a pixel projected to that location. Since each IR digital data stream may be location dependent, various IR digital data streams can be programmed to be unique in content, so that each pixel may be given, if desired, unique instructions, particular to that pixel or stadium location. Receivers of this IR digital data stream, being worn by members of the audience, are thus provided with unique instructions, commands, or data, which may be made dependent upon which pixel, or physical location, they occupy. A movement of a receiver from one pixel location to another automatically changes that receiver's data stream to that transmitted to the new location. The IR digital data stream, if programmed to illuminate the receiver according to color and intensity information, can turn the receivers into a real time, moving light show. The technology described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,628,198 is thus capable of transforming the audience into a 2D video screen.
Even though the recent developments identified above may provide benefits, improvements are still desirable. In particular, empty spaces, or voids, may be present between the various pixels projected on the audience, potentially leaving some of the members of the audience unable to receive the IR digital data stream. Manufacturing costs of the technology may also be a cause for concern. Also, the potential of the technology may not have been fully exploited for other applications.
The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches.

Method for transmitting control instructions to a plurality of receivers and receiver adapted to receive a light pixel carrying the control instructions


A bite ramp includes a tooth-attachment element and ramp element. The tooth-attachment element is sized and configured for bonding to the lingual surface of a person's tooth, while the ramp element may be either fixed or else hingedly or bendably adjustable relative to the tooth-attachment element. The ramp element provides a ramp at a desired angle for engaging a corresponding tooth of the opposite dental arch when the person's mouth is closed. The engagement between the ramp element and the corresponding tooth of the opposite dental arch may cause the lower jaw to move forward, rearwardly, or not at all relative to the upper jaw, thereby incrementally correcting a deep bite or other abnormal orthodontic condition. A kit may be provided that includes multiple bite ramps, at least two of which initially include different ramp angles.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of orthodontics, more particularly to apparatus and methods for the correction of a variety of orthodontic conditions, including, e.g., class II malocclusions, class III malocclusions, and/or "deep bite," also known as "overbite".
2. The Relevant Technology
Orthodontics is a specialized field of dentistry that involves the application of mechanical forces to urge poorly positioned, or crooked, teeth into correct alignment and orientation. Orthodontic procedures can be used for cosmetic enhancement of teeth, as well as medically necessary movement of teeth or the jaw to correct underbites or overbites. For example, orthodontic treatment can improve the patient's occlusion, or enhanced spatial matching of corresponding teeth.
A Class II malocclusion occurs when the first molar of the lower dental arch is distal relative to the first molar of the upper dental arch. Class II malocclusions often also result in a condition where the upper incisors are positioned excessively anterior (e.g., more than about 1 mm) of the lower incisors when the teeth are occluded. This condition is often referred to as "overjet".
A Class III malocclusion occurs when the first molar of the lower dental arch is anterior relative to the first molar of the upper dental arch. A Class III malocclusion can result in a condition where the lower incisors are positioned anterior of the upper incisors when the teeth are occluded. This condition is sometimes referred to as a "negative overjet".
Overbite, also known as "deep bite," occurs when there is excessive vertical overlap of the incisors. Any of these conditions can result in increased wear of the incisors or other teeth, periodontal problems, increasingly visible gum tissue, and increased instances of the patient biting the roof of their mouth or other soft tissues. In addition, correction of such conditions often results in a more aesthetically appealing smile for the patient.
Depending on the severity of the condition, correction can sometimes be achieved with installation and use of dental braces and/or bite openers and elastics, although orthognathic surgery is sometimes required. Installation of dental braces can be ineffective in effecting sufficient movement of the jaw, existing bite openers and elastics are often intrusive, complex, and uncomfortable, and orthognathic surgery is expensive, invasive, and uncomfortable, especially from a patient's perspective.
Therefore, there exists a need for devices and kits that can be used to provide less expensive, simpler, less invasive orthodontic correction.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Kits comprising a plurality of bite ramps having different angles for orthodontic treatment


An image compression method for encoding gradation image data for use in, for example, a printer or a copying machine handling the gradation image. When a difference between two representative values in one block E)f the image data is less than a predetermined amount, a block code made up of a single piece of gradation data and one pixel array pattern is generated. When the difference is not less than the predetermined amount, the representative values are replaced by any of sixteen substitute values, and a block code is formed to include two gray scale data each of four bits and a single pixel array pattern, thereby realizing coding compression of the image information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for compressing an image having a multiplicity of levels of gradations for use in a printers a copying machine or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a market for output devices such as printers, copying machines and so on has been growing significantly. These devices have been required to have a high quality of output and needs for their color image output has been recently increased. To this end, the data processing performed by such devices inevitably involves an increase in the necessary capacity of memory and thus it becomes expensive. Meanwhile, in the current situations, less price competition of such devices per se has been accelerated. For the purpose of realizing a high quality of output with less price, it is necessary to reduce the necessary capacity of memory based on the compression technique of image data.
Conventional methods for compressing information on a gray-scale image include a technique called block approximation coding. This method will be explained by referring to FIGS. 1 to 7.
FIG. 1 shows a partly enlarged image, in which reference numeral 1 denotes a picture element or pixel as a minimum unit of the image. It is assumed in this case that one pixel is made up of 8 bit data indicative of 256 gradations having values of 0 to 256. Adjacent pixels in a 4.times.4 array (a total of 16 pixels) form a block 2. Data processing is carried out on a block basis.
FIG. 2 shows a practical example of the block 2, and FIG. 3 shows a procedure when the block 2 is subjected to a block approximation coding. Firsts an average value X of the pixels of the block 2 (in-block average value) to be subjected to the block approximation coding is found (step 1). In the examples the in-block average value X of FIG. 2 is 121.9.
Then the in-block average value is compared with the respective values of the pixels in the block 2 to divide the pixels into a group in which pixels have values smaller than the in-block average value and a group in which pixels have values larger than the in-block average value (step 2). The pixels belonging to a group having a value less than the in-block average value are set to be represented by "0", and the pixels belonging to a group having a value not less than the in-block average value are set to be represented by "1" to thereby form a pixel array pattern. A pixel array pattern (bit map data) corresponding to the block 2 of FIG. 2 is shown in FIG. 4.
Next, an average value X0 of the values of the pixels represented by "0" in the pixel array pattern and an average value X1 of the values of the pixels represented by "1" in the pixel array pattern are calculated respectively to be used as representative values of the block (step 3). In the case of the block 2 of FIG. 2, the representative values X0 and X1 of the block are 34 (22 h) and 161 (a1 h) respectively. A final block code 4 of the block 2 is made up of 2 representative values of each 8 bits and a single pixel array pattern of 16 bits as shown in FIG. 5A, which specific example is as shown in FIG. 5B.
Shown in FIG. 6 is an expanding procedure of restoring the block code 4 to practical image data. More in detail, such operations (step 4) that the block representative value X0 in the block code 4 of FIG. 5A or 5B is applied to the pixels represented by "0" while the block representative value X1 thereof is applied to the pixels represented by "1" are carried out for all the pixels within the block. An image is obtained as a result of expanding the block code 4 of FIG. 5A or 5B.
In general, when one pixel is represented by q bit data and one block has N pixels, the quantity of data on one of blocks of an original image is q.times.N bits and image data after block coding is 2q+N bits corresponding to a sum of N bits of pixel array pattern and 2.times.q bits of block representative values.
Accordingly, a compression ratio of the image data based on the block coding is qN/(2q+N). In the example of FIG. 2, its compression ratio becomes 4 because one pixel is represented by 8 bits and one block has 16 bits.
However, a higher compression ratio has been demanded. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image compression system which enables data transmission with a memory smaller in capacity than a memory necessary for a prior art block approximation coding.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Recreations which simulate space travel with space communication simulate the communication delays that would inhere at space distances. Recreation-related communications are passed through a store-and-forward server in which they are stored before forwarding for a time interval which simulates the communication delay that would inhere between points at the simulated spatial locations of the parties. Methods are provided for discouraging the parties from circumventing the simulated delay by communicating through means other than the store-and-forward server.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer-based recreational benefit applications, and particularly to simulating communication delays at simulated spatial positions.
2. Description of the Related Art
The advent of the computer age has brought about not only a revolution in getting work done, but has concomitantly enabled a proliferation of recreation applications in which the simulation and graphic abilities of computers are relied upon to produce the illusion of environments and situations that would be difficult or impossible to reach in reality. Many computer users have gravitated toward extensive participation in computer-based recreations. The proliferation of Internet connections has led to recreations in which parties may engage opponents some distance from them, even around the Earth from them. The proliferation of mobile terminals further increases participation in computer-based recreations—a person on a train on his evening commute home from work in Paris might participate in a recreational activity with another person on her morning commute in San Francisco. Such interaction fosters association between people from different countries and with varying interests, who otherwise might never meet. However, many consider association with people in one's own community to be preferable to association with far-flung people.
Some action-based recreational games tend to enforce play with local opponents for the simple reason that transmission time to distant opponents takes perceptible time. If two opponents are located antipodally on the earth (for example, a party in Istanbul against a party in Honolulu) connected by a medium such as the Internet, a theoretical minimum transmission time is on the order of 500 ms. Although this time is considerably greater than the time it would take light (and therefore an electrical signal) to travel halfway around the earth, other factors such as buffering and circuit switching also contribute to the theoretical minimum. Actual transmission time is typically greater than the theoretical minimum because of such factors as indirect signal paths and multiple bufferings associated with multi-hop transmissions. Such a transmission delay would not significantly affect turn-based recreations but may be detrimental to rapid-action recreations.
Many of the popular computer-based recreations simulate space-travel environments, for example a class of recreations often referred to as space trading simulations, in which parties compete for resources by virtually buying and selling them, fighting simulated battles for them, and so forth. These recreations generally ignore a problem that would occur in reality—that travel and communication over vast distances take significant amounts of time. Many believe the recreations could be more interesting if they included the realism of these significant amounts of time.
A number of users have become more or less addicted to playing computer-based recreations, and tend to get engrossed in them to the detriment of other aspects of work and of life. A system which encourages a slower method of interaction might permit such users to reduce their concentration on recreation playing.
Users may connect to a network at a different speeds. Some users may still be using older, slower telephone line modems, such as 28.8 kbps modems and even 14.4 kbps modems. Some may use more modern 56 kbps telephone line modems. Some users may have much faster connections, such as integrated subscriber digital network (ISDN) lines, digital subscriber line (DSL) connections, T1 lines, cable modems, or direct wireless (satellite) reception. A typical message is of such size that connection speed substantially affects the time required for transmission. In an environment where rapid receipt of messages is important, such as in an action-based recreation, a party who rapidly receives recreation-related messages may have a substantial advantage over a party who receives them more slowly. There is thus a need to equalize transmission times to parties connected to a network at different transmission speeds so that all receive messages at substantially the same time.

Simulated speed-of-light delay for recreational benefit applications


A plug-in executes as a separate computer process from a platform process in which the plug-in is installed and which invokes execution of the plug-in. The plug-in therefore has a context which is independent of the context of the platform process. Specifically, the plug-in is separated into a plug-in controller and a plug-in body. The plug-in body is a collection of computer instructions execution of which perform the substantive task of the plug-in, i.e., the task by which the plug-in extends the functionality of the platform process. The plug-in controller is installed in the platform process as a plug-in using the plug-in installation mechanism of the platform process. Once invoked by the platform process, typically in response to user-generated signals received by the platform process, the plug-in controller invokes execution of the plug-in body as a separate computer process from the platform process. The platform process creates a window into which the plug-in can display images and information and passes to the plug-in controller a window identifier of the window to thereby grant the plug-in controller access to the window. The plug-in controller passes the window identifier to the plug-in body through an argument list in execution of the exec( ) system call. The plug-in body avoids deletion of the window by creating a sub-window of the window and manipulating the window hierarchy to prevent deletion of the sub-window as a consequence of deletion of the window provided by the platform process.

Many computer programs which are commercially available today enable other software developers to add functionality to such application programs by providing a plug-in interface. A plug-in is a collection of computer instructions which is detected by a platform computer process at run-time and subsequently invoked during run-time. Briefly, the platform computer process is created by invocation of a platform computer program which can be purchased commercially or otherwise acquired from some source of computer programs. Of course, the platform computer program can also be developed by the developer of the plug-in as well. The platform computer process includes a mechanism by which separately provided plug-ins are detected and by which a user can invoke execution of any of the plug-ins.
As a result, a user can extend the functionality of the platform computer process by installing, and subsequently invoking execution of, various plug-ins. The user can thus customize the platform process to provide desired functionality while foregoing installation of plug-ins which provide functionality which is superfluous with respect to the particular needs of the user, which leads to conserving primary storage during execution and to preserving secondary storage in general. In addition, software developers other than the developer of the platform process can develop and provide plug-ins to provide functionality which is not envisioned by developer of the platform process, thereby enhancing of the functionality ultimately provided by the platform process through addition of such plug-ins.
Plug-ins are typically implemented as dynamically linked libraries (DLLs). DLLs are well-known but are described here briefly for completeness. A DLL is a library which is linked dynamically, i.e., at run-time. A library is a collection of computer instruction modules which can be invoked by computer instruction modules of another computer program. The inclusion of computer instruction modules of a library into a computer program is generally accomplished in a well-known mechanism called linking in which references to the computer instruction modules of the library are resolved into address offsets within the computer program. Computer instruction modules of a DLL are linked at run-time. Specifically, computer instruction modules of a DLL are loaded into the address space of a computer process and references to the computer instruction modules are resolved into the addresses of the loaded computer instruction modules. In general, a computer process is an execution of a computer program and includes, in addition to the computer instructions of the computer program, an execution state which in turn includes an address space.
While plug-ins are advantageous for the reasons given above, plug-ins which are unreliable can be a detriment to the platform computer process. For example, if a plug-in crashes, i.e., enters an invalid state such that execution of the plug-in cannot continue, the platform process crashes as well. Crashing the platform process can result in loss of data which is not saved outside the address space of the platform process and, in some cases, can corrupt data files by leaving the data files in an invalid, intermediate state from which a valid state cannot be recovered without data stored in the address space of the crashed platform process. While plug-ins are generally designed not to crash, plug-ins can include programing errors, particularly during development of the plug-in prior to commercial release and sometimes in early releases of the plug-in.
As a result, developing a plug-in requires frequent restarting of the platform process, since the plug-in is part of the platform process, after each such crash. The time required to start the platform process and achieve a particular state in the plug-in execution represents a significant portion of the time required to develop the plug-in. For example, a particular state of the platform process is sometimes required to test a particular feature of the plug-in and achieving that particular state sometimes requires an appreciable amount of time and effort by the developer of the plug-in.
During development of a plug-in, debugging, i.e., detecting and removing programming errors from, the plug-in sometimes requires that both the platform process and the plug-in are executed in the context of a debugger. A debugger is a computer process which provides an execution context for another, analyzed computer process whereby the developer can monitor various components of the execution state of the analyzed computer process to detect programing errors in the analyzed computer process such that removal of such programming errors is possible. Debuggers are rather complex computer processes themselves and often have bugs, i.e., programming errors, of their own. As a result, debuggers are less effective at monitoring large, complex computer processes. Thus, inclusion of a plug-in with a platform process reduces the effectiveness with which a debugger can detect programming errors in the platform process and/or the plug-in.
In addition, if a plug-in contains a resource leak, i.e., allocates but does not free resources, those resources are not recovered by the platform as available for subsequent reallocation when the plug-in is terminated. Since the plug-in is a component of the platform process, resources allocated, and thus reserved, by the plug-in are in actuality reserved by the platform process. However, the remainder of the platform process is generally unaware of the resources allocated by the plug-in and therefore cannot access or free such resources if the plug-in does not free such resources. Repeated resource leaks can cause a computer process to run entirely out of various resources while such resources are not actually in use.
Furthermore, plug-ins are typically limited to the context of the platform process. Specifically, if the platform process in single-threaded, i.e., can have only a single execution state at one time, the plug-in must also be single threaded in some operating systems. For example, such is true in the Solaris operating system, versions 2.5 and 2.5.1, available from Sun Microsystems, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif. Multi-threaded processes are known and are advantageous in that each thread of the process can be separately scheduled for execution by an operating system. As a result, the various threads of a single process can execute concurrently and each process can continue execution even if another of the threads has entered a wait state pending some event such as completion of an I/O access. Conversely, execution of the entirety of a single-threaded process is suspended if any component of the process enters a wait state. Since the platform process can be developed by a developer other than the developer of the plug-in, the developer of the plug-in may desire to implement the plug-in as multi-threaded but cannot change a single-threaded platform process to execute in a multi-threaded environment. In some operating environments, whether a process is single-threaded or multi-threaded is determined at run-time and cannot be changed subsequently. Therefore, in such an operating environment, a plug-in for a single-threaded platform must be single-threaded.
What is needed in the industry is a mechanism whereby plug-ins can extend the functionality of a platform process without subjecting the platform process to programing errors, resource leaks, and other failings of the plug-in. In addition, the ability to execute a multi-threaded plug-in from a single-threaded platform process is highly desirable.

Plug-in control including an independent plug-in process


In a hybrid vehicle in which front wheels are driven by an engine and a front motor, and rear wheels are driven by a main rear motor and a sub rear motor, both main rear motor and the sub rear motor are driven when a large driving force is required as when the vehicle is driven at low speed to haul a trailer or the like or to run on a sandy ground, whereas when the required driving force is small, only the main rear motor is driven.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hybrid vehicle in which main driving wheels are driven by an engine and sub driving wheels are driven by a motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hybrid vehicle is described in JP-A-11-208304 in which main driving wheels are driven by an engine and/or a first motor and sub driving wheels are driven by a second motor. In the hybrid vehicle, a mode in which the vehicle is driven only by the motor and a mode in which the vehicle is driven by both the engine and the motor are combined in order to reduce its fuel consumption.
Incidentally, as is often the case with this kind of hybrid vehicle when attempting to impart the vehicle a running through performance that is to be provided by a four-wheel drive vehicle, the driving force of the rear wheels becomes insufficient. To be specific, this unfavorable fact becomes conspicuous {circle around (1)} when the vehicle runs on a gravelly road at low speed (in the order of 30 km/h) and {circle around (2)} when the vehicle climbs up an uphill road near a lakeside while hauling a boat.
In order to make the running under {circle around (1)} possible, the output of the motor for the rear wheels needs to be increased, and in order to make the running under {circle around (2)} possible, the torque of the motor for the rear wheels needs to be increased. In either of the cases, it is unavoidable that the size of the motor is enlarged. However, in case the motor is enlarged, there are caused some problems such as that the minimum ground clearance is reduced, an intersecting angle with the drive shafts is increased, and lowering the floor level of the vehicle becomes difficult.


A transceiver module includes a receptacle assembly that isolates the signal ground potential at which an opto-electronic subsystem operates from the chassis ground potential at which the transceiver module housing is maintained, while also helping maintain optical alignment of the system elements. The receptacle assembly can include a receptacle made of metal, a coupling made of metal, and a connector made of a dielectric material. The connector is interposed between the receptacle and the coupling to electrically isolate the signal ground potential of the opto-electronic subsystem from the chassis ground potential of the housing and receptacle. As the metal receptacle is mounted in an opening of the housing, it helps shield the housing against EMI.

In an optical communication system, it is typically necessary to couple an optical fiber to a transmitter, receiver or transceiver device. Such a device typically includes one or more optical connectors for this purpose. An optical cable comprising a fiber terminated with a plug can be coupled to the device by inserting the plug into the connector. The transmitter, receiver or transceiver device typically includes an opto-electronic device, such as a light source or light sensor, a receptacle that mates mechanically with the plug in a position in which the fiber end is optically aligned with the opto-electronic device, and a retaining mechanism that inhibits inadvertent unplugging.
Coupling an optical fiber to a transceiver device can be facilitated by modularizing the transceiver device. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a known optical transceiver module 2 has a configuration or form commonly referred to as a Small Transceiver Format or Small Form Factor format. The transceiver module 2 includes a metallic module housing comprising an upper metallic housing portion 13 and a lower metallic housing portion 14 that together form a substantial portion of the module housing. Although the transceiver module 2 includes both a transmitter system and a receiver system in a side-by-side arrangement in the module housing, only the transmitter system is shown in FIG. 1 for purposes of clarity, as the receiver system is similar.
An optical fiber cable that includes a plug 8 and a sheathed fiber 9 having a fiber end retained in a ferrule 12 of plug 8 can be mated with the transceiver module 2 by plugging the plug 8 into a receptacle assembly 5. A latch 15 of the plug 8 latches the plug 8 to the transceiver housing to maintain the plug 8 and the receptacle assembly 5 in locking engagement with each other.
When the plug 8 is mated to the receptacle assembly 5, the ferrule 12 is contained within the receptacle assembly 5. The receptacle assembly 5 is connected to a transmitter subsystem 16 (also commonly referred to as a transmitter package) of the transceiver module 2. Transmitter subsystem 16 has a configuration or form that is typically referred to as a transistor outline (TO)-can. The transmitter subsystem 16 typically contains a laser diode chip, one or more lenses that make up an optics system (not shown), and one or more other electronic components mounted on a transmitter submount assembly (not shown).
When the plug 8 is mated to the receptacle assembly 5, the end of the optical fiber retained in the ferrule 12 is optically aligned with the optics system of the transmitter subsystem 16. Electrical leads 18, 19, 21, 22, etc., pass through the TO header 17 and communicate electrical signals between traces on the transmitter submount assembly and electrical circuitry (not shown) in the transceiver module 2 that is external to the transmitter subsystem 16. An electrical signal ground region 23 on the TO header 17 carries the signal ground for the electrical components of the transmitter subsystem 16. In some types of transceiver modules, a metal enclosure similar to the TO header 17 carries the signal ground. Other electrical components of the transceiver module 2 that are external to the transmitter subsystem 16 are electrically grounded by connecting their ground contacts (not shown) together and to the signal ground region 23 and all together to the upper or lower metallic housing portions 13 and 14, through the metallic receptacle assembly 5. This metallic housing electrical ground connection is referred to as the chassis ground.
In some instances, in order for the transceiver module 2 to operate properly, the signal ground region 23 or other structure that carries the signal ground and the module housing or other structure that carries the chassis ground need to be electrically isolated from each other. However, as the receptacle assembly 5 is normally made of metal and is in direct contact with the housing portions 13 and 14, which are at the chassis ground potential, isolating these grounds from one another can be problematic.
As illustrated in further detail in FIG. 2, the receptacle assembly 5 has a generally cylindrical receptacle 25 that mates with the plug 8 and a generally cylindrical coupling portion 27 that allows the receptacle assembly 5 to be securely attached to the transmitter subsystem 16. Between the receptacle 25 and the coupling portion 27 is a ring-like connector portion 26 defined by a cylindrical portion 26A and flanges 26B and 26C. The connector portion 26 is the part of the receptacle assembly 5 that mechanically mates with mating features of the housing portions 13 and 14. The shape of the connector portion 26 and its attachment to the housing portions 13 and 14 ensures mechanical and optical alignment of the fiber end contained in the ferrule 12 with the optics system of the transmitter subsystem 16. Because the receptacle assembly 5 is made of metal, it provides shielding against electromagnetic interference (EMI), which is desirable. However, because the connector portion 26 of the receptacle 5 is normally in physical contact with the upper and/or lower housing portions 13 and 14, electrically isolating the signal ground from the chassis ground can be problematic.

Optical transceiver module providing EMI shielding and electrical isolation between a signal ground and a chassis ground

Avago Technologies Fiber IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd


There is provided a honeycomb structure where a crack at a honeycomb substrate is reduced. A honeycomb structure has a honeycomb substrate that has a porous partition wall defining a plurality of cells extending from an inflow end face as one end face to an outflow end face as another end face and becoming channels for a fluid, and an outer circumference coating layer disposed at an outer circumference of the honeycomb substrate. At 25 to 800° C., a thermal expansion coefficient of the outer circumference coating layer is larger than a thermal expansion coefficient of the honeycomb substrate. The thermal expansion coefficients of the outer circumference coating layer and the thermal expansion coefficient at 25 to 800° C. preferably meet a relationship represented by the expression: 1.1<(the thermal expansion coefficient of the outer circumference coating layer/the thermal expansion coefficient of the honeycomb substrate)<40.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a honeycomb structure. More specifically, the present invention relates to the honeycomb structure where generation of a crack in a honeycomb substrate can be reduced.
Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a filter has been used to capture and remove a particulate matter (particulates) contained in exhaust gas exhausted from, for example, a diesel engine, and/or to purify the exhaust gas with a catalyst.
This filter is constituted of a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure that has a partition wall defining a plurality of cells extending from one end face to the other end face to be channels for the exhaust gas. That is, the exhaust gas that flows in from the one end face to the inside of the honeycomb structure is purified by passing through the inside of the partition wall or the like.
As such honeycomb structure, there is known a honeycomb structures where, for example, a plurality of honeycomb segments are monolithically (integrally) bonded with bonding layers and have an outer circumference coating layer at its outer periphery (for example, see Patent Documents 1 to 4).
[Patent Document 1] WO2003/067041
[Patent Document 2] WO2007/069674
[Patent Document 3] WO2007/116665
[Patent Document 4] WO2008/126485