A method of producing an oxidative coupling catalyst is disclosed by mixing particles of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, with a particle size in the range from 100 to 150 .mu.m, and silica, with a particle size in the range from about 150 to about 215 .mu.m. The particles are heated to a temperature of at least about 800.degree. C., after which the silica particles impregnated with Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 are separated from the remaining iron particles. The catalyst can be utilized for the oxidative coupling of methane with water molecules on the surface of the silica substrate, with the silica having a particle size in the range from about 150 to about 215.ltoreq..mu.m. The silicate catalyst substrate is essentially non-porous and has an average geometrical surface on the order of about 0.004 .mu.m.sup.2 /g and a surface concentration of iron on the order of about 2% by weight.. An alternative method of oxidatively coupling methane is to mix oxygen and methane in a gaseous stream and contacting the mixture with an active methane oxidative coupling catalytic material, preferably in a fluidized bed, of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 metal oxide impregnated silica. The non-porous silica substrate has water molecules on the surface and a particle size in the range from about 150 to about 215.ltoreq..mu.m and has an average geometrical surface on the order of about 0.004 .mu.m.sup.2 /g. The method catalytic material is essentially non-porous and the surface concentration of iron on the catalyst is on the order of about 2% by weight. Steam can be provided to the oxygen and methane mixture.

1. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the search for petroleum, large amounts of natural gas are discovered in remote areas where there is no local market for it. The dominant technology now employed for utilizing remote natural gas involves its conversion to synthesis gas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. While syngas-based processes fulfill the need for an easily transportable liquid that can be converted to several useful products, synthesis gas is an expensive intermediate. Oxygen can be add.RTM.d with advantage to the rather inert methane molecule when products such as methanol or acetic acid are desired. In the case of hydrocarbons such as gasoline or diesel fuel, however, processes based on synthesis gas essentially require the addition of oxygen, followed by its removal, increasing final product cost.
Methane, the predominant component of natural gas, although difficult to activate, can be reacted with oxygen or oxygen-containing compounds such as water or carbon dioxide to produce synthesis gas in a process known generally as reforming. This mixture can be converted to higher hydrocarbons using, for example, Fischer-Tropsch technology, and then upgraded to transportation fuels using usual refining methods. Alternatively, the mixture can be converted to liquid oxygenates which in turn can be converted to more conventional transportation fuels by catalysts such as certain zeolites.
Because reforming requires high capital investment and energy inefficient processing (as in steam reforming, where fuel is burned to supply heat of reforming) and represents an indirect route to the production of hydrocarbons, other means of converting methane directly to higher hydrocarbons are needed.
Oxidative coupling has been recognized as a promising approach to the problem of methane conversion although its mechanism is not completely understood. In such processes, methane is contacted with solid materials referred to by various terms including catalysts, promoted-catalysts, activators, conversion catalysts, or upgrading catalysts. Methane mixed with oxygen and allowed to contact the catalyst is directly converted to ethane, ethylene, higher hydrocarbons and water. The conversion of methane to carbon dioxide, which is, in essence, the highly favored thermodynamically process of combustion, is undesirable as both oxygen and carbon are consumed without producing the desired higher value C.sub.2+ hydrocarbons. In order to avoid complete combustion, many methods for oxidative conversion have been carried out in the absence of an oxygen containing gas, relying on the oxygen supplied by an oxide catalyst itself. Such catalysts can then be regenerated (off cycle) by re-oxidation.
Catalytic mixtures of yttrium-barium-copper oxides are highly active and 100% selective for producing CO.sub.2 that is, they are combustion catalysts. In order to obtain the required selectivity to hydrocarbon formation, Group IA metals, particularly lithium and sodium, have been used in such catalytic mixtures. Under the conditions used for oxidative coupling, however, migration and loss of the alkali metal normally occurs. Thus there is a need for highly active, C.sub.2+ hydrocarbon-selective and stable oxidative coupling catalysts, and new or improved processes for these.
A three-component catalyst for the oxidative conversion of methane to hydrocarbons containing 2 or more carbon atoms is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,024,984 and 5,059,740 by Kaminsky et al. Improvements in methanation reaction are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,544 to Takaya et al. A process for the removal of sulfur oxides from a gas is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,718 to Yoo et al. A variety of patents covering methane oxidative coupling, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,956,327 and 4,826,796 to Erekson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,940 to Kaminsky et al and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,068,215 and 4,886,931 to Bartek et al. Catalyst conversion is also discussed in "The Conversion of Methane to Ethylene and Ethane with Near Total Selectivity by Low Temperature (<610.degree. C.) Oxydehydrogenation over a Calcium-Nickel-Potassium Oxide Catalyst," J.C. Baltzer A.G. Scientific Publishing Company, page 225-262, P. Pereira, S.H. Lee, G. A. Somorjai and Heinz Heinemann, Jul. 1990, and New Cost-Effective Methane Conversion Process, New Technology Announcement, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. A process in which no carbon oxides are produced at all, however offer some disadvantages in the context of processes located at remote well sites. In particular, heat would need to be generated outside of the process unit and transferred to the reactor. This is generally an inefficient process.
A fluidized bed offers a unique chemical environment for gas-solid reactions by providing efficient contact between the gas and the solid phases while offering excellent rates of heat-dissipation. For these reasons the fluidized-bed reactor is the reactor configuration of choice for many exothermic reactions, including catalytic oxidations such as the partial oxidation of naphthalene to produce phthalic anhydride, and noncatalytic oxidation reactions such as coal combustion. Despite this history, however, very little work has been reported on the use of a fluidized bed for methane oxidative coupling (MOC).
Much of the research on MOC has focused on the identification of more active and/or more selective catalyst formulations in an effort to improve the overall yield of higher hydrocarbons. Virtually all of this work has involved the use of fixed-bed microreactors for testing while the metal oxides under investigation have been quite exotic or expensive. Clearly, a considerable materials-development effort would be required to prepare an attrition-resistant catalyst from any of these formulations, which would be suitable for fluidized bed applications.
MOC has received considerable attention in recent years initiated, in large part, by the work of G. E. Keller and M. M. Bhasin, Synthesis of Ethylene via Oxidative Coupling of Methane, Journal of Catalysis 73, 9-19 (1982) and John A. Sofranko, John J. Leonard and C. Andrew Jones, The Oxidative Conversion of Methane to Higher Hydrocarbons, Journal of Catalysis 103, 302-310, (1987). These works focused on screening many different metal oxide catalysts on the basis of ethane/ethylene (C.sub.2,total) yield according to the reaction, EQU nCH.sub.4 +O.sub.2 ==.fwdarw.C.sub.n H.sub.4n-y +yH.sub.2 O(1)
Work since that time has generally centered on metals identified in these studies although more exotic metals or mixtures of these have been considered. Most work has been in fixed-bed microreactors despite the fact that a fluidized-bed reactor would likely be the preferred commercial reactor.


Systems and techniques for vehicle distributed computing for on-demand computational capacity. Systems and techniques described herein enable distribution of discrete computational work requests to other vehicle systems through generation and awarding of smart contracts to locally positioned other vehicle systems bidding for the smart contracts. Data for processing the requests is encrypted and send to the vehicle winning the smart contract, which processes the request and returns the completed work product. Completion of the smart contract initiates transfer of value to the processing vehicle as incentive for processing the work load.

Vehicle computer systems handle numerous computations and processing loads during operation. Computational tasks performed by vehicle systems such as infotainment, monitoring, and diagnostic processes increase as the complexity and capabilities of such systems increases. Additionally, the evolution of vehicles systems also leads to increased application complexity, which may also cause computational requirements to increase. Additional features, systems, and devices incorporated into vehicles may match or exceed the processing capabilities of on-board computing systems.

Vehicle distributed computing for additional on-demand computational processing


A method for modulating mark (20) within content signal (18) that has frames, where each of the frames has content lines and one or more measurable parameters, where each of the content lines has pixels, and where each of the pixels has a value, the method comprising selecting framesets from among the frames of the content signal; modulating at least two of the framesets; and causing mark (20) to be present within content signal (18) by at least modulating at least two of the framesets.

1. Field
This document relates to modulating and detecting a mark within a content signal for signaling purposes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Motion picture and television broadcast studios (the "studios") and their affiliates are in the business of producing, manufacturing and/or distributing copyrighted content including motion pictures and television shows. The studios, either directly or through their affiliates, distribute motion pictures and television shows via television transmission, theatrically, and on videocassette tapes and digital versatile discs ("DVDs").
The copyrighted content of the studios is subject to both authorized and unauthorized reproduction. In an effort to protect its copyrighted content, the studios have implemented a number of copy protection schemes to limit the type and amount of unauthorized reproduction. For example, content scramble system (CSS) was implemented to prevent digital copying of protected DVDs and Macrovision's technology was implemented to prevent unauthorized copying of copyrighted video tapes by use of a carefully timed sequence of protection pulses that upsets the video auto gain control and the horizontal synch.
The studios recently sought a suitable content protection system to protect copyrighted content that has been copied by taking the content in its current format (e.g., digital or analog video), playing it on a playback device through an analog output and capturing the analog signal in an analog or digital format so that the content can be reproduced without restriction. The potential for copying content via an analog output in an unrestricted manner is commonly referred to as the "analog hole".
Copy Generation Management System—Analog ("CGMS-A"), was adopted by the studios as a partial solution to the analog hole. CGMS-A inserts a transport carrying copyright information in the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of a video signal. The copyright information has four associated states: (1) a "copy never" state indicating that the content can never be copied, (2) a "copy once" state indicating that the content can be copied, but that the newly copied content cannot be further copied, (3) a "copy no more" state indicating that the content is a copy from content designated with a copy once state and can therefore no longer be copied, and (4) a "free to copy" state indicating that the content is not subject to copy restrictions. Since video signals predated CGMS-A, by default unencoded content is interpreted by a CGMS-A system as being in a "free to copy" state.
The studios recognized that CGMS-A was not a panacea to resolving the analog hole. In response, the studios launched, through the Copy Protection Technical Working Group, an analog reconversion discussion group with representation from the consumer and electronics industry to actively seek a solution to the analog hole.

Mark-based content modulation and detection

Koplar Interactive Systems International, L.L.C.


The techniques described in the disclosure are generally related to gradual, iterative hang recovery for a graphics processing unit (GPU). The techniques described in the disclosure attempt to re-execute instructions of an application in response to a GPU hang, rather than stopping the execution of the application. If the re-execution causes the GPU to hang again, the techniques described in the disclosure cause the GPU to iteratively execute next set of instructions.

An application executing on an input-output (IO) device may cause the IO device to hang. In a hang state, the IO device becomes unresponsive or the application may not proceed. Such hanging may be due to faulty software or hardware. One example of such an IO device is a graphics processing unit (GPU). Traditionally, the device that includes the GPU appears frozen at least for a few seconds when GPU is hung, which negatively impacts user experience.


A golf ball composed of a solid core of at least one layer and a cover of at least one layer is characterized in that the solid core or an inner cover layer adjacent to an outer cover layer has a light-reflecting pigment-containing coating applied to a surface thereof and at least the outer cover layer is transparent or translucent and has a surface that is marked with lettering or a design. The ball has a metallic texture, in addition to which the marks such as lettering or a design appear three-dimensional, giving the ball a high-quality feel.

The present invention relates primarily to a golf ball of improved appearance, which ball has a metallic texture and also bears markings, such as lettering or a design, that appear three-dimensional, giving the ball a high-quality feel.
In the technical field relating to golf balls, various innovations are commonly made to improve ball performance, including carry, feel, controllability and durability. Over the past few years, in addition to such ball performance characteristics, there has been a growing demand for novelty of appearance, attractiveness, and a sense of quality. It has thus become important recently to finish the golf ball so as to make the appearance at the ball's surface, particularly markings such as lettering and designs, more attractive and thus impart a sense of quality, and also to maintain this appearance to some degree even after the ball has been hit.
Such golf balls have been disclosed in, for example, JP-A 8-229162 (and the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,680). This prior-art golf ball has a core with markings formed thereon, which core is enclosed within a transparent cover.
Although this golf ball is indeed novel, the markings do not have a three-dimensional effect and the ball lacks a metallic texture and a high-quality feel. As such, the aesthetic appearance of the ball leaves much room for improvement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,378 discloses a golf ball whose surface is coated with a brightly reflecting material, but this differs from a golf ball having a sense of quality centered on the three-dimensional display of markings. Moreover, the forces incurred by the ball when it is struck with a golf club may cause the brightly reflecting material to peel off, damaging the appearance of the ball.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a golf ball endowed with a metallic texture and also having markings such as lettering or a design that appear three-dimensional, thus giving it a high-quality feel.


Pumps for noncontact tonometry are provided. In one embodiment, a pump for noncontact tonometry includes a compression pump, a compression chamber, a first pressure sensor in communication with the compression chamber, a surge chamber, and a valve separating the compression chamber and surge chamber. The compression pump compresses a first volume of gas into the compression chamber. When the first pressure sensor detects a threshold pressure in the compression chamber, the valve opens and releases the gas into a surge chamber, where it combines with a gas residing in the surge chamber to form a puff of gas that escapes from the surge chamber through a flow-limiting nozzle. The components of the pump, which relies on passive rather than active components to create the controlled puff, can be assembled to have a profile that is portable and fit for home use.

Intraocular pressure (IOP) quantifies the pressure of the aqueous humor inside the eye. Many individuals suffer from disorders, such as glaucoma, that cause chronic heightened IOP. Over time, heightened IOP can cause damage to the optical nerve of the eye, leading to loss of vision. Effective treatment of glaucoma (e.g., using pharmaceutical agents) requires adherence to dosage schedules, and a knowledge of the patient's IOP. The more current or recent the measurement is, the more relevant it will be and hence the more effective the resulting treatment can be. The IOP for a given patient can vary significantly based on time of day, exercise, recency of medication use, and other factors. This means that any given measurement is subject to uncertainty, so it may take a plurality of measurements over time to provide confidence as to the health status of the patient. IOP measurements performed in a doctor's office typically only take place once or twice per year. These infrequent measurements are less capable to account for variation in patient IOP. Annual or biannual measurements in a doctor's office may also grow stale or obsolete due to time lag since the previous measurement. Frequent measurements at home could allow for better treatment at lower cost.
IOP may be measured through tonometry. It is to be appreciated that commonly used tonometry techniques and devices have numerous drawbacks. Contact tonometry is performed in a medical setting, and carries both an infection risk and a risk of injury. The procedure may also require numbing of the patient's eyes, resulting in both inconvenience and discomfort. Noncontact tonometry involves directing a puff or jet of air at the patient's eye and measuring the resulting deflection of the eye. However, the need to generate an air puff with a duration of about 20 milliseconds requires piston pumps with fast acceleration, which in turn requires a large solenoid, high coil force and high electrical power. This necessitates a relatively large device to accommodate the large coil, piston, power supply, and a printed circuit board (PCB) incorporating large capacitors. The solenoid and piston are metallic parts and are therefore relatively heavy. Accordingly, such pumps can be relatively expensive, as the piston pump requires accurate machining to minimize dry friction, and the control loop requires a fast embedded system and a precise acoustic pressure sensor. This large cost, weight, size, and power consumption make conventional noncontact tonometers impractical for home use. In addition, closed loop control of a piston to follow such a fast trajectory is possible only with limited accuracy. Accordingly, long-felt needs exist for air pumps that address the forgoing and other concerns.

Jet pump for noncontact tonometry and associated devices, systems, and methods


A body heating/cooling apparatus comprising an enclosure (10) for raising or lowering the temperature of a fluid (22) prior to circulating the fluid (22) through a vest (55). The enclosure (10) has a first chamber (13) where the fluid (22) returning from the vest (55) is picked up by a pump (25) and recirculated through a second chamber (16). The vest (55) has an integrally formed channel (67) that passes through the vest (55) in serpentine fashion. The enclosure (10) may also be equipped with a module for also providing helmet cooling for racing car applications.

During racing competitions held in warmer climates or during the summer months the temperatures inside the racing vehicles can become very high. The heat from the engine, the other cars, and the racetrack surface has a cumulative effect on the temperature inside the vehicle and may expose the driver to extreme temperatures during the course of a race.
There are many physical problems that may result from prolonged exposure to heat including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and dehydration. For most racing applications there are existing devices for cooling the driver's helmet during the race. There have also been attempts at providing articles of clothing for cooling the body of the driver during the race. The previous methods for cooling the body under race conditions have not been accepted for several reasons including the complexity of the systems and the discomfort associated with use of the systems particularly over an extended period of time.
When adding a cooling system to a car designed for competition, the most important factors are weight and electrical power requirements. Both of these factors can reduce the horsepower output from the engine. Accordingly, the decision to add weight or to increase the electrical load must be considered carefully. Extra weight slows down the vehicle, and extra consumption of power requires more of the horsepower from the engine to be used for electrical power requirements.
What is needed is a body cooling system that requires a minimum of electrical current, that adds a minimum of extra weight to the vehicle, that is safe and reliable, and that comfortably cools the body of a driver during a race.


A five-piece optical lens system includes, in order from the object side to the image side: a stop, a first lens element with a positive refractive power has a convex image-side surface and at least one aspheric surface; a second lens element with a negative refractive power has a convex object-side surface and at least one aspheric surface; a third lens element has a concave image-side surface and at least one aspheric surface; a fourth lens element with a positive refractive power has a convex object-side surface and at least one aspheric surface, and a fifth lens element with a negative refractive power has a concave object-side surface and at least one aspheric surface. Thereby, such a system can be applied to a high resolution mobile phone.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical lens system, and more particularly to a five-piece optical lens system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Miniaturized optical lens systems with high resolution have been the standard equipment for portable electronic products, and the electronic sensor of a general digital camera is typically a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor. Due to advances in semiconductor manufacturing, the pixel size of sensor has been reduced continuously, and miniaturized optical lens systems have increasingly higher resolution. Therefore, there's an increasing demand for an imaging lens system with better image quality.
Conventional miniaturized lens systems used in portable electronic products mostly consist of four lens elements, however, miniaturization, high performance and high resolution have become the trend of modern electronic products, such as, mobile phone. As the pixel size of electronic imaging sensors gradually becomes smaller and smaller, and the system requires higher image quality. The conventional optical lens system comprising four lens elements cannot satisfy the requirements of higher resolution optical lens systems.
The present invention mitigates and/or obviates the aforementioned disadvantages.


A lifelike carving product and a method of producing the same is provided. The product may be utilized as an onlay or integral part of architectural elements to show designs of plant, fruit, and/or vegetable. The product includes at least one plant body, at least one stem, and a realistic fruit-stem/vegetable-stem interface. The plant body may include a flattened area, a stem receptacle whereat a plant end of the stem converges to the plant body, and an arcuate rim that at least partially surrounds the plant end in the stem receptacle. The realistic fruit-stem/vegetable-stem interface may be formed with the stem converging to the plant body perpendicularly with respect to a tangent line, or with a stem centerline of the stem aligning with a stem plane.

The present invention generally relates to carvings, and more particularly to an intricately detailed carving product and process of making the same that incorporates various innovative and realistic aspects of plants, stems, and leaves, such as a fruit-stem/vegetable-stem interface, in order to create a highly lifelike carving.
In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for fine architectural elements, such as carvings and moldings, to accent the interior of homes, offices, and other buildings. Such architectural elements may be found in and include arches, keys, crowns, cabinet parts, capitals, columns, corbels, mantels, moldings, onlays, pulls, and various other panels and products. These architectural elements often incorporate elegant floral, grape, leaf, acanthus, cherubs, medallions, as well as other architectural designs and vast other artistic designs. The architectural elements may be made of various types of materials, such as woods including maple, red oak, cherry, white oak, mahogany, black walnut, and alder woods, to name a few. Other materials may include fiberboard, plastic, and composites, and are especially useful when the final product need not have a wood grain, such as if the product will be painted instead of being stained.
These architectural elements may be used on doors, cabinets, houses, and other structures as desired. They provide ornamental designs and decorative appearances, thus enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the area in which such ornamental architectural elements are found, be it a house, a kitchen, a bedroom, or other areas. Traditionally these architectural elements have been hand-carved using chisels, gouges, mallets, and the like. In recent years, however, techniques have been developed to automate the process, such as by utilizing computer numerical control (CNC) machinery with attendant operator-inputted programming to guide the same.
One of the most popular decorative designs used in architectural elements is the use of vegetables or fruits, including grapes, berries, apples, oranges, etc., and vines and/or leaves to accompany the vegetables and/or fruits to create real-life settings. However, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a typical prior art grape and stem onlay carving product 10, which includes a bunch of individual fruits 12, such as grapes, tends to look more like a bunch of small golf balls than lifelike grapes. The prior art product of FIG. 1 includes two large stems 14 that intersect with a top end 16 of a plurality of the spherical fruits 12. These stems 14 appear discontinuous to the bunch of grapes, and do not appear to resemble lifelike stems. In addition, there are no other details in the prior art product that incorporate lifelike aspects of grapes. Further, there is apparently no current process or product that incorporates lifelike aspects of fruits, other than those mentioned above. Given these limitations, the products of the prior art appear only marginally realistic. The apparent failure to produce an extraordinarily lifelike fruit carving product may also cause would-be customers to defer to other types of decorative architectural elements.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a product and method which can precisely simulate the lifelike aspects of fruits, vegetables, and other plants and objects. Further, there is a need in the art for a carving method that creates distinctly lifelike variations in fruit, vegetables, vines, stems, plants, and other realistic aspects of objects. In particular, there is a need in the art for a lifelike carving product and method that includes a realistic fruit-stem/vegetable-stem interface. Furthermore, there is a need in the art for a carving product and method that simulates the lifelike interrelationship of fruits/vegetables/objects, stems, and leaves.

Plant and stem design and method of making


A rotating machine includes a housing, a rotor shaft to rotate about a longitudinal axis, a position sensor to detect a position of the rotor shaft within the housing, and a magnetic bearing assembly coupled to the housing to support the rotor shaft within the housing. The magnetic bearing assembly includes an active magnetic bearing for active support of the rotor shaft, such as a thrust bearing actuator to produce an axial force component that is parallel to the central longitudinal axis and a radial force component that is orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis and axially offset from the thrust bearing actuator. The magnetic bearing assembly also includes a passive magnetic radial bearing to radially support the rotor shaft within the housing. A controller electrically coupled to the active magnetic bearing controls a control current to the active magnetic bearing.

Magnetic bearings may be used to support or suspend objects using magnetic fields generated by permanent magnets and/or electromagnets. Magnetic bearing-supported machines are used in industrial applications, such as in blowers, in compressors, in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and in oil and gas applications. Industrial applications are generally cost-competitive, which makes it difficult for active magnetic bearing systems to compete with conventional bearing-supported technology. Also, rotating machinery in oil and gas applications often have significant envelope constraints that can make a magnetic bearing retrofit difficult to achieve.

Magnetic bearing assembly for rotating machinery


In a titanium oxide compound according to the present invention, the titanium oxide compound is obtained by eluating potassium of potassium tetratitanate expressed by a general formula K2Ti4O9 and performing thermal processing, and, in an X-ray diffraction spectrum of the potassium tetratitanate obtained by using a Cu—Kα ray source, between a peak intensity Ia of a (200) plane, a peak intensity Ic of a (004) plane and a peak intensity Ib of a (31-3) plane, a relationship of Ia>Ib>Ic is satisfied.

Although conventionally, a carbon-based raw material is generally used as the negative electrode of a lithium-ion secondary battery, in recent years, it has been often reported that such a lithium-ion secondary battery has produced abnormal heat and ignition (so-called thermal runaway). It is thought that the thermal runaway is produced partly because of a short-circuit within the battery. This is because, when a short-circuit occurs within the battery, an excessive inrush current flows toward the negative electrode, and thus heat is produced in the negative electrode and other members.
The internal short-circuit occurs probably because of an external impact or the breakage of a separator caused by a columnar metal lithium crystal (dendrite) precipitated on the surface of the negative electrode. The reason why the metal lithium crystal is easily precipitated in the lithium-ion secondary battery using the carbon-based raw material as the negative electrode is that the potential of the negative electrode is so low as to be 0.08 volt (vs. Li).
On the other hand, it is known that, as the negative electrode of the lithium-ion secondary battery, a spinel-type lithium titanate (S-LTO) is used, in addition to the carbon-based raw material. In the lithium-ion secondary battery using this negative electrode, since the potential of the negative electrode is so high as to be 1.55 volts (vs. Li), a metal lithium crystal is unlikely to be precipitated on the surface of the negative electrode, and thus it is possible to reduce the risk of the occurrence of an internal short-circuit; however, its negative electrode theoretical capacity is disadvantageously so low as to be about 175 mAh/g (in the carbon-based raw material, 372 mAh/g).
It is proposed that, as the negative electrode of the lithium-ion secondary battery, a bronze-type titanium oxide compound is used (for example, see patent document 1). In the lithium-ion secondary battery using this negative electrode, as in the case where the S-LTO is used, since the potential of the negative electrode is so high as to be about 1.5 volts (vs. Li), a metal lithium crystal is unlikely to be precipitated on the surface of the negative electrode, and thus it is possible to reduce the risk of the occurrence of an internal short-circuit; moreover, as compared with the case where the S-LTO is used, its negative electrode theoretical capacity can be increased up to 335 mAh/g.

Bronze-type titanium oxide compound containing potassium, method of manufacturing the same, and lithium-ion secondary battery using the same


Disclosed is a method for forming a silicide film on bit lines or word lines in a semiconductor device. The method includes the steps of: placing a substrate within a reacting chamber, the substrate having an objective layer on which a metal silicide film is to be formed; and supplying a first source gas for silicon component of the metal silicide and a second source gas for metal component of the metal silicide into the reacting chamber with maintaining a flow rate of the first source gas and with varying a flow rate of the second source gas, wherein the first and second source gases are discretely supplied into the reacting chamber, a reacting zone of the reacting chamber being maintained at a constant temperature range for a selected time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method of a silicide film in a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a method of a silicide film used in the manufacture of semiconductor integrated circuits such as schottky barriers, ohmic contacts and gate metallization.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, silicide films are compound of silicon and transition metal such as titanium(Ti), tantalium(Ta), tungsten(W), silver(Ag), and Gold(Ag), the films being used in the manufacture of semiconductor integrated circuits such as schottky barriers, ohmic contacts and gate metallization. These films are formed through a method of depositing one among the above mentioned transition metals on an objective layer of silicon or polysilicon layer, followed by thermal treatment at selected temeprature range and time range, or are formed through another method of forming silicide film directly on the objective layer.
Silicide film formed by any one of the above methods can be applied on top of a polysilicon layer used as bit lines or word lines, to form a layered structure called a "polycide" structure and it can also substitute polysilicon layer itself used as bit lines or word lines.
FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a semiconductor device in which tungsten silicide(WSi.sub.X) film is formed on a semiconductor substrate.
Referring to FIG. 1, in order to form WSi.sub.x film in accordance with a conventional technology using chemical vapor deposition method, a substrate 1 having an objective layer on which WSi.sub.x film is to be formed, is introduced into a reacting chamber and is set in the deposition zone of the reacting chamber. Afterwards, reactant gases including monosilane (SiH.sub.4) as source gas of silicon and tungsten hexa-fluoride (WF.sub.6) gas as source gas of tungsten are introduced into the reacting chamber, for the formation of WSi.sub.x film 2. At this time, the inside of the chamber is maintained at a specific temperature. The reactant gases is lastly supplied without the supply stop of the source gases until thickness of WSi.sub.x film approaches an objective value.
FIG. 2 shows AUGER analysis results of WSi.sub.x film deposited on polysilicon layer used as bit lines or word lines, horizontal axis being a sputter time taken in etching WSi.sub.x film from its surface to the bottom of the WSi.sub.x film and vertical axis being atomic concentration Si and W component in WSi.sub.x film formed.
Referring to FIG. 2, a mole ratio of tungsten to silicon(W:Si) in the WSi.sub.x film is not uniform through the thickness of the film. In further detail, in region II where the sputter time is about 6 seconds to 13 seconds, the ratio is 1:2.2-2.3 while in regions I and III, the ratio is 1:1.8-2.2, it being below the optimal range of 1:2.0-2.8. From the ratio obtained, the silicide films formed in regions I and III are assumed to be an unstable stoichiometry phase. On measuring the resistivity, the film does not have a desired value. Thus, the conventional method does not contribute to an enhancement in a characteristic of the semiconductor device.

Method for forming silicide film in semiconductor device

Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.


A pest control device and method and kit for pest control. The pest control includes a main body having a curved shape configured to extend partially or completely around a body of a person, a hose, a collection container operably connected to the hose, and a vacuum mechanism containing a motor. The vacuum mechanism is operably connected to the collection container and the hose. The pest control device also includes a battery operably connected to the vacuum mechanism. The method for pest control includes providing the pest control device, arranging the main body around the body of the person, and activating the vacuum mechanism to suction pests via the hose into the collection container. The kit for pest control includes a main body having a curved shape configured to extend partially or completely around a body of a person, a hose, a collection container, a vacuum mechanism containing a motor, a battery, and a plurality of implements.

Small insects, if left unattended, can completely destroy a person's home or cause massive damage. Most families are weary of chemicals being pumped into their homes and those chemicals don't always destroy the source of the damage. The present invention looks to introduce an apparatus (and method and kit) for pest control which uses a vacuum belt system to eliminate small organisms, their nests, and disposes of them. There are many problems with using chemicals to treat pests. First, they can be harmful to humans, their pets, and other animals. Second, they may not always be effective since they may not kill all of the desired pests or may only be effective against some pests and not others. Third, they can be dangerous for children and infants. Fourth, they require expertise in use. Additionally, once chemicals are released, they may remain in a location after the pests have been eliminated and continue to be a potential threat.


A method for reporting beam information includes setting, by a user equipment (UE), a report type of a beam information report, wherein the beam information report includes beam indices of communications beams being reported, a reference beam quality measurement of one of the communications beams reported, and a report type field conveying the report type, and sending, by the UE to an access node, the beam information report.

One possible deployment scenario for fifth generation (5G) New Radio (NR) system architecture uses high frequency (HF) (6 gigahertz (GHz) and above, such as millimeter wavelength (mmWave)) operating frequencies to exploit greater available bandwidth and less interference then what is available at the congested lower frequencies. However, pathloss is a significant issue. Beamforming may be used to overcome the high pathloss. Beamforming uses directional beams in transmission or receiving to increase signal gain, and therefore, compensate for pathloss.
Beam information, such as beam quality information (e.g., reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), received signal strength, signal to noise ratio (SNR), signal plus interference to noise ratio (SINR), and so on), beam failure information, and so forth, is useful in beamformed communications. As an example, beam quality information may be used in beam selection or beam refinement, while beam failure information may be used in beam failure detection or recovery.
Therefore, there is a need for systems and methods for reporting beam information.

System and method for reporting beam information


A system of the present invention tests the design of a universal serial bus (USB) smartcard device and includes a bus analyzer for running test cases to generate USB bus traffic. A processor is operatively connected to the bus analyzer for receiving and transforming data about USB traffic into a selected data format that is usable across different smartcard development environments.

Smartcards are becoming increasingly more popular for security and personal identification applications. For example, smartcards are currently used for storing sensitive data such as medical records, banking information, and similar data requirements. In perhaps their most common form, smartcards have a card body that resembles a credit card in size, shape, and thickness, and may be made out of similar materials, for example, plastic. Rather than having a magnetic stripe to store sensitive information (e.g., account numbers, user identification, etc.) as standard credit cards do, smartcards generally include an integrated circuit (IC). The IC not only includes a non-volatile memory for storing sensitive data, but it may also include a microprocessor for processing this data and communicating with a host device via a card reader, for example. Not only can smartcards store more information than magnetic stripe cards, but also they have much greater functionality.
Various protocols have emerged to standardize the operation and communications of devices such as smartcards. One of the earliest of these was developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and is known as the ISO 7816-X protocol. In particular, this protocol is set forth in ISO documents ISO 7816-1 (Physical Characteristics), ISO 7816-2 (Dimensions and Locations of Contacts), ISO 7816-3 (Electronic Signals and Transmission Protocols), ISO 7816-10 (Electronic Signals and Answer to Reset for Synchronous Cards), and ISO 7816-12 (USB Interface) for example, all of which are hereby incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.
Furthermore, in response to the increasing popularity of the universal serial bus (USB) architecture, increasing numbers of smartcards continue to be developed which operate in accordance with the USB protocol. This protocol is set forth in the Universal Serial Bus Specification, Revision 2.0, Apr. 27, 2000, published by USB Implementers Forum, Inc., which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. The USB architecture is particularly advantageous because it provides a standard "plug and play" interface for devices external to a computer, for example. External peripheral devices can be relatively quickly and easily installed and removed from a host device, e.g., a computer, without having to reboot or power down the computer.
Most product development cycles for complex computing systems or devices require a functional equivalent of the product before the final product is available. This functional equivalent is typically referred to as an emulator, or hardware emulator (HWE). The HWE allows the application developers for the product to develop and debug software applications for the device while the product engineers finalize and test the physical circuitry and/or components of the product.
With respect to smartcards, a HWE emulator is commonly used to develop, test, and debug new applications which will ultimately become embedded in the final smartcard integrated circuit. The HWE should provide functionality that matches as closely as possible the real-world functionality of the end product (e.g., a smartcard integrated circuit). This emulation should also be applicable to complicated dual-mode smartcards, such as dual ISO/USB smartcards. One such dual mode smartcard is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,464 to Fruhauf et al., assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software tools are often used to simulate a smartcard (or other) chip design prior to prototyping or production. Designers often use a Hardware Description Language (HDL), such as Verilog® or VHDL, to define functional components and decompose them into smaller components. Software routines are placed and routed into logic cells at specific coordinate locations in a circuit layout.
Functional blocks, also called virtual component (VC) blocks, virtual components, or IP blocks, are often used by designers as pre-designed circuit functions. In many cases, these functional blocks are pre-hardened or semi-hardened circuit designs in software form that are re-used or recycled into larger circuit designs. The use of virtual component blocks reduces overall circuit design time and increases the speed a final design can reach market. These functional blocks as virtual components can also be pre-tested and verified from logical and functional standpoints.
Emulators often use functional blocks and a baseline architecture with the Virtual Socket Interface (VSI) for any "system-on-a-chip" (SoC) solution. Some functional blocks are specifically designed for use with a particular IC, and other functional blocks are designed for use with other IC's and obtained from internal company sources and/or external sources.
The Virtual Socket Interface (VSI) Alliance™ Architecture Document Version 1.0, the disclosure which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, specifies the hardware and software interfaces, formats and design practices for creating functional blocks to enable efficient and accurate integration, verification and testing of multiple blocks on a single piece of silicon. The VSI standard is operative with an HDL description to allow IC design to be done using a component based solution. Virtual components as functional blocks are used in the design environment, and more particularly, a virtual socket design environment. Typically, virtual components can be soft, firm or hard. Usually a virtual component is a functional block designed to a set of specifications having an output that is a standard format with a pre-defined set of characteristics to simplify integration and verification.
In a design cycle for a USB smartcard, the design should be validated against as many test cases. Any modifications necessitate that it be re-validated against the test cases. Generation of test cases is a time-consuming and error-prone process. It has usually not been amenable to automation.
The development of a product, such as a USB smartcard device, requires work to be performed in multiple domains. Usually, engineers working in one domain produce test cases that are similar, but not necessarily identical, to those test cases developed in another domain. Test development within different domains is rarely shared. This duplication of efforts to develop these unshared tests is not necessary and is costly because it uses available resources and manpower. There is often little correlation between testing among different involved domains, yet much of the functionality requiring an exercise of skill is common across domains.
As of now, there has been no known mechanism for defining USB traffic patterns and scenarios, which may then be translated into a suitable format for a variety of development tools across the domains.
In the example of USB bus traffic, test cases and scenarios must be developed that exercise various portions of the hardware, software and firmware of a USB smartcard device. Any "expected" results should be crafted for each test case and scenario to compare against any collected "actual" data. Examination of the tools and techniques used in each domain reveal a strong correlation with respect to the nature of required test cases and scenarios.
Additionally, it is typical for each domain to use developers that are not common with the other domains. This could result from a particular expertise or skill of individual developers or when developers are separated by distance or time zones. As a result, it is common that the quality and quantity of tests, scenarios and data vary widely during the development process. There are also issues with cross-domain correlation. If all developers could agree upon a top-level implementation of a set of common and agreed upon tests and scenarios, and have appropriate programs and data automatically generated, many of these previously described problems would be corrected. This would be particularly true in an organization where project-associated domains occur in widely disbursed geographic locations.

Smartcard test system and related methods


In a process for controlling a braking-force distribution in a vehicle for front and rear wheel brakes by regulating a braking liquid pressure for at least one of front wheel brakes and rear wheel brakes, based on a comparison of a rear wheel speed and a wheel speed difference target value and a difference between a front wheel speed, amounts of load variation on the front and rear wheels are calculated during braking. Correction values, corresponding to an amount of wheel diameter varied from a preset wheel diameter as a result of the displacement of the loads, are determined based on the amount of load variation. At least one of the front and rear wheel speeds is corrected by the correction values. Thus, the braking-force distribution to the front and rear wheel brakes is controlled so that the braking force is sufficient in either of the front wheels or the rear wheels due to the variation in load during braking.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for controlling a distribution of braking force in a vehicle for front and rear wheel brakes by regulating a braking liquid pressure for at least the rear wheel brakes based on a comparison of a wheel speed difference target value and a difference between front and rear wheel speeds.
2. Description of the Related Art
Techniques are conventionally know, from Japanese Patent Publication No. 51-26584, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 6-144178and the like, in which a front and rear braking-force distribution control is carried out so as to eliminate the difference between the front and rear wheels, thereby achieving an idel braking-force distribution.
In the above know techniques, optimal braking forces, corresponding to loads applied to the front and rear wheels, are provided by controlling the front and rear braking-force distribution so as to eliminate the difference between the front and rear wheel speeds. This is based on the following principle: When a braking force is generated for a tire receiving a vertical drag force N from a road surface, a slip rate 80 of the tire is represented, for simplicity, in a very small region by the following equation: EQU .lambda.=K.times.(B/N) (wherein K is a constant)
The ideal braking-force distribution is to ensure that the front and rear wheel braking forces are proportional to the vertical drag force. Therefore, the front and rear wheel slip rates 80 may be equalized. Thus, if the vehicle speed is represented by V.sub.v and the wheel speed is represented by V.sub.w the slip rate .lambda. is determined according to the following equation: EQU .lambda.=(V.sub.v -V.sub.w)/V.sub.v
Therefore, if the braking-force distribution is controlled such that the front and rear wheel speeds VW become equal to each other, the front and rear wheel slip rates .lambda. can be equalized. More specifically, the rear wheel speed V.sub.w is controlled such that the rear wheel speed V.sub.w becomes equal to the front wheel speed V.sub.w.
It is difficult to directly measure the wheel speeds V.sub.w. In the existing circumstances, a rotational speed .omega. of a tire is detected by a rotational speed sensor, such as an electromagnetic pick-up. If a dynamic radius of the tire is represented by r, a wheel speed V.sub.w is calculated according to the following equation: EQU V.sub.w =r.times..omega.
However, the dynamic radius r varies depending upon various conditions such as air pressure in the tire, load, vehicle speed and the like. Therefore, unless the dynamic radius r is connected for the variations in the conditions this method fails to provide a highly accurate wheel speed V.sub.w.
A technique is known in which the correction of the wheel diameters is carried out during traveling of the vehicle at a constant speed, before the control of the front and rear braking-force distribution is carried out. If the correction is only carried out in this manner however, it is impossible to accommodate the variation in dynamic radius r due to the displacement of the load during speed-reduction due to braking. That is, during speed-reduction of the vehicle, the dynamic radius r is smaller for the front wheel and larger for the rear wheel due to the displacement of the load caused by speed-reduction. Hence, there is a possibility that the slip rate of the rear wheel is apparently large relative to the slip rate of the front wheel, and the braking-force distribution ratio for the rear wheel is too small relative to an appropriate value as a result of the control of the front and rear braking-force distribution.

Process for controlling a distribution of braking force in a vehicle


In the present invention, in interval shooting, a CPU of an imaging apparatus controls to repeatedly record images sequentially captured by an imaging section as a moving image at predetermined timing. This CPU controls to select to record an image captured by the imaging section as a still image or to select to record images sequentially captured by the imaging section as a moving image, in accordance with the movement of the imaging apparatus based on a detection result of an acceleration sensor or the movement of a photographic subject from images captured by the imaging section or a detection result of an infrared sensor. That is, when there is a possibility of motion blur or camera shake, moving image capturing is switched to still image photographing and a still image is recorded.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, an imaging control method and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been proposed a head-mounted imaging apparatus that is worn on the head of a photographer, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 2013-247639.
By wearing the head-mounted imaging apparatus, the photographer can record a moving image of a subject in a viewing angle in his or her eye direction, or in other words, a moving image of his or her view itself without holding the imaging apparatus. Also, there has been proposed a technique in which short videos are captured at predetermined time intervals (interval shooting), and combined into one so as to be video content.

Imaging apparatus, imaging control method and storage medium


A mechanical apparatus for suturing biological tissue including a cassette housing, a continuous loop belt mounted for circulation therein, an arcuate needle mounted within the cassette for 360.degree. rotation having a plurality of closely spaced projecting means for engaging the continuous loop belt, and means for circulating the continuous loop belt. The cassette housing is easily attachable to and detachable from the means for circulating the continuous loop belt.

Various forms of suturing devices are known in the art, and those which utilize a curved needle and/or a cassette are particularly relevant to the present invention. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,027,608 and 4,235,177 to Arbuckle, 4,406,237 to Eguchi et al., 4,417,532 to Yasukata, and 4,440,171 to Nomoto et al. describe suturing devices that use a reciprocating curved needle and means for looping and/or securing a suture thread; U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,265 to Andersson, describes a suturing device and method for moving an arcuate needle in a closed path through opposite edges of a tissue incision to complete a suture; U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,746 to Brunk describes a suturing device incorporating a curved needle into a motor driven cassette; and, U.K. Patent No. 18,602 to Mitchell describes a suturing device utilizing an arcuate needle having two recesses on remote ends of the needle which are capable of being engaged by two mating tooth-like projections on the surface of a band.
There are various drawbacks, however, with the prior art. For instance, the apparatuses described in Arbuckle, Eguchi, Yasukata and Nomoto utilize a reciprocating needle. These devices, therefore, require an added mechanism for looping and/or securing the suture thread. The looping mechanism makes it impractical to change needles in these instruments quickly and efficiently during an operation because, for example, the looping mechanism would have to be repositioned to engage a different sized needle. In fact, it may not be possible to change needle sizes at all in some of these devices. Notwithstanding this problem, the instruments are also less efficient for tying a suture knot when compared to the automatic knot tying capabilities of the present invention. Moreover, these looping mechanisms unnecessarily increase the size of these suturing devices making them more difficult to operate, burdensome, and impractical for certain suturing procedures.
Instruments, such as those described in Andersson and Brunk, do not require the extra looping mechanism because they utilize a fully rotating arcuate suturing needle. Indeed, it is also possible to change needles quickly with the apparatus described in Brunk. These instruments, however, pose a potential health risk to surgery patients. These instruments utilize friction rollers to drive a curved suturing needle through biological tissue. The suturing needle, however, does not positively engage the friction rollers (and vice versa), and therefore, the needle is not prevented from slipping and embedding in a patient. This most likely occurs when the needle encounters a friction force from the tissue being sutured greater than the friction force of the rollers driving the needle. Needle slippage can be avoided by ensuring positive engagement of the needle with a needle driving mechanism similar to the apparatus described in Mitchell. However, even the Mitchell apparatus poses the same potential risk of embedding the needle in a patient where either tooth on the band fails to engage with its sole mating recess on the needle. Therefore, as evidenced by the prior art, there is a need for a suturing apparatus which overcomes these apparent problems.


A color photographic element is disclosed comprised of a transparent film support and, coated on the support, a red recording layer unit containing the latent image forming silver halide grains in a plurality of emulsion layers with the latent image forming silver halide grains of maximum sensitivity being the first red recording emulsion layer to receive exposing radiation and containing randomly oriented red light scattering silver halide grains free of adsorbed spectral sensitizing dye. An optional layer coated beneath first layer contains tabular silver halide grains to reflect red light. Improvements in imaging speed with improvements or relatively low losses in image sharpness are realized.

Photographic images that allow recreation or approximation of the natural hues of a subject are conventionally captured on photographic film mounted in a camera. Camera speed films typically employ high bromide silver halide emulsions. Separate images of each of blue, green and red exposures are captured in blue, green and red recording layer units within the film. The blue recording layer unit contains chemically sensitized high bromide grains that may rely on native blue sensitivity or be sensitized to the blue region of the spectrum with one or more blue absorbing spectral sensitizing dyes. The green recording layer unit contains chemically sensitized high bromide grains that are sensitized to the green region of the spectrum with one or more green absorbing spectral sensitizing dyes. The red recording layer unit contains chemically sensitized high bromide grains that are sensitized to the red region of the spectrum with one or more red absorbing spectral sensitizing dyes. Dye-forming couplers are typically included in the layer units to allow dye images of distinguishable hue to be formed upon color processing. When the photographic film is intended for reversal processing to produce a viewable color positive image or when the photographic film is intended for use in exposing a color paper, the blue, green and red recording layer units contain couplers that form blue absorbing (yellow), green absorbing (magenta), and red absorbing (cyan) image dyes, respectively. When the dye image information is intended to be retrieved from the photographic film by digital scanning, the dye images can be of any hue, provided they are distinguishable.
The components used to construct color photographic films are disclosed in Research Disclosure, Vol. 389, September 1996, Item 38957. Research Disclosure is published by Kenneth Mason Publications, Ltd., Dudley House, 12 North St., Emsworth, Hampshire P010 7DQ, England. The following topics of Item 38957 are particularly pertinent to the present invention:
I. Emulsion grains and their preparation (most particularly the last sentence of paragraph (1) of B. Grain morphology); PA1 II. Vehicles, vehicle extenders, vehicle-like addenda and vehicle related addenda; PA1 IV. Chemical sensitization; PA1 V. Spectral sensitization and desensitization PA1 VII. Absorbing and scattering materials PA1 X. Dye image formers and modifiers (except A. silver dye bleach); PA1 XI. Layers and layer arrangements; PA1 XII. Features applicable only to color negative; PA1 XV. Supports.
A. Sensitizing dyes; PA2 A. Reflecting materials (particularly pertinent)
XIII. Features applicable only to color positive (except C. Color positives derived from color negatives);

Color photographic film with a plurality of grain populations in its red recording layer unit


A computerized method of assessing a chatbot conversation includes: extracting one or more messages from the conversation; determining, based on the one or more messages, an existing business opportunity value score using a business opportunity state detector module; determining, based on the one or more messages, an existing user experience score using a user experience state detector module of the computing device; determining, based on the one or more messages, a future business opportunity value score using a future business opportunity predictor module of the computing device; determining, based on the one or more messages, a future user experience score using the future user experience predictor module of the computing device; calculating a composite score indicating whether human intervention in the chatbot conversation is desirable; and generating a display signal including a status indicator, for review by a human agent, reflecting a desirability of human intervention in the chatbot conversation.

Large organizations are increasingly using VA technology to manage many aspects of customer relationships, e.g., providing technical support via chatbots. However, when deployed in this context, VA technology can suffer from a number of drawbacks. For example, a VA may not be able to understand a user's question, particularly in the context of the longer discussion in which it occurs, and may not be able to respond appropriately, leading to a loss in customer experience. In addition, VA technology may not be capable of maximizing certain business opportunities presented while interacting with the customer, such as taking natural opportunities to up-sell or cross-sell products. In addition, traditional VA channels may not provide information related to leads and prospects for businesses to act upon after the chat conversation, leading to further loss of business opportunities.
Existing patents in this field focus primarily on extracting social emotions from chats. For example, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0244264 describes a method of analyzing and presenting results of human emotion during a session such as chat, video, audio and combinations thereof in real time. However, this analysis is focused on semiotic analysis and ignores interaction signals provided over text-based chat—as do most other patents in this field. Further, existing patents do not exploit the future course of chat and associated business and experience possibilities to gauge need of human intervention.

Computer systems and methods for representatives to monitor and intervene in robot conversation


A pattern from which cast nodes can be produced, the pattern including a central ring or disc against which one or more stubs abut at selected stations to enable nodes of differing annular geometries and/or stub diameter to be produced from the same pattern.

This invention relates to nodes.
Steel node structures are conventionally formed with welded plate node points typically at the intersection of tubular or box members. Cast steel nodes have been developed to improve the performance of such node points in relation to stress flow and fatigue during use.
One object of this invention is to reduce the cost and weight of such nodes by minimising the size of the node and by making savings in pattern making costs. Nodes in accordance with the invention are one piece castings whose stubs are formed onto a central ring or disc.
According to the present invention in one aspect, there is provided a pattern from which a node can be cast as a single integral piece, the pattern being characterised in that it includes a central ring or disc against which one or more stubs abut at selected stations to enable nodes of differing angular geometries and/or stub diameters to be produced from the same pattern.
The axis of the ring or disc is generally, but not always normal to the axes of the main stubs. The ring or disc is preferably of circular form, other configurations may, however, be employed. The presence of the ring or disc also allows the adoption of standardised pattern equipment in which stub pattern pieces may be positioned at selected stations around the circumference of the central ring to allow for differences in stub spacings and angles.

Cast nodes and patterns for their production


A method and an arrangement in an IP network provides a scalable solution for reserving resources to obtain a predictable QoS end-to-end in a heterogeneous IP network. The object is achieved by categorizing the destination domain with a domain property label that for example informs about the availability of resources in the destination domain and about how to obtain QoS to the endpoint in this particular domain category.

The Internet is based on the Internet Protocols (IP) as standardised by the IETF. Some initial objectives with the IP protocols were to interconnect different kinds of physical networks into one large virtual network and to provide a uniform platform for supporting a large range of applications. Some technical reasons for the tremendous success in reaching these objectives are:                Stateless packet forwarding: IP datagram forwarding is stateless with respect to application data streams. Forwarding is performed according to a table of destination address prefixes.        Dynamic and scalable routing: Routes are set up by distributed and dynamic intra- and inter-domain routing protocols such as Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). These routing protocols automatically detect network failures and set up new routes to avoid failure. Inter-domain routing scales well due to aggregation of network address prefixes into destination rooted sink tree.
The IP is designed to be used in networks where different traffic flows share network resources equally. This means that the received QoS depends on the current load in the network.
Currently, the Internet becomes more heterogeneous, both in terms of link technologies ranging from fiber optics to wireless, in terms of application service demands ranging from real-time interactive to asynchronous bulk data transfer, and in terms of user demands ranging from business critical use to unstructured home entertainment. This development drives the need for service differentiation in the network. A requirement on QoS mechanisms is that they should be developed according to the basic principles of stateless packet forwarding and scalable aggregation as described above.
The state of the art of QoS in IP networks is described below:
Integrated Service (IntServ)/Resource ReSerVation Protocol (RSVP)
The IntServ architecture and RSVP is a signalled architecture to provide end-to-end QoS guarantees for individual application data streams. The solution provides fine granular service guarantees at the price of per flow state complex packet classification in routers along the path.
For RSVP, there are proposals for setting up aggregated tunnels between an aggregator and a de-aggregator. While this is more scalable, it is still a model where aggregated tunnels are established between pairs of edge routers. These edge routers suffer from at least the same complexity as standard IntServ/RSVP routers. For network policy management, RSVP relies on policy servers.
Differentiated Service (DiffServ)
DiffServ architecture standardises router support for class-based forwarding. DiffServ forwarding in core routers is stateless with respect to application data streams. Traffic conditioners at domain boundaries are used to guard a domain against overload.
The problem of DiffServ is to meet QoS demands for a large range of applications. Resources (bandwidth) for the various traffic classes can be provisioned semi-statically, dimensioned according to expected service characteristics and assumed usage statistics. However, to provide predictable service levels through provisioning only, resources must be over provisioned. This may be possible in homogeneous networks with homogeneous applications and user demands. In real networks where links with vastly different characteristics are interconnected (e.g. fiber optic access and wireless access) and applications/users with various demands over provisioning at all hops is a huge challenge.
To provide predictable services in a heterogeneous environment, DiffServ must rely on dynamic Network Resource Management (NRM) to control the service quality and the usage of provisioned resources. To meet scalability demands, resource management should support aggregation of resource requests.
Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)
MPLS is a method that extends traditional IP network layer routing and control protocols with label-switched forwarding. MPLS provides connection-oriented switching in IP networks. Labels are associated with specific streams of data (known as Forwarding Equivalence Classes (FEC)). The labels and their FEC bindings are distributed across the network, the MPLS domain, to establish a label switched path. Entering the domain, packets are assigned one or more labels (a stack of labels). Passing through the domain, packets are forwarded based on labels. MPLS can be used to provide QoS by allocating resources to specific label switched paths. MPLS operates only within individual label switched domains. Inter-domain resource reservations are currently not supported.
All methods described above need additional support for inter-domain resource provisioning. This can be provided by a server-based architecture. For RSVP, an architecture of policy servers has been suggested. For DiffServ, QoS agents and bandwidth brokers have been suggested. For MPLS, QoS agents that understand the semantics of MPLS could be used.
In Schelen, O. Quality of Service Agents in the Internet, Doctoral Thesis, Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Division of Computer Communication, Lule{dot over (a)} University of Technology, Lule{dot over (a)}, 1998, a Network Resource Manager (NRM) is introduced. An NRM can provide inter-domain resource provisioning and call admission control, either independently of the mechanism described above or in co-operation with them. Among these, the combination of differentiated forwarding and NRM operates along the fundamental lines of stateless forwarding and inter-domain aggregation as described. The NRM has path-sensitive admission control, scheduling of resources over time, capability to handle resource requests for immediate and future use, resource signalling between resource manager entities (i.e. inter-domain communication) and aggregation of resource requests towards a destination domain identified by an address prefix. The NRM is aware of topology and characteristics of the network and can thus keep track of resources that exist in a routing domain based on topology. For each domain in the network there is an NRM responsible for admission control. Instances of NRM can perform admission control in its own domain and reserve resources with neighbouring NRMs for other destinations. The NRM can therefore provide a predictable QoS.
The funnel concept is also introduced in Schelen. The funnel concept is a scalable model for aggregation of resource requests. The funnel concept uses NRMs, and NRMs ask for resources from other NRMs. Reservations from different sources to the same destination are aggregated where they merge along the paths so each NRM has at most one reservation per destination domain with their neighbouring agents. An NRM in charge of the domain where the destination point is located can generalize received reservation requests for that point to cover any endpoint in its domain. FIG. 1 shows how resource requests are aggregated towards the destination domain. FIG. 1 is a network 100 comprising 4 domains A, B, C and D. Each domain has an NRM a, b, c, d. Dx, Dy and Dz may be a subnetwork or a base station controller in a wireless access network. The NRM a and the NRM b need resources in domain D; the NRM a to Dy and the NRM b to Dx. Thanks to that the NRMs are aware of the network topology they know that the packets have to be transmitted through domain C. In this example, the NRM a transmits 109 a request of 20 resource units to the NRM c and the NRM b transmits 111 a request of 10 resource units to the NRM c. The NRM c needs 10 resource units in domain D for its own domain and sends therefore a request to the NRM d for 40 resource units. Then the NRM d transmits 114 a confirmation to the NRM c that 40 resource units are reserved in domain D and the NRM c further transmits 110 one confirmation to the NRM a and transmits 112 one confirmation to NRMb. Packets using a reservation are marked by applications or edge routers and checked and/or remarked by police points. This is to ensure that packets only with allowed QoS-class utilize the reserved path.
In the funnel concept, it is assumed that the destination domain is well provisioned or another mechanism is used to ensure QoS in the destination domain. In large networks, it would not be preferable to use the above described funnel concept all the way to the endpoint, since that would not be scalable enough. Instead, funnels are used to reach a destination domain (e.g., a subnet) of suitable size. No resources are reserved for the final part of the path within the destination domain. Therefore, the funnel concept cannot by itself provide end-to-end, i.e. from a source endpoint to a destination endpoint, QoS if the destination domain is under-provisioned. However, there exist destinations that are not connected to a well-provisioned destination domain. One example on such a domain is a wireless access network, where the last hop, i.e. between the base station and the terminal is a bottleneck link. Another problem arises when the hosts are mobile terminals. The QoS mechanisms must allow quick local re-computation of QoS at handover between base stations in a wireless access networks.

Method and arrangement for reserving resources to obtain a predetermined quality of service in an IP network


The present invention provides a charge motion plate kit for internal combustion engines. More specifically, the charge motion plate kit permits replacement of the OEM charge motion valves of the prior art for high performance applications. In one embodiment, the charge motion plate kit comprises a single charge motion plate for each bank of cylinders, each charge motion plate includes at least one aperture for each cylinder within the bank. The plates are constructed to mount juxtaposed to the intake manifold mounting flange and the cylinder head intake manifold mounting surface in a sandwiched configuration.

The versatility and performance of newer muscle cars such as the FORD MUSTANG permit owners to use one vehicle for multiple purposes. Often the same vehicle used to carry groceries home from the supermarket is used for racing applications on the weekend. Owners will often modify their vehicle to make it more competitive in their chosen form of racing. One of the most modified areas of a vehicle for racing applications is the engines air induction system.
Tuning the air induction system can be one of the most critical aspects of getting a vehicle to produce horsepower and torque for either street or racing applications. The basic function of an air induction system is to provide an optimized and evenly distributed flow of fresh air from the air filter to the combustion chamber. The intake manifold is the primary component of the air induction system. In a fuel injected engine the intake manifold includes at least one air intake conduit for each cylinder. The air intake conduit generally extends between the throttle body and the intake port(s) leading to the combustion chamber. In addition to the mere routing of air, today's intake manifolds may also include dynamic supercharging, swirl and tumble control, positive crankcase ventilation and exhaust gas re-circulation.
Charge motion control valves ("CMCVs") are often used within air induction systems in order to modify the flow of air and fuel into the engine's cylinders. A CMCV is typically and operatively disposed within an air intake conduit of the air induction system "upstream" from a fuel injector. The CMCV is effective to alter the flow of air into the cylinder during certain vehicle operating modes (e.g., during relatively low engine speed and load conditions), and is effective to create turbulence within the cylinder.
One type of CMCV is designed for use in combination with a "Siamese" type intake port which includes an air intake port that splits or "branches" into a pair of separate ports that communicate with one of the engine's cylinders. This type of CMCV is typically and operatively disposed in close proximity to the location where the air intake port splits and is designed to alter the flow of air into each of the port branches. These CMCVs are commonly referred to as "swirl" type CMCVs and are typically designed to substantially "cover" one side of the air intake port, thereby preventing air from entering one of the branches. In this manner, the CMCV provides a "fuel rich" mixture within the covered branch that is subsequently discharged into the cylinder and combusted. Additionally, this type of CMCV covers only a portion of the other side of the main air intake port, effective to allow a substantial amount of air to flow into the other branch and to create a "fuel lean" mixture in that branch that is subsequently discharged into the cylinder and combusted along with the fuel rich mixture. This flow of air into the cylinder creates a swirling effect or turbulence which causes the fuel rich mixture and fuel lean mixture to combine for combustion.
While these prior CMCVs provide emissions benefits, low RPM, and low load engine operation, they suffer some drawbacks which adversely effect the efficiency of the engine during certain operating conditions. For example and without limitation, during cold start operating conditions (i.e., when the vehicle is being started after being exposed to relatively cold temperatures), fuel often condenses on the intake valves due to a lack of heat. Because this type of prior CMCV substantially blocks air from flowing into one of the port branches, condensed fuel often remains on the intake valve within that branch and/or enters the cylinder as a liquid stream and is thus not properly combusted within the cylinder. This undesirably leads to oil degradation, waste fuel, and increased hydrocarbon emissions.
Another prior type of CMCV, commonly referred to as a "tumble" type CMCV, is used to create a "tumbling" flow of air into the cylinders. This type of CMCV provides substantially symmetrical passages for air to flow to each intake valve. Hence, this type of CMCV provides a substantially similar air/fuel mixture and airflow within each branch port. While this type of CMCV prevents condensation from remaining on the intake valves, it substantially restricts air flowing into the combustion chamber. The restriction of air limits the device to use at low engine RPMs and low engine torque requirements.
Another type of CMCV is used to create both tumble and swirl air flow into the cylinders. This type of CMCV provides more air to one intake branch than to the other. This construction prevents some fuel from condensing on the valve receiving the least amount of air and provides a swirl to the combustion chamber via the predominant air flow to the second branch. While this type of CMCV provides some advantages over the other types of CMCVs, because only 10% of the air being supplied to the cylinder is allowed to flow through one branch of the intake, condensed fuel often remains on the intake valve within that branch and/or enters the cylinder as a liquid stream and is thus not properly combusted within the cylinder. This undesirably leads to oil degradation, waste fuel, and increased hydrocarbon emissions.
In addition to the air restriction present in all of the CMCV constructions of the prior art, the devices add substantial complexity to an already complex air induction system. The CMCVs require a pivotally mounted butterfly type valve for each intake branch. The butterfly valves must be coordinated for uniform opening and closing in response to engine speed and torque demands. The coordination requires a combination of solenoids, stepper motors and/or vacuum motors. The motors must be in electrical communication with the on-board computer and a vast array of sensors to cause the CMCVs to open above a predetermined RPM or engine torque requirement to prevent fuel and air starvation. Starving of the engine from fuel and/or air could create dangerous driving situations, as the engine would not respond properly to operator throttle demands.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a charge motion plate for high-performance applications. The charge motion plate should achieve objectives such as: even distribution of the fuel and air mixture to both branches of a siamese intake port arrangement, reduced airflow restriction for crisper throttle response and increased horsepower, compatibility with original equipment manufacturer "OEM" or aftermarket turbo chargers and superchargers, and compatibility with nitrous oxide injection systems.
In addition, the charge motion plate should be easily manufactured without moving parts to malfunction or adjust. The charge motion plates should include packaging flexibility for installation on various vehicle configurations including retrofitting existing vehicles with minimal modification to the existing air induction system.


An optical plug connector comprises a socket part, adapter part or coupling part with a socket housing for releasable connection to a plug part. An inside of the socket housing defines an inner space, into which a plug portion of the plug part may be introduced. Moreover, a switch device is present, by way of which a radiation power led to the plug part and/or the socket part, adapter part or coupling part (1) may be reduced or switched off when the plug connection is released. The switch device comprises a first element which is present or fastenable on the socket part, adapter part or coupling part, and a second element which is present or may be fastened on the plug part, wherein the switch device is actuated in that the first and the second element cooperate.

The invention relates to a plug connector system and to a protective device for an optical plug connector.
Data transmission via optical waveguides is becoming increasingly important. The data transmission rate is continuously increasing, and as a consequence the radiation (optical beam) power which is led via the fibre-optic connections is becoming larger and larger. In the meanwhile, the radiation beaming power has become so large, that the beam may irreparably damage the human eye. For this reason, the question concerning the safety of the user has become paramount, in particular with optical plug connections. Specifically, optical radiation may exit when the plug connection is separated.
Plugs and couplings are obtainable on the market, in which a so-called laser protection flap is integrated. When the plug connection is open, the radiation at the exit from the plug connection part is mechanically inhibited. However, the materials which may be applied for such protective flaps are increasingly reaching their burden limits, given an ever increasing laser power. The protective flaps suffer irreparable damage when the emitting lasts too long. Furthermore, the scatter radiation which is reflected at the protective flaps and scattered, and subsequently exits the plug connection part in an uncontrolled manner, may likewise be considerable. Safety additional to the protective flaps is likewise desirable.
It has already been suggested to provide a plug connector with a device, with which one ascertains as to whether the connection is open or not. When the plug is not inserted, the radiation source—generally a laser—is switched off. Such a measure is specified for example in the documents EP 1 237 024, U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,745 and DE 41 39 918.
The disadvantage with such plug connectors is the fact that the plug connection type needs to be redefined on account of the measure to be undertaken, and the plug connection is not compatible with standardised plug connectors. As a result, such a solution has not been successful on the market until now.

Plug connector system and protective device for optical plug connectors


An object of the invention is to provide a fuel injection valve that applies a swirl to an upstream side of a seat section to shorten spray penetration.

A fuel injection valve of an electromagnetic type that is driven by an electrical signal from an engine control unit has widely been used in internal combustion engines of automobiles and the like.
As the fuel injection valve of this type, a port injection type that is attached to an intake pipe and indirectly injects fuel into a combustion chamber and a direct injection type that directly injects the fuel into the combustion chamber are available.
In the latter direct injection type, a spray shape defined by the injected fuel determines combustion performance. Thus, the spray shape needs to be optimized in order to obtain the desired combustion performance. Here, the optimization of the spray shape can be restated as a spray direction and a spray length.
As the fuel injection valve, a fuel injection valve including: a valve body provided to be slidable; drive means for driving the valve body; a valve seat which the valve body comes in contact with or separates from; and plural orifices provided on a downstream side of the valve seat, in which the plural orifices are formed in different angle directions with respect to a center axis of a nozzle has been known (see PTL 1). It has been known that a spray spouted from the fuel injection valve is substantially spouted in an axial direction in which an injection hole is processed. It is desired to increase processing accuracy in a direction of the injection hole for a type of fuel injection valve with plural injection holes (orifices) like the fuel injection valve described in PTL 1. It is also desired to control the length of the spray, which is spouted from each of the injection holes, to be short in order to avoid interference thereof with size of the inside of the combustion chamber, a shape of a piston surface, and air-control valves (an intake valve and an exhaust valve) as much as possible and to reduce a chance of production of exhaust gas components (particularly, soot and the like that are components of unburned gas).
The spray lengths of the plural injection holes are not taken into consideration for the fuel injection valve described in PTL 1. It is considered to change hole diameters of the plural injection holes as a method for controlling the spray length of each of the injection holes. In general, while a dimension of the hole diameter is set large for the injection hole that requires the long spray length, the dimension of the hole diameter is set small for the injection hole that only requires the short spray length. In this way, the spray length of each of the injection holes can be controlled.

Abstract: When flows into injection hole entries are indicated by arrows 101a to 106a and injection hole exit directions are indicated by arrows 201 to 206, an angle α defined by the inflow direction 101a and the exit direction 201 of an injection hole 71 can be increased. In a method for applying the twisted angle α, a side groove 15a on an outer peripheral side of a guide member 12a is set to be accompanied with a twist with respect to an axis O1. Furthermore, a flow passage area of the side groove 15a is set smaller than a flow passage area on an upstream side of the guide member 12a and is also set larger than a flow passage area of a seat section 7B that is constructed by a gap between a valve body 7 and an orifice cup 7.


A combine harvester includes a dust suppressor arrangement including an air duct arrangement which is coupled between an enclosed zone, extending rearwardly from the discharge end of the feederhouse and above a transverse crop conveying arrangement, and a cleaner fan arrangement so that the fan arrangement draws dust-laden air through the duct arrangement from the zone and discharges the dust-laden air into the chaffer and sieve arrangement of the crop cleaning arrangement.

A problem long recognized to exist with the operation of combine harvesters is that of the airborne dust resulting from gathering the harvested crop and conveying the crop through the feederhouse toward the threshing system provided following the feederhouse. In particular, the flow of material through the feederhouse is met with an opposite airflow, caused by the backpressure of the cleaning fan and/or other processing elements which produces a large plume of dust exiting the feederhouse. This plume of dust obstructs the operator's view of the gathering head, which is desirable in order for the operator to discern any difficulties and make any necessary adjustments.
Over the years, various schemes have been attempted for alleviating the dust/visibility problem. Specifically, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,094,829; 3,187,491; 3,213,598; 5,322,472 and 6,036,500 each disclose dust collection devices comprising collection chambers mounted at various locations along associated feederhouses, the chambers containing a fan and being in communication with the inside of the feederhouse so that the fan draws dust into the housing and expels it through discharge chutes arranged in various ways for discharging the dust at various locations including on the ground alongside the feederhouse, (first three and last of the cited patents) into the chaffer sieve or straw chopper (the fourth cited patent). Another type of device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,669,224 and 6,979,261, which each include an air deflector located between the discharge end of the feederhouse, the deflector, in case of the first cited patent, being located so as to prevent an air stream generated by an undershot threshing cylinder from creating turbulence at the discharge end of the feederhouse by deflecting the air back to an underside of the threshing cylinder, with the deflector, in the case of the second-cited patent, being located so as to prevent backflow from a beater and to channel air exiting the feederhouse along a path passing over the deflector and into the processing chamber of an axial threshing rotor.
The prior art devices utilizing fans have the disadvantage that they are auxiliary or add-on devices which are not very cost effective, and the fan arrangements of some of the devices draw air in a direction opposite to that of crop flow and/or are prone to plugging. While the prior art devices utilizing air deflectors are cost effective, they are not entirely satisfactory since they interfere with crop flow and in instances where the crop processor elements are running slow, the air flow created is not sufficient to draw off the dust.

Dust suppressor for combine harvester feederhouse