A non-contact state charging authentication device and a method thereof are disclosed. The authentication device includes: a power supply for receiving and transmitting power; a control unit for controlling a signal; a shunt and voltage divided circuit connecting to the said power supply and the said control unit for controlling the transmission of power; and an electromagnetic inductance element connecting to the said shunt current and voltage divided circuit for inducting and transmitting an electromagnetic signal which has an electromagnetic inductance frequency. While non-contact electromagnetic induction between the said authentication device and a charging device occurs, the said charging device begins to charging the said authentication device.

As frauds become widespread and serious, more and more financial transactions today require a second identification in addition to the traditional PIN code in order to confirm the correct user identity. From banking transaction to Internet logon, correct user identify has been acknowledged the first gateway to total security.
Today's ID documents, driving license or citizen identification, merely provide passive function upon identification. Even with advanced anti-fake technologies to prevent them from being forged, they can not play any active role to identify the genuine user when security becomes a concern.
Sound and effective identification technologies should be duplication, modification and decipherment proof. Three main technologies are used today to meet those requirements, i.e. (1) one-time password (OTP); (2) radio frequency identification (RFID); and (3) biological characterization such as fingerprint or retina.
All above methods need electricity to drive components therein. A small primary (non-chargeable) battery is presently designed to provide electricity. It is difficult to replace battery because of the small footprint of device. Sometimes those batteries are simply impossible to be replaced, resulting in a limited device lifetime due to power shortage. To replace the device is costly and also risky concerning data integrity. It is an essential challenge to provide durable and reliable power to identification devices.
Besides the physical contact between metal electrode of charging device and that of charged device, power charge can also be performed without physical contact.
At present, there are two charging technologies able to charge device contactlessly, i.e. electromagnetic induction and radio frequency.
Electromagnetic induction works with an electromagnetic field generated by coil or antenna in the charging device. Electromagnetic energy is generated thereof and subsequently received by coil or antenna in the charged device. Electricity transformed from the electromagnetic energy is stored in battery within charged device. Such technology has been applied to power charge toothbrush. Soon in the future it will be used to charge mobile phone, PDA and many other small portable gadgets.
Radio frequency carries and transmits information. Theoretically, electricity can be transmitted by radio frequency from one device to another by frequency modulation. This technology has not been commercially used because of low efficiency.
Up to date we have not seen electromagnetic energy applied to power charge identification device without physical contact with charging device. By doing so, identification device will be able to certify user identity instantly and flawlessly with a considerably prolonged lifetime, consequently reducing replacement cost while enhancing data and information integrity.
It is therefore attempted by the applicant to solve above-mentioned problems encountered in prior arts.

Contactlessly rechargeable identification device and method thereof


Abstracting communication with a plurality of containers. Each container encapsulates or hosts a module (e.g., a web service, a database, etc.) associated with a distributed application. A meta-container communicates with drivers that interface with each of the containers. The meta-container represents an abstraction and a virtualization of the containers in the hierarchy. Each container may also be a meta-container for other containers. The recursion and layered hierarchy provide flexible, extensible, and efficient management of the distributed application.

Many applications are network-centric. The value in such applications is collaboration enabled by software. Achieving such collaboration through programming and running network applications is challenging. It requires understanding and managing individually all of the diverse, interrelated, distributed pieces that comprise a network application. The distributed elements include, for example, web sites, databases, workflows, web services, electronic data information exchanges, etc. Each of the distributed elements is generally hosted or managed by numerous hosting services and service control managers that are specific to the particular distributed element. Running each of the different hosting services with different distributed elements in them is complex and costly.
Some existing systems use the concept of a container to abstract the operation of a single, atomic module of a distributed application. Other existing systems use a container to abstract the operation of a composite, non-distributed application. However, such existing systems do not aid in the overall management of diverse elements in a heterogeneous distributed application. For example, the existing systems fail to provide an abstraction or interface between the container and some external management system to configure and coordinate execution of distributed applications.

Meta-container for model-based distributed applications


A cooling arrangement is provided for a gas turbine engine with a turbine section. The cooling arrangement includes a first conduit to receive cooling air that includes particles; a separator system coupled to the first conduit to receive the cooling air and configured to remove at least a portion of the particles to result in relatively clean cooling air and scavenge air including the portion of the particles; and a second conduit coupled to the separator system and configured to direct the relatively clean cooling air to the turbine section.

Aircraft engines are used for a number of purposes, including propulsion and/or driving various other components with electrical, pneumatic, and/or hydraulic power. Generally, a gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section. During operation, the compressor section draws in ambient air, compresses the air with one or more compressors, and supplies the compressed air to the combustion section. In addition to the compressed air, the combustion section receives fuel via a fuel injection assembly, mixes the fuel with the compressed air, ignites the mixture, and supplies the high energy combustion gases to the turbine section to drive one or more turbines, including a shaft that may be used to drive the compressor and other components.
During operation, the ambient air drawn into the engine may contain undesirable particles, such as sand and dust, that may cause issues for engine components. In order to prevent such issues, at least a portion of the undesirable particles are removed from the air using an inlet particle separator, such as an inertial inlet particle separator arranged an inlet portion of the engine. Typically, inlet particle separators attempt to separate the clean air, which is guided into the engine, from the contaminated air with the particles, which is discharged.
Although some inlet particle separators are successful in providing relatively clean air to the engine, it may be challenging to efficiently remove particles, particularly small or fine particles. If unaddressed, insufficient removal of fine particles may lead to erosion, obstruction, or glassing issues. This may be a particularly relevant issue in the turbine section of the engine in which cooling arrangements include small holes and passages that may be subject to blockage.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide improved methods and systems for separating particles from air flows in a vehicular engine, particularly for small particles. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.

Engine systems and methods for removing particles from turbine air


A low cost, fast method for evaluating the effects of lens heating in a step and repeat projection system is disclosed. The first step is to form a series of photoresist images on a single substrate in the same way as would be done during normal stepping and repeating. The first few images, located centrally, will be produced by a cool lens. As more images are generated, the lens gradually heats up so that the final few images, which are placed alongside the `cool` images, will be produced by a hot lens. Critical dimension bars are present in all image fields (at diagonally opposite corners and in the center), their size in the developed photoresist being an indication of the extent to which the focal plane has drifted. This is then used to compute correction factors for the manufacturer's scaling constants and/or to evaluate the extent, if any, of curvature of field in the projected images.

A standard feature of integrated circuit manufacture is the use of step and repeat cameras during photolithography. Since a semiconductor wafer is far too large for it to be possible to project a single image, that is in focus and free of distortion, over the entire surface, only a small part of the final pattern (called a reticle) is exposed at any given time. This sub-image is repeated many times by the step and repeat camera which moves with great precision from one location to another until the full pattern on the wafer has been exposed.
These repeated exposures directed through the lens of the step and repeat camera cause it to steadily heat up as stepping and exposing proceed. Since the optical tolerances in systems of this type are extremely tight, even the relatively gentle heating of the lens in this way (estimated to be between about 0.05 and 0.3.degree. C.) is sufficient to introduce a number of problems:
1. focus drift PA1 2. magnification drift PA1 3. distortion PA1 4. curvature of field
Problems 1 and 2 can be overcome by appropriate adjustment of the system. Thus, the location of the resist surface can be moved to coincide with the new focal plane and the magnification of the system can be increased or decreased, as needed to compensate for the heating effect. The manufacturers of such systems are well aware of the lens heating problem. In FIG. 1 we show a curve of the focus correction recommended by a manufacturer as a function of time, while step and repeat image projection is taking place. The effects of lens heating are first felt after about 15 minutes (in this case), following which the repeated increase and decrease in the lens temperature can clearly be seen. After about 40 minutes the lens temperature had reached its maximum and the run was terminated.
While the curve of FIG. 1 is useful for illustrating the lens heating effect, it is of greater value to users for the manufacturer to provide data that can be used to drive the software that controls the system. In general, such data takes the form of two scaling constants .mu..sub.1 and .mu..sub.2 expressed in microns per watt, and two time constants .tau..sub.1 and .tau..sub.2.
Problem b 3 is relatively minor but problem 4 (curvature of field) can introduce serious difficulties. It can be eliminated, or at least minimized, only by proper design of the original lens system and, should it occur, cannot be compensated for in the manner already described for dealing with problems 1 and 2. Even in the latter case, while the time constants are valid over a wide range of operating conditions, they depend on the lens quality and the cooling time. The focus drift will vary somewhat as factors such as reticle pattern, exposure sequence, exposure energy, and light intensity change.
Thus, additional information, beyond what the manufacturer has provided, needs to be gathered by the user if he is to get maximum performance from the projection system. In particular, the extent to which curvature of field is a problem under the intended operating conditions needs to be determined and correction factors for the manufacturer's scaling constants need to be measured.
In the prior art this has been achieved by modelling the lens cooling curve as measured by an image sensor combined with the compensated level sensor height. While this method enables the lens heating machine constants to be fine-tuned very accurately, its implementation is both time consuming and relatively expensive. As will be described below, the present invention makes possible the measurement of these constants in a short time at a minimal cost. The present invention also makes it possible to quickly determine the extent to which a given projection system is subject to curvature of field as a result of lens heating.
We have been unable to find any prior art that teaches the approach taken by the present invention, but note the following to be of interest. Dirksen et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,650 October 1997) evaluate the performance of a step and repeat projection system by means of an image sensor in conjunction with a set of test marks. Krivokapic et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,110 August 1997) teach a method for analyzing and evaluating the contribution of various process parameters to the quality of the final image. This makes it possible to concentrate process control in the areas where there is the most leverage.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A computed tomography detector module is presented. The detector module includes a substrate having a topside and a bottom side. Additionally, the detector module includes a plurality of detector layers disposed on the top side of the substrate in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to the substrate, where each of the plurality of detector layers comprises a direct conversion material configured to absorb radiation, and where each of the plurality of detector layers comprises a first side and a second side. Further, the detector module includes a plurality of pixelated anode contacts is disposed on the first side of each of the plurality of detector layers. Also, the detector module includes a common cathode contact is disposed on the second side of each of the plurality of detector layers.

The invention relates generally to radiographic detectors for diagnostic imaging, and more particularly to a multi-layer, direct conversion computed tomography (CT) detector for high flux rate imaging with photon counting and energy discrimination.
Radiographic imaging systems, such as x-ray and computed tomography (CT) have been employed for observing, in real time, interior aspects of an object. Typically, the imaging systems include an x-ray source that is configured to emit x-rays toward an object of interest, such as a patient or a piece of luggage. A detecting device, such as an array of radiation detectors, is positioned on the other side of the object and is configured to detect the x-rays transmitted through the object. As will be appreciated, the intensity of the attenuated beam radiation received at the array of detectors is typically dependent upon the attenuation of the x-rays by the object. Each detector element of the array of detectors is configured to produce a separate electrical signal indicative of the attenuated beam received by the respective detector element. The electrical signals are then transmitted to a data processing system for analysis and image production.
Conventional CT imaging systems utilize detectors that convert radiographic energy into current signals that are integrated over a time period, then measured and ultimately digitized. A drawback of such detectors however is their inability to provide data or feedback as to the number and/or energy of photons detected. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, typically, conventional CT detectors have a scintillator component and photodiode component. The scintillator component illuminates upon radiation by radiographic energy. Further, the photodiode detects illumination of the scintillator component and provides an electrical signal as a function of the intensity of illumination. These energy discriminating, direct conversion detectors are capable of not only x-ray counting, but also providing a measurement of the energy level of each x-ray detected. Typically, semiconductor materials have been used in the construction of direct conversion energy discriminating detectors, while other materials may also be employed in the construction of these detectors.
However, a drawback of these direct conversion semiconductor detectors is that these types of detectors cannot count at the x-ray photon flux rates typically encountered with conventional CT systems. Further, the very high x-ray photon flux rate has been known to cause pile-up and polarization that ultimately leads to detector saturation. In other words, these detectors typically saturate at relatively low x-ray flux level thresholds. Above these thresholds, the detector response is not predictable or has degraded dose utilization.
Further, as will be appreciated, detector saturation leads to loss of imaging information and consequently results in artifacts in x-ray projection and CT images. In addition, hysteresis and other non-linear effects occur at flux levels near detector saturation as well as flux levels over detector saturation. As previously noted, direct conversion detectors are also susceptible to a phenomenon called "polarization" where charge trapping inside the material changes the local electric field, alters the detector count and energy response in an unpredictable way, and results in hysteresis where response is altered by previous exposure history. In particular, photon counting, direct conversion detectors, saturate due to the intrinsic charge collection time (i.e., dead time) associated with each x-ray photon event. Saturation occurs due to pulse pile-up when the x-ray photon absorption rate for each pixel is on the order of the inverse of this charge collection time. The charge collection time is approximately proportional to the smaller of either the thickness of the direct conversion layer for a fixed electric field or the anode contact size; therefore, an increase in saturation rate is possible if the direct conversion layer is thinner. However, a sufficient thickness is desirable to stop almost all the x-rays and thus, optimize dose utilization. Incomplete collection of x-rays results in reduced image quality, i.e., a noisy image.
In addition, detectors that measure x-ray photon count rate and energy are subject to a count rate saturation limit. This limit is related to the charge collection time for transport across the detector thickness. Thin detectors allow for rapid charge collection, but they do not have sufficient stopping power to capture the x-rays efficiently when the x-rays are incident along the thin dimension. Therefore, in conventional detectors, a single layer with relatively large thickness (e.g., greater than 1 mm) is used to achieve high efficiency. However, this leads to large charge collection time and associated low flux rate saturation limits. Another disadvantage of thick layer detectors is that charge trapping is more likely during transport through a thick layer. Trapped charge changes the internal electric field and consequently alters the detector gain and spectral response. Transport across a thick layer is also associated with charge sharing between pixels. X-rays that are collected near a boundary between two pixels are shared between these pixels leading to miscounting of the number of incident photons, or incorrect registration of the photon energy. Thick layers are also difficult to create by a deposition technique.
Conventionally, a direct conversion detector is typically made from a single layer. An electric field is applied across the thickness of the layer by applying voltage to contacts on the faces of the layer. The layer is oriented with the x-rays normal to its face. Charge transport occurs across the thickness of the layer. During this charge transport, crosstalk and charge trapping occurs and the incomplete collection of charge causes changes in the detector response. However, if the pixel contact dimension is small relative to the thickness (e.g., less than half the thickness), the charge collection time is less sensitive to the layer thickness and is instead largely a function of the pixel contact size as a result of the "small pixel" effect. However, this small pixel effect does not improve the polarization; charge trapping still is as likely to occur during transport across the thickness of the detector layer. In addition, small pixels are subject to greater charge sharing between pixels.
Previously conceived solutions to enable photon counting at high x-ray flux rates include using sub-mm pixel size to achieve lower count rate per pixel and/or using stacked laminated multiple layer detectors to get lower count rates from each detector layer. However, for photon counting, direct conversion detectors with sub-mm pixel size, Detector Quantum Efficiency (DQE) loss due to charge sharing will be disadvantageously significant. Additionally, if the detector works in the energy discrimination mode to count x-rays from two energy bins for material decomposition, the increased charge sharing due to the sub-mm pixel size causes more spillover counts from the high energy window to the lower energy window, thereby degrading the material decomposition performance. Furthermore, employing the stacked multiple layer detector results in non-uniform x-ray sharing in different detector layers since x-rays attenuate exponentially in the detector and the attenuation coefficient is a strong function of x-ray energy.
In addition, smaller pixels or detector elements have larger perimeter to area ratios disadvantageously resulting in elevated levels of cross talk. The perimeter is a region where charge is shared between two or more pixels. This sharing of charge results in incomplete energy information and/or a miscount of x-ray photons because the readout electronics are not configured to combine simultaneous signals in neighboring pixels. Very high flux rates are possible with thin, photon counting, direct conversion silicon layers with pixel size <0.1 mm, but disadvantageously, these thin layers do not possess sufficient stopping power to stop the x-rays.
Furthermore, motion of electrons and holes contributes to a signal generated by room temperature direct conversion detectors. The relatively low mobility and strong trapping of holes is a cause of degraded detector performance. This degraded detector performance includes non-uniform detector response as function of x-ray absorption depth, polarization and unpredictable and unstable charge collection. Therefore, it is desirable to configure the geometry of the pixelated detector to deemphasize the hole contribution to the detector response by leveraging the small pixel effect. In a pixelated detector, it is desirable to keep the ratio of the pixel contact size to the detector thickness small in order to achieve good small pixel effect. Consequently, in this case the signal from the anode pixel is only proportional to the number of electrons arriving at the anode and independent of the x-ray interaction depth thereby resulting in uniform detector response and enhanced energy resolution. Another advantage of better small pixel effect is the shorter detector dead time due to the fact that the signal current pulse width is determined by the electron drift time across the distance of pixel size instead of detector thickness. However, for the laminated detector configuration with multiple thin layers, the good small pixel effect is no longer achievable using the conventional simple pixelated anode if the pixel contact size is comparable or larger than the detector thickness. Consequently, the detector may experience significant degradation of energy resolution. Additionally, the detector dead time may not be optimized.
It would therefore be desirable to develop a direct conversion, energy discriminating CT detector that does not saturate at the x-ray photon flux rates typically found in conventional CT systems. It would be further desirable to develop a direct conversion, energy discriminating CT detector that advantageously facilitates shorter detector dead time and a substantially uniform and stable detector response, thereby circumventing the limitations of current techniques.

Multi-layer direct conversion computed tomography detector module


Defined constructs of modified human platelet-derived growth factor receptor polypeptides are provided. Extracellular region domain structures are identified and modifications and combinatorial rearrangements of the receptor segments are provided. Both cell bound and soluble forms of modified segments are made available, as are methods for assays using them, allowing for screening of ligand analogues.

Polypeptide growth factors are mitogens that act on cells by specifically binding to receptors located on the cell plasma membrane. The platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) stimulates a diverse group of biochemical responses, e.g., changes in ion fluxes, activation of various kinases, alteration of cell shape, transcription of various genes, and modulation of enzymatic activities associated with phospholipid metabolism. See, e.g., Bell et al. (1989) "Effects of Platelet Factors on Migration of Cultured Bovine Aortic Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells," Circulation Research 65:1057-1065.
Platelet-derived growth factors are found in higher animals, particularly in warm blooded animals, e.g., mammals. In vitro, PDGF is a major polypeptide mitogen in serum for cells of mesenchymal origin such as fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, and glial cells. In vivo, PDGF does not normally circulate freely in blood, but is stored in the alpha granules of circulating blood platelets. During blood clotting and platelet adhesion the granules are released, often at sites of injured blood vessels, thereby implicating PDGF in the repair of blood vessels. PDGF may stimulate migration of arterial smooth muscle cells from the medial to the intimal layer of the artery where the muscle cells may proliferate. This is likely to be an early response to injury.
PDGF has also been implicated in wound healing, in atherosclerosis, in myeloproliferative disease, and in stimulating genes associated with cancerous transformation of cells, particularly c-mvc and c-fos.
The platelet-derived growth factor is composed of two homologous polypeptide chains; it is a dimer of 16 kilodalton proteins which are disulfide connected. These polypeptides are of two types, the type B chain and the type A chain. Three forms of the growth factor dimer are found corresponding to a homodimer of two type A chains, a homodimer of two type B chains, and a heterodimer of the type A chain with the type B chain. Each of these three different combinations is referred to as a PDGF isoform. See, for a review on PDGF, Ross et al. (1986) "The Biology of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor," Cell 46:155-169. The growth factor sequences from mouse and human are highly homologous.
The PDGF acts by binding to the platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGF-R). The receptor is typically found on cells of mesenchymal origin. The functional receptor acts while in a form comprising of two transmembrane glycoproteins, each of which is about 180 kilodaltons. Two different polypeptides have been isolated, a type B receptor polypeptide and a type A receptor polypeptide.
A sequence of a type B receptor polypeptide of the mouse platelet-derived growth factor receptor polypeptide is published in Yarden et al. (1986) Nature 323:226-232. A sequence of an type A human platelet-derived growth factor receptor (hPDGF-R) polypeptide is disclosed in Matsui et al. (1989) Science 243: 800-803.
These PDGF receptors usually have three major identifiable regions. The first is a transmembrane region (TM) which spans the plasma membrane once, separating the regions of the receptor exterior to the cell from the regions interior to the cell. The second region is an extracellular region (XR) which contains the domains that bind the polypeptide growth factor (i.e., the ligand binding domains). The third is an intracellular region (IR) which possesses a tyrosine kinase activity. This tyrosine kinase domain is notable in having an insert of about 100 amino acids, as compared with most other receptor tyrosine kinase domains which are contiguous or have shorter insert segments.
The complete sequences of the human type B and human type A receptor polypeptides are reported elsewhere, e.g., U.S. Ser. No. 07/309,322 now abandoned, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. However, for many purposes, a smaller or less than full length functional protein would be desired. For example, smaller molecules may be more easily targeted to areas of compromised circulation, or present fewer epitopes or extraneous domains unrelated to various activities of interest. Functional analogues with a slightly modified spectrum of activity, or different specificity would be very useful.
Thus, the use of new composite constructs exhibiting biological activity in common with platelet-derived growth factor receptor polypeptides will have substantial use as research reagents, diagnostic reagents, and therapeutic reagents. In particular, the identification of important polypeptide features in the extracellular region of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor polypeptides will allow substitutions and deletions of particular features of the domains. Moreover, use of an in vitro assay system provides the ability to test cytotoxic or membrane disruptive compounds.

Methods of using domains of extracellular region of human platelet-derived growth factor receptor polypeptides

The Regents of the University of California


A multiport connector which includes a housing having at least two aligned compartments, each compartment being structured and arranged to receive respective plugs. A multilayer printed wiring board separates the two compartments, the printed wiring board having circuit patterns on opposite sides of opposed non-conductive layers and a metal shielding layer intermediate the non-conductive layers. A first plurality of conductive contact fingers is disposed in one of the compartments, the first plurality of fingers having first portions for making electrical contact with one of the plugs and second portions for making contact with the circuit pattern on one of the non-conductive layers of the multilayer printed wiring board. A second plurality of conductive contact fingers is disposed in the other of the compartments, the second plurality of fingers having first portions for making electrical contact with the other one of the plugs and second portions for making contact with the circuit pattern on the other one of the non-conductive layers of the multilayer printed wiring board.

The present invention relates to RJ Connectors and, in particular, to a multiport RJ connector which is shielded to enable use at high frequencies (e.g., gigabit frequencies).
RJ Connectors are modular connectors used in telecommunications and data networks to interconnect equipment units. As the need for speed of such equipment increases, the frequencies of the signals employed in such equipment also increase. At the same time, there is a need to make the equipment more compact. The use of high frequencies combined with increased compactness of the equipment leads to increased problems of unwanted interactions between the signals carried by the connectors.


A system and method are provided for limiting visible exhaust emissions from a diesel-electric traction vehicle system including a multi-cylinder diesel engine connected for driving a synchronous generator to produce AC electric power, a rectifier connected for converting the AC electric power to DC electric power on a DC link, at least one inverter coupled to the DC link for providing controlled frequency AC power to at least one electric traction motor coupled in driving relationship to at least one wheel of the vehicle. The air-fuel ratio at the engine is regulated to minimize any difference between actual air-fuel ratio and a predetermined preferential air-fuel ratio as a function of engine speed. The air-fuel ratio of an operating engine is measured while monitoring actual visible exhaust emissions in order to create a table of preferential air-fuel ratios as a function of engine speed so that the table values can be used to control visible exhaust without direct monitoring.

This invention relates generally to operation of diesel engines in traction vehicles such as locomotives and relates more particularly to fuel control of diesel engines to reduce exhaust emissions.
Large self-propelled traction vehicles such as locomotives commonly use a diesel engine to drive an electrical transmission comprising generating means for supplying electric power to a plurality of electric traction motors whose rotors are drivingly coupled through speed-reducing gearing to respective axle-wheel sets of the vehicle. The generating means typically comprises a main 3-phase traction alternator whose rotor is mechanically coupled to the output shaft of the engine (typically a 16-cylinder turbo-charged diesel engine). When excitation current is supplied to field windings on the rotating rotor, alternating voltages are generated in the 3-phase stator windings of the alternator. These voltages are rectified and applied to the armature windings of DC traction motors or inverted to controlled frequency AC power and applied to AC traction motors.
During the "motoring" or propulsion mode of operation, a locomotive diesel engine tends to deliver constant power, depending on throttle setting and ambient conditions, regardless of locomotive speed. For maximum performance, the electrical power output of the traction alternator must be suitably controlled so that the locomotive utilizes full engine power. For proper train handling, intermediate power output levels are provided to permit graduation from minimum to full output, but the load on the engine must not exceed whatever level of power the engine can develop. Overloads can cause premature wear, engine stalling or "bogging," or other undesirable effects such as excess exhaust emissions. Historically, locomotive control systems have been designed so that the operator can select the desired level of traction power, in discrete steps between zero and maximum, so that the engine develops whatever level of power the traction and auxiliary loads demand.
Engine horsepower is proportional to the product of the angular velocity at which the crankshaft turns and the torque opposing such motion. For the purpose of varying and regulating the amount of available power, it is common practice to equip a locomotive engine with a speed regulating governor which adjusts the quantity of pressurized diesel fuel (i.e., fuel oil) injected into each of the engine cylinders so that the actual speed (RPM) of the crankshaft corresponds to a desired speed. The desired speed is set, within permissible limits, by a manually operated lever or handle of a throttle that can be selectively moved in eight steps or "notches" between a low power position (N1) and a maximum power position (N8). The throttle handle is part of the control console located in the operator's cab of the locomotive. In addition to the eight conventional power notches, the handle has an "idle" position.
The position of the throttle handle determines the engine speed setting of the associated governor. In a typical electronic fuel injection governor system, the output excitation from a controller drives individual fuel injection pumps for each cylinder allowing the controller to individually control start of and duration of fuel injection for each cylinder. The governor compares the desired speed (as commanded by the throttle) with the actual speed of the engine, and it outputs signals to the controller to set fuel injection timing to minimize any deviation therebetween.
For each of its eight different speed settings, the engine is capable of developing a corresponding constant amount of horsepower (assuming maximum output torque). When the throttle notch 8 is selected, maximum speed (e.g., 1,050 rpm) and maximum rated gross horsepower (e.g., 4,000) are realized. Under normal conditions, the engine power at each notch equals the power demanded by the electric propulsion system which is supplied by the engine-driven main alternator plus power consumed by certain electrically and mechanically driven auxiliary equipments.
The output power (KVA) of the main alternator is proportional to the product of the rms magnitudes of generated voltage and load current. The voltage magnitude varies with the rotational speed of the engine, and it is also a function of the magnitude of excitation current in the alternator field windings. For the purpose of accurately controlling and regulating the amount of power supplied to the electric load circuit, it is common practice to adjust the field strength of the traction alternator to compensate for load changes (traction motor loading and/or auxiliary loading) and minimize the error between actual and desired KVA. The desired power depends on the specific speed setting of the engine. Such excitation control will establish a balanced steady-state condition which results in a substantially constant, optimum electrical power output for each position of the throttle handle.
A traction vehicle, such as a locomotive, also generally includes electrically resistive grid elements selectively connectable to the DC link. During operation of the locomotive, these grid elements are used to dissipate regenerative electrical energy from the locomotive motors so that the locomotive can be operated in a dynamic braking mode in which the motors, acting as generators, electrically retard motion of the locomotive. When the locomotive is at rest, the grid elements can be used for self-loading the locomotive power system for test purposes or to load the diesel engine in order to maintain a desirable operating temperature. En either braking or self-loading, the grid elements are controlled by the vehicle system controller switching a controlled value of resistance onto the DC link.
When the engine is operating, it is desirable to control fuel flow to the engine so that the horsepower developed matches the horsepower required by the electric generator and other equipment coupled to the engine. If the engine is over fueled, incomplete combustion may occur resulting in excessive exhaust emission of unburned hydrocarbons. If insufficient fuel is supplied, the engine will bog and may stall. Thus, it is desirable to provide fuel to the engine at a rate which will enable the engine to meet the power output requirements without having excess fuel that results in excessive exhaust emissions.
One method of monitoring exhaust emissions is to place a probe in the engine exhaust. The probe is connected to a conventional smoke meter which indicates the level of emissions in the exhaust. However, such a method increases vehicle cost and maintenance expense by adding more equipment which will require servicing. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method for controlling engine exhaust emission by using other normally monitored engine characteristics.

Indirect monitoring and control of visible exhaust emissions from a diesel engine


A series of cell fill valves are interconnected by a series of hoses and T-connections, one to each battery cell. Each cell fill valve is controlled by a ball in a seat in a single fill opening. The ball is controlled by a float on a pivotable lever arm with an end finger which holds the ball up to admit water with the float down and allows the ball to lower onto the seat as the cell fills causing the float to rise to a shutoff level when the cell is filled to a desired level.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to single point fluid supply systems for replenishing a liquid electrolyte in a plurality of batter cells simultaneously and in particular to a series of cell fill valves interconnected by a series of hoses and T-connections, one to each cell, each cell fill valve controlled by a ball in a seat in a single fill opening, the ball controlled by a float on a pivotable lever arm with an end finger which holds the ball up to admit water with the float down and allows the ball to lower onto the seat as the cell fills causing the float to rise to a shutoff level when the cell is filled to a desired level.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Single Point Battery Watering is primarily used for batteries on industrial lift trucks, golf carts and other battery powered vehicles. It involves placing some sort of automatic shutoff valve in every cell of the battery. These cells are then connected by a pipe or tubing. One end of the tubing is left free with a quick connect attached to it. When it is time to water the battery, a pressurized water supply line (hose) is attached to the quick connect. Water flows through the tubing and into the battery cells. As the cells reach the predetermined height, the valves shut off. Water is still able to flow through the tubing until all valves in the battery have shut off. The quick connect is detached and the next battery can be filled.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,942,908, issued Jan. 9, 1934 to Swain, concerns a liquid feeding mechanism for supplying fluid to multiple battery cells from one fluid source. Each cell is equipped with a float that raises a lever, which in turn lowers a valve to open the inflow aperture, thereby adding fluid to the cell. When the liquid level rises to the predetermined level, the float rises and the lever causes the valve to close the inflow aperture automatically.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,156, issued Jun. 14, 1988 to Olimpio, indicates a cap for accumulators suited for the automatic refill of distilled water that includes a main body inside which there is a chamber suited for the distribution of the distilled water through a hole. The hole is shut by a valve controlled by a float and connected to the float by means of a toggle joint. The toggle joint consists of a right-angled lever and of a shaft connected by a hinge to the lever and to the valve. The toggle joint ensures a very high force for the shutting of the valve, such as to stand high deliveries of liquid even under pressure. The cap is also equipped with a float in the shape of an upside-down glass, that is, open at the bottom on the side of the liquid upper surface, so that the push on the float is determined by the over-pressure of the air and the gasses contained in the interior of the float. The overpressure increases in direct relation to the rising of the electrolyte level. The gasses which develop inside the accumulator are discharged through a cap equipped with radial holes and with a ceramic filter suited to the expansion of the gasses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,138, issued Sep. 8, 1998 to Oschmann, is for a device that serves to automatically fill battery cells with water, which includes a filler plug that can be placed in the cell. The plug has two connection members for the water supply as well as a valve operated by a float. The valve body is connected in articulated fashion to the float, which is arranged centrally in the plug housing, via a pivotally mounted amplifying lever. Between the valve with the valve body and the connection member there is a substantially vertical overflow wall with a free upper edge that is higher than the horizontal upper edge of the bore of the connection members so that a U-shaped feed duct is formed that leads to the overflow wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,141, issued May 31, 1983 to Weidner, indicates a watering device for maintaining a predetermined electrolyte level in the cells of a battery. The device includes a plug body consisting of a cover, a valve housing and a float guide. A valve is disposed within the body to modulate the quantity of water entering each cell. A float movably communicates with the valve. A visual indicator indicates the status of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,633, issued Jun. 7, 1988 to Elias, concerns an automatic battery watering device, which includes a housing mounted in the battery cell opening. The housing has a chamber for receiving pressurized water, an internal valve opening for passing the water into the cell, a valve pin mounted in the valve opening, a float that is mounted in the battery electrolyte and connected to the lower end of the pin so as to rise and fall in response to a change in the liquid level in the cell, and a pair of internally mounted diaphragms which center and support the pin and float. The pin has a valve member for blocking the internal valve opening when the float is at an appropriate level. When the float is lowered after a drop in the level of the electrolyte, the internal valve member opens so water can flow into the battery to replenish the liquid level. The housing passes gas from the battery to the atmosphere along a path independent of the water passage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,378, issued Apr. 23, 1985 to Oschmann, provides a device for the automatic filling of battery cells with water, which comprises a filling cup to be inserted into a battery cell and is provided with a connection hose for the water supply as well as a valve actuated by a float fitted to a single centering guide rod for easy movement and not susceptible to clogging up, the rod extending through an opening in the bottom of the cup housing and hinged at its upper end to an amplifying lever for the transmission of the float movement to the valve body, so that even in the remote possibility of heavy movement of the float guide, the lifting force of the float is sufficient to actuate the valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,471,362, issued Oct. 23, 1923 to Sartakoff, puts forth a storage battery filler that automatically adds fluid to the cells of a battery. Each cell is equipped with a float that activates a valve raising lever when the fluid level is low, the lever further serves to allow the valve to be seated when the liquid level rises to the predetermined level, thereby stopping the inflow of liquid.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 20040161661, published Aug. 19, 2004 by Campau, illustrates a single point watering system for use with a lead-acid battery having a plurality of battery cell access ports. The system comprises a plurality of refill valves and a plurality of refill valves and a manifold having (i) a water feed tube with at least one external port and a plurality of outlets each communicating with one of the plurality of refill valves, and (ii) at least one passageway housing a flame arrestor to permit the discharge of gases from the battery cells to the surrounding environment only through the flame arrestor. The manifold is removably and sealably mountable to the battery so that each refill valve is in fluid communication with one of the battery cell access ports.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 20040140005, published Jul. 22, 2004 by Campau, provides a single point watering system for refilling individual cells of a multi cell monobloc lead-acid battery wherein each battery cell is fitted with a refill control valve. The system includes a manifold and a swivel connector fitting. The manifold has (i) a plurality of outlet bosses positioned at a predetermined spacing to permit the manifold to be assembled to the battery with each outlet boss in sealed fluid communication with one of the refill control valves, (ii) at least one inlet port adapted to receive the swivel connector fitting, and (iii) a longitudinally extending passageway for fluid communication between the inlet port and each outlet boss. The swivel connector fitting has an outlet boss which is mounted within the manifold inlet port in sealed fluid communication and is rotatable within the inlet port through 360 degrees. The swivel connector fitting also includes ports to communicate with other components of the single point watering system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,442, issued Feb. 25, 1992 to Campau, provides a field repairable apparatus for filling a container to a predetermined level with liquid provided from an external liquid supply means. The apparatus includes a main valve and a main valve seat for controlling the supply of liquid to the container. A lower valve housing is provided for supporting the main valve and main valve seat. An upper cap housing is also provided which is in fluid communication between the external liquid supply means and the main valve. Together, the lower and upper housings form a manually releasably connected valve assembly which is removably insertable into the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,338, issued Nov. 11, 2003 to Campau, shows a single point watering system for refilling individual cells of a multi cell monobloc lead-acid battery wherein each battery cell is fitted with a refill control valve. The system includes a manifold and a swivel connector fitting. The manifold has (i) a plurality of outlet bosses positioned at a predetermined spacing to permit the manifold to be assembled to the battery with each outlet boss in sealed fluid communication with one of the refill control valves, (ii) at least one inlet port adapted to receive the swivel connector fitting, and (iii) a longitudinally extending passageway for fluid communication between the inlet port and each outlet boss. The swivel connector fitting has an outlet boss which is mounted within the manifold inlet port in sealed fluid communication and is rotatable within the inlet port through 360 degrees. The swivel connector fitting also includes ports to communicate with other components of the single point watering system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,593, issued Jul. 9, 1985 to Campau, discloses an apparatus and system for filling containers with a required liquid to a predetermined level. The apparatus includes a main valve means for controlling the flow of liquid through the apparatus and into the container; a fluid amplifier means for receiving at least a portion of the liquid from the main valve means and for generating a pressure signal until such time as the liquid within the container reaches the predetermined level; and pilot valve means for maintaining the main valve means open in the presence of the pressure signal from the fluid amplifier and for closing the main valve means in the absence of the pressure signal. The system includes the aforesaid apparatus together with liquid supply conduit and valve means.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,229, issued May 8, 2001 to Campau, puts forth a high gain fluid control valve assembly, which includes a body portion having one or more inlets and two aligned outlets. The outlets are located on opposing faces of the body portion, one having a generally rigid valve seat defining a first valve outlet port and the other having a generally flexible valve seat defining a second valve outlet port. The valve assembly also employs a valve support assembly configured to move relative to the body portion generally along the axis of the aligned outlets. The support assembly has a flexible valve member at one end positioned inside the body portion and configured to engage the rigid valve seat to block flow through the first valve outlet port. The support assembly also has a generally rigid valve member positioned outside the body portion and configured to engage the flexible valve seat to block flow through the second valve outlet port. With this construction, when the valve support member is in an open position, both the flexible and rigid valve members are spaced from the rigid valve seat and flexible valve seat, respectively, allowing flow of fluid through the valve. However, when the valve support assembly is moved to the closed position, both the valve members are in contact with their respective valve seats and fluid flow is blocked.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,557, issued Sep. 17, 1991 to Campau, shows an apparatus used in a system for filling containers with a required liquid to a predetermined level. The apparatus includes a main valve means for controlling the flow of liquid through the apparatus and into the container. This main valve means includes an improved main valve, an improved main valve seat, and a main valve support.
What is needed is a simple low cost single point fluid supply system for replenishing a liquid electrolyte in a plurality of batter cells simultaneously with very few parts, of which very few are moving parts and none of the parts made of rubber, which can get sticky in the battery environment and cause failures.

Single point battery watering system with pivot float and ball valve


This invention is related to a magnetic pickup device for stringed musical instrument with one or more metal strings made by magnetic permeable material. The magnetic pickup device presented comprises of at least one signal picking coil for sensing of the mechanical vibrations of the strings and at least one large free shape low impedance coil for noise cancellation. The signal picking coil and the large noise picking coils are permanently connected in series in a way that the noise signals created by the two coils have opposite phase orientations and they effectively cancel each other.

One common method for amplifying the sound of a stringed musical instrument having one or more metal strings made by magnetic permeable material uses a magnetic pickup assembly positioned beneath the strings of the musical instrument. Such a magnetic pickup includes one or more signal picking coils wrapped around one or more magnetic permeable metal cores which are themselves magnetic, or which are magnetized by an adjacent permanent magnet. The magnetic field created by this permanent magnet structure does not generate an electric signal inside of the signal picking coil by itself, because the magnetic field flow, flowing through the turns of the signal picking coil, is a constant. As a result of the position of the strings near the magnet structure of the magnetic pickup, a small string area becomes magnetized. This magnetized string area has a size close to the width of the permanent magnet means exposed from the top side of the pickup. The small, magnetized string area radiates its own flow of magnetic field fluxes with an expanded pattern toward the signal picking coil. The flow of magnetic field fluxes passes through the turns of the signal picking coil. When the string does not vibrate this magnetic flow does not create an electric signal inside the signal picking coil. Picking or strumming a string causes the string to vibrate mechanically and the small, magnetized string area vibrates too. This causes an alternative magnetic field flow to pass through the turns of the signal picking coil, which generates an alternative audio electric signal that corresponds to the frequency of the string mechanical vibration. That audio electrical signal measured between the start and end terminals of the signal picking coil are available for further electronic amplification. Based on that conception theory it was found that the only magnetic pickup capable of reproducing the mechanical vibration of a string with maximum accuracy, is the single coil style magnetic pickup. There is one major undesirable disadvantage of the single coil style magnetic pickup—it picks the electromagnetic noise from the surrounding space, where the magnetic pickup is exposed. Electromagnetic noises in the space are generally produced and radiated by power transformers, power diode rectifiers, electric motors etc.
There are a few conventional methods, which use dual coil magnetic pickup assemblies to cancel that undesirable electromagnetic noise. One of these methods is called classic humbucking pickup, which includes two side-by-side positioned identical coils permanently or switchably connected in series or in parallel. Another popular method uses two stacked (one on the top of the other) identical single coil windings permanently or switchable connected in series or in parallel. These two most popular methods, generally cancel the undesirable noise but they also change the musical specter of the generated audio electric signal in one or another way. The frequency response, the phase and harmonic content of the generated audio electric signal are changed too.

Magnetic pickup device for a stringed musical instrument with large free shape low impedance coil for noise cancelation


The Wrist Band Motion Analyzer with Comparison Feedback is a wrist worn device that shows feedback to the user wearing the device in order to achieve the correct speed and force of the user's hand. The purpose of the Wrist Band Motion Analyzer is to give the user wearing the device real time feedback in order to achieve a specific speed and G-force of the wearers hand motion; whereas when accomplished may lead to the wearer's woman partner achieving an ejaculating orgasm with locked fingers placed correctly on the G-spot. This new device gives real time feedback to the proper speed and G-force of the user's hand compared to a pre-programmed G-force and frequency which is known to give women an ejaculating orgasm. This is achieved by measuring the G-force and speed in real time through the use of an accelerometer and microcontroller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a device worn on the wrist providing real time measurement of the wrist speed; another embodiment of the device provides real time feedback of the force of a user's hand motion. The purpose of this device is to match the correct speed and force of the wrist motion in order to ensure female ejaculation.
2. Background
Currently there is no such wrist worn device which shows the correct G-force and speed of the wrist/hand/finger motion for the purpose of creating an ejaculating orgasm in women. There are instructions showing proper finger and hand placement on the G-spot for a desired result however there isn't a device assisting with the correct force and frequency (hand speed) only videos showing the general concept. There is a technique using ones fingers placed correctly on the G-spot of a women which if pressing repeatedly at a certain speed and force can create an ejaculating orgasm in women. It is difficult to achieve the correct finger/hand speed/frequency and force on the G-spot. This invention gives the user feedback to properly achieve that speed/frequency and G-force. Currently there is not a solution helping to address this problem of proper G-force and frequency of palpitations on a women's G-spot to cause an ejaculating orgasm. The odds of success by simply watching instructional videos is low. This device increases the user's success rate greatly.
It would be desirable to have a device with feedback worn on the hand-wrist-arm which gives feedback when achieving a known frequency and G-force which helps women achieve an ejaculating orgasm that uses a wrist worn device which gives real time feedback through red, yellow, and green light emitting diodes (LED's). This is showing starting speed red, a medium speed yellow, and green when the speed reaches the optimum speed/frequency of wrist motion. The same is shown on separate light emitting diodes red for beginning force yellow for mid range force and green once the optimum force is achieved. The proper feedback works whether the watch is worn on the top of the wrist or the bottom of the wrist. In general the device looks like a watch and is water resistant having a circuit board with LED's (Light emitting diodes) microprocessor and accelerometer behind a lens inside of a typical looking watch body which may function as a regular watch in disguise. A button is used to start and stop the device. The LED's blink quickly then shut off when turned on. They blink at a slower rate indicating when turned off. A wrist strap is used to ensure the device is snuggly attached to the wrist. This device can be used as feedback for the force of the user's wrist/hand motion with fingers placed against the G-spot of a woman to achieve an ejaculating orgasm. Therefore, there currently exists a need in the industry for a device that assists in the proper wrist hand/finger motion for helping achieve a women's ejaculating orgasms.

Wrist band motion analyzer with comparison feedback


The present invention generally provides modified polypeptides which are capable of interacting with the Fas receptor, nucleic acids encoding such polypeptides, cell lines capable of expressing these nucleic acids and secreting the polypeptides, and antibodies that are specifically immunoreactive with these polypeptides. The compositions of the present invention are generally useful for elucidating and modeling aspects of Fas biochemistry in vitro and manipulating Fas biology in vivo.

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is an important physiological process in multicellular organisms, both during development and for homeostasis. Apoptosis permits the elimination of cells that are no longer necessary, that are produced in excess, that have developed improperly, or that have sustained genetic damage. Apoptosis occurs in many different tissue systems and must be properly regulated to maximize the benefit to the individual. Conversely, dysregulation of the apoptotic mechanism can result in the development of significant disease which results from either inhibition of and/or inappropriate cell death. For example, inhibition of cell death may contribute to disease in the immune system by allowing persistence of self-reactive B and T cells, thereby promoting autoimmune disorders. See, e.g., Watanabe-Fukunaga et al., Nature 356:314-317 (1992). Additionally, inhibition or failure of the cell death mechanism may permit such cells to undergo mutations leading to a transformed or cancerous state. See, e.g., Korsmeyer, Blood 80:879-886 (1992).
Apoptosis is mediated, at least in part, by a cell surface receptor protein, Fas, which plays an important role in the development and function of the immune system. Malfunction of the Fas system has been shown to cause lymphoproliferative disorders and accelerate autoimmune disorders. Takahashi et al., Cell 76:969-976 (1994). Further, exacerbation of Fas-mediated apoptosis has been implicated as leading to excessive tissue destruction. Ogasawara et al., Nature 364:806-809 (1993).
The Fas ligand (FasL) binds to and activates the Fas receptor to initiate the apoptotic mechanism. For an overview of Fas receptor mediated apoptosis, see, e.g, Nagata et al., Science 267:1449-1455 (1995). In normal physiological contexts, FasL exists predominantly as a type II membrane protein. Supraphysiological states, e.g., in vitro overexpression, or pathophysiological states, e.g., specific leukemias or lymphomas, exhibit some release of a proteolytically processed form of FasL. See, e.g., Tanaka et al., Nature Medicine 2:317-322 (1996). Additionally, production of a soluble form of FasL may occur upon activation of lymphocytes. Tanaka et al., EMBO J. 14:1129-1135 (1995). However, the prevalence of soluble FasL in vivo is not known.
It would generally be desirable to be able to produce a soluble compound that functions as the naturally occurring Fas ligand in its interactions with the Fas receptor, i.e., receptor binding and/or activation of receptor mediated pathways, for use in modeling this interaction as well as providing an external method of regulating this interaction. The present invention meets these and other needs.


A quantity of a harvested product supplied by an elevator of a harvester from a lower side to an upper side is determined by measuring an elevator when it is located with the harvested product with consideration of weight of the empty elevator.

The present invention relates to an agricultural machine with an elevator which transports a harvested product supplied from below for an upper-side further transportation or storage in a transporting direction, wherein at least one first scale is arranged on or in the elevator for measuring harvested product quantity.
During harvesting with harvesters of the above mentioned type, for example harvester threshers, an exact control of each instantaneously harvested harvesting product quantity is needed in order to guarantee an efficient use of the harvester and to timely take into consideration corresponding disturbances. Moreover, it is necessary to determine the received harvested product in a time interval, for example a day or an operational hour, for example in order to provide computations of dependent on the quantity during the labor work. Furthermore, it is possible to produce an accurate harvesting cadastre.
The German patent document DE 31 24 35 A1 discloses an agricultural harvester, in particular a harvester thresher, in which the harvested product is loaded from a co-movable container over an elevator or a conveyor in an available motor vehicle or a trailer. During the loading process the weight or the harvested product quantity is weighed by a continuous scales at the harvested product inlet and at the outlet of the elevator. Alternatively, it is proposed to count the revolutions of a filled emptying screw and in this manner to determine the loaded harvested product quantity.
For continuous measurement of the harvested product during the harvesting it is known to determine the harvested product quantity capacitatively during its passage through a capacitor arrangement located for example behind the elevator outlet. The disadvantage of this measuring method is that the different moisture in the measuring chamber falsifies the measuring results, so that a continuous calibration is necessary. Furthermore, the electrodes in the measuring chambers are damaged by the passing harvested product, so that these measuring devices are very maintenance-intensive.
In addition to the above mentioned problems, these methods involve very high measuring-, compensation- and computing expenses.

Harvester with elevator with and measurement of harvested product quantity


A sliding block for a piston of a hydraulic piston machine, includes a concave recess to receive a piston head and a sliding surface to support the piston. A lubricant channel passes through the sliding block from the concave recess to the sliding surface, and the concave recess transforms with a constant tangent i.e. without kinking into a transition segment of a constantly narrowing taper segment of the lubricant channel. The transition segment is convex.

A hydraulic piston machine has cylinder-piston units each with a piston or working piston displaceable axially in a cylinder. The piston is held with a piston head in a concave recess of a sliding block which is preferably made of nonferrous metal or steel. Via the sliding block the piston can be supported on a sliding surface or a swash plate of the piston machine. During operation of the piston machine, the sliding block must tolerate piston support forces which are substantial depending on the working pressure of the piston machine or the viscosity of the hydraulic fluid. Under this mechanical load, firstly wear can occur because of the sliding friction and secondly breakage of the sliding block.
To reduce this risk, the sliding surface of the sliding block is lubricated. This is achieved by means of a lubricant channel which passes through the sliding block from its concave recess to its sliding surface and via which lubricant or hydraulic fluid is delivered to the sliding surface. It is also known that the lubricant channel opens into a relief recess of the sliding surface of the sliding block, improving lubrication and relieving the load on the sliding block.
For this, U.S. Pat. No. 6,555,777 B1 discloses two embodiment examples of a sliding block with a lubricant channel arranged centrally. The lubricant channel of the first embodiment example opens via a small concave spherical cap with a sharp edge into the concave recess and with a long thin bore into a relief recess of the sliding surface. The lubricant channel of the second embodiment example opens via a broad cylindrical bore also with a sharp edge into the concave recess and with a frustoconical expansion into the sliding surface.
A sliding block shown in DE 3210146 A1 has a central lubricant channel which transforms via a broad cylindrical bore with a sharp edge into the concave recess. Adjacent to the cylindrical bore in the direction of the sliding surface is a frustoconical expansion which transforms into a narrow cylindrical bore which in turn opens into a relief recess of the sliding block. The transitions between the cylindrical bores and the frustoconical expansion are in this case sharp-edged.
The disadvantage of the solutions of both publications is that at the sharp-edged transitions of the lubricant channel, the sliding block is exposed to a high stress concentration which reduces the strength.
Publication EP 0763657 A1 shows a sliding block with reduced stress concentration at the lubricant channel. This has no sharp edges at the transition into the concave recess or into the relief recess. The concave recess transforms with a constant tangent, i.e. without kinking, into a frustoconically narrowing segment of the lubricant channel, which in turn transforms via a rounding into a cylindrical segment of the lubricant channel, which finally opens into the relief recess.
The disadvantage of this sliding block is that the large frustoconical segment can no longer serve as a support surface for the piston head, so that a substantial proportion of the support force to be absorbed by the sliding block is unfavorably transferred radially into the sliding block, which can lead to a fission of the sliding block.
In view of this, the object of the disclosure is to create a sliding block with increased strength.

Sliding block for a piston of a hydraulic piston machine


Disclosed are a method of detecting a leak of fluoroolefin compositions and sensors used therefor. In particular, the method is particularly useful for detecting a leak of a fluoroolefin refrigerant composition from a cooling system of an automotive vehicle. Such fluoroolefin refrigerant compositions have double bond structures which make them particularly well suited with sensing technologies, including: infrared sensors, UV sensors, NIR sensors, ion mobility or plasma chromatographs, gas chromatography, refractometry, mass spectroscopy, high temperature thick film sensors, thin film field effect sensors, pellistor sensors, Taguchi sensors and quartz microbalance sensors.

New environmental regulations on refrigerants have forced the refrigeration and air-conditioning industry to look for new refrigerants with low global warming potential (GWP).
Replacement refrigerants are being sought that have low GWP, no toxicity, non-flammability, reasonable cost and excellent refrigeration performance.
Fluoroolefins have been proposed as refrigerants alone or in mixtures. When used in a vapor compression system, any refrigerant has a tendency to leak from the system over time, as holes develop in the system. However, the leakage of refrigerant is at times difficult to detect, especially where the holes in the system are small. A solution to this problem has been to add a dye to the refrigerant and let the dye run through the system. However, there is a cost associated with the addition of the dye in terms of both materials and time. In addition, often the dye must be run through the system for a period of time before the leak can be detected, which requires follow up.

Method of detecting leaks of fluoroolefin compositions and sensors used therefor


Processes for isolation and purification of enantiomerically enriched compositions comprising tramadol and topiramate, and also for the subsequent isolation of 1S,2S-tramadol hydrochloride, are disclosed herein.

A number of effective anticonvulsants including the compound 2,3:4,5-bis-O-(1-methylethylidene)-β-D-fructopyranose sulfamate, also known as topiramate, have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,006. Topiramate is useful in the treatment of human epilepsy in that it is effective as adjunctive therapy or as monotherapy in treating simple and complex partial seizures and secondarily generalized seizures (E. Faught et. al., Epilepsia 36 (S4) 33, 1995; S. K. Sachdeo, et al., Epilepsia 36 (S4) 33, 1995). Topiramate is currently marketed for the treatment of simple and complex partial seizure epilepsy with or without secondary generalized seizures.
Recent preclinical studies on topiramate have revealed previously unrecognized pharmacological properties which suggest that topiramate is effective in treating some other disorders. One of these is neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain remains one of the "frontiers" of pain management. There is a significant unmet need for efficacious and tolerable pharmacotherapy, making neuropathic pain an area of intense research interest. The term "neuropathic pain" is applied to any acute or chronic pain syndrome in which the sustaining mechanism for the pain is believed to involve abnormal transmission (peripheral) or processing (central) of somatosensory input. U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,007 discloses topiramate as useful for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
A class of analgesic cycloalkanol-substituted phenol esters having a basic amine group in the cycloalkylring, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,589. Among these is the compound (1R,2R or 1S,2S)-2-[(dimethylamino)methyl]-1-(3-methoxyphenyl)-cyclohexan-1-ol, generically designated as tramadol, which is specifically disclosed therein. Tramadol typically is used as the hydrochloride salt form.
A series of articles pertaining to the pharmacology, toxicology and clinical studies of tramadol hydrochloride are found in Arzneim. Forsch., (Drug Res.), 1978, 28(1), 114. The Abstracts of the VI th World Congress on Pain, Apr. 1-6 (1990), disclose that tramadol hydrochloride is an orally active pure agonist opioid analgesic. However, clinical experience indicates that tramadol hydrochloride lacks many of the typical side effects of opioid agonists. Tramadol hydrochloride's 'atypical' combination of non-opioid and opioid activity makes tramadol a very unique drug. Tramadol hydrochloride is currently marketed as an analgesic.
Opioids have for many years been used as analgesics to treat severe pain. They, however, produce undesirable side effects such as respiratory depression, constipation, tolerance and abuse liability, and, as a result, cannot always be given repeatedly or at high doses.
To reduce the side effect problems, opioids have been combined with other drugs, including non-opioid analgesic agents, which lower the amount of opioid needed to produce an equivalent degree of analgesia. It has been claimed that some of these combination products also have the advantage of requiring less of each ingredient while producing a synergistic analgesic effect.
As an analgesic, tramadol hydrochloride has been combined with both opioid and non-opioid analgesic drugs. Such compositions have exhibited synergistic effects in treating pain while using less of each ingredient to produce an equivalent degree of analgesia. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,803 discloses the composition of tramadol hydrochloride and a NSAID, particularly ibuprofen. U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,744 discloses tramadol hydrochloride plus any of oxycodone, codeine or hydrocodone and U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,691 discloses tramadol hydrochloride in combination with acetaminophen.
WO-01/13904 is concerned with a pharmaceutical composition comprising a combination of a tramadol material and an anticonvulsant drug and to the pharmacological use of the composition in treating conditions of pain and neurologic or psychiatric disorders. The composition produces a combination product having improved properties, requiring less of each ingredient and producing a synergistic effect.
WO-01/13904 further discloses that in animal studies using the Chung model of post-nerve constriction injury, both tramadol hydrochloride and topiramate are significantly active and reach 100% MPE (Maximum Possible Effect) as the dose is escalated. When topiramate and tramadol hydrochloride are co-administered in this model the ED50 of both drugs is dramatically reduced, suggesting synergy of analgesic effect. The degree of synergy varies across ratios in this model with those ratios in which tramadol hydrochloride predominates displaying the greatest synergy.
Compositions including combinations of topiramate and tramadol hydrochloride have been found to be relatively unstable, in particular due to the instability of topiramate. It is therefore a desirable goal to provide combination formulations of topiramate and tramadol hydrochloride that are stable.
Moreover, the half lives of topiramate and tramadol are largely different in that tramadol's half life is relatively short while that of topiramate is relatively longer. Plasma levels of tramadol therefore will sink more rapidly below effectivity thresholds than those of topiramate, which is undesirable because there is a need to keep the blood plasma levels of both active ingredients at a sufficient level, in particular during a relatively long period of time. Therefore there is a need to provide pharmaceutical compositions that release both topiramate and tramadol at a sufficient level, during a sufficiently long period of time. The present invention provides an adduct of topiramate and tramadol, which allows the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions that meet this need.

Adduct of topiramate and tramadol hydrochloride and uses thereof


This invention provides an inexpensive hollow-fiber membrane module that can prevent diaphragms from peeling or coming off from the cylindrical casing. The invention includes a hollow-fiber membrane module, comprising a cylindrical casing having an inlet port for the treating liquid at one end and an outlet port for the treating liquid at the other end, a hollow-fiber membrane bundle contained in the cylindrical casing, potting layers for fixing the hollow-fiber membrane bundle to the inner wall of the cylindrical casing at both the ends of the hollow-fiber membrane bundle, a header having an outlet port for the liquid undergoing treatment provided at one end of the cylindrical casing, and a header having an inlet port for the liquid undergoing treatment provided at the other end of the cylindrical casing, wherein baffle cylinders having slits extending in the direction at an angle to the axis of the cylindrical casing are fitted in the potting layers.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hollow-fiber membrane module for treating a liquid using hollow-fiber membranes. More particularly, this invention relates to a hollow-fiber membrane module used for dialysis of blood or used for purification of water such as sewage or wastewater.
2. Description of Related Art
As is well known, for example for dialysis of blood, a hollow-fiber membrane module composed of hollow-fiber membranes (semipermeable membranes) is used. Such a hollow-fiber membrane module comprises a cylindrical casing having an inlet port for the treating liquid at one end and an outlet port for the treating liquid at the other end, a hollow-fiber membrane bundle contained in the cylindrical casing, and potting layers for fixing the hollow-fiber membrane bundle to the inner wall of the cylindrical casing at both the ends of the hollow-fiber membrane bundle, to ensure that a dialyzing fluid can be made to flow in the cylindrical casing from the inlet port toward the outlet port, while blood can be made to flow in the hollow-fiber membranes from the outlet port side toward the inlet port side, for dialysis of blood (see JP7-37700Y).
The above-mentioned hollow-fiber membrane module is obtained by inserting a hollow-fiber membrane bundle slightly longer than a cylindrical casing, into the cylindrical casing made of a plastic material such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene tetrafluoride, polyester, polycarbonate, or ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene), potting the inserted hollow-fiber membrane bundle at its both ends with a polymeric material such as polyurethane or silicone for fixing it at both the ends, cutting off the potting ends using a sharp knife, to open the hollow-fiber membranes at the potting end faces, and installing headers to surround the openings of the cylindrical casing entirely. In this hollow-fiber membrane module, the potting portions function as potting layers. When a potting end is cut off, a force for separating the potting end from the cylindrical casing acts, and in the case where the cylindrical casing is made of a slightly adhesive plastic material such as polypropylene, polyethylene or polyethylene tetrafluoride, it can happen that the potting layer peels or comes off from the cylindrical casing.
It is also proposed to install cylindrical hollow-fiber membrane bundle holders separate from the cylindrical casing at both the ends of the hollow-fiber membrane bundle, in such a manner that the hollow-fiber membrane bundle holders can be bonded to the inner wall of the cylindrical casing. However, since the holders merely support the hollow-fiber membrane bundle without disturbing them, they do not work sufficiently for preventing the potting layers from peeling or coming off. If a potting layer should peel from the cylindrical casing, even though it does not come off, for example in the event of dialyzing blood, the dialyzing fluid and blood are mixed, and normal dialysis cannot be made. Such a membrane module must be thrown away. Furthermore, since it is necessary to manufacture the hollow-fiber membrane bundle holders separately from the cylindrical casing and to install them in the casing beforehand, the increase in the number of parts and the increase in the assembling man-hours raise the production cost of the hollow-fiber membrane module.


A method and apparatus for eliminating carry-back includes one or more heat shrouds located at desired locations to avoid carry-back. The heat shrouds which may be powered by being connected to a rotating shaft of a material transportation device to avoid the need for additional power sources. The apparatus further includes a passive drying system for removing moisture from material while in transit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for preventing or minimizing "carry-back". More specifically, it relates to a method and apparatus for preventing carry-back in coal cars or other transportation vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Carry-back is commonly a cold weather problem and occurs when the ambient temperature is below freezing. An example of carry-back is the cold weather problem of dirt freezing in the bucket of an excavator. The problem occurs, for example, when the temperature of the bucket is below freezing and the bucket is loading material that has been insulated from the ambient temperature (e.g. material which has been below the frost line). When this condition exists, the loaded material may freeze in thin layers to the inside back corners of the bucket. This is sometimes referred to as striatic layering. One of the reasons that striatic layering occurs in the back corners of the bucket is that the ratio of mass between the bucket and the loaded material and surface area contact between that bucket and the material is greatest in the three surface (side, end and floor) back corners of the bucket. With each succeeding dig cycle of the excavator, another thin layer of loaded material will be added (i.e. striatic layering will occur). This further reduces the capacity of the excavator and prevents the excavator from being able to load and dump 100% of its designed capacity. This is obviously undesirable.
The amount of striatic build-up is proportional to the cycle time of the excavator. This means that as the time interval between loading and dumping increases, there is a proportional increase in build-up, so that each freezing layer will incrementally decrease the actual production capacity of the excavator.
The problem of carry-back is well known in various fields, including the field of material transportation. It occurs in coal cars, excavation equipment and other material transportation vessels, vehicles and devices. For simplicity, however, the invention will be described primarily in connection with a coal car, such as depicted at FIGS. 1A-1C. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not so limited and that one of ordinary skill in the art will be readily able to apply the teachings of this invention to other devices where carry-back is a problem.
Carry-back arises when coal (or other material being transported) adheres to, or otherwise remains in the coal car after a delivery. As a result, the amount of coal which is actually delivered to the destination is less than what is transported. The coal which remains in the coal car after delivery is "carried back" in the coal car when it returns to its point of origin. This is obviously uneconomical. The buyer of the coal does not receive the full amount of coal transported or purchased, the railroad company carries back additional weight and when the coal car returns to its point of origin, the supplier does not have an empty car in which to place a predetermined amount of a particular product.
In coal cars, carry-back may be primarily caused by coal freezing to the coal cars during the colder months (e.g. winter) or due to excess moisture in the coal especially during the warmer or wetter months. At most all times, there is excess surface moisture on the coal.
For example, the typically low-sulfur western coals, in high demand due in part to passage of the Clean Air Act Amendment, are typically 20% to 25% moisture by weight. In addition to the insitu moisture, many points of origin apply additional moisture to the coal through application of water based surfactants to the top of each car load to reduce dust emissions in transit. Other factors may also give rise to the condition of carry-back.
In particular, coal may freeze to the corners of a rail car, starting in the three side corners (side, end and floor). However, depending on the characteristics of the car, carry-back may occur anywhere. For simplicity, the discussion below will refer to the areas where it is desired to prevent or minimize carry-back as the "desired areas".

Method and apparatus for preventing carry back in a rail car using an on-board heating device


A swiveling work machine includes a swivel deck mounted to be pivotable about a vertical axis and a side cover for covering one lateral side on the swivel deck, an accommodating space capable of accommodating a work machine accessory being provided inside the lateral cover. The accommodating space accommodates, as the implement accessory, a work oil tank, a fuel tank and a control valve unit. The work oil tank is disposed at a fore-and-aft intermediate portion on one lateral side on the swivel deck. The fuel tank is disposed forwardly of the work oil tank with forming a gap relative thereto. The control valve unit is disposed upwardly of the fuel tank and longitudinally along the fore/aft direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a swiveling work machine such as a backhoe.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in a swiveling work machine such as a backhoe, a swivel deck is mounted on a self-propelling machine body to be pivotable about a vertical axis. The swivel deck mounts, at a rear region thereof, such components as an engine, a radiator, a hydraulic pump, etc., which are all covered with a hood. The swivel deck includes also, at one of right and left regions thereof, an accommodating space for disposing work machine accessories such as a fuel tank, a work oil tank, a battery, a control valve unit, etc. and this accommodating space is covered with a side cover which extends from a front portion of the hood toward a front region of the swivel deck. The swivel deck further mounts, at the other of the right and left regions thereof, a driver's seat and between this driver's seat and the accommodating space, an excavator is mounted as an example of implement.
In connection with the above, in the case of a backhoe construction disclosed by JP-A-10-331196 wherein the above-described work machine accessories are disposed one of right and left regions on the swivel deck, a work oil tank is disposed at a fore-and-aft intermediate portion on the right side region of the swivel deck which corresponds the region forwardly of a radiator, a fuel tank is disposed forwardly of this work oil tank and a battery is disposed at a region of the swivel deck outwardly of the work oil tank.
Looking at the layout of the above-described work machine accessories on the swivel deck from the viewpoint of maintenance thereof, it is preferred that the work oil tank and the control valve unit which require periodical checks and maintenance and the fuel tank, the battery and the radiator which require water or oil supply be disposed on a same side on the swivel deck and the hood covering these components be adapted to be openable/closable.
However, in the case of the conventional backhoe disclosed in the above-cited document, the control valve unit is not disposed at the right side region on the swivel deck where the work oil tank, the fuel tank and the battery are disposed and no space allowing disposal of the control valve unit is provided, either. Further, in the case of this conventional backhoe, the front face of the work oil tank is placed in opposition, over substantially entire area thereof, to the fuel tank, so that the fuel tank tends to be subjected to undesirable influence of heat from the work oil tank.


Method for efficiently and flexibly comparing a group of multi-bit binary fields with a multi-bit expected pattern to generate a set of final match results, one final match result for each binary field in the group. Sets of of bit-wise comparator results are generated, one set for each binary field, by comparing each binary field with the expected pattern. Then, sets of bit-wise mask results are generated for each binary field by bit-wise masking each set of bit-wise comparator results with a mask pattern. Then, a set of preliminary match results is generated. Each preliminary match result is equal to the logical AND of all bits making up the bit-wise mask result set for the corresponding binary field. Then, a set of secondary match results is generated by negating all of the preliminary match results if a negate indicator is asserted. Finally, a set of final match results is generated, one final match result for each binary field, by individually gating all of the secondary match results with a separate enable indicator for each binary field. The invention includes an M.times.N comparator matrix for accomplishing the just-described method. The invention also includes circuitry for comparing N binary fields with an expected pattern to generate N comparison results.

It has become very difficult to diagnose failures in and to measure the performance of state-of-the-art microprocessors. This is because modern microprocessors not only run at very high clock speeds, but many of them also execute instructions in parallel, out of program order and speculatively. Moreover, visibility of the microprocessor's inner state has become increasingly limited due to the complexity of the microprocessors and to practical constraints on the number of external pads that can be provided on the chip package.
In the past, the traditional failure diagnosis and performance measurement tools have been external logic analyzers and in-circuit emulators. Logic analyzers are capable of monitoring signals on the chip pads and other externally-accessible system signals, capturing the state of these signals and generating triggers based on their states. Unfortunately, logic analyzers must rely solely on externally-accessible signals to accomplish this, not on signals that are internal to the chip itself. In-circuit emulators, on the other hand, are used to mimic the functional characteristics of a new microprocessor in a system environment and to add visibility to certain data values within the microprocessor. But such devices only emulate the functionality of the microprocessor. By their very nature, they cannot give an accurate representation of the performance characteristics of an actual silicon device. Therefore, they are primarily useful only for developing and debugging system software.
By way of background, U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,688, issued Jan. 30, 1996, to David R. Gonzales, et al., discloses a digital signal processor with a FIFO buffer configured on-chip to monitor a fixed set of internal bus signals. The FIFO buffer is coupled to a debug controller that is capable of operating in first and second modes. In the first mode, the CPU may be halted on the occurrence of one of four specifically-enumerated event conditions: after an external request; after a hardware breakpoint (occurrence of specific data or address values); after a software breakpoint (execution of a specific CPU instruction); or after a specified number of instructions have been executed. In the second mode, only the FIFO buffer is halted on the occurrence of an event condition. In either mode, the user may examine the contents of the FIFO buffer after a halt to determine what flow of software instructions were executed just prior to the event occurrence. An off-chip serial interface is used to communicate with the debug controller and to examine the contents of the FIFO buffer. The serial interface complies with the well-known Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 1149.1, "Test Access Port and Boundary Scan Architecture," also known as the Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) standard. A serial port conforming to this standard will hereinafter be referred to as a test access port or "TAP."
By way of further background, U.S. Pat. No. 5,418,452, issued May 23, 1995, to Norman C. Pyle, discloses an apparatus for testing integrated circuits using time division multiplexing. In order to reduce the number of pins necessary to communicate the signals from on-chip test nodes to an off-chip logic analyzer, Pyle employs a multiplexer on the chip under test and a demultiplexer in the logic analyzer. Each input of the multiplexer is coupled to an on-chip test node, and the multiplexer select lines are driven by counter outputs. By applying an identical set of counter outputs to the select lines of the demultiplexer, Pyle implements a time-division-multiplexed serial communication line between the chip under test and the logic analyzer. Signals from the numerous test nodes in the chip under test are coupled to the communication line in different time slices. The signals are then reconstructed by the demultiplexer in the logic analyzer.
By way of still further background, U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,754, issued Dec. 5, 1995 to Dale E. Folwell, et al., discloses a scheme for enabling an off-chip device to monitor the state of an on-chip 24-bit program counter in real time using an 8-bit port on the chip under test. Folwell assumes that discontinuities in the program counter will occur only in a limited number of situations. He then captures the contents of the program address bus only when one of these conditions occurs, and then sends those contents off chip via the 8-bit port. Because the contents of the program address bus are not captured with every increment of the counter, the volume of data that must be output via the 8-bit port is reduced.
By way of still further background, U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,711, issued May 31, 1994 to Philip A. Bourekas, et al., discloses a scheme for providing off-chip test access to the signals of an on-chip bus that connects an on-chip cache to an on-chip CPU. The signals of the bus are brought out to the chip's external address/data bus when the external address/data bus is not being used for transactions with main memory or peripherals. To accomplish this, reserved pins on the microprocessor are used to control a multiplexer. Depending on the state of the multiplexer's select lines, either the microprocessor's main memory read/write and data lines, or the address that is being provided to the internal cache memory, is coupled to the chip's external address/data bus.
By way of still further background, U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,417, issued Mar. 20, 1990 to Abbas El Gamal, et al., discloses an improved user-programmable interconnect architecture for logic arrays. Specifically, Gamal uses existing row-column selecting logic in combination with an output multiplexer for coupling user-selectable internal circuit nodes to a particular external chip pad for testing. Additionally, latches are provided for each chip input pin so that, with the assertion of an external signal, all chip inputs may be frozen. Then, the row-column select circuitry and output multiplexer may be used to probe nodes within the chip using the latched inputs as stimulus.
While the above structures are useful for the particular purposes for which they are proposed, they fall far short of teaching or suggesting a comprehensive structure for debugging and monitoring the performance of a state-of-the-art microprocessor or microprocessor system.
What is needed is a comprehensive system and method for enabling microprocessor and system designers to debug state-of-the-art microprocessors and systems more easily, and to do so in a highly flexible and sophisticated manner. Such a system and method should enable tests to be performed using the actual hardware of the device being evaluated, under actual system environment conditions, and while running the device at full speed. Such a system and method should enable programmers to defme a wide variety of possible kinds of events that may occur within the microprocessor or system, and to generate a variety of triggers based on those user-definable events.
One particularly troublesome problem that has stood in the way of developing such a system has been the problem of efficiently and flexibly comparing a group of binary fields, such as instructions, data, addresses, control information, status information and the like, with expected patterns in order to generate match results. The present invention provides a novel solution to this particular problem.

Apparatus and method for comparing a group of binary fields with an expected pattern to generate match results