A heavy duty diesel engine lubricating oil composition having no more than 0.10 wt. % phosphorus comprises an ashless dispersant, a neutral calcium phenate, an overbased calcium or magnesium sulfonate, a metal dihydrocarbyldithiophosphate, and a phenolic or aminic antioxidant.

The present invention relates to a crankcase lubricant which exhibits superior performance properties in heavy duty (HD) diesel (compression ignited) internal combustion engines whilst being a low phosphorus formulation. Such lubricants may be referred to variously as lubricating oils, lubricating oil compositions, and lubricating oil formulations.
The heavy duty trucking market has come to adopt the diesel engine as its preferred power source due to both its excellent longevity and its economy of operation. Specialized lubricants have been developed to meet the more stringent performance requirements of HD diesel engines compared with passenger car engines.
Several engine tests are required to demonstrate satisfactory HD performance, including the following:
Sequence IIIE (ASTM D553) test for antioxidancy as measured by viscosity increase.
Daimler Chrylser OM364LA diesel engine test for bore polish, piston cleanliness, cylinder wear, engine sludge and oil consumption.
Cummins M11 test to evaluate soot-related valve train wear, filter plugging and sludge.
Thus, there is a need in the art for lubricating oils that are capable of meeting the HD diesel requirements. Surprisingly, a low phosphorus lubricating oil which affords improved performance in the Sequence IIIE, OM364LA and Cummins M11 tests has now been discovered. Thus, the present invention is directed, in a first aspect, towards a heavy duty diesel engine lubricating oil composition comprising a major amount of an oil of lubricating viscosity to which has been added:
(a) a lubricating oil borated or non-borated ashless dispersant which has not more than 0.3, for example not more than 0.2, such as not more than 0.1, mass % boron, in a minor amount;
(b) an oil-soluble neutral calcium phenate detergent in a minor amount;
(c) an oil-soluble overbased calcium or magnesium sulfonate or mixture thereof present in a minor amount so that not more than 0.1, for example not more than 0.05, such as not more than 0.025, mass % magnesium is present in the composition;
(d) a metal dihydrocarbyldithiophosphate present in such an amount that the phosphorus content of the composition is from 0.025 to 0.10, such as 0.05 to 0.07 or to 0.08, mass %; and
(e) a antioxidant phenolic or aminic, preferably a hindered phenol, in a minor amount, the composition being free of any neutral metal sulfonate and any other neutral metal detergent, other than the phenate (b).
As used herein, all mass % numbers are on an active ingredient basis unless otherwise noted, and are based on elemental boron, magnesium or phosphorus in respect of (a), (c) and (d) above as appropriate.
The composition is preferably free of aminic, such as aromatic amine, antioxidants.
A major amount means in excess of 50 mass % of the composition and a minor amount means less than 50 mass % of the composition, both in respect of the stated additive, and in respect of the total mass % of all of the additives present in the composition.
It will be understood that the additives of the composition may react under the conditions of formulation, storage, or use and that the invention also provides the product obtainable or obtained as a result of any such reaction.
The word xe2x80x9ccomprisesxe2x80x9d or comprisingxe2x80x9d, or cognate words, when used in this specification, is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, or components.
In a second aspect, the invention is directed towards a concentrate for blending with an oil of lubricating viscosity to provide a heavy duty diesel engine lubricating oil composition, said concentrate comprising:
(a) a lubricating oil borated or non-borated ashless dispersant which has not more than 0.3, for example not more than 0.2, such as not more than 0. 1, mass % boron;
(b) an oil-soluble neutral calcium phenate detergent;
(c) an oil-soluble overbased calcium or magnesium sulfonate or mixture thereof present in such an amount so that not more than 0.3 mass % magnesium is present in the concentrate;
(d) a metal dihydrocarbyldithiophosphate present in such amount so that the phosphorus content of the concentrate is up to 0.7 mass %; and
(e) a phenolic or aminic, preferably a hindered phenol, antioxidant, the concentrate being free of any neutral metal sulfonate and any other neutral metal detergent, other than the phenate (b).
In a third aspect, the invention is directed towards a method of lubricating a heavy duty diesel engine which comprises supplying to the crankcase thereof a lubricating oil composition according to the first aspect of the invention.
In the fourth aspect, the invention is directed towards the use in a crankcase lubricating oil composition of a combination of additives (a) to (e) according to the first aspect of the invention to achieve adequate performance in one or more of the following tests for crankcase lubricating oils:
Sequence IIIE (ASTM D553) for antioxidancy;
Daimler Chrysler OM364LA for bore polish, piston cleanliness, cylinder wear, engine sludge, and oil consumption;
Cummins M11 for soot-related valve train wear, filter plugging and sludge.
In a fifth respect, the invention is directed towards a combination comprising
(i) moveable, contacting mechanical parts to be lubricated of a heavy duty diesel internal combustion engine; and
(ii) a lubricating oil composition according to the first aspect of the invention.
The features of the invention will now be discussed in further detail as follows.
Lubricating Oil
The oil of lubricating viscosity may be selected from any of the synthetic or natural oils used as crankcase lubricating oils for heavy duty diesel (compression-ignited) engines. The oil of lubricating viscosity conveniently has a viscosity of 2.5 to 12, preferably 2.5 to 9, mm2/s at 100xc2x0 C. Mixtures of synthetic and natural base oils may be used if desired.
Dispersant (a)
The ashless dispersant comprises an oil-soluble polymeric hydrocarbon backbone having functional groups that are capable of associating with particles to be dispersed. Dispersants may be present in amounts of from 2 to 10, preferably 3 to 5, mass %. Typically, the dispersants comprise amine, alcohol, amide, or ester polar moieties attached to the polymer backbone often via a bridging group. The dispersant may be, for example, selected from oil-soluble salts, esters, amino-esters, amides, imides, and oxazolines of long chain hydrocarbon substituted mono and dicarboxylic acids or their anhydrides; thiocarboxylate derivatives of long chain hydrocarbons; long chain aliphatic hydrocarbons having a polyamine attached directly thereto; and Mannich condensation products formed by condensing a long chain substituted phenol with formaldehyde and polyalkylene polyamine, and Koch reaction products.
The oil-soluble polymeric hydrocarbon backbone is typically an olefin polymer, especially polymers comprising a major molar amount (i.e. greater than 50 mole %) of a C2 to C18 olefin (e.g., ethylene, propylene, butylene, isobutylene, pentene, octene-1, styrene), and typically a C2 to C5 olefin. The oil-soluble polymeric hydrocarbon backbone may be a homopolymer (e.g., polypropylene or polyisobutylene) or a copolymer of two or more of such olefins (e.g., copolymers of ethylene and an alpha-olefin such as propylene and butylene or copolymers of two different alpha-olefins).
One preferred class of olefin polymers is polybutenes and specifically polyisobutenes (PIP,) or poly-n-butenes, such as may be prepared by polymerization of a C4 refinery stream. Another preferred class of olefin polymers is ethylene alpha-olefin (EAO) copolymers or alpha-olefin homo- and copolymers such as may be prepared using metallocene chemistry having in each case a high degree (e.g. greater than 30%) of terminal vinylidene unsaturation.
The oil-soluble polymeric hydrocarbon backbone will usually have number average molecular weight ({overscore (M)}n) within the range of from 300 to 20,000. The {overscore (M)}n of the backbone is preferably within the range of 500 to 10,000, more preferably 700 to 5,000 where the use of the backbone is to prepare a component having the primary function of dispersancy. Hetero polymers such as polyepoxides are also usable to prepare components. Both relatively low molecular weight ({overscore (M)}n 500 to 1500) and relatively high molecular weight ({overscore (M)}n 1500 to 5,000 or greater) polymers are useful to make dispersants. Particularly useful olefin polymers for use in dispersants have {overscore (M)}n within the range of from 900 to 3000. Where the component is also intended to have a viscosity modification effect it is desirable to use higher molecular weight, typically with {overscore (M)}n of from 2,000 to 20,000, and if the component is intended to function primarily as a viscosity modifier then the molecular weight may be even higher with an {overscore (M)}n of from 20,000 up to 500,000 or greater. The functionalized olefin polymers used to prepare dispersants preferably have approximately one terminal double bond per polymer chain.
The {overscore (M)}n for such polymers can be determined by several known techniques. A convenient method for such determination is by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) which additionally provides molecular weight distribution information.
The oil-soluble polymeric hydrocarbon backbone may be functionalized to incorporate a functional group into the backbone of the polymer, or as one or more groups pendant from the polymer backbone. The functional group typically will be polar and contain one or more hetero atoms such as P, O, S, N, halogen, or boron. It can be attached to a saturated hydrocarbon part of the oil soluble polymeric hydrocarbon backbone via substitution reactions or to an olefinic portion via addition or cycloaddition reactions. Alternatively, the functional group can be incorporated into the polymer in conjunction with oxidation or cleavage of the polymer chain end (e.g., as in ozonolysis).
Useful functionalization reactions include: halogenation of the polymer allylic to the olefinic bond and subsequent reaction of the halogenated polymer with an ethylenically unsaturated functional compound (e.g., maleation where the polymer is reacted with maleic acid or anhydride); reaction of the polymer with an unsaturated functional compound by the xe2x80x9cenexe2x80x9d reaction absent halogenation; reaction of the polymer with at least one phenol group (this permits derivatization in a Mannich base-type condensation); reaction of the polymer at a point of unsaturation with carbon monoxide using a hydroformylation catalyst or a Koch-type reaction to introduce a carbonyl group attached to a xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94 or in an iso or neo position; reaction of the polymer with the functionalizing compound by free radical addition using a free radical catalyst; reaction with a thiocarboxylic acid derivative; and reaction of the polymer by air oxidation methods, epoxidation, chloroamination, or ozonolysis.
The functionalized oil-soluble polymeric hydrocarbon backbone is then further derivatized with a nucleophilic reactant such as an amine, amino-alcohol, alcohol, metal compound or mixture thereof to form a corresponding derivative. Useful amine compounds for derivatizing functionalized polymers comprise at least one amine and can comprise one or more additional amine or other reactive or polar groups. These amines may be hydrocarbyl amines or may be predominantly hydrocarbyl amines in which the hydrocarbyl group includes other groups, e.g., hydroxy groups, alkoxy groups, amide groups, nitrites, imidazoline groups, and the like. Particularly useful amine compounds include mono- and polyamines, e.g. polyalkylene and polyoxyalkylene polyamines of about 2 to 60, conveniently 2 to 40 (e.g., 3 to 20) total carbon atoms and about 1 to 12, conveniently 3 to 12, and preferably 3 to 9 nitrogen atoms in the molecule. Mixtures of amine compounds may advantageously be used such as those prepared by reaction of alkylene dihalide with ammonia. Preferred amines are aliphatic saturated amines, including, e.g., 1,2-diaminoethane; 1,3-diaminopropane; 1,4-diaminobutane; 1,6-diaminohexane; polyethylene amines such as diethylene triamine; triethylene tetramine; tetraethylene pentamine; and
polypropyleneamines such as 1 ,2-propylene diamine; and di-(1,3-propylene) triamine.
A preferred group of dispersants includes those substituted with succinic anhydride groups and reacted with polyethylene amines (e.g., tetraethylene pentamine), aminoalcohols such as trismethylolaminomethane, polymer products of metallocene catalyzed polymerisations, and optionally additional reactants such as alcohols and reactive metals e.g., pentaerythritol, and combinations thereof). Also useful are dispersants wherein a polyamine is attached directly to the backbone by the methods shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,225,092, 3,275,554 and 3,565,804 where a halogen group on a halogenated hydrocarbon is displaced with various alkylene polyamines.
Another class of dispersants comprises Mannich base condensation products. Generally, these are prepared by condensing about one mole of an alkyl-substituted mono- or polyhydroxy benzene with about 1 to 2.5 moles of carbonyl compounds (e.g., formaldehyde and paraformaldehyde) and about 0.5 to 2 moles polyalkylene polyamine as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,808.
The dispersant can be further post-treated by a variety of conventional post treatments such as boration, as generally taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,087,936 and 3,254,025. This is readily accomplished by treating an acyl nitrogen-containing dispersant with a boron compound selected from the group consisting of boron oxide, boron halides, boron acids and esters of boron acids or highly borated low {overscore (M)}w dispersant, in an amount to provide a boron to nitrogen mole ratio of 0.01 to 3.0.
Preferred for use in the invention is a polyisobutenyl succinimide dispersant wherein the Mn of the polyisobutenyl groups is from 1500 to 3000, such as 2000 to 2300, or a borated derivative thereof which contains not more than 0.3, for example not more than 0.2, such as not more than 0.1, for example 0.01 to 0.1, mass % boron, as elemental boron.
Calcium Phenates (b)
The lubricant oil of the present invention includes a neutral calcium phenate. xe2x80x9cNeutralxe2x80x9d means the phenate contains a substantially stoichiometric amount of metal. Conveniently, the phenate will be used in amounts from 0.3 to 1.5, preferably from 0.3 to 0.8, more preferably from 0.45 to 0.65, mass %. For example, alkylated calcium phenates and preferably sulfurized alkylated calcium phenates are included in the present invention. Such salts are readily obtainable in the art. Methods for preparing phenates are disclosed in, for example U.S. Pat. No.3,966,621.
Calcium salts of phenols and sulfurized phenols may be prepared by reaction with an appropriate metal compound such as an oxide or hydroxide and neutral. Sulfurised phenols may be prepared by reacting a phenol with sulfur or sulfur-containing compounds such as hydrogen sulfide, sulfur monohalide or sulfur dihalide, to form products which are generally mixtures of compounds in which two or more phenols are bridged by sulfur-containing bridges.
The neutral calcium phenate used in the oils of the invention is, as stated above, the sole neutral metal detergent in the composition of the present invention which is free of other neutral metal detergent additives.
Overbased Calcium or Magnesium Sulfonate (c)
The compositions of the instant invention also include, as stated, oil-soluble overbased calcium or magnesium sulfonate or both; an amount of 0.2 to 2 mass % is preferred. Also as stated, the compositions of the present invention do not contain more than 0.05 mass % magnesium; 0.03 to 0.05 mass % magnesium is preferred or not more than 0.025 mass % magnesium.
Metal-containing or ash-forming sulfonate detergents function both as detergents to reduce or remove deposits and as acid neutralizers or rust inhibitors, thereby reducing wear and corrosion and extending engine life. Detergents generally comprise a polar head with a long hydrophobic tail, with the polar head comprising a metal salt of an acidic organic compound. It is possible to include large amounts of a metal base by reacting an excess of a metal compound such as an oxide or hydroxide with an acidic gas such as carbon dioxide. The resulting overbased detergent sulfonate comprises neutralised detergent as the outer layer of a metal base (e.g. carbonate) micelle. Such overbased sulfonate detergents may have a TBN of 150 or greater, and typically of from 250 to 450 or more.
Preferred are oil-soluble overbased calcium and magnesium sulfonates having TBN""s of 300 and 400, respectively.
Sulfonates may be prepared from sulfonic acids which are typically obtained by the sulfonation of alkyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbons such as those obtained from the fractionation of petroleum or by the alkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons. Examples included those obtained by alkylating benzene, toluene, xylene, naphthalene, diphenyl or their halogen derivatives such as chlorobenzene, chlorotoluene and chloronaphthalene. The alkylation may be carried out in the presence of a catalyst with alkylating agents having from 3 to more than 70 carbon atoms. The alkaryl sulfonates usually contain from 9 to 80 or more, preferably from 16 to 60, carbon atoms per alkyl-substituted aromatic moiety.
The oil-soluble sulfonates or alkyl aryl sulfonic acids may be neutralized with oxides, hydroxides, alkoxides, carbonates, carboxylate, sulfides, hydrosulfides, nitrates, borates and ethers of the metal. The amount of metal compound is chosen having regard to the desired TBN of the final product but typically ranges from 125 to 220 mass % of that stoichiometrically required.
Metal Dihydrocarbyldithiophosphate (d)
Dihydrocarbyl dithiophosphate metal salts are frequently used as anti-wear and antioxidant agents. The compositions of this invention preferably contain a metal dihydrocarbyl dithiophosphate in an amount such that from 0.05 to 0.10, such as 0.05 to 0.07 or to 0.08, mass % phosphorus is present in the finished lubricating oil. The metal may be an alkali or alkaline earth metal, or aluminum, lead, tin, molybdenum, manganese, nickel or copper, but zinc salts are preferred and may be present in amounts of 0.1 to 1.5, preferably 0.5 to 1.0, mass %, based upon the total weight of the lubricating oil composition. They may be prepared in accordance with known techniques by first forming a dihydrocarbyl dithiophosphoric acid (DDPA), usually by reaction of one or more alcohol or a phenol with P2S5 and then neutralizing the formed DDPA with a zinc compound. For example, a dithiophosphoric acid may be made by reacting mixtures of primary and secondary alcohols. Alternatively, multiple dithiophosphoric acids can be prepared where the hydrocarbyl groups on one are entirely secondary in character and the hydrocarbyl groups on the others are entirely primary in character. To make the zinc salt, any basic or neutral zinc compound could be used, but the oxides, hydroxides and carbonates are most generally employed.
Commercial additives frequently contain an excess of zinc due to use of an excess of the basic zinc compound in the neutralization reaction.
The preferred zinc dihydrocarbyl dithiophosphates are oil-soluble salts of dihydrocarbyl dithiophosphoric acids and may be represented by the following formula:
wherein R and Rxe2x80x2 may be the same or different hydrocarbyl radicals containing from 1 to 18, preferably 2 to 12, carbon atoms and including radicals such as alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, arylalkyl, alkaryl and cycloaliphatic radicals. Particularly preferred as R and Rxe2x80x2 groups are alkyl groups of 2 to 8 carbon atoms. Thus, the radicals may, for example, be ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, n-butyl, i-butyl, sec-butyl, amyl, n-hexyl, i-hexyl, n-octyl, decyl, dodecyl, octadecyl, 2-ethylhexyl, phenyl, butylphenyl, cyclohexyl, methylcyclopentyl, propenyl, butenyl. In order to obtain oil-solubility, the total number of carbon atoms (i.e. R and Rxe2x80x2) in the dithiophosphoric acid will generally be about 5 or greater. The zinc dihydrocarbyl dithiophosphate can therefore comprise zinc dialkyl dithiophosphates. Conveniently at least 50 mole % of the alcohols used to introduce hydrocarbyl groups into the dithiophosphoric acids are secondary alcohols.
Greater percentages of secondary alcohols are preferred, and may be required in particularly high nitrogen systems. Thus, the alcohols used to introduce the hydrocarbyl groups may be 60 or 75 mole % secondary. Most preferably, the hydrocarbyl groups are more than 90 mole % secondary. Metal dithiophosphates that are secondary in character give better wear control in tests such as the Sequence VE (ASTM D5302) and the GM 6.2L tests.
Phenolic or Aminic Antioxidants (e)
The lubricant of this invention, for example, includes 0.1 to 1.5, preferably about 0.2 to 1.0, mass %, of an antioxidant (e). Hindered phenols are preferred and are generally oil-soluble phenols substituted at one or both ortho positions. Suitable compounds include monohydric and mononuclear phenols such as 2,6-di-tertiary alkylphenols (e.g. 2,6-di-t-butylphenol, 2,4,6-tri-t-butyl phenol, 2-t-butyl phenol, 4-alkyl, 2,6-t-butyl phenol, 2,6-di-isopropylphenol, and 2,6-dimethyl, 4-t-butyl phenol).
Other suitable hindered phenols include polyhydric and polynuclear phenols such as alkylene-bridged hindered phenols (4,4-methylenebis(6-tert-butyl-o-cresol), 4,4xe2x80x2-methylenebis (2-tert-amyl-o-cresol), and 2,2xe2x80x2-methylenebis(2,6-di-t-butylphenol). The hindered phenol may be borated or sulfurized. Preferred hindered phenols have good oil-solubility and relatively low volatility.
As examples of amimic antioxidants, there may be mentioned aromatic amine antioxidants having at least two aromatic groups attached directly to the nitrogen. Although these materials may be used in small amounts, preferred embodiments of the present invention are free of these compounds. These aromatic amines have been found to impact soot-induced viscosity increases. They are preferably used in only small amounts, or more preferably avoided altogether other than such amounts as may result as an impurity from another component of the composition.
Typical oil-soluble aromatic amines having at least two aromatic groups attached directly to one amine nitrogen contain from 6 to 16 carbon atoms. The amines may contain more than two aromatic groups. Compounds having a total of at least three aromatic groups in which two aromatic groups are linked by a covalent bond or by an atom or group (e.g., an oxygen or sulfur atom, or a xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94 or alkylene group) and two aromatic groups are directly attached to one amine nitrogen are also considered aromatic amines having at least two aromatic groups attached directly to the nitrogen. The aromatic rings are typically substituted by one or more substituents selected from alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, acyl, acylamino, hydroxy, and nitro groups. These compounds should be minimized or avoided altogether. The amount of any such oil soluble aromatic amines having at least two aromatic groups attached directly to one amine nitrogen should preferably not exceed 0.2 mass %.
Co-Additives
Other additives may be present as optional ingredients in the composition of this invention and these are listed below.
Rust inhibitors selected from the group consisting of nonionic polyoxyalkylene polyols and esters thereof, polyoxyalkylene phenols, and anionic alkyl sulfonic acids may be used.
Copper-and lead-bearing corrosion inhibitors may be used, but are typically not required with the formulation of the present invention. Typically such compounds are the thiadiazole polysulfides containing from 5 to 50 carbon atoms, their derivatives and polymers thereof. Derivatives of 1,3,4 thiadiazoles such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,719,125; 2,719,126; and 3,087,932 are typical. Other similar materials are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,821,236; 3,904,537; 4,097,387; 4,107,059; 4,136,043; 4,188,299; and 4,193,882. Other additives are the thio and polythio sulfenamides of thiadiazoles such as those described in UK. Patent Specification No. 1,560,830. Benzotriazoles derivatives also fall within this class of additives. When these compounds are included in the lubricating composition, they are preferably present in an amount not exceeding 0.2 mass %.
A small amount of a demulsifying component may be used. A preferred demulsifying component is described in EP 330,522. It is obtained by reacting an alkylene oxide with an adduct obtained by reacting a bis-epoxide with a polyhydric alcohol. The demulsifier should be used at a level not exceeding 0.1, conveniently 0.001 to 0.05, mass %.
Pour point depressants, otherwise known as lube oil flow improvers, lower the minimum temperature at which the fluid will flow or can be poured. Such additives are well-known. Typical of those additives which improve the low temperature fluidity of the fluid are C8 to C18 dialkyl fumarate/vinyl acetate copolymers and polyalkylmethacrylates. Likewise, the dialkyl fumarate and vinyl acetate may be used as compatibilizing agents.
Incompatibility may occur when certain types of polymers for use in the manufacture of motor oil viscosity modifiers are dissolved in basestock. An uneven molecular dispersion of polymer which gives the mixture either a tendency to separate or a grainy appearance ensues. The problem is solved by using a compatibility agent having a hydrocarbon group attached to a functional group that serves to break up or prevent packing.
Foam control can be provided by many compounds including an antifoamant of the polysiloxane type, for example, silicone oil or polydimethyl siloxane.
Viscosity modifiers (VM""s) function to impart high and low temperature operability to a lubricating oil. The VM used may have that sole function, or may be multifunctional.
Multifunctional viscosity modifiers that also function as dispersants are also known. Suitable viscosity modifiers are polyisobutylene, copolymers of ethylene and propylene and higher alpha-olefins, polymethacrylates, polyalkylmethacrylates, methacrylate copolymers, copolymers of an unsaturated dicarboxylic acid and a vinyl compound, inter polymers of styrene and acrylic esters, and partially hydrogenated copolymers of styrene/isoprene, styrene/butadiene, and isoprene/butadiene, as well as the partially hydrogenated homopolymers of butadiene and isoprene and isoprene/divinylbenzene.
Some of the above-mentioned additives can provide a multiplicity of effects; thus for example, a single additive may act as a dispersant-oxidation inhibitor.
It is important to note that addition of the other components noted above must comply with the limitations set forth herein.
Blends
To make lubricating compositions of the present invention, each additive is typically blended into the oil of lubricating viscosity, or base oil, in an amount which enables the additive to provide its desired function. Effective amounts of additives (a) to (e) have been described above. Representative amounts of other additives, stated as mass per cent active ingredient, are listed below:
The additive components may be incorporated into a base oil in any convenient way. Thus, each additive can be added directly to the oil by dispersing or dissolving it in the oil at the desired level of concentration. Such blending may occur at ambient temperature or at an elevated temperature.
Preferably, all of the additives except for the viscosity modifier and the pour point depressant are blended into a concentrate that is subsequently blended into the base oil to make a finished lubricant. Use of such concentrates , or additives packages, is conventional. The concentrate will typically be formulated to contain the additive(s) in proper amounts to provide the desired concentration in the final formulation when the concentrate is combined with a predetermined amount of base lubricant.
Preferably the concentrate is made in accordance with the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,880. That patent describes making a premix of dispersant and metal detergents that is pre-blended at a temperature of at least about 100xc2x0 C. Thereafter the pre-mix is cooled to at least 85xc2x0 C. and the additional additives are added.
The final compositions may employ from 2 to 15, preferably 5 to 10, typically 7 to 8, mass % of the additive package(s), the remainder being base oil.


Automatic separator to separate the supporting sub-layer from the print support in work elements for microelectronics and method to realize such separation. The automatic separator comprises a pick up plate provided with depression-type elements for picking up the print support. The pick up plate is movable from a first position in which each print support is stored together with the associated supporting sub-layer to a second position wherein each print support is positioned without the associated supporting sub-layer for a subsequent manufacturing phase. The pick up plate during its movement bring the supporting sub-layer in contact with stationary detachment elements which cause the separation of the supporting sub-layer from the related print support.

The present invention concerns an automatic separator to separate a print support from the related supporting sub-layer wherein the print support is normally constituted by a base material used to print circuits in microelectronics and to make up multi-layer circuits.
An example of this print support is typically the so called green tape, which is a Du Pont(copyright) trade mark and material. However, there are other materials in the state of the art which perform the same functions or analogous functions.
The present invention also concerns the method to obtain circuits for microelectronics on a print support.
In the following description the term print support means any support, made of any material whatsoever, which serves to print circuits in microelectronics and to make up multi-layer circuits.
Likewise, the supporting sub-layer, which serves to hold the print support in the correct position and in the desired size, can be made for example of Mylar, P.E.T. or other material suitable for the purpose.
It should be remembered that the print support, within very narrow tolerances, has to keep its size and the reciprocal position of the holes and the printed parts until the various specialized supports have been assembled, which assembly fixes the whole thing, also in relation to the other supports.
It should also be remembered that the materials which make up the print supports, which have a thickness varying from 0.008 mm to 0.30 mm, are affected by even the smallest stress, whether it be heat or mechanical stress, so that, if they are not handled with particular care, at the moment the supporting sub-layer is detached from the print support, they modify their size.
It is therefore important to be able to perform all the necessary operations on the print support keeping the supporting sub-layer and removing it at the last moment, that is to say, a short time before the print support is assembled with other specialized print supports.
The invention is therefore applied to already cut print supports with the relative supporting sub-layer, before any operation is started thereon, in squares or rectangles or other shape of limited size, already holed and printed and ready to be assembled or positioned on the application plane.
The invention also comprises the method to perform all the operations of holing, centering, printing and handling the print support, since the latter is combined with the supporting sub-layer.
At present the supporting sub-layer is detached when the print support is still wound in a roll.
This creates subsequent problems in handling the print support cut into squares or rectangles or into other shapes of limited size, since the print support is not stable during the operations of holing, centering, printing and handling.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,330 discloses a handling apparatus for ceramic green sheets, wherein for separating the carrier films from the ceramic green sheets, which are prepared for manufacturing a ceramic multilayer circuit board, each ceramic green sheet is maintained in a rest position by a stationary attracting head. The separation is obtained by gradually removing the carrier film by means of a chuck which is movable with respect to the stationary attracting head starting from an end of the ceramic green sheet.
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin Vol. 23, No. 4, September 1980, W. Cole et al, discloses a mechanism for peeling paper from green sheets, wherein a vacuum transfer head picks up the top green sheet and the underlying paper sheet and transfer them to the screening station. The backing paper is then peeled off the underside of the green sheet by means of a gripping mechanism which firstly grips the lefthand edge of the paper backing sheet and then is lowered at a short distance with respect to the vacuum transfer head.
Document JP-A-03218802 discloses a film peeling device wherein a green sheet is placed on a given position on a stationary jig and vacuum sucked. One end of the film to be removed is clamped between two rollers which are moved at a constant speed with respect to the stationary jig, so that the film is peeled from the surface of the green sheet.
The invention is set forth and characterized in the main claims, while the dependent claims describe other innovative features of the invention.
According to the invention, the work elements, each constituted by a print support and the related supporting sub-layer, are normally cut in a square shape, but also in other shapes, from a roll consisting of the print support with the relative supporting sub-layer. The work elements are then worked in conventional fashion, as necessary, to obtain the desired circuits.
Therefore, the holes are made and the circuits printed on and in said work elements, since the supporting sub-layer is always solidly applied on the print support.
The work element is handled, centered, controlled and stored, always in this reciprocal condition. When the work element has to be combined with other work elements in the desired order, a short time before this combination, the supporting sub-layer is detached from the print support.
During this detachment step and until assembly, the print support is kept in a defined geometric position so as not to suffer any deformation. This geometric position is obtained by means of a plate, advantageously flat, by means of which a desired depression is exerted which holds the print support stationary and still, and does not allow it to deform.
The action of detachment, according to the invention, occurs automatically when the print support is already complete and it is ready to be assembled with other print supports so as to form the desired multi-layer circuit.
According to the invention, the detachment occurs while the print support is moving.
According to the invention, gripping means act on the edge of the supporting sub-layer inducing on said edge an action of detachment which detaches the edge of the supporting sub-layer from the print support and then, progressively, the two elements are completely separated.
According to a first embodiment, the first detachment occurs along one edge of the work element.
According to another embodiment, the first detachment occurs in correspondence with a corner of the work element.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, the gripping means are roller means made of material suitable to interact with the material which makes up the supporting sub-layer, thus creating the desired action of detachment.
According to the invention, the roller means cooperate with the plate bearing the work element, and between the two a pre-defined and pre-definable pressure is maintained, which is related to the material which makes up the roller and the material which makes up the supporting sub-layer.
Means to detach the supporting sub-layer from the roller are provided.
According to a first embodiment, the roller is idle and is made to rotate by the reciprocal movement of the roller and the plate bearing the work element.
According to another embodiment, the roller is made to rotate at a tangential speed equal to the speed of reciprocal displacement of the roller and the plate.
Means to clean the roller and/or restore the properties thereof, which allow the roller to create the desired detachment force, are provided.
According to a variant, an adhesive strip cooperates with the surface of the work element consisting of the supporting sub-layer; the adhesive strip is stuck onto the supporting sub-layer and detaches it from the print support.
Said adhesive strip is then wound in a roll with the supporting sub-layers stuck on.
It is within the spirit of the invention to provide means to detach the supporting sub-layer from the adhesive strip before the latter is re-wound; thus the adhesive strip can be re-used.
It is also within the spirit of the invention to provide a strip which is cleaned on each occasion and as necessary, and re-impregnated with adhesive material, so that it is possible to use a continuous strip.
According to another variant, a removing means cooperates with the edge or corner and achieves the detachment of the print support and the supporting sub-layer, then accompanies the supporting sub-layer until the final detachment.

Automatic separator and method to obtain circuits for microelectronics


A mobile telephone with a housing (1), a transmitter, at least one receiver, a call number memory, and keys (2) located on the housing. The keys (2) include at least one emergency key (5) which is rendered prominent in size and/or color relative to the other keys and which when activated causes dialing of an emergency number stored in the call number memory. Furthermore, at least two electrodes, and preferably four electrodes (6, 7, 8, 9) which enable reception of EKG signals are connected to the housing, an EKG signal converter being provided which evaluates the EKG signals, transforms them to a form suitable for transmission, and transmits them to the transmitter.

The invention relates to a mobile telephone with a housing, a transmitter, at least one receiver, a call number memory, and with keys located on the housing.
These generic mobile telephone are currently known in a host of versions. In addition to the aforementioned features, currently mobile telephones generally have a LCD display and an often telescoping antenna which is attached to the housing. The important distinguishing features between the different mobile telephones are on the one hand differences in design, weight and functionality, and on the other hand belonging to one of the existing mobile radiotelephone networks. In addition to the analog C-network, there are also the digital D1, D2 and e-networks. Other mobile radiotelephone networks are moreover being considered. Existing mobile radiotelephone networks differ on the one hand, as already mentioned, by the underlying transmission technique, on the other by the degree of coverage within which telephone calls can be made via these mobile radiotelephone networks. The objective of all networks is for the subscriber to be able to make telephone calls both within the mobile radiotelephone network and also using the land-line telephone networks from anywhere by a correspondingly developed network infrastructure. The existing mobile radiotelephone networks also enable at least in part telephone calls to be set up from remote regions, for example while hiking.
With known mobile telephones it is of course also possible to transmit emergency medical calls from remote areas which are located within the receiving/transmitting area of the pertinent mobile radiotelephone network. Here for example the emergency number can be filed in a call number memory which is present in most mobile phones and can be retrieved by a corresponding key combination on the mobile phone. But here emergency situations can occur in which the owner of the mobile phone himself is no longer able to input the corresponding key combination nor is he able any longer to communicate to a possible companion the corresponding key combination of his special emergency call. This plays a role especially when the holder the of mobile phone suffers from a life-threatening disease and is under the care of a special medical institution which knows the clinical picture of its patient and thus can initiate suitable coordinated assistance measures in an emergency call. These coordinated assistance measures cannot generally be guaranteed via nationwide central emergency numbers.
Especially in patients with cardiovascular disease the described situations occur regularly, viewed in statistical terms. Diseases of the cardiovascular system are at the top of the all pathological processes in Germany. Coronary heart disease is the most frequent cause of death in the industrialized West. In Germany, for example, roughly 300,000 individuals are affected annually by cardiac infarction. In one such cardiac infarction the most frequent complications with generally fatal outcome are arrhythmia and cardiac insufficiency. In Germany, 60,000 individuals suffer sudden cardiac death annually. This cardiac death is characterized by sudden cardiac arrest which generally ends in death without immediate measures of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Causes of sudden cardiac death are 80 to 90% so-called ventricular flutter or ventricular fibrillation (tachycardiac arrhythmia), 10 to 15% acute myocardial infarction, and5% brachycardiac arrhythmia. The survival rate of patients suffering sudden cardiac death is between 5 and 20%. It is largely decisive for the level of the survival how quickly suitable assistance measures can be taken.
A host of individuals with a high risk of cardiac infarction are conscious of their risk according to corresponding studies and make every effort to minimize this risk by as much as possible forgoing situations in which immediate assistance measures cannot be taken. Thus, for example, the affected individuals avoid frequenting locations without companions where the probability of being immediately found in case of a cardiac infarction is low, since in these cases they must expect that their survival chances are almost zero if sudden cardiac death occurs.
Proceeding from the prior art, the object of the invention is to embody and develop known mobile telephones such that they offer a suitable emergency call function for patients with life-threatening health risks.
In accordance with the invention, the aforementioned object is achieved by there being on the housing at least one emergency call key which is rendered prominent in size and/or color and which when activated causes dialing of an emergency number stored in the call number memory. The embodiment of a known mobile telephone in accordance with the invention ensures that in a medical emergency with debilitating physical and mental effects, an emergency call can be transmitted to a competent monitoring center by pressing of the prominent emergency key by the patient himself or by a companion who need not be involved. If the patient remains conscious, he can then communicate his location and complaint to the monitoring center. The patient can then be calmed and monitored via the existing emergency call line; furthermore a history can be taken and specific assistance measures can be initiated.
A first advantageous embodiment of the invention consists in that there is an identification means which causes transmission of data which enable identification when the emergency key is activated. This identification ensures that the monitoring center can initiate specific emergency measures immediately via the patient data stored for example in the EDP system also for the case in which the patient is unconscious. This measure also makes it possible for example to identify a patient when the unconscious patient is found by an uninvolved individual and the emergency call is transmitted by this individual. This identification is possible for example via the call number of the mobile phone which is transmitted on a standard basis in some mobile radiotelephone networks when a connection is set up.
If furthermore there is a release means which causes release of position data when the emergency key is activated, it is ensured that the position of the patient can also be established for the case in which the patient has pressed the emergency key so-to-speak with his last breath. This configuration also makes it possible to find the patient in this situation and to initiate immediate assistance measures. Some mobile radiotelephone networks technically enable this position-finding solely based on the fact that this mobile radiotelephone networks are divided into so-called cells and it can be ascertained from which cell of the mobile radiotelephone network the emergency call was initiated. In this case no special means for position-finding is necessary.
Very accurate position-finding is enabled by there being a position receiver which receives and evaluates external position signals and a position signal converter which transforms the signals of the position receiver to make them suitable for transmission and transmits them to the transmitter. Using this position receiver it is for example possible, based on the signals of the global positioning system (GPS), to accurately determine the position of the patient to within a few meters. These signals are then supplied via the position signal converter to the transmitter which in turn transmits them to the monitoring center so that highly precise data on the position of the patient are available accordingly in the monitoring center.
Another improvement in the initiation of the corresponding immediate assistance measures is guaranteed by the fact that there are at least two, preferably four, electrodes which enable reception of electrocardiogram (EKG) signals and which are connected to the housing and an EKG signal converter which evaluates the EKG signals, transforms them to make then suitable for transmission, and transmits them to the transmitter. In a mobile telephone configured in this way the patient himself or a companion places the electrodes on the bare chest of the patient, whereupon an EKG is derived which is automatically sent to the monitoring center. This configuration enables differential diagnosis of acute cardiac infarction (ST high takeoff) or an underlying arrhythmia (tachycardia, bradycardia) or electrical cardiac arrest (asystole). EKG acquisition and transmission enable estimation of the vital threat to the patient and initiation of the correspondingly suitable emergency measures. Based on the transmitted EKG, resuscitation by a nonprofessional companion or an individual who may be in the vicinity can be influenced and controlled via the mobile phone.
The latter measure is developed especially advantageously by the EKG electrodes being located on the back of the housing facing away from the keys. In this case an EKG is simply recorded by the mobile phone being placed with its back on the bare chest of the patient. An appropriate action is very simple in this case.
Alternatively to the arrangement of the EKG electrodes on the back of the housing, it is advantageous under certain circumstances for the EKG electrodes to be located on a carrier which is connected to the housing via a cable in the removed state and connected directly to the housing in the rest state. In this configuration the application of the carrier to the bare chest of the patient is again optimized based on a preferably correspondingly adapted shape and at the same time it is possible to record an EKG for example also during resuscitation by a nonprofessional, at the same time a companion being in voice communications with the monitoring center to control the nonprofessional resuscitation.
Finally, the mobile phone in accordance with the invention is further advantageously configured in that there is a receiving level sensor which causes output of a warning signal and which detects departure for the receiving/transmitting area of the mobile radiotelephone network. This guarantees that the patient is always notified whether at the instant in fact a connection to the monitoring center is possible in case of an emergency call.

Mobile telephone with a GPS receiver and EKG electrodes


A method includes sending a faked authentication request from a client device wherein the faked authentication request includes identification credentials. A faked authentication request indicates that a reply message in response to the faked authentication request is to include data for updating a directory on the client device. A reply message is received at the client device in response to the faked authentication request. The reply message includes data for updating the directory. The directory is updated based, at least in part, on the data for updating the directory.

Network access devices typically encrypt a network user credential, such as a password, input by a network user to authorize access to a network by the user. In order to enhance security, the network access device may encrypt the network user credential with a public key, which is part of a public/private key pair, prior to transmitting the encrypted network password to a network decryption server. The network decryption server then decrypts the network user credential using the private key of the public/private key pair, where after the decrypted password is sent to an Authentication Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server for verification. If the password is positively verified at the AAA server, the AAA server sends an appropriate acknowledgment signal to the network access device indicating that the password has been properly verified or authenticated. Based on the acknowledgement signal, the network access device gains access to the Internet or some other resource. Once access is provided, updated data may then be downloaded to the network access device. For example, a connection application running on the network access device may have its phonebook updated with pricing data, connection quality data or the like that may have changed for one or more connection points (POPs) in the phonebook. The prior art, however, requires network access prior to the connection application obtaining any data about the access point.
Architecture
Referring in particular to FIG. 1 of the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally indicates high-level architecture of a system, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, for providing access point data associated with a access point of a network access server (NAS) or access gateway 12 which defines an access gateway to a client device 14. The client device 14 may be in the form of a mobile computing device such as laptop computer, PDA, or the like. The client device 14 includes a connection application 16 for establishing a connection to an external computer network. For example, the connection application 16 may, via the NAS 12, provide a mobile user access to the Internet 18. As described in more detail below, the system 10 further includes an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server 20, a network server 22 (NetServer), and a transaction server 24.
As mentioned above, the connection points such as the NAS 12 may be provided in a large number of diverse locations such as in coffee shops, hotels, in airport buildings and any other place that may or may not be open to the public. In one embodiment, wireless access may be provided by a NAS 12 located at each of these locations. It is however to be appreciated that the access point may be a wired or wireless access point.
Roaming Access Service Providers
Roaming access service providers allow global connectivity services that give mobile users access to the Internet from a plurality of locations often referred to as hotspots. Users or customers of a roaming access service provider utilize the client connection application 16 to connect to a computer network such as the Internet 18. In one embodiment, the user may specify an access type and location from an intuitive user interface, and select a local connection point. The connection application 16 may then transmit the user authentication request to the roaming access service provider's network and a connection to the Internet 18 may be established if the authentication request succeeds. The invention described herein however, enables determining the details of the access point prior to authenticating. In some embodiments, an access point 13 may be remotely located from the NAS 12. The client device 14 may then communicate with the NAS 12 via the access point 13 which may service a wireless hotspot 15.
The connection application 16 may include a list of access points that are within the roaming access service provider's network. The connection application 16 may also include detailed information about connection technology, pricing, and location details for each network access point. The network access point and its associated information may be grouped together in a directory interface, for example, a so-called phonebook. Users of the connection application 16 may utilize the directory information when deciding to establish a connection to the Internet 18. The connection application 16 may automatically update the directory information when connecting to the Internet 18.
The directory information in the connection application 16 typically contains static information that can only be updated after the client device 14 connects to the Internet 18. The static nature of the directory information may, however, be undesirable in certain circumstances.
For example, a roaming access service provider may support multiple pricing plans. When a contract is negotiated and a customer is provisioned, each customer may be assigned a pricing plan. The directory interface may include a price paid by the customer for utilizing the roaming access service provider's service. Static pricing information contained in the directory may be sufficient for most of the pricing plans, but for certain plans like pre-paid, daily fixed rate etc, it may necessary to show additional, dynamic pricing information to the user. Examples of such information include an amount left in user's account (e.g. in a pre-paid scenario), a number of minutes remaining in the day (e.g. in a daily fixed rate scenario), or the like.
The location information in the directory may include details of various geographical locations such as a site name, a site telephone phone number, a site address, a city name in which the site is located, a state or region name, a country code, Greenwich Meantime (GMT) offset, or the like. The connection application 16 may be able automatically to detect the presence of the wireless (e.g. 802.11a/802.11b or any Wi-Fi link) access points (using NDIS 5.1 (Network Driver Interface Specification) OIDS (Object Identifiers)) and associate them to the directory entry using a SSID (Service Set Identifier) used by the access point. The SSID is a 32 character unique identifier attached to the header of data packets sent over a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) that acts as an identifier when a mobile device attempts to connect to the basic network. The SSID differentiates one WLAN from another and thus may act as a connection point identifier. Thus, the SSID is also referred to as a Network Name because essentially it is a name that identifies a wireless network.
Unfortunately, network providers tend to use the same or a small set of SSIDs over their entire network even though the connection points in various hotspots are geographically dispersed. The use of the same SSID at geographically dispersed locations or different hotspots does not impair operation from a network provider's point of view, as the SSIDs are only required to be unique within the hotspot itself. Thus, different hotspots can have the same SSID and thus may not assist a user in identifying the particular geographical location of the actual hotspot in which he is located. As the SSID may not be unique to the hotspot, the connection application cannot associate these SSIDs to a unique directory entry (associated with a specific geographical location) because more than one entry in the directory may have a matching SSID.
Methodology
When a user with the mobile client device 14, that is equipped with a wireless interface 26, enters an area serviced by the NAS 12, typically known as a wireless hotspot, the wireless connection may establish a local wireless connection. The local connection may use 802.11a, 802.11b, or the like protocol. Such a connection merely establishes a connection between the client device 14 and the NAS 12 (or the access point 13 in another embodiment) and does not in itself provide access to any external network such as the Internet 18. In order to gain access to any external network, a user typically requires authentication, as described above. However, granting access to an external network may result in cost implications and, thus, the user may require an indication of costs that may arise prior to authentication. In order to do this, the connection application 16 may require access data on the connection point or NAS 12. As mentioned above, the SSID of the wireless access point or NAS 12 may not uniquely identify the NAS 12.
However, the connection application 16 may invoke a method 30 (see FIG. 2), in accordance with one aspect of the invention, of determining access point data associated with the access or connection point. As shown at block 32, the connection application 16 on the client device 14 sends an authentication request 34 (see FIG. 1) to the NAS 12. The authentication request 34 may include predetermined credentials associated with the customer or user of the client device 14. In one embodiment, in order to obtain data that may be relevant to a user of the client device 14, the client device fakes or feigns an authentication request that the access point communicates to an authentication server. The authentication server may then identify that the request is a fake request and send a reply message to the client device including data associated with the user (e.g., associated with a user credential), as described in more detail below. It is to be appreciated that the data communicated need not be limited to access point data but may include any data which is communicated to the client device 14 prior to granting the device 14 access to a network. The data may include, for example, data identifying a geographical location of the access point, time data, data that identifies the network that the access point forms part of, data identifying if a user is permitted to use the access point, data relating to the quality of service of the access point, data indicating a pending electronic message, and/or data indicating pending electronic mail.
The credential may be user identification data. For example, the connection application 16 may use                RoamingServiceProvider/<ConnectionApplicationId>-<Timestamp>@DiscoverLocationas an exemplary user name. The ConnectionApplicationId may define the user identification data (for example a connect dialer identification associated with the customer or the client when this data is available). The Timestamp may be the current system time and the DiscoverLocation may define a location or realm identifier to indicate that the client device 14 is requesting access point data (e.g. at a hotspot) and not requesting a connection to the external network.
The connection application 16 may build a password using the contents of a username. In some embodiments, the connection application 16 can also include information about the access point or NAS 12 determined through NDIS 5.1 OIDS in an authentication request. An example of such information includes the MAC address of the access point or NAS 12. The MAC address may optionally be included in the authentication request as the transaction server (discussed below) may utilize the MAC address of the access point to determine the geographical location of a hotspot using a database whereby access points are mapped to a location.
As mentioned above, the connection application 16 may transmit the authentication request 34 to the NAS 12 of the network service provider or the access gateway using an appropriate communication protocol. For example, the connection application 16 may support the following protocols:
PPP (Point-to-Point, which may be used for dial access points);
GIS (Generic Interface Specification, which may be used for wired and
wireless broadband access points that may require HTTP or HTTPS based authentication); and
802.1×(Port based network access control, which is an emerging standard for Wired and Wireless Broadband Access points).
The network provider's NAS or access gateway 12 may extract the authentication request (see block 36 in FIG. 2) and transmits the authentication request to the AAA server 20 as shown by arrow 38 in FIG. 1 (see also block 40 in FIG. 2). The AAA server 20 may be a local server and, in one embodiment, RADIUS protocol may be used for this communication.
The AAA server 20, of the particular network provider, may determine that the request should be routed to a network of the roaming access service provider. In particular, based on a roaming access service provider's prefix to the authentication request, the AAA server 20 may route the authentication request to the network server 22 of the roaming access service provider (see block 42 in FIG. 2 and arrow 44 in FIG. 1). The network server 22 may then receive the authentication request (e.g., sent using RADIUS protocol), establish an Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) tunnel to the transaction server 24, and transmit the request to the transaction server 24 via the proprietary protocol of the roaming access service provider (as shown block 46 and arrow 48).
Upon receipt of the request, the transaction server 24 identifies the authentication request, validates the user credentials (e.g. password) and adds the access point or location data (see block 50). The access point data may include geographical location information, pricing details, GMT time at the server and the GMT offset of the access location to a reply message that it generates. In addition, the transaction server rejects 24 the authentication request and transmits the reply message (see arrow 52 and block 54) to the network server 22. The authentication request is rejected by the transaction server 24 so that the NAS or access gateway 12 does not provide network access (e.g. Internet access) to the client device 14. The client device 14, as mentioned above, uses the method 30 to obtain access point data in this mode of operation and thus the request need not be approved.
As shown at block 56, upon receipt of the reply message, the network server 22, creates an authentication reject packet (e.g. a RADIUS packet), includes the reply message in the packet, and transmits the packet to the AAA server 20 of the network service provider (see block 56 and arrow 58). The network service provider's AAA server 20 may then proxy the authentication reject packet to the NAS or the access gateway 12 as shown by arrow 60 (see also block 62). The NAS or access gateway 12 then, as shown by arrow 64, transmits the authentication rejection to the connection application 16 via an appropriate protocol (see also block 66). The exemplary protocols identified above (PPP, GIS, 802.1x or the like) may carry the reply message from the RADIUS packet back to the connection application 16.
The connection application 16 may then parse the reply message to extract the access point data. For example, the connection application 16 may obtain information regarding the geographical location 67 (see FIG. 7) of the access point, pricing details 69 associated with use of the particular access point, GMT time at the server, the GMT offset of the access location, or the like.
It will be appreciated that the implementation described above illustrates one exemplary embodiment of the invention. A further exemplary embodiment is shown in FIG. 3 which shows a high-level architecture of a system 70, in accordance with an aspect of the invention, for providing access point data associated with an access point of a network access server (NAS). The system 70 resembles the system 70 and, accordingly, like reference numerals have been used to indicate the same or similar features, unless otherwise indicated.
In the system 70, the connection application 16 is replaced by a generic connection client 72 that may not have been customized by a roaming access service provider. In this embodiment an authentication request received from the connection application client 72 is not transmitted to a network server or transaction server as in the case of the system 10.
In the system 70, the authentication request is communicated to the AAA server 20 in a similar fashion to that described above (see arrows 34 and 38 in FIG. 3, and blocks 32, 36 and 40 in FIG. 2). However, unlike the system 10 where the transaction server 24 terminates the request, in the system 70 the AAA server 20 terminates the request. The network provider, via its associated AAA server 20, then adds the access point data in a reply message when rejecting the authentication request. As discussed above, the reply message is then communicated back to the client device 14 (see arrows 60 and 64 in FIG. 3, and blocks 62 and 66 in FIG. 2).
In another alternative implementation, the transaction server 24 includes a challenge to the authentication request instead of rejecting the authentication request. The client device 14 receives the challenge and uses the method 30 to obtain access point data. The client device 14 can then send a subsequent fake authentication request to the transaction server 24. This scheme of the client transmitting an authentication request followed by the transaction server replying with an access challenge can be repeated multiple times. The exchange of messages may eventually end when the transaction server finally rejects the authentication request. This mechanism can be used for transmitting more information between the client and the transaction server 24.
Returning to the system 10, its various components are now discussed in more detail.
Transaction Server
In one embodiment, the transaction server 24 includes a server subsystem 76, a cache subsystem 78 and a handler subsystem 80. The server subsystem 76 may be responsible for receiving requests, maintaining a queue of requests, and managing handlers that process the requests from the network server 22. Major components of server subsystem 76 may include a listener component 82, a receiver component 84, a message queue component 86, and a handler component 88. The listener component 82 may receive the HTTPS requests from the network server 22 on a TCP/IP port and pass the requests to the receiver component 84.
The receiver component 84 determines the type of request from the network server 22. For example, the request may be a control request (e.g. shutdown/dump queue) or a data request (e.g. authentication/accounting). If a control request is received the appropriate control action is then initiated. If data request is received, the receiver component 84 may then add the request to a message queue of the message queue component 86. Thereafter, the message queue component 86 may notify worker threads of the handler component 88 when a new request is added to a message queue. If a worker thread is available to process a request, it removes the request from the message queue and processes it immediately using an encapsulated handler. However, if a worker thread is not available to process a request, the request remains in the message queue waiting for one of the worker threads to finish its processing and process the pending request.
The cache subsystem 78 provides a set of entity objects for use by the handler subsystem 80. The cache subsystem 78 retrieves information stored in databases and caches it in memory. In one exemplary embodiment, the cache subsystem 78 includes a customer cache component 90, a policy cache component 92, a domain cache component 94, a routing cache component 96, and a location cache component 98. The cache components 90 to 98 retrieve information stored in the databases and cache it using a cache manager 100. The cache components 90 to 98 maintain the integrity of the caches by monitoring changes to the data in the database. When the cached data is invalidated by a change in the database, the cache components 90 to 98 refresh the data from the database.
In one embodiment, the handler subsystem 80 provides business logic needed to process the authentication and accounting messages and thus includes an authentication component 102 and an accounting component 104. The handler subsystem 80 may process the authentication and accounting requests received by a handler information thread. The details of the handler subsystem 80 are described below.
The authentication handler component 102 may process all authentication requests from the network server 22. The authentication handler component 102 may validate a source from which an authentication request is received, selectively authorize roaming access through a policy manager, resolves the route to a RoamServer 110 (discussed below with reference to FIG. 5), and transmit an authentication request to the RoamServer 110. The RoamServer 110 may then authenticate the request against the local AAA server 20, and transmits the authentication result back to the authentication handler component 102. The authentication handler component 102 may transmit the authentication result in the form of the reply message to the network server 22. In certain embodiments, the authentication handler component 102 uses the customer and routing cache components 90, 96 respectively to validate the request and to determine the route to the RoamServers 110.
If the authentication handler component 102 receives an authentication request to determine access point data (which may be called a "discover location request"), as described above, then the request may not be forwarded to the RoamServer 110. In one embodiment, a password included in the request is validated using an appropriate algorithm. Once the authentication handler component 102 determines that the request is a valid discover location request, it then identifies the location of the connection or access point hotspot 15 using the location cache component 98. In one embodiment, access point locations are represented in RADIUS requests in a variety of ways. The location cache component 98 may implement provider specific business rules to determine a location type for a given record.
During the resolution process to obtain the geographical location of the access point, if the location resolves to a known location identifier then the corresponding time zone information (time_zone_info) may be looked up, and the GMT offset of the location may be determined. The authentication handler may add location description data (location_description), location identification data (location_group_id), GMT time data of the transaction server 24 (gmt_time), and a GMT offset (gmt_offset) to the reply packet in the reply message attribute in the following exemplary format.
Location=San Francisco, Calif., US;LocationGroupId=1038; GMTTime=2002-08-15 23:12:34;GMTOffset=36000
The reply status indicating that the authentication has been rejected is then transmitted to the network server 22.
Connection Application
The connection application 16 on the client device 14 includes a location interface 106 and access point data interface 108 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) and embedded Application Program Interface (eAPI) components. The eAPI components provide a core set of Component Object Model (COM) API calls. The core API calls are organized into independent COM interfaces including POP, connect, and location interfaces.
The access point data interface 108 (POP interface) may provide APIs for determining details of a directory of access points. These APIs may be used to filter and query access points from the directory. The location interface 106 (connect interface) may provide APIs for connecting to an access point. Using these APIs, the connection application 16 can establish an Internet connection to dial, wired and wireless access points.
The location interface 106 may provide APIs for determining the details 114 of the geographical or physical location of an access point. This information may be returned from the transaction server 24 as a result of a discover location authentication request that identifies that the user of the client device 14 desires access point data. The location group identifier present in the reply can be used to associate the location object to the access points object returned by the POP module.
Exemplary API Calls Used by the Connection Application
Exemplary API calls to support the connection application 16 in determining access point data, for example the geographical location of the access point, are set out below.
ConnectApp::DiscoverLocation
This API may initiate the location discovery process. In certain embodiments, this is an asynchronous call, which posts a message when the information is available to be retrieved with GetDiscoveredLocation( ). HRESULT DiscoverLocation([in] _HWND hWnd, [in] long nMessageID) Parameters,
hWnd
[in] Window handle that will receive a message when location information is available.
nMessageID
[in] Message ID to send to identify that location information is available.
ppLocation
[out, retval] A reference to the IiPassLocation object.
Return Values
RASP_SUCCESS
Indicates that the API execution to the roaming access service provider (RASP) was successful.
RASP_IN_PROGRESS
Indicates that the discover location thread has already been started.
RASP_FAIL
Indicates that the discover location thread could not be created.
When the location discovery process is complete, the message nMessageID is posted to the window hWnd. In one exemplary embodiment, wParam has one of the following values:
wParamDescription0Location information is now ready to be retrieved viaGetDiscoveredLocation( ).1Location discovery thread is already in progress.2Cannot create location discovery thread.3Location discovery failed. Possible causes include:user is already authenticatedreply message did not contain all required location parameters(location, locationgroupid, gmttime, gmtoffset)
In one embodiment, the call creates a thread and returns immediately to the access point data requester. To discover the location, the thread may use a normal authentication request with the following special values:
Username: RoamingServiceProvider/<ConnectionApplicationId>-<Timestamp>@DiscoverLocation
The ConnectionApplicationId may define the user identification data (for example a connect dialer identification associated with the customer or the client when this data is available).
The DiscoverLocation may define a realm identifier to indicate that the client device 14 is requesting access point data (e.g. at a hotspot) and not requesting a connection to the external network.
<Timestamp> may be the current time on the client (time_t), printed as an unsigned decimal number. In response to this request, the transaction server 24 may return the access reject message (that includes the location information connection point data) in a reply message in the following exemplary format:
<ReplyMessege>
Location=San Francisco, Calif., US;LocationGroupId=1038; GMTTime=2002-08-15 23:12:34;GMTOffset=36000
</ReplyMessege>
The following conditions are applicable to the exemplary reply message information:
GMT time format may be yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss
GMT time offset format may be in seconds
The difference between the GMT time and the time on the client device 14 may be recorded. The difference may then be used in the future to produce output values for GetGMTTime( ) and GetLocalTime( ).
RASPConnect::GetDiscoveredLocation
This API retrieves the location information that was obtained with DiscoverLocation, as described above.
HRESULT GetDiscoveredLocation([out, retval] IRASPLocation **ppLocation)
Parameters
ppLocation
[out, retval] A reference to the IRASPLocation object.
Return Values
RASP_SUCCESS
Indicates that the API execution is successful.
RASP_FAIL
Indicates that discover location request failed.
IRASPLocation::GetLocation
Gets the location name.
HRESULT GetLocation([out, retval] BSTR*pLocation)
Parameters
pLocation
[out, retval] Location name from the location object. On successful execution, the server may allocate the memory and it may be a client's responsibility to free this memory.
Return Values
RASP_SUCCESS
Indicates that the API execution is successful.
IRASPLocation::GetLocationGroupID
Gets the location group ID.
HRESULT GetLocationGroupID([out, retval] BSTR*pLocationGroupID)
Parameters
pLocationID
[out, retval] Location group ID from the location object.
Return Values
RASP SUCCESS
Indicates that the API execution is successful.
IRASPLocation::GetGMTOffset
Gets the GMT offset from the location object.
HRESULT GetGMTOffset([out, retval] long*pnGmtOffset)
Parameters
pnGmtOffset
[out, retval] GMT offset for this location. The offset value is in seconds.
Return Values
RASP_SUCCESS
Indicates that the API execution is successful.
IRASPLocation::GetGMTTime
Gets the current GMT time, as determined from the location object.
HRESULT GetGMTTime([out, retval] time_t*pnGMTTime)
Parameters
pnGMTTime
[out, retval] GMT time, as computed from transaction server time_t may be the number of seconds since Jan. 1, 1970.
Return Values
RASP_SUCCESS
Indicates that the API execution is successful.
In certain embodiments, when a location object is created, the difference between GMT time and system time may be recorded. This difference may then be used in the future to calculate the GMT time based on the current system time.
RASPLocation::GetLocalTime
Gets the current local time, as determined from the location object.
HRESULT GetLocalTime([out, retval] time_t*pnLocalTime)
Parameters
pnLocalTime
[out, retval] Local time, as computed from transaction server. time_t may be the number of seconds since Jan. 1, 1970.
Return Values
RASP_SUCCESS
Indicates that the API execution was successful.
In certain embodiments, this is a convenience function, which takes GetGMTTime, and applies the GetGMTOffset to it.
IRASPLocation::GetPOP
This API may get the POP object corresponding to this location object.
HRESULT GetPOP([out, retval] IiPassPOP*pPop)
Parameters
pPop
[out, retval] The POP object associated with this location.
Return Values
RASP_SUCCESS
Indicates that the API execution was successful.
This method may use the location ID to retrieve the POP information from the directory. In certain embodiments, only POP fields that can be uniquely identified may include contain a value in the returned POP object. Other fields may be 0 or NULL.
In certain embodiments, GetPOP( ) API may perform the directory search to create the POP object when it is called, not when the InitRASPLocation object is created. Once created, the POP object may be cached for future calls to GetPOP( ) for this location object.
RASPPOP::GetPOPLocationGroupID
This API may get the location group ID of the access point.
HRESULT GetPOPLocationGroupID([out, retval] BSTR *pLocationGroupID)
Parameters
pLocationGroupID
[out, retval] Returns the location group ID.
Return Values
RASP_SUCCESS
Indicates that the API execution was successful.
IRASPPOP::GetPOPTimeDayStarts
This API may get a local start time for a 24-hour billing cycle.
HRESULT GetPOPTimeDayStarts([out, retval] BSTR*pTimeDayStarts)
Parameters
pTimeRateStarts
[out, retval] Returns the local time of the start of the billing cycle. The value returned will be in 24-hour format (i.e. 18:00:00).
Return Values
RASP_SUCCESS
Indicates that the API execution was successful.
Referring in particular to FIG. 5, reference numeral 112 generally indicates an example of the invention applied in a roaming access system that provides roaming Internet access in a relatively secure manner. When a roaming user, shown to be a subscriber to a "home" ISP 114, connects to a remote ISP 116 that provides a local POP 118 within a specific geographic area 120 (which may service a hotspot 15), the roaming user inputs the same user name 122 and password 124 (authentication data or user credentials) used when connecting via a POP 128 of the "home" ISP 114.
As mentioned above, the hotspot 15 may be any location (e.g., cafe, hotel, airport, or the like) where a network access point is provided to connect to a computer network. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5, is within the hotspot 15, the method described herein may be used to identify the particular hotspot 15. Once the hotspot 15 has been identified, the connection application 16 may provide the user with, for example, details regarding use of the hotspot 15 in accordance with a contract entered into with the home ISP 114. For example, a directory interface may include a price paid by the user for utilizing the roaming access service provider's service at the hotspot 15. Further, once the hotspot 15 has been identified, dynamic pricing information relating to pre-paid access, daily fixed rate access, or the like may be presented to the user. Examples of such information include an amount left in user's account (e.g. in pre-paid scenario), a number of minutes remaining in the day (e.g. in daily fixed rate scenario) or the like. It is however to be appreciated that, in one embodiment of the invention, the method and system can communicated any data to the user without actually authenticating the user.
FIG. 8 shows a diagrammatic representation of machine in the exemplary form of a computer system 200 within which a set of instructions, for causing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein, may be executed. In alternative embodiments, the machine operates as a standalone device or may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines, in a networked deployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in server-client network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may be a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine.
Further, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term "machine" shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.
The exemplary computer system 200 includes a processor 202 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) a graphics processing unit (GPU) or both), main memory 204 and static memory 206, which communicate with each other via a bus 208. The computer system 200 may further include a video display unit 210 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)). The computer system 200 also includes an alphanumeric input device 212 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device 214 (e.g., a mouse), a disk drive unit 216, a signal generation device 218 (e.g., a speaker) and a network interface device 220. The disk drive unit 216 includes a machine-readable medium 222 on which is stored one or more sets of instructions 224 (e.g., software) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. The software 224 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory 204 and/or within the processor 202 during execution thereof by the computer system 200, the main memory 204 and the processor 202 also constituting machine-readable media.
The software 224 may further be transmitted or received over a network 226 via the network interface device 220. While the machine-readable medium is shown in an exemplary embodiment to be a single medium, the term "machine-readable medium" should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term "machine-readable medium" shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present invention. The term "machine-readable medium" shall accordingly be taken to included, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, and optical and magnetic media.
Thus, a method of, and system for, obtaining and providing data prior to authentication is described. In the foregoing detailed description, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense.

Method and system of providing access point data associated with a network access point