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This invention pertains to an inkjet ink comprising, as a binder additive, a polycarbodiimide groups-containing compound, an ink set comprising this ink and a second co-reactive ink, and a method of printing with the ink and ink set. The co-reactive components of the ink set, when the inks are printed onto a substrate, chemically react to enhance the durability of the printed image.
Inkjet printing is a non-impact printing process in which droplets of ink are deposited on print media, such as paper, to form the desired image. The droplets are ejected from a printhead in response to electrical signals generated by a microprocessor. Inks used in such recording are subject to rigorous demands including, for example, good dispersion stability, ejection stability, and good fixation to media.
Inkjet printers offer low cost, high quality printing and have become a popular alternative to other types of printers such as laser printers. However, inkjet printers are presently unable to match the speed of laser printers and the durability of the laser printed images. Inkjet prints with increased durablilty would be highly advantageous.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,302 describes a two-pen configuration wherein one pen contains aluminium chloride in aqueous vehicle and the second pen contains a colored ink with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) in aqueous vehicle. When jetted together on a substrate, an insoluble salt of CMC is formed, producing a protective coating. The print was reported to be very water-fast.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,397 describes an inkjet printing process wherein a first liquid comprising aziridine and a second liquid comprising a polymer reactive with aziridine are sequentially applied to a substrate, thereby forming an aziridine-crosslinked polymer. Good ink adhesion was reported.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,503,307 describes a set of liquid compositions wherein a first liquid comprises a first water-soluble compound having an ethylenically unsaturated double bond with an alpha-electron withdrawing group and a second liquid comprises a second water soluble compound having an active hydrogen addable to the first compound. Colorant can be present in either liquid. When printed together on a substrate, the first and second liquids can react to form a polymeric film. Water and abrasion resistance are reported to be excellent.
US20020156153 describes a two-part fixative comprising (1) a reactive monomer or oligomer, selected from the group of isocyanates and epoxy terminated oligomers, in a vehicle and (2) at least one second component, selected from polyols and polyvinyl alcohols, and base catalyst. The reactive monomer or oligomer reacts with the second component on the print medium to form a polymer. Water-, smear- and smudge-fastness are reported to be enhanced.
The disclosures of all of the above-identified publications are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes as if fully set forth.
Still there is a need for inks and printing methods that provide more physically durable inkjet images. | {
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A new and distinct Hemerocallis cultivar ‘Connie Marks’, herein after also referred to as “the plant”, is a new and distinct plant variety that has been asexually reproduced true to type by division in successive generations. It was discovered in a cultivated area when it first bloomed during the summer of 2001 at a commercial nursery/garden center located in Culpeper, Va. The plant ‘Connie Marks’ is the offspring of the daylily variety named ‘Hyperion’ which was registered in about 1925. ‘Hyperion’ was the only daylily growing in the nursery garden vicinity where ‘Connie Marks’ was discovered. The large ‘Hyperion’ clump had a smaller 6 fan, double yellow flowered ‘Connie Marks’ clump growing on its perimeter. ‘Hyperion's’ flowers are single. The plant has been successfully propagated by division methods at the same nursery to produce identical plants that maintain the unique characteristics of the original. Since 2001 the original 6 fan ‘Connie Marks’ has been repeatedly divided to produce numerous plants that are phenotypically identical.
Hemerocallis hybrida ‘Hyperion’ is the vegetative parent of ‘Connie Marks’, which is a mutation. There were no daylilies, except ‘Hyperion,’ growing in the larger nursery garden and due to physical structures of the nursery and surrounding 8 foot high arborvitae hedge, with no daylilies outside of the hedge, normal prevailing winds would not indicate pollen was windborne from a distant site. | {
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Due to the resistive nature of wide bandgap materials, AlXGa1-XN/GaN HFETs have historically suffered from high contact and access resistance, degrading high-frequency and power performance of these devices. Typically, ohmic contacts are made by annealing a Ti/Al-containing metal stack in order to drive metal through the wide bandgap Al-containing Barrier layer and contact the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) below. However, this approach has the disadvantages of inconsistent contact resistance, rough metal morphologies, and a lack of flexibility in device design. Ohmic contact regrowth, in which contact material is regrown after processing steps including masking and/or etching, has been explored as an alternative to this technique with limited success [1-4]. If successful, some advantages of ohmic contact regrowth would include: possible etching of the wide bandgap Al-containing Barrier layer in the contact regions, selective growth of bandgap-engineered or highly-doped material for ultra-low contact resistance and electric field profile modification, greater flexibility in device design and scaling such as reducing the effective source-drain distance for improved high-frequency performance, and the possibility of using non-alloyed metal contact stacks.
In “Low-resistance Ohmic contacts for high-power GaN field-effect transistors obtained by selective area growth using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy”, by S. J. Hong and K. Kim, (Appl. Phys. Lett. 89 042101 (2006)), the authors describe using selective area growth of a n+ doped GaN cap layer on the channel layer as a way to reduce the contact resistance. The present technology differs from Hong, et. al. in that Hong does not regrow the n+GaN on top of the barrier layer in the gate region. As a result, there is no bandgap engineering of the 2DEG below the exposed barrier layer near the gate.
In “High-transconductance self-aligned AlGaN/GaN modulation-doped field-effect transistors with regrown ohmic contacts”, by C. H. Chen, S. Keller, G. Parish, R. Vetury, P. Kozokoy, E. L. Hu, S. P. DenBaars, and U. K. Mishra, (Appl. Phys. Lett. 73 3147 (1998)) the authors regrew n+GaN on the exposed channel layer but not on top of the barrier layer as in the present technology.
Devices processed using the previous approaches, in which n+GaN was regrown in the contact regions generally resulted in relatively high contact and access resistances. An annealing step subsequent to disposing the source or drain contact will not substantially affect the resistance between the source/drain and the channel layer. | {
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Medicated sponges are used during open surgery to stop local bleeding (hemostasis/haemostasis). They react upon contact with blood, other body fluids or saline to form a clot that glues the sponge to the tissue surface and hemostasis is reached in a few minutes. Medicated sponges are sponges, such as a collagen carrier as defined below, such as a cellulose sponge as disclosed in EP2052746.
Collagen has been used as a haemostatic agent for decades. A product that combines the haemostatic features of fibrin glue with the asset of collagen as a carrier has been developed and manufactured under the trademark TachoSil®. TachoSil® is a ready-to-use collagen carrier with a coating of the active components of fibrin glue: human fibrinogen and human thrombin. The product is described in WO 02/058 749, WO 02/070 594 and WO 02/058 750. TachoSil® contains fibrinogen and thrombin as a dried coating on the surface of a collagen sponge. In contact with body fluids, e.g. blood, lymph or physiological saline solution the components of the coating dissolve and partly diffuse into the wound surface. This is followed by the fibrinogen-thrombin reaction which initiates the last phase of physiological blood coagulation. Fibrinogen is converted into fibrin monomers which spontaneously polymerise to a fibrin clot, which holds the collagen sponge tightly to the wound surface.
TachoSil® has been sold since 2004 by Nycomed and is used in open surgery for hemostasis and sealing. Traditional open surgery usually requires a long incision of the skin.
Contrary to open surgery, a minimally invasive procedure is any procedure (surgical or otherwise) that is less invasive than open surgery used for the same purpose. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) procedures are performed through one or more access orifices e.g. short incisions (‘keyhole surgery’) or through natural body openings. Hence, MIS procedures require specially designed surgical instruments which are placed through these access orifices. In abdominal surgery, the access of the instruments is usually done through so-called trocars, which are mostly rigid tubes with a typical inner diameter of 5 to 12 mm. The small size of the access orifices used in MIS restricts what can be inserted into the orifices. Therefore, all surgical tools and materials used in MIS procedures must be of a size and condition that allow for their insertion through the access orifices and they need, of course, as all medical tools to be sterile. Hence, tools and materials are most often specially designed for use in MIS.
WO 97/21383 (Nycomed Arzneimittel GmbH) discloses a surgical instrument comprising an applicating member, wherein the applicating member comprises a rodshaped portion so as to allow a sheet of surgical material such as, e.g. TachoComb® (coated equine collagen sponge/Nycomed) to be rolled up to form a carpetlike roll of surgical material on the rod-shaped portion of the applicating member. However, this manual instrument for hand-rolling surgical materials, such as collagen carriers, has several disadvantages as described below. WO 02/058749 discloses the non-sterile insertion of TachoComb® into an endoscopic equipment, wherein the sample is flattened manually to be able to wrap it manually around a guiding “pin”. WO 02/058749 teaches that the collagen product “has to stay flexible enough in dry condition to be bent and rolled up” (p 29, lines 19-20). Thus WO 02/058749 only relates to manual (i.e. hand-rolled), non-sterile rolling of TachoComb® and further teaches that the rolling process must be “dry”. One significant problem with the above methods which use an applicating member or guiding pin for hand-coiling the collagen carrier arises in case application of multiple rolled/coiled collagen carriers is necessary in quick succession (e.g. either because one collagen carrier is insufficient to completely stop the bleeding, or due to an error in application of the first collagen carrier(s)). In this instance the same applicating member cannot be used to apply the second collagen carrier: instead, multiple applicating members must be prepared. This is because in order to apply collagen-based products such as the TachoComb® product correctly, the applicating member must be completely dry in order to avoid activating the adhesive properties of the collagen carrier. If the collagen carrier becomes prematurely wet by contacting a wet application member or guiding pin, the carrier will stick to the applicating member/guiding pin and/or become an unusable sticky lump of material. Another way of rolling up collagen-based surgical sheets is for the surgeon to use his/her hands in the same way as for rolling up a cigarette, however for this and all the manually-rolled cases above the rolled surgical product is not form-stable and is therefore more difficult to manipulate in a controlled manner after insertion into the body: the non-form-stable product may “spring open” in an uncontrolled way during the unrolling process and adhere incorrectly. This is a particular issue for MIS surgery, where it is harder to manipulate the product once it is in the body as one only has indirect access to the surgical sheet via endoscopic surgical instruments. One way of lessening the effect of the rolled collagen-based surgical product being non-form-stable is to tie the rolled product together with a suture, however this solution is only relevant where the coiled carrier in not unrolled in vivo but rather maintained in the patient in a coiled state (e.g. in a partial nephrectomy procedure).
For applications such as MIS there is thus a need to produce an improved coiled collagen-based surgical product, which has dimensions useful for MIS applications and useful properties for promoting coagulation and wound sealing, but which allows easy application of more than one collagen carrier in quick succession and furthermore gives the surgeon improved control of the complex process of moving the carrier to the desired tissue site and applying it.
A further problem with all the above types of manual coiling processes for collagen carriers is that the results are of course highly dependent on the skills of the individual medical practitioner carrying out the coiling process, and therefore highly variable in reproducibility, and may lead to a non-sterile product, un-even and thus un-reproducible coiling/rolling of the collagen carrier, and un-predictable loss of coating.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for a collagen carrier coated with human fibrinogen and human thrombin especially designed for use in minimally invasive surgery that is ready-to-use, maintains sterility, and which has an acceptable hemostatic and tissue sealing effectiveness and adhesive strength to living tissue, and also which allows easy application of more than one collagen carrier in quick succession for MIS techniques, and also allows the surgeon more control on application to the desired tissue during an MIS procedure in order to avoid adhesion of the collagen carrier to an incorrect site, would be advantageous.
Hence, a ready-to-use collagen carrier coated with human fibrinogen and human thrombin designed particularly for use in MIS, such as designed to fit an access tube and/or orifice in MIS, preferably such as to be inserted into endoscopic devices would be advantageous, and in particular a ready-to-use collagen carrier coated with human fibrinogen and human thrombin having an acceptable hemostatic effectiveness, adhesive strength to living tissue and sterility that is ready-to-use in MIS, allows easy application of more than one collagen carrier in quick succession for MIS techniques, and also allows the surgeon more control on application to the desired tissue during an MIS procedure in order to avoid adhesion of the collagen carrier at the incorrect site, would be advantageous. | {
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This invention relates in general to natural gas and in particular to natural gas fuel delivery systems.
Compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles require specialized refueling delivery systems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,675 discloses one such system consisting of banks of cylinders each of which has an axially moveable piston, a pair of inlets, and an outlet. The cylinders are filled with CNG at a remote location and then transported to the refueling station. At the refueling station, hydraulic fluid is pumped from a reservoir into one end of each cylinder. The hydraulic fluid displaces the piston in each cylinder, forcing CNG through the outlet at the other end of the cylinder. The CNG flows through a hose into the vehicle being refueled. Each bank of cylinders is equipped with an accumulator located downstream from the outlets. When the cylinders are completely drained of CNG, the pressure in the accumulator moves each piston back to its starting position, forcing the hydraulic fluid out of the cylinders and back into the reservoir.
While this system represents an improvement over other CNG delivery systems, certain disadvantages remain. Each of the cylinders has a moveable piston and openings at each end, making them expensive to manufacture.
A compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling system has a hydraulic fluid reservoir containing hydraulic fluid, a pump, and reversible flow valves. The hydraulic fluid is of a type which does not readily mix with the CNG. The refueling system also includes cylinders containing CNG. Each cylinder has a fitting installed in an opening at one end. The fitting contains a hydraulic fluid port and a gas port. A tube extends within the cylinder from the hydraulic fluid port to a point adjacent to the opposite end of the cylinder. The opposite end of the cylinder is closed.
At the refueling station, hydraulic fluid is pumped from the reservoir through the hydraulic fluid port in each cylinder, displacing the CNG inside each cylinder and forcing the CNG out through the gas port of each cylinder. During fueling, hydraulic fluid is pumped from the reservoir to maintain 3600 psi of pressure in the cylinders. When a sensor detects that the cylinders are completely drained of CNG, the reversible flow valves will reverse orientation, allowing the hydraulic fluid to flow back into the reservoir. Once the cylinders are drained of hydraulic fluid, the cylinders may be disconnected and refilled with CNG. | {
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1. Asphaltic Foams
Many attempts have been made to incorporate asphalt into polyurethane foams. Primarily, asphalt has been used as a filler material for such foams, due to the fact that it is less expensive than the precursor chemicals used to produce polyurethane foam. For example, in Spanish Patent Application No. 375,769, a process is described in which asphalt powder is added to a polyurethane precursor mixture as a filler material. The asphalt powder and polyurethane form a uniformly distributed plastic mass.
The addition of asphalt to a polyurethane foam can also, however, impart certain desired characteristics to the foam. In Japanese Patent Application No. 76/64,489, for example, a polyurethane foam was waterproofed through the addition of asphalt to the polyurethane precursors. Another asphaltpolyurethane mixture having good sound absorption and antivibration properties is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 77/68,125.
Most prior art processes for incorporating asphalt into polyurethane, such as Japanese Patent Application No. 76/64,489, have made use of soft asphalts with low softening points. Such asphalts can be liquified and blended with polyols at relatively low temperatures to form a uniform, liquid mixture of asphalt and polyols. By completely blending the liquified asphalt with the polyols, a uniform asphalt-polyurethane foam product can then be produced. In addition, because low softening point asphalt remains liquid at relatively low temperatures, the asphalt-polyol mixture can be reacted to form a foam at temperatures which are low enough that a controlled reaction can take place. However, such foam products generally have a relatively low asphalt content.
In Japanese Patent Application No. 76/64,489, for example, a soft asphalt having a needle penetration degree of 80 to 100 is used. This asphalt has a correspondingly low softening point of under 150 degrees. In the process of this patent, the asphalt is mixed with polyurethane precursors, and this mixture is then reacted to form a compressible product, i.e. a soft foam.
The use of such soft asphalts in prior art processes is acceptable when it is desirable for the resulting product to be a soft foam. However, in certain applications, a rigid asphaltic polyurethane foam would be advantageous. A process for making a rigid asphaltic polyurethane foam is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,678 to Roy. In this process, relatively high molar ratios of isocyanate to polyols are recommended, in some cases as high as 11:1. The Roy process therefore resulted in products which were too friable and/or which lacked sufficient compressive strength. When conventional roofing asphalt having a softening point of over 200.degree. F. was used in the Roy process to produce asphaltic foams, the foaming reaction also was too fast, making manufacturing of asphaltic foams impracticable.
2. Asphalt in the Roofing Industry
Various asphalt-coated or asphalt-impregnated materials are in common use in the roofing industry. For example, water absorbent paper which has been saturated with low softening point asphalt, known as saturated felt, is usually placed underneath other roofing components. The asphalt of the saturated felt provides the felt with secondary water repellency.
Higher softening point asphalt is put on either side of saturated felt to form base sheets, which go under the tiles of a roof to build up the roof system. Base sheets with mineral surfacing on their upper surfaces, known as mineral surface rolls, provide enhanced durability and fire retardancy to a roof and can also enhance a roof's appearance. Mineral surface rolls have been used as ridge caps, the largely ornamental structures which straddle the peak of a roof.
However, asphalt-impregnated papers suffer from various drawbacks. When used as ridge caps, for example, mineral surface rolls must be bent to fit the ridge-line of a roof. Mineral surface rolls are also sometimes bent to make them thicker and give a ridge line a layered appearance. Bending a mineral surface roll causes the asphalt and substrate to crack, however, leaving the cracked material exposed to the elements. The mineral surface roll tends to deteriorate at the site of such cracks within 3 to 4 years of being installed or even sooner, resulting in leaks and other roof damage.
Alternative materials, such as rubberized asphalt with a flexible polyester substrate, have also been used in the roofing industry. For example, modified asphalt has been used in mineral rolls to avoid cracking the asphalt and its substrate.
3. Polyurethane Foam in Shingles and Ridge Caps
One method for combining a polyurethane foam and an asphaltic material in roofing applications is suggested in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,232,530 and 5,305,569 to Malmquist, et al. These patents teach that a polyurethane foam can be attached to the underside of an asphaltic material in order to produce a roofing shingle. Of course, this involves the manufacturing step of physically attaching the foam to the asphaltic material or otherwise forming the foam on the asphaltic material. The polyurethane foam and asphaltic material layers can, in addition, become delaminated.
As can be seen from the foregoing, there remains a need for improved asphalt-containing roofing materials, particularly for use as ridge caps and shingles. In addition, there is a need for asphaltic foams having greater rigidity which are adapted for use in manufacturing foam articles. These and other needs are met by the asphaltic foams and foam products of the present invention, and by the methods described herein for producing these foam products. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a low-frequency signal optical transmission system and a low-frequency signal optical transmission method, which optically enable a long distance transmission of a low-frequency signal (sine wave) with high stability by compensating a phase delay amount caused by the transmission. In particular, the present invention relates to a low-frequency signal optical transmission system and a low-frequency signal optical transmission method which are suitable for an optical transmission at a low frequency equal to or lower than 20 GHz.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional optical transmission system (see, for example, J. Francois and B. Shillue, “Precision timing control for radio astronomy”, IEEE control systems magazine, 19-27, Feb. 2006). Referring to FIG. 7, a laser beam is distributed by an optical coupler 21 on a transmitting side, and two coherent optical signals that are different in wavelength are generated from one of the laser beams thus obtained by a two-light wave generator 22 by using a microwave signal M1. Thus, are two optical signals (wavelengths λ1 and λ2) that are spaced apart by a frequency of the microwave signal M1 are generated. The wavelength λ1 is the same as that of the input laser beam, while the wavelength λ2 is generated by another laser as a signal that is phase-locked to the wavelength λ1. The microwave signal M1 is a highly-stable signal to be transmitted. The two-light wave generator 22 is configured so as to satisfy a condition that the two optical signals be polarized in the same manner.
The two optical signals serving as vertically polarized waves are guided to a polarization beam splitter 23, and pass through a fiber stretcher 24. The two optical signals are further distributed by an optical coupler 7 on a receiving side after passing through an optical fiber 6. One set of the two optical signals are guided to a photodetector 8, and output as a microwave signal M2.
The remaining one set of the two optical signals that have been distributed by the optical coupler 7 are frequency-shifted by a frequency of a microwave signal M3 by an optical modulator 9 as a round-trip signal, and then reflected by a Faraday reflector 10. The Faraday reflector 10 applies 90-degree Faraday rotation to the optical signals, and hence the remaining one set of the two optical signals are reflected as optical signals different in polarization by 90 degrees.
The reflected lights from the Faraday reflector 10 are again frequency-shifted by the frequency of the microwave signal M3 by the optical modulator 9, and then pass through the optical coupler 7, the optical fiber 6, and the fiber stretcher 24 to be returned to the polarization beam splitter 23. In consideration of photoreversibility, the optical signals returned from the receiving side are the optical signals different in polarization by 90 degrees, and hence are horizontally polarized waves. Therefore, the optical signals are guided to an optical coupler 25 by the polarization beam splitter 23.
The remaining one of the optical signals having the wavelength λ1 distributed by the optical coupler 21 and the two optical signals guided by the polarization beam splitter 23 are mixed by the optical coupler 25. The two optical signals output from the polarization beam splitter 23 are different in frequency from the optical signal output from the optical coupler 21 by a frequency twice as high as that of the microwave signal M3. The optical signals mixed by the optical coupler 25 are detected as microwave beat signals by a photodetector 26. A round-trip measurement only for the optical signal having the wavelength λ1 is performed. The beat frequency is the frequency twice as high as that of the microwave signal M3. The beat frequency is multiplied by a mixer 27 by a shift frequency of a microwave signal M4 having a frequency twice as high as that of the microwave signal M3, and an error signal is used for controlling the fiber stretcher 24.
However, the conventional technology raises the following problems. That is, the shift frequency of the microwave signal M3 is provided to distinguish between a transmitted signal and a returned signal, which is a low-frequency signal. A measurement is performed only for a phase of one optical signal, and hence the microwave signal M3 exerts an influence upon a measurement result. Therefore, the microwave signal M3 and the microwave signal M4 having the shift frequency twice as high as that of the microwave signal M3 need to be phase-locked through some method. Further, a disturbance that has occurred during the transmission through the optical fiber 6 exerts an influence upon the measurement result because the measurement is performed only for the phase of one optical signal. In addition, there arises such a problem that an influence of polarization made dispersion (PMD) cannot be removed because the measurement is performed only for the phase of one optical signal. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile station capable of roaming between mobile communication networks, and a wireless communication method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, mobile stations such as mobile phones and Personal Hand phone System (PHS) have been widely used, and a phone call or access to information has become enabled irrespective of time and place. In addition, available regions of mobile stations have expanded, and a phone call or communication has become enabled anywhere at home and visiting using one mobile station.
There is a communication carrier for each area (service area) anywhere at home and visiting, and each communication carrier configures a mobile communication network. Among such mobile communication networks, it is possible to continue a wireless communication with so-called roaming in which a user can receive a same service as that provided by a communication carrier contracted with the user, by switching a communication method or the like. At the time of performing such roaming, a mobile communication network is specified in each area, and a roaming list having information for establishing wireless communication with the mobile communication network is used.
The user can acquire the above-described roaming list through BroadCast/MultiCast Services (BCMSC) for multicasting the same information from a base station to a plurality of mobile stations in an area, or through user's manual operation. A technique has been known in which a roaming list is acquired in the user's own country through e-mail or the like, an updated roaming list is read out without turning the power off, and a mobile communication system is detected, thereby immediately utilizing the update of the roaming list.
If a method of automatically updating a roaming list for all mobile stations through BCMCS or the like as described above is employed, there is a case in which the roaming list cannot be acquired at the updating time since a user turns off the power of a mobile station or the power is kept turned off in stock before selling. BCMCS is a one-way multicast from a communication carrier to mobile stations. Accordingly, there is a case in which the communication carrier side does not grasp an update state of a mobile station, a mobile station does not grasp an update failure and passes over a mobile communication network, and therefore, normal roaming cannot be performed.
Similarly, when update of roaming is performed by the user's own manual operation, the user might forget the update. In addition, for a user who does not recognize a roaming list itself, the update is not performed, and therefore, roaming cannot be performed normally.
To solve such a problem, it might be effective that the frequency of an automatic update by BCMCS is raised to reduce a chance of the update failure. However, update of a roaming list by BCMCS is unnecessarily repeated for a user having a mobile station in which a roaming list is normally updated, thereby resulting in unnecessary consumption of resource or unnecessary increase of the number of accesses. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical semiconductor module or a photodiode module for use in optical communications or the like and a method for fabrication of the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventional optical semiconductor module. As shown in FIG. 11, reference numeral 1 denotes an optical semiconductor module to which an optical fiber terminal 2 is mounted. The optical semiconductor module 1 comprises a housing 6 and an optical semiconductor element 11, the housing 6 having a ferrule bore 5 acting as an alignment bore for aligning a ferrule 4 holding an optical fiber 3 of the optical fiber terminal 2 and the optical semiconductor element 11 being mounted in a position opposite the ferrule bore 5 to the housing 6 and being sealed by a cap 10 having a lens 9 with a laser chip 7 mounted to a stem 8. The optical semiconductor element 11 is fixed with an adhesive 12 to the housing 6 after the optical axis has been adjusted so as to gather optical outputs into the optical fiber 3 mounted to the ferrule bore 5.
The outputs emitted from the laser chip 7 are gathered through the lens 9 onto the central portion on the bottom surface of the ferrule bore 5 and sent to the optical fiber terminal 2 as given signals.
Conventional optical semiconductor modules generally have the structure as described hereinabove. One critical character which affects the performance of the optical semiconductor modules reside in how a loss in connection with the optical fiber terminal 2 can be reduced by improving the degree of accuracy in fabricating the ferrule bore 5 acting as the alignment bore for aligning the ferrule 4, and by minimizing a gap between the ferrule 4 and the ferrule bore 5 at the time when the ferrule 4 inserted into the ferrule bore 5 of the housing 6, and also how accurately the optical semiconductor element 11 can be fixed to the housing 6 so as to focus the outputs emitted from the laser chip 7 onto the central portion on the bottom surface of the ferrule bore 5. In particular, the structures of the conventional optical semiconductor modules require the ferrule bore 5 of the housing 6 to be fabricated or processed with high accuracy in a cylindrical or circular shape, with no gap or minimal gap existing between the ferrule 4 and the ferrule bore 5. When a single-mode fiber is employed as the optical fiber 3, the diameter of the optical path should be as small as about 10 microns and the accuracy of the ferrule bore 5 should be in the order of less than several microns in terms of each of the tolerance of diameter and circularity. A large number of steps for fabrication is required in order to achieve such a high degree of accuracy. In particular, as the material to be utilized for the housing 6 is generally a metal, mechanical processing is required to fabricate the housing 6. Further, since the diameter of the ferrule 4 is as small as approximately 2.5 mm, and surface roughness must be minute, as resistance to friction upon attachment or detachment of the ferrule 4 is taken into account, productivity is greatly restricted. | {
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Electrophotographic print engines have been utilized with both printers and copiers. In a printer, the print engine is typically interfaced with a computer to select and organize fonts or bit map the images. In a copier application, the print engine is interfaced with an input device that scans the image onto the photoconductor drum of the print engine. However, a CCD device could also be utilized in this application in the form of a CCD scanner. In either of the applications, a conventional print engine for a monochrome process would typically feed a single sheet of paper and pass it by the photoconductor drum for an image transfer process and then pass it to a fuser. Thereafter, the completed sheet will be output. Multiple copy print jobs will sequentially feed the paper in a serial manner. The speed of the printer is a function of the speed at which the image can be created, the speed at which the image can be transferred to the paper and the speed of the fuser. As increased output is required, the speed of each of these elements must be increased.
In a monochrome process, only one transfer operation is required. However, in a multipass color process, multiple images must be superimposed on one another on the sheet of paper in a direct transfer system, thus requiring multiple passes of the paper or image carrier through the print engine. In a double transfer system, the image is disposed on an intermediate drum and then the composite image transferred to the paper or image carrier. In a multiple print job on a direct transfer system, this requires each sheet of paper to be printed in a serial manner by passing it through the print engine. For either the monochrome process or the color process, a conventional serial feed print engine has the output thereof defined by the speed of the input device and the speed of the print engine itself.
One technique that has been utilized to increase throughput is a tandem print engine. In a tandem print engine, multiple colors can be disposed on the sheet of paper or the image carrier at different stations that are disposed in serial configuration. In this manner, the speed is the same for one, two, three or four color printing. | {
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Diabetes mellitus is one of the common systemic diseases affecting the kidneys, often resulting in diabetic nephropathy. In fact, diabetic nephropathy will likely develop in a third of those patients who have had type 1 diabetes for more than 20 years. Diabetic nephropathy typically affects the network of tiny blood vessels (the microvasculature) in the glomerulus, a key structure in the kidney composed of capillary blood vessels. The glomerulus is critically necessary for the filtration of the blood. Features of diabetic nephropathy include the nephrotic syndrome with excessive filtration of protein into the urine (proteinuria), high blood pressure (hypertension), and progressively impaired kidney function. When it is severe, diabetic nephropathy leads to kidney failure, end-stage renal disease, and the need for chronic dialysis or a kidney transplant.
The involvement of diabetes in diabetic nephropathy is essentially glomerular. The primary pathogenic role of hyperglycemia in diabetic renal disease is so well established that diabetic nephropathy is today considered as hyperglycemic glomerulopathy. Mortality and morbidity in these patients is often due to cardiovascular disease, probably accelerated by hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Biochemical, hormonal, immunological and rheological factors have been shown to be etiologically important in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. The biochemical factors implicated include hyperglycemia and glycosylated proteins in blood and basement membrane of the kidneys. Also, there is experimental and clinical evidence to suggesting that recruitment of monocytes into glomeruli may play a role in the pathogenesis of this diabetic complication.
Diabetes mellitus accounts for about one-third of all end-stage renal disease. The landmark study by Lewis et. al. 1993 demonstrates that, in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and diabetic nephropathy, Captopril prevents or delays the progression of renal disease. These findings are have been generalized to other Angiotensin Converting Enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) and to patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes regardless of baseline renal function or arterial blood pressure (Ravid et. al. 1993, 1996). In addition to preventing diabetic nephropathy, ACE inhibitors also may decrease retinopathy progression in type 1 diabetics (Chaturvedi et. al. 1998).
Several mechanisms participate in the renal protection afforded by ACE inhibitors. Increased glomerular capillary pressure induces glomerular injury, and ACE inhibitors reduce this parameter both by decreasing arterial blood pressure and by dilating renal efferent arterioles. Because angiotensin II is a growth factor, reductions in the intrarenal levels of angiotensin II may further attenuate mesangial cell growth and matrix production.
Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is prodrug that is rapidly hydrolyzed to mycophenolic acid (MPA), a selective, uncompetitive, and reversible inhibitor of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH). IMPDH is an important enzyme in the de novo pathway of guanine nucleotide synthesis. B and T lymphocytes are highly dependent on this pathway for cell proliferation, while other cell types can use salvage pathways. MPA therefore selectively inhibits lymphocyte proliferation and functions, including antibody formation, cellular adhesion, and migration. The effects of MPA on lymphocytes can be reversed by adding guanosine or deoxyguanosine to the cells (Krensky et. al. 2001).
MMF ameliorates the renal lesions in several models of experimental glomerular disease. The ability of MMF to suppress not only the immune response, but also smooth cell proliferation, makes the drug a candidate for preventing renal fibrosis. This is because myofibrobalsts share many features with vascular smooth muscle cells. Preliminary results suggest that MMF is effective in several types of glomerulonephritis after conventional therapy had failed (Badid et. al. 2001).
Two recent studies have evaluated the impact of MMF in patients with IgA nephropathy. Preliminary results from both of these studies were presented at the 2001 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Nephrology (Chen et. al. 2001 and Maes et. al. 2001). Chen et al, from China, compared the effect of MMF Vs Prednisone in 62 patients. The age of these patients ranged from 9-54 years and each of the patients had protein excretion rates >2g per day. The dose of the MMF given to the patients varied from 1-1.5g per day whereas a control group received 30-40 mg of Prednisone per day. Fifteen patients in each of the groups had been followed for seventy two weeks. Whereas both groups of patients showed reduction of proteinuria after 3 and 6 months, the decrease in the MMF patients was greater after 6 months. This decrease in proteinuria continued in the MMF group through 72 weeks. Chen, et al concluded in this preliminary report that MMF was superior to Prednisone in decreasing proteinuria, protecting renal function and also decreasing blood lipid levels.
With most immunosuppressive agents, increasing the degree of immunosuppression increases the likelihood of side effects of immunosuppression, including infection and bone marrow suppression. However, experience from controlled clinical trials in renal transplantation shows that MMF may be an exception to this generalization because the MMF-treated patients were able to achieve a greater degree of immunosuppression yet suffered little increase in the incidence of infection or bone marrow suppression (Dooley et. al. 1999).
Dooley and his coworkers concluded in their study that MMF is well tolerated and has possible efficacy in controlling major renal manifestation of systemic lupus erythomatosis. In lupus nephritis, these authors found that 0.5 to 1.5 g/d dose of MMF were sufficient. Miller et. al. 2000 in their study of mycophenolate mofetil use in resistant membranous nephropathy, used 0.5 to 2.0 g/d dose of MMF. The dose of MMF was titrated according to leukocyte counts and side effects, in most cases because of gastrointestinal symptoms.
The most obvious endpoint for treatment failure in patients with diabetic nephropathy is progression to end stage renal disease (ESRD). However, since the period from diagnosis to ESRD in diabetic nephropathy patients with normal renal function at onset may be over 10 years. Only about 30% of diabetics live for 10 years beyond the onset of clinical proteinuria. The degree of diabetes control is a necessary component, but is not linearly related to the development of renal failure. Control of hyperglycemia may become very difficult in nephropathic diabetic. Normalizing the blood pressure at every stage of progressive diabetic renal disease is stressed as an important component of the therapeutic program. Apart from the control of systemic hypertension, control of intraglomerular hypertension is also considered important in diabetic nephropathy. ACE inhibitors have been shown to lower the intraglomerular hypertension and thus reduce hyperfiltration of diabetic nephropathy. It is therefore, recommended that in diabetics with even normal blood pressure, ACE inhibitors be given to lower intraglomerular pressure.
It was reported that mycophenolate mofetil prevents the development of glomerular injury in experimental diabetes (Utimura et. al. 2003). Diabetic rats exhibited marked glomerular hyperfiltration and hypertension. They developed progressive albuminuria and exhibited widespread glomerulosclerotic lesions associated with macrophage infiltration at 8 months. Treatment with MMF had no effect on blood pressure, glomerular dynamics or blood glucose levels, but did prevent albuminuria, glomerular macrophage infiltration and glomerulosclerosis.
In light of the above, there remains an unmet need for therapies for treating diabetic nephropathy and its related symptoms. | {
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In general, it is difficult for an infant or a patient, who cannot smoothly move, to remove nasal mucus by him/herself even though he/she suffers from nasal obstruction caused by the nasal mucus, and severe nasal obstruction may cause a respiratory disorder, which causes a dangerous situation.
As such, because it is difficult for an infant or a patient to remove the nasal mucus by him/herself, a nasal aspirator, which may artificially remove the nasal mucus existing in the nose, is widely used.
In most instances, the nasal aspirator in the related art uses a method of forcedly sucking air, and includes a suction device which may suck the air, and a suction nozzle which is inserted into a nose of a target person by a predetermined length in a state in which the suction nozzle is connected to the suction device.
However, because the nasal aspirator in the related art uses the method of forcedly sucking air, there are various problems in that the nasal aspirator may damage a nasal mucous membrane or a blood vessel, and thus the blood vessel is injured, or nasal bleeding occurs.
Therefore, there is a need for an aspirator capable of gently removing nasal mucus without causing injuries to the nasal mucous membrane or the blood vessel.
As literature associated with the present invention, there is Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0436518 (Aug. 24, 2007) that discloses a nasal aspirator. | {
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The present invention relates to a combination weighing machine, and is concerned in particular with the feeding of product from a bulk container into the individual weigh scales of the machine.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,428 having the same inventors and assignee as the present invention, a control system is disclosed for regulating the amplitude and duration of vibratory feeders in a combination weighing machine. The feeders receive product from a bulk container or hopper at the top of the machine and distribute the product to the individual weigh scales as needed. The feeders are excited or vibrated with a controlled amplitude for a controlled period of time in order to feed a coarsely metered quantity of product into an accumulator that is associated with a specific weigh scale. Each of the weigh scales in the machine is fed in this manner. During each cycle of the machine the scales containing product are surveyed and the machine controller selects and dumps that combination of scales which produces a total amount of product that most closely approximates a targeted amount. The dumped scales are then refilled from their respective accumulators, and the accumulators are resupplied with product by their associated vibratory feeders.
The targeted amount of product may be specified as either a selected number of product pieces or a selected total weight of product. In the event that a targeted number of products pieces is sought, the weight signals from the individual scales are converted to whole numbers based upon a standard unit weight for one product piece of product, and then the combinations are formed based on the whole numbers. The technique, however, is error prone if the product pieces do not have a generally uniform weight.
With dry, fine divided, homogeneous and fluid-like products such as sugar or salt, peanuts, cereal flakes and small candies, the feeding of product to the individual weigh scales can generally be coarsely metered by controlling the amplitude and duration of the excitation of the vibratory feeders. However, for bulky, irregular, non-uniform or sticky products, such as chicken parts which can clump together, the feeding of product to the weigh scales is more difficult and sometimes imprecise. For example, if chicken legs are packaged with four legs per package, generally only one chicken leg should be loaded into each scale. However, since chicken legs frequently do not advance along vibratory feeders in a fluid-like state, a scale may end up with none or sometimes three or more chicken legs. As a consequence reliance upon vibrator amplitude and duration control is not satisfactory.
It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide a more accurate method and apparatus for feeding products, particularly products that come in the form of sticky, irregular or non-uniform pieces. | {
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Book binding machines are old in the art. However, most such machines are complicated by the fact that the covering operation is performed on the book insert held in a back-up or spine-up attitude, whereupon the back or spine is coated with adhesive and thereafter the cover is deposited astride the back. Further operations on the book to complete the covering operation require repositioning the book for application of pressure and formation of the hinges at the spine. It is the purpose of this invention to greatly simplify and increase the rate of book binding done by performing the entire operation continously and uninterruptedly without change of position by depositing the book, one broad side down, on an outspread cover and then wrapping the cover about the book. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique of improving the operability of an image pickup apparatus which picks up an image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, many digital cameras and the like use a so-called menu system to allow users to easily use various functions at the time of an image pickup/reproducing operation. The menu system displays a plurality of operation items side by side on the display screen of an LCD or the like and makes the user select a target operation item by cursor movement based on button operation.
In addition, as digital cameras have been equipped with an increasing number of functions, the number of menu items have increased. For this reason, many digital cameras use a hierarchical menu system in which a menu comprises a plurality of sheets each including menu items associated with each other.
Such a menu system tends to require more button operations to select a target operation item.
In contrast to this, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-272389 discloses a technique of improving the operability at the time of menu display by omitting hierarchical display of operation items which need not be selected and displaying the next layer, when a user selects an arbitrary operation item from selectable items.
According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-272389, if this system includes many selectable items and few items which need not be selected, the user must perform button operation to select a target operation item. This makes it impossible to expect an improvement in operability.
Conventionally, the purpose of connecting, for example, a printer to a digital camera is to print a pickup image. That is, this operation purpose is clear. In spite of this, in order to print a pickup image by a digital camera, the user needs to execute a procedure of connecting a printer to the digital camera, displaying a menu screen, and selecting an operation item associated with printing by button operation. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to protective enclosures for scaffolding utilized by workmen at construction sites and, more particularly, to those enclosures which comprise a plurality of sheets or panels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the construction industry, it is frequently desirable to protect workmen and buildings under construction from the weather. Contractors normally erect scaffolding around the outside of the structure upon which the work is to be performed. Such scaffolding provides support for workmen and tools so that work may be done on the structure at elevated levels. Scaffold enclosures are generally applied to the outside of the scaffolding, after it has been erected, to create a weatherproof environment around the scaffold and the structure. Prior art scaffold enclosures have frequently been complicated and cumbersome, and they have required significant expense and time to erect. The enclosures have also been difficult to open or close as needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,816 to Nolte discloses a protective covering for sheltering all sides of a scaffold. A rectangular covering element has hook-shaped telescoping profile bars and clamping lugs on two sides thereof, while the opposite sides have slots for receiving connection cables. Vertically adjacent covering elements are pushed or slipped into each other by means of hook-shaped profile bars which are secured to the edge of each covering element and which telescope into one another. Clamping lugs hold adjacent bars together. Horizontally adjacent cover elements overlap one another and are attached to the vertical struts of the scaffold construction by means of individual connection cables fitted through slots and individually tied around the vertical strut. Alternatively, an alligator clip-like cable may be utilized for this purpose.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,121,470 to Stone, et al. discloses a protective covering for scaffolding which utilizes elongated strips of metal and spring-loaded clips for holding the metal strips in place on the scaffolding struts. The metal strips are placed to secure adjacent edges of elongated plastic covering to the vertical and/or horizontal struts. Alternatively, canvas may be used to form the protective covering.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,715 to Vertinen discloses a protective covering for scaffolding having a plurality of plastic sheets with bead portions at the edges thereof so that adjacent edges of the coverings are placed together with tubular profiles and pushed over the adjacent edges to encapture the beads and hold the protective sheets in place. The covering is assembled on the ground and lifted by crane to the appropriate height on the scaffolding.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,534 to Beaten discloses a tension enclosure system having a plurality of plastic or canvas panels which are mounted on cables connected to the structure. A connector for interconnecting adjacent panels includes an elongated body or rod which extends from the cables and which is inserted through a plurality of grommets located on the edges of adjacent panels. A C-shaped clamp may be provided on the rod for holding the rod on the cable. Horizontal safety cables may be threaded through the cables.
Various other protective closures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,823,418; 4,875,549; 4,805,735 and 4,738,335. Clips for protective closures for scaffolding are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,782,915 and 3,529,860. Additionally, it is well known in the art to erect protective closures for scaffolding using a plurality of plastic sheets which are secured to the scaffolding by boards and nails.
The prior art scaffold enclosures thus involve complicated systems for erecting the enclosures and may require undue expense, such as hiring special carpentry crews to erect the scaffold enclosure. One prior art scaffold enclosure even requires the use of a crane.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a scaffold enclosure which is easily erected on the scaffolding without the need for additional expense. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a scaffold enclosure which is conveniently opened and closed by the workmen as needed and which is both durable and reusable. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a scaffold enclosure which does not require the use of tools for assembly. | {
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There are known in the art several ways to control and measure the output pressure of a fluid contained in a container, in particular by connecting the container to external devices, which can be either acquisition means of fluid pressure, such as pressure sensors located within or downstream the container, or flow control means such as pressure regulators or flow regulators.
However, these systems have the great disadvantage of not being possible to use in order to measure the consumptions and its communication for subsequent reading, thus not guaranteeing the traceability of the consumption.
As a matter of fact, in many applications, the same fluid container can be successively moved to different places where limited amounts of fluid are consumed. This is the case, for example, of the so called “nomadic gas” bottles installed in ambulances or used in specific situations.
In many of these situations it is necessary to know the precise amount of consumed fluid, not only required for administrative procedures, either billing or consumption tracking, but even to control the amount of fluid still available in the container. However, this information is not guaranteed with the current systems.
Within the scope of the equipment that offer solutions to the above mentioned problems, we can mention the patent FR 2919376 referring to a “Valve system to a bottle of fluid under pressure”. As a complement to this document we refer to the patents FR 2901873 and FR 2901874 that mention “Device to indicate a physical quantity.” | {
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One common type of vehicle having a cargo area is a truck having a truck box at a rear end of the vehicle which is defined between two opposing side walls and which is enclosed at a rear end by a tailgate. When carrying smaller cargo, it is known to be desirable to provide a partition in the cargo area to limit the movement of the goods being transported in the cargo area.
Various examples of partition assemblies are disclosed in the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 560,893 by Conant; U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,993 by Wayne; U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,507 by Emery; U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,356 by Wayne; U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,624 by Kopperud; U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,821 by Snyder; U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,895 by Kiester et al; and Des. 336,062 by Austin. The prior art designs are either limited to a fixed length which cannot be adapted to different vehicle types, or provided an adjustment mechanism which is complex and thus unnecessarily costly to manufacture or purchase. | {
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The present invention relates to the art of biological indicator systems. It finds particular application in conjunction with indicating the completeness of a sterilization process and will be described with particular reference thereto.
Heretofore, various sterilization indicating systems have been provided. The systems generally included an element, e.g. a pad which was inoculated with a spore or other microorganism. The pad was mounted in a container and connected with the container exterior by a tortuous path. The container was disposed such that during a gas sterilization process, the pad was subject to substantially the same sterilizing conditions by gas that penetrates the tortuous path as the articles being sterilized. At the end of the sterilizing operation, the tortuous path was closed, a glass ampule containing a culture medium was fractured, and the pad and culture medium were brought together. After an appropriate incubation period, the culture medium was examined for evidence of growth of the inoculated microorganisms. A lack of microorganism growth was indicative of sterilization and growth of the microorganisms was indicative that the sterilization process was not complete. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,461,837 and 4,743,537.
One drawback of the prior art sterilization indicator systems was that they were limited to steam and gas sterilization processes. Liquids did not reliably penetrate the tortuous path or displace trapped air adjacent to the pad. Accordingly, they were unreliable as indicators of sterilization in a liquid sterilization process.
Another disadvantage of the prior art sterilization indicating systems was that they used a frangible glass ampule. The glass ampule was selected in order to withstand the internal pressure increase when the culture medium was heated to the temperature of sterilizing steam. However, the glass ampules had inherent drawbacks. For example, the glass acted as a heat sink, reducing the temperature to which an adjoining inoculated pad was subject. Also, glass ampules were subject to cracking at inappropriate times such as in transit or sudden changes in temperature. Yet, fracturing the glass ampule at the appropriate time was sometimes difficult.
The present invention provides a new and improved biological indicating system which is suitable for use in liquid sterilant systems, yet overcomes the above referenced problems. | {
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Field
Embodiments relate to processors. In particular, embodiments relate to processors to determine floating point round-off amounts responsive to floating point round-off amount determination instructions.
Background Information
Floating point numbers are commonly used in processors, computer systems, and other electronic devices. One advantage of floating point numbers is that they allow a wide range of numerical values to be represented in a relatively compact numerical format and/or number of bits.
A number of different floating point formats are known in the art. The floating point format typically apportions the bits used to represent the floating point number into several constituent fields known as the sign, the significant, and the exponent of the floating point number.
Various instructions are known in the art for processing floating point numbers. For example, instructions are known for converting between floating point and integer formats. As another example, instructions are known for rounding scalar or packed single or double precision floating point data elements to integers respectively in single or double precision floating point formats. | {
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A power tool, in particular an angle grinder, which comprises a switching unit that has a pivotably mounted pawl element is already known from DE 197 07 215 A1. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an annular body, an annular body stretching device and an image forming apparatus.
2. Related Art
A conventional electrophotographic process used with an image forming apparatus typically includes: forming an electrostatic latent image on an image holder such as an electrophotographic photoreceptor, developing the electrostatic latent image with a toner, electrostatically transferring a thus-obtained toner image to an intermediate transfer belt that is an endless belt (first transfer process), and further transferring the toner image to a transfer receiver medium such as a transfer paper to form an image (secondary transfer process). In a (tandem) image forming apparatus where toner images of a plurality of different colors are superposed to form a full-color image, an intermediate transfer belt has been suitably used and, in particular, an intermediate transfer belt having conductive properties has been in wide use.
In order to stably obtain an excellent output image over a long term, in addition to mechanical strength such as flexibility, bending resistance and tensile rupture strength, electrical characteristics such as surface resistivity and volume resistivity are important for the intermediate transfer belt. | {
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Conventional trailers are arranged to provide an enclosable space in which goods can be loaded for carriage. The trailers are usually provided by substantially rectangular frames having one or more solid faces. Trailers are commonly mounted on a chassis comprising suitable running gear, to allow for connection of the trailer to a tractor unit for haulage purposes.
Various legal requirements are set for the dimensions and maximum capacity of such trailers.
Conventional loading procedures for trailers include the use of fork lift trucks operated with standard loading bays and dock levellers.
In order to maximise the capacity of a particular size trailer, it is known to lower the base of the trailer between the rear axle and the front hitch of the trailer. Such a modification generally allows additional tiers of goods to be loaded one above the other.
It is an aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide apparatus to facilitate loading of a trailer. | {
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There is known a game machine for displaying a game screen image showing a picture obtained by viewing, from a predetermined viewpoint, a virtual three dimensional space where an operation target player object which moves according to an operation carried out by a game player, a plurality of teammate player objects belonging to the same team as the team to which the operation target player object belongs, and opponent player objects belonging to an opponent team are placed, to thereby provide a sport game to be played by the team to which the operation target player object belongs, and the opponent team. One example of such game machines is one which provides a soccer game, an ice hockey game, and so forth.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2005-342120 | {
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1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus, and more specifically to a data transfer system for transferring data to a data drive circuit of a dynamic drive type display apparatus.
2. Description Of Related Art
A typical conventional display apparatus includes a signal control circuit receiving a vertical synchronizing signal and a horizontal synchronizing signal and generating a scan control signal, a driver signal and a latch signal. In response to the scan control signal, a scan drive circuit sequentially drives a number of scan electrodes of a display panel. On the other hand, a data drive circuit receives a data signal and a clock signal and is controlled by the driver signal and the latch signal so as to drive a number of data electrodes of the display panel. The data drive circuit is composed of for example a driver, a latch and a shift register. The clock signal is a dot clock in synchronism with the data signal.
With the above arrangement, the display panel is driven in a line sequential scanning manner from a first line to a final line in accordance with the horizontal synchronizing signal, and this scanning is repeated 7ith reference to the vertical synchronizing signal. For this purpose, during one period of the horizontal synchronizing signal, a number of items of data corresponding to display cells of one scan line are serially supplied to the shift register of the data drive circuit in synchronism with the clock signal, and after the data has been written to the shift register, a content of the shift register is transferred from a parallel output of the shift register to the latch. The display cells on one scan line selected by the scan drive circuit is energized or deenergized by the driver of the data drive circuit on the basis of the data held in the latch during one period of the horizontal synchronizing signal, namely, in one scanning period.
The above mentioned conventional display apparatus is such that the data signals are serially transferred to the shift register. Therefore, since a required frequency of the clock signal and the data signal increases in proportion with increase of a display capacity, the shift register having a high operating frequency has been required. | {
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User identifications such as driver licenses can be issued either as physical identification cards or digital identifications. A physical identification card is issued by creating a card that includes customer information, whereas a digital identification is issued in an electronic format and accessed on a client device. Both physical and digital identifications are commonly used for verifying the identity of an individual, providing access to restricted areas, or authorizing an individual to purchase age-restricted content. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of the fight against the pirating of decoders for accessing multimedia digital data. It relates more particularly to a process for the remote deactivation of such a decoder as well as to a decoder comprising means of remote deactivation.
2. Description of the Related Art
The operators broadcasting pay audiovisual programmes customarily provide the users who wish to receive these programmes with decoders allowing them to access the same by paying a subscription. The digital data constituting the programmes are indeed usually transmitted in encrypted form so that the users who do not have the decoder cannot access the same. The decoder contains in particular means for decrypting and for decoding the digital data. More precisely, the decoder generally comprises a chip card reader into which is inserted a card which contains a software module as well as one or more cryptographic keys necessary for the decrypting of the data. The chip card also generally contains information regarding the rights acquired by the user of the decoder (for example which channels are accessible to the user, for what duration, etc.).
When a user no longer wishes to pay to receive the programmes from an operator, he must in principle return his decoder to the operator or to an intermediary in charge of installing the decoders. Operators are nevertheless being increasingly confronted with a problem of pirating of their decoders. Indeed, certain users suspend their subscription but do not give back their decoder. They subsequently procure pirate chip cards giving extended rights of access to the programmes broadcast by the operator. Certain decoders are even stolen from the installers' vans so as likewise to be used with pirate chip cards. | {
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Safety monitoring and shut down means for internal combustion engines, compressors and other stationary power equipment of great cost is essential. The prior art has proposed a variety of systems and devices to deal with the problem and one example of the patented prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 3,746,926 . This patent discloses a normally continuously energized magnetic control switch and visual indicator element for use as part of a safety indicating and shut down system for engines and the like, and responsive to malfunction or failure of such operational components as fuel supply means, air shut off solenoid, ignition means, lubrication supply and the like.
The main objective of the present invention is to improve on the efficiency and reliability of the prior art control, monitoring and automatic shut down means for engines and other power equipment by utilization of basically the same magnetic switch disclosed in the aforementioned patent in conjunction with a novel arrangement of safety switches which assures a fault-sensitive and fail-safe system of operation and overall increased reliability of the system. In comparable prior art arrangements, it frequently happens that, because of heavy vibration induced by the power equipment, a wire or wires connected with the safety switch may loosen or become disconnected thereby rendering the costly equipment unprotected when a malfunction of some vital control or operational component occurs. The present invention completely overcomes this difficulty by providing a fault-sensitive control circuit which will sense such wiring separations or other circuitry faults in addition to visually indicating a malfunction of any one equipment operational component and responding automatically to such malfunction by shutting down the equipment.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description. | {
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Utilization of ultrasonic measurements for the determination of various properties of a flowing material within an enclosed conduit is now a well developed art. A variety of techniques have been proposed for mounting ultrasonic transducers from the external or internal surfaces of the conduits and transmitting a generated beam through the fluid, receiving it at a second transducer, and measuring variations in transit time, (or its reciprocal which is proportional to sound speed c) or the attenuation of the signal. These ultrasonic parameters can be used to calculate flow characteristics, temperature, etc. of the fluid. Examples of such systems can be found in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,791, issued Sept. 23, 1975, and in my copending application Ser. No. 629,870, filed Nov. 7, 1975 and entitled "Ultrasonic Measuring Cell With Isolation Means" which will issue Jan. 25, 1977 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,461; each of which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference.
The ultrasonic flow-sensing signal is typically emitted repeatedly or alternately from one of a pair of transducers mounted at opposite ends of a tilted diameter or diagonal across the conduit, with the direction of tilt being in the direction of flow of a material. The time delay difference (upstream time minus downstream time) between the generation of the emitted signals and their reception is a measure of the velocity of the flow. Other characteristics of the material may be determined by measurement of the attenuation of the received signal. In one embodiment a crossed pair of tilted paths are used with an emitting transducer and receiving transducer located at the ends of each of the crossed pairs. Techniques for measuring both the transit times and the attenuations are described in a number of patents and articles, some of which are listed in the above-mentioned Ser. No. 629,870.
Such previous techniques cannot provide sufficient accuracy for certain applications. The reason for the inaccuracy is that all the fluid in the pipe does not flow at the same velocity. Flow velocity at the wall is theoretically zero, while flow velocity on the pipe's axis is usually maximum. Between the wall and the axis, the velocity distribution depends on a number of factors such as Reynolds number, pipe roughness, inlet and outlet conditions, upstream conditions, vibration, temperature, density and viscosity distribution, etc. In many cases the principal factor influencing flow profile is the Reynolds number, Re. In these cases it has been the practice in the industry to multiply the meter reading by a factor K which is assumed to depend on Re alone. For an ultrasonic transmission measurement as described above, the meter factor K is defined by K = V/V.sub.d, where V.sub.d is the flow velocity measured along a tilted diameter. K typically varies from 0.750 for laminar flow (parabolic velocity distribution) to 0.93 to 0.96 for fully developed turbulent flows associated with Re = 10.sup.4 to 10.sup.7, respectively. The need for correcting V.sub.d by means of K was recognized over twenty years ago. A graph showing K vs Re was published in 1955 by Kritz, and in another form, by McShane in 1974. (J. Kritz, ISA Proc. 10 Part 2, 55-16-3, pp. 1-6 (1955); Instruments and Automation 28, 1912-1913 (Nov. 1955); J. L. McShane, pp. 897-913, in R. B. Dowdell, Ed. Flow -- Its Measurement and Control in Science and Industry, ISA (1974).) Various attempts to improve upon the accuracy afforded by an ultrasonic transmission measurement along a single tilted diameter have been proposed. These include zig-zagging a wave down the pipe (Petermann, U.S. Pat. No. 2,874,568) or using orthogonal tilted diameters (N. Suzuki, H. Nakabori and M. Yamamoto, pp. 115- 138, in C. G. Clayton, Ed., Modern Developments in Flow Measurement, Peregrinus Ltd. (1972)). These methods of multiple interrogation may provide some improvement in accuracy but they do not offer any fundamental or significant improvement because they weight the flow profile in essentially the same way as the single tilted diameter.
At the opposite extreme, ultrasonic methods have been demonstrated wherein the entire cross section of flowing fluid is weighted. In one of these methods the ultrasonic waves are transmitted axially (F. Noble, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 39(9) 1327-1331, Sept. 1968). In a second method waves are transmitted obliquely across a rectilinear duct, the waves themselves being enveloped by a square or rectangular pattern (Lynnworth, U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,791). These two methods have been practiced so far only in pipes of relatively small dimensions, and their application to large pipes would be difficult or impractical.
For large pipes the most accurate way to obtain V that has been demonstrated so far, using ultrasonic transmission methods, is the use of multiple chords, located and weighted according to mathematical formulas such as those derived by Gauss, Chebychef, or Lobatto (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,912, Feb. 23, 1971). This multiple chord approach provides high accuracy, but requires numerous ports to accommodate the multiple chords. Both the cost of fabrication and the risk of a leak in a pipe section, therefore, are larger than desirable.
A recent report suggests a single ultrasonic interrogation near the pipe midradius chord. (Baker and Thompson, "A Two Beam Ultrasonic Phase-Shift Flowmeter", Conf. on Fluid Flow Measurement in the Mid 1970's, Birniehill Institute, National Engineering Laboratory, East Kilbride, Glasgow, Scotland, 8-10 April 1975). That report, however, includes an experiment in air at 40kHz and a four inch diameter pipe. The resulting beam spread contributes to undesirably high levels of error (e.g. about .+-.5% total error estimated by Baker and Thompson). | {
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Determining a classification associated with an entity, such as a person, an organization, an object, or an organization can have tremendous importance and numerous applications. For example, if upon admission to a hospital, a person can be classified as having certain risk factors for developing certain diseases, the risk factors can be used during diagnosis of that person's medical conditions. Of a similar value can be the prediction of the class label of an entity or an object in the future, with the knowledge of the future predicted class label to allow for the planning of the future (e.g., forecasting tasks). Such tasks are commonly accomplished by separate families of techniques. For example, traditional time series forecasting focuses on predicting the value of a future point in a time series. Similarly, one of the goals of relational learning, also known as statistical relational learning, is classifying an object based on the object's attributes and relations to other objects.
While the two families of techniques can be applied to data represented as a graph, the techniques have drawbacks that limit their usefulness. For instance, traditional time series forecasting techniques, such as those described in Box, G. E., G. M. Jenkins, and G. C. Reinsel. “Time Series Analysis: Forecasting and Control.” John Wiley & Sons (2013), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference, only consider a single time series. In the context of data represented as a graph, such techniques consider only a single node of the graph, representing a single entity, without considering edges that represent the connections of that entity to other entities. In other words, these techniques assume independence among the time series. Multiple possible reasons exist for this approach, such as the amount of observed data being limited and only a single time series being available. Further, in many situations, the dependence between the time series is unknown or unobservable. For example, such dependence may not be observable when data points in a time series are collected independently from each other, such as when the data points represent distinct variables such as wind speed and temperature.
Likewise, traditional multivariate time series forecasting techniques, which account for interrelatedness of time series, also have limited use. Most of the existing models are based on a fundamental assumption that the time series being processed are pairwise dependent or strongly correlated with each other. Thus, these models assume that the each of the time series represents a node in a graph and each node has an edge to every other node in the graph, forming a clique of the size of the number of nodes in the graph. When the assumption is incorrect, the results produced by such techniques can be inaccurate.
On the other hand, statistical relational learning techniques, such as those described by Taskar, Ben, and Lise Getoor “Introduction to statistical relational learning,” MIT Press (2007) and Rossi, Ryan A., et al. “Transforming graph data for statistical relational learning.” Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research 45.1 (2012): 363-441, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference, generally focus on static graphs, graphs representing connections between entities at a single time point and ignore any temporal relational information. Such techniques cannot predict a future classification of an entity represented by a node in a graph.
Accordingly, there is a need for a way to be able to assign a classification at multiple time points to a data item included as part of multiple type of graphs. There is a further need for improved ways to perform relational and non-relational classification of data items. | {
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Because of its ready availability, low cost and potential for reducing particulate emissions, natural gas is a promising substitute for diesel fuel for fuelling compression ignition engines, commonly known as “diesel-cycle” engines. Persons skilled in the technology involved here will understand that natural gas is just one example of a preferred fuel, and that other fuels are also suitable, such as hydrogen, propane and other fuels that are cleaner burning substitutes for diesel fuel. A cleaner burning substitute fuel for diesel is defined as a fuel that can be used in an engine to substantially match the performance of a diesel-fuelled engine with lower particulate matter and/or nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.
Conventional methods of introducing a gaseous fuel into an engine premix all of the gaseous fuel with the intake air, which is a method known as “fumigation”. Engines using such an approach have been unable to match the power, performance, and efficiency of diesel-fuelled engines. The applicant has found that the inherent favorable operating characteristics and high efficiency of conventional diesel-fuelled engines can be preserved when at least some of the gaseous fuel is introduced directly into the engine's combustion chamber, late in the compression stroke.
A problem with gaseous fuels such as natural gas is that, compared to diesel fuel, much higher temperatures and pressures are typically needed to auto-ignite the fuel. A solution to this problem, which allows the preservation of the major components of diesel-cycle engines is to inject a small amount of more auto-ignitable fuel such as diesel fuel, to initiate the ignition and combustion of the cleaner burning gaseous fuel.
Using a pilot fuel in addition to a main charge of gaseous fuel preferably requires the installation of at least two independently operable injection valves, one for the pilot fuel and one for the gaseous main fuel. To avoid having to redesign and replace the cylinder head, it is preferable to employ a gaseous and liquid fuel injection valve that fits into the same opening as a conventional diesel fuel injection valve. Accordingly, there is a need for a gaseous and liquid fuel injection valve arrangement that allows independent introduction of liquid pilot fuel and gaseous main fuel directly into the combustion chamber, and that has the same exterior dimensions as a conventional diesel injection valve. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, system and program for managing access to a device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In prior art multi-pathing systems, multiple paths may connect a host system to a device, such as a storage array, e.g., Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) array, a Direct Access Storage Device (DASD), Just a Bunch of Disks (JBOD), etc. Both the host and the storage device would have multiple ports and/or network adaptors to provide multiple physical paths therebetween.
A host system includes a device driver program to manage Input/Output (I/O) flow to a storage device or any other type of device. If there are multiple paths connecting the host to the storage device, then either the device driver or host operating system would include logic to manage path selection and handle failover to select one available path if the currently used path fails. In prior art failover systems, a queue is provided to hold received I/O requests during the failover operation. When the failover operation completes with a new path configured for use, the host would then process the queued I/O requests that have been pending during the failover process.
There is a continued need in the art for improved techniques and program architectures for managing multiple paths to a device and handling failover operation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to data transfer and, more particularly, to systems and methods that use address aliases for packet prioritization.
2. Description of Related Art
Network devices, such as routers, receive data on physical media, such as optical fiber, analyze the data to determine its destination, and output the data on physical media in accordance with the destination. The traffic through a router may broadly fall into two categories: low priority traffic and high priority traffic. Low priority traffic includes best-effort traffic with no service guarantee (i.e., the traffic has no guarantee on latency). High priority traffic includes traffic with strong guarantees on latency, such as voice traffic. High priority traffic may be guaranteed a maximum latency even when the router is congested with low priority traffic.
Conventional routers typically include a series of queues and staging buffers (e.g., first-in, first-out (FIFO) memories) that can fill up with long low priority packets. As a result, conventional routers generally include mechanisms to permit high priority packets to bypass low priority packets wherever congestion can occur so that high priority packets do not get delayed due to low priority packets.
For example, a router may include separate sets of queues and staging buffers for high priority packets, thereby permitting high priority packets to bypass congestion caused by low priority packets. Arbiters in the router may then be programmed to select high priority packets over low priority packets. Because the rate at which high priority packets enter the router may be set based, for example, on a service level agreement, the latency through the router can be guaranteed for high priority packets. A problem with this approach is that it is expensive because it requires extra logic for handling multiple priority levels and dedicated high priority queues and staging buffers throughout the router.
As a result, there is a need for a less expensive alternative that guarantees an amount of latency through a network device for high priority packets, regardless of any congestion caused by low priority packets. | {
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The present invention relates to stinging cells or capsules and to the use thereof in compositions, devices and methods for delivering a therapeutic, cosmetic or diagnostic agent into a tissue. More particularly, the present invention relates to the use of stinging cells or capsules as transdermal/intradermal, transmembranal or transcuticular delivery devices.
Therapeutic agents such as drugs are a mainstay of modern medicine and are used for the prevention, diagnosis, alleviation, treatment, or cure of diseases.
Biological, biochemical and/or physical barriers often limit delivery of therapeutic agents to target tissue. For example, skin and/or various organ membranes are physical barriers, which must be traversed by a topically administered drug targeted at internal tissues. Orally administered drugs must be resistant to the low pH conditions and digestive enzymes present in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
To traverse such barriers, drugs targeted at internal tissues are often administered via a transdermal injection, using a syringe and a needle or other mechanical devices. A transdermal injection delivers drugs into the subcutaneous space thus traversing the epidermis-dermis layers.
Anatomically, the skin of a human body is subdivided into three compartments: an epidermis, a dermis and a subcutaneous layer, of which the epidermis plays a key role in blocking drug delivery via the skin (the dourest layer of the epidermis is the stratum corneum which is called also the horny layer). The epidermis is 0.1 mm or more in thickness and consists mainly of protein surrounded by lipid, thus rendering the epidermis hydrophobic.
Although the syringe and needle is an effective delivery device, it is sensitive to contamination, while use thereof is often accompanied by pain and/or bruising. In addition, the use of such a device is accompanied by risk of accidental needle injury to a health care provider.
Mechanical injection devices based on compressed gases have been developed to overcome the above-mentioned limitations of syringe and needle devices. Such devices typically utilize compressed gas (such as, helium or carbon dioxide) to deliver medications at high velocity through a narrow aperture.
Although such devices traverses some of the limitations mentioned above, their efficiency is medication dependent, and their use can lead to pain, bruising and lacerations.
Other less common delivery methods utilize a pulsed Yag laser to punctuate the stratum corneum in order to deliver medication via diffusion and enhancement of ionic compound flux across the skin by the application of an electric current. Although such methods are effective in delivering small charged molecules, a danger of skin burns accompanies their use.
Non-invasive methods, which overcome some of the limitations inherent to the invasive delivery methods described above, have also been described. Such methods utilize preparations, which include an active ingredient disposed within lipid vehicles (e.g., liposomes) or micelles or accompanied with skin permeation agent such that absorption of the active ingredient through the skin is enhanced. Such preparations can be directly applied to a skin region or delivered via transdermal devices such as membranes, pressure-sensitive adhesive matrices and skin patches.
In transdermal delivery, the active ingredient penetrates the skin and enters the capillary blood or the lymph circulation system, which carries the drug to the target organ or to the tissue or has a local effect.
For several years, transdermal drug delivery systems have been employed to effectively introduce a limited number of drugs through unbroken skin. Aside from comfort and convenience, transdermal systems avoid the barriers, delivery rate control problems and potential toxicity concerns associated with traditional administration techniques, such as oral, intramuscular or intravenous delivery.
Although transdermal delivery offers an alternative to some invasive delivery methods, the efficiency thereof is affected by the physical and chemical properties of a drug and physiological or pathological parameters such as the skin hydration, temperature, location, injury, and the body metabolism.
To overcome the limitations of invasive and non-invasive delivery devices, the present inventors propose the use of “stinging cells” (e.g. cnidocytes, nematocytes and the like) or “stinging capsules” (e.g., cnidocysts, nematocysts and polar capsules) isolated therefrom for tissue delivery of a therapeutic or cosmetic agents.
Cnidaria (hydras, sea anemones, jellyfish and corals) are aquatic animals, which possess a variety of compounds which are stored and delivered via specialized capsules (cnidocysts), which form a part of specialized cells termed stinging cells (cnidocytes, nematocytes, ptychocytes and the like). The stinging capsules act as microscopic syringes and serve as a prey or defense mechanism. The Cnidaria family which encompasses 10,000 known species, includes sedentary single or colonial polyps and pelagic jellyfish. In some of these species, cnidocytes account for more than 45% of the cells present (Tardent 1995).
As shown in FIGS. 1a-d, a cnidocyst is a hardened dense capsule, filled with liquid containing a highly folded inverted tubule which sometimes features specialized structures such as shafts, barbs, spines, and/or stylets. In nature, the cnidocyst discharges and releases its tubule (FIG. 1d) into tissue following physical or chemical triggering.
Discharge is initiated by a rapid osmotic influx of water which generates an internal hydrostatic (liquid) pressure of 150 atmospheres forcing capsule rupture and ejection of the tubule (Holstein and Tardent 1984). During ejection, the long coiled and twisted tubule is averted and its length increases by 95 percent. Accelerating at 40,000 g, the tubule untwists to generate a torque force, which rotates the tubule several times around its axis. These mechanical processes generate a powerful driving force, which enables efficient delivery of the compounds, the toxins and enzymes stored within the capsule (Lotan et al. 1995, 1996; Tardent 1995). This process, which occurs within microseconds, is among the most rapid exocytosis events in biology (Holstein and Tardent 1984).
There are at least three dozen known types of cnidocysts (also termed cnidae) including more than 30 varieties of nematocysts found in most Cnidaria and spirocysts, and ptychocysts found mainly in the Cnidaria class Anthozoa (Mariscal 1974).
As is further detailed herein, the present invention utilizes stinging cells such as cnidocytes, or stinging capsules (cnidocysts) isolated therefrom for efficiently delivering agents into a tissue while being devoid of the limitations inherent to prior art invasive or non-invasive delivery devices and compositions. | {
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Wireless communications system refers generally to any telecommunications system which enable a wireless communication between the users and the network. In mobile communications systems users are capable of moving within the service area of the system. A typical mobile communications system is a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN).
At present third generation mobile systems, such as Universal Mobile Communication System (UMTS) and Future Public Land Mobile Telecommunication System (FPLMTS) later renamed as IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunication 2000), are being developed. The UMTS is being standardized in ETSI (European Telecommunication Standards Institute) whereas ITU (International Telecommunication Union) is defining the IMT-2000 system. The radio interface is likely to be based on a wideband CDMA (code division multiple access), and therefore the third generation systems are often referred to as Wideband CDMA systems (WCDMA). These future systems are basically very much alike.
FIG. 1 shows a simplified UMTS architecture with the external reference points and interfaces to the UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network, UTRAN. The UTRAN consists of a set of Radio Access Networks RAN (also called Radio Network Subsystem RNS) connected to the Core Network CN through the interface Iu. These Radio Network Subsystems can be interconnected through the interconnection point (reference point) Iur. The interfaces Iu(s) and Iur are logical interfaces. Iur can be conveyed over physical direct connection between RANs or via any suitable transport network. Each RAN is responsible for the resources of its set of cells. For each connection between a mobile station MS and the UTRAN, one RAN is the Serving RAN. A RAN consists of a Radio Network Controller RNC and a multiplicity of base stations BS. The RNC is responsible for he handover decisions that require signalling to the MS. The base stations are connected to the RNC through the Iub interface. The core network CN is a conventional or future telecommunication network modified to efficiently utilize the UTRAN in a wireless communication. Telecommunication networks that are thought to be suitable core networks are second generation mobile communication systems (PSTN), such as GSM, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), B-ISDN (Broadband ISDN), PDN (Packet Data Network), ATM etc.
FIG. 2 gives an overview of the assumed protocol environment in the third generation systems. Categorically, we can find three layers of the ISO/OSI layer model (International Standards Organisation/Open Systems Interconnection): physical layer (Layer 1, L1), data link layer (Layer 2, L2), and network layer (Layer 3, L3). In FIG. 2 the Layer L3 includes Radio Resources Control (RRC) protocol and upper user plane protocols. RRC takes care of all radio resources management. It negotiates quality of service QoS for a bearer service and on the basis thereof chooses needed transport format(s), (bitrates, type of coding, physical layer multiplexing), performs allocations (codes etc.), allocates identifiers for MS:s and bearer services, signals all of these parameters to MS, and supervises all handovers. User plane protocols relate to any upper layer transmission and signalling protocols. As used herein the term L3 protocols may also include the Link Access Protocol LAC set up between the MS and the core network CN although LAC may also be said to be an L2 protocol, LAN provides a peer-to-peer transportation of user data.
Layer L2 functions include the Radio Link Control (RLC) protocol and the Medium Access Control MAC. The RLC provides a radio-solution-dependent reliable link over the radio path. It takes care of segmentation and assembly of the Layer 3 data before and after transmission over the radio path, respectively, as well as retransmissions. Under the RLC the MAC function controls the mapping of the RLC protocol data units (RLC PDUs) into physical channels in the physical layer. The physical layer includes all the schemes and mechanisms used to make communications possible on the radio channel. These mechanisms include, for example, modulation, power control, coding and timing.
The RLC is capable of segmenting the higher layer PDUs. The segmenting allows a larger higher layer (e.g. L3, LAC) data unit to be split into smaller units (segments) on the lower layer (RLC). When segmenting is used, the transmitting end should indicate to the receiving end whether the same higher layer unit will continue in the next lower layer unit or a new higher level unit one will be started in the next lower layer unit. This information is needed in the receiver (either the mobile station (MS) or the network (NW)) to correctly assemble the segmented data.
In a prior art approach, a separate indicator has been used in each lower layer data segment to specify, whether the higher layer unit starts, ends or continues in the present data segment. Possible values may be the following, for example: 11 start & end; 10 start & continue; 00 continue; and 01 continue to end. The disadvantage of the prior art approach is that this extra field uses extra space in the protocol signalling and thereby causes extra overhead. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to server maintenance and more specifically to predicting server failure based on historic server failures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Servers have become the heart and soul of modern computing infrastructures. Most businesses maintain servers to perform business functions, as well as to provide core Information Technology (IT) services. For example, an e-commerce business may maintain a server containing the business website. The e-commerce server may perform business functions including displaying products, handling online orders and inventory management. The server may also perform critical IT functions including email, file storage, print and database services. Because such businesses are highly dependent on the proper functioning of such a server, the reliability of the server becomes critical to ensure the smooth running of the business.
However, servers are inherently prone to failure, which may be caused by both hardware and software. The loss of service and fault correction costs associated with such failure may prove to be very expensive for users of high end servers where customer demand is high and incessant. Therefore, it is necessary to identify and understand server failures, and correct them before they occur.
Server failures fall into two categories: predictable failures and unpredictable failures. Predictable failures are characterized by the degradation of an attribute over time, resulting in eventual server failure. It may be possible to make a reasonably accurate prediction of threshold values at which server failure may occur. Therefore, it may be possible to avoid server failure by monitoring attribute values and taking corrective measures as the values approach a predetermined threshold.
Mechanical failures, which account for sixty percent of hard disk failures, are typically considered predictable. Monitoring the physical attributes of components may therefore facilitate failure prediction and prevention. For example, it is possible to monitor, in real time, attributes of a hard disk such as disk spin time, temperature, distance from head to disk, etc. If values for these attributes approach threshold values, a user may be prompted with a warning to take corrective measures such as backing up data and replacing the disk.
However, because software does not fatigue, wear out, or burn out, software failures may be more difficult to predict. Software problems, unlike hardware problems, tend to be event or input driven rather than time driven. Furthermore, software problems may be much more complex than hardware problems. Some common causes of software problems include software design flaws, unexpected or mishandled events, corrupt data etc.
While current forecasting approaches can predict the number of faults expected for a software server, these approaches are not able to predict when such faults are likely to appear. Therefore, they provide no solutions for preventing software failures. Moreover, predicting software failures may require developing a set of constraints for a particular software configuration. This may require the constraints to be found within the complicated code of the software. However, the high rate of software changes (software updates, for example), may require this tedious analysis to be performed at each change, which may be impractical.
Therefore, what is needed is a method and system for predicting software server failures before they happen. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for pulling stakes used in agriculture, and more particularly for removing stakes and strings used in growing tomatoes and the like over plastic mulch covered beds.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of produce is grown in the field utilizing rows of wood stakes which may support strings or lines upon which the plants can grow. Tomato crops are typical of produce grown in this fashion. Where tomatoes are to be mechanically harvested, stakes are generally not necessary; however, where picking of tomatoes by hand is desired, stakes and strings are necessary to keep the vines off the ground to provide ready access to the fruit during picking. An important instance where stakes are required is the growing of tomatoes over plastic mulch covered beds. Over the past fifteen years, the technique of growing tomatoes and other plants on plastic mulch covered beds has been developed. Although the method is particularly effective for use in sandy soil, it is proven to have many other advantages: cleanliness of the fruit; good control of weeds; improved action of soil fumigants; reduction of root rot; reduction of soil moisture evaporation; prevention of soil erosion; and protection against freeze damage. The plastic mulch method is becoming more widely used; for example, during the 1976-77 season in Florida, over 75% of the 35,000 acres of fresh market tomatoes produced in that state were grown in plastic mulch covered beds. Planting is through holes punched or burned in the plastic film. It is also common to include drip irrigation tubing along the bed underneath the plastic mulch for watering and fertilizing of the bed. This system for growing tomatoes has proven to be more energy efficient per unit of product than the traditional system of growing the plants on bare ground, thus, the technique may be expected to become more widespread throughout the United States.
Available mechanical harvesters have proved unsatisfactory for operation over plastic mulch beds. The plastic film becomes torn and shredded, causing clogging of conveyor belts, separators and other moving parts of the machinery, and the irrigation tubing is usually damaged. For this reason, tomatoes and other produce grown on plastic mulch must be harvested manually. Therefore, wood stakes and plastic monofilament lines are required for ease of hand picking when tomatoes and similar plants are grown over plastic mulch covered beds. After harvesting of the crop and prior to planting of the next crop, it is necessary to remove the stakes and the lines. The removed stakes are collected and stored for reuse for crops. It is present practice to utilize hand labor to pull each stake, transport the stakes to a collection point along a row, and to have trucks later drive through the fields collecting the stakes and returning them to the storage point. As may be recognized, the cost of such hand labor, and the time involved is significant. For example, in Florida the total cost of removing stakes from a typical field is about $50 per acre. Additionally, such field workers tend to be careless, and breakage and loss of stakes is quite common. As may be recognized, the bill for stake removal of stakes from the plastic mulch grown tomatoes in Florida for only one crop will approach two million dollars. This cost is, of course, passed along to the consumer in the cost of the produce.
No positive or effective machines are known that can mechanically remove the lines and pull and collect the stakes from agricultural fields. Thus, such apparatus is needed to reduce this phase of cost of raising agricultural crops. | {
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The invention relates to a method of controlling a laser in a WDM application, in particular, but not exclusively, a DWDM application.
Lasers used as light sources in WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing) applications are each designed to operate at a specific wavelength. This wavelength is set by the laser manufacturer and depends on the temperature at which the laser is operating and the current driving the laser. Thus the manufacturer will usually specify an operating temperature and an operating current which will nominally result in operation at the design wavelength of the laser.
In WDM optical transmission systems the wavelength of the source laser needs to be controlled to within tight limits. Any inaccuracy in wavelength setting will result in cross-signal interference and consequent corruption of traffic in adjacent channels, which the user will naturally want to avoid. In DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) systems, where the channel spacing may be of the order of 100 GHz or less, the wavelength requirements are particularly stringent and are conventionally satisfied by the use of a laser temperature feedback loop which maintains the laser at the manufacturer's stipulated temperature.
A drawback with this conventional control arrangement, however, is that it is impossible to adequately control the wavelength during power-up and power-down situations, where the discontinuities involved give rise to large fluctuations in wavelength value which can affect performance in the manner already described. This is a particular problem during ALS (Automatic Laser Shutdown) operation, when, as part of a safety measure, the laser is disabled when a break in the downstream optical fibre is suspected. During ALS, it is usual to enable the optical output for a short period on a regular basis (e.g. for 2 seconds every 90 seconds, or thereabouts) in order to check whether the fibre break has been repaired. Although temperature is normally held at its stipulated operating value during this process, because the laser is coupled to a large thermal mass (a cooling/heating element), changes in temperature of the lasing element itself which occur during power-up/power-down cannot be quickly compensated for by the temperature control loop (response time is around 10 seconds), and so wavelength drifts significantly from its stipulated value during ALS operation.
The present invention aims to provide a laser control arrangement which mitigates this drawback. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field
The following description relates to a cartridge for a medication dispensing apparatus, the cartridge is able to control rotation of the drum which open and/or close an outlet of the cartridge case.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to solve drawbacks of a pharmacist manually dispensing medication, a medication dispensing apparatus is needed. If a doctor orders medication for a prescription using a computer, the medication dispensing apparatus automatically divides medication into dose per serving. Such a medication dispensing apparatus includes a medication cabinet for keeping medication separate according to types, and a packing unit which is disposed below the medication cabinet and packs medication supplied from the medication cabinet.
The medication cabinet is configured to include a plurality of medication cartridges. A medication cartridge contains the same type medication, and dispenses the medication to the packing unit in accordance with a prescription signal. A case of the medication cartridge includes a cartridge case having an outlet on the bottom thereof so as to dispense medication; a drum installed inside of the cartridge case so as to selectively open and/or close the outlet; a cartridge base having the cartridge case installed thereon; and a driving means connected to the drum to thereby rotate the drum.
However, when the cartridge case is detached from the cartridge base, the drum is often rotated arbitrarily, so that remaining medications may leak and foreign materials may enter into the cartridge. | {
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} |
The invention has particular utility in providing radial support of a linear armature or shaft, magnetically and without physical contact, while permitting it to freely translate along its axis and/or rotate about its axis, thus eliminating frictional wear which eliminates the need for lubricants and thereby guarantees a relatively long operational life. Such apparatus is vitally necessary in applications where the equivalent becomes substantially inaccessible once put into operation.
A magnetic bearing is a device which includes a relatively stationary electromagnetic circuit which is adapted to hold a magnetizable element in suspension. An active magnetic bearing includes a displacement detector and an electronic control unit coupled thereto which forms a servosystem whereby any displacement of the suspended element as sensed by the detector is counteracted by an opposing magnetic force generated by the electromagnetic circuit in response to an output from the electronic control unit. While such apparatus is well known, it nevertheless is still subject to various physical phenomenon of non-mechanical origin such as eddy current losses, undesired phase shifts, etc., which have a deleterious effect on the operation and efficiency of the system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A biopsy entails the surgical removal of tissue or cells from the body of a patient for pathological examination of the collected sample. The purpose for taking a biopsy sample is often to look for cellular shape changes represented in the collected sample. The identification of particular cellular shape changes in a collected specimen can be instrumental in the identification of cancer in a patient.
Biopsy tissue samples are required for the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of diseases and disorders that often require a physician to access the tortuous and relatively small cross-sectional areas of a patient's internal anatomical body lumens. A patient's pancreaticobiliary system (including the anatomical regions of the gall bladder, pancreas, and the biliary tree), for example, is accessed for retrieval of biopsy samples for the treatment of disorders of certain portions of the digestive system.
The biliary system delivers bile produced by the liver to the duodenum where the bile assists other gastric fluids in digesting food. The biliary system includes the liver, as well as a plurality of bodily channels and organs that are disposed between the liver and the duodenum. Within the liver lobules, there are many fine “bile canals” that receive secretions from the hepatic cells. The canals of neighboring lobules unite to form larger ducts, and these converge to become the “hepatic ducts.” They merge, in turn, to form the “common hepatic duct.” The “common bile duct” is formed by the union of the common hepatic and the cystic ducts. It leads to the duodenum, where its exit is guarded by a sphincter muscle. This sphincter normally remains contracted until the bile is needed, so that bile collects in the common bile duct and backs up to the cystic duct. When this happens, the bile flows into the gallbladder and is stored there. Sometimes, however, lesions may grow in portions of the biliary system, for example, one of the biliary ducts, that impede bile from properly flowing through the system. In some cases, the lesions may completely prevent the bile flow. This is undesirable as it interrupts the regular digestive process and may even cause damage to the channels and organs of the biliary system.
In order to properly treat the lesions, it is sometimes necessary to acquire a biopsy tissue sample from the lesion, analyze the sample, and then determine a proper treatment based on the analysis, such as, for example, chemotherapy for the treatment of a cancerous mass.
Endoscopes are often used to access and visualize a patient's anatomical lumen, such as those in the pancreaticobiliary system, during a medical procedure. Once the endoscope is positioned in the desired body portion, a biopsy instrument can be advanced through the working channel of the endoscope to the desired body portion. The endoscope and biopsy instrument may then be manipulated as desired for visualization and specimen sampling respectively.
Smaller diameter endoscopes are presently available in the endoscopy market that help reduce unnecessary trauma to the tissues of a patient and provide more versatile endoscopes capable of accessing more diverse categories of patient body lumens. With these smaller diameter endoscopes comes necessarily smaller working channels, which limit the size of any auxiliary instrument used. This, in turn, limits the size of any biopsy specimen collected.
Biopsies are often performed with a biopsy instrument having forceps with two jaws activated by an internal manipulating wire or wires. The instrument is passed through an endoscope to a desired location and then the jaws are closed to grab and sever the biopsy sample. The instrument with the detached specimen is then withdrawn from the endoscope so that the sample is removed. Frequently, due to a small moment arm of the instrument, the cutting, biting, shearing, or tearing force of the jaws is not sufficient or the jaws are not sharp enough (often due to machining tolerances imposed on small diameter elements) to cleanly shear the tissue which is then torn off by a pulling movement. This is particularly problematic in smaller diameter endoscopes with smaller diameter working channels. Accordingly, additional structural jaw features are desired that allow for improved tissue retrieval and improved sample retention, particularly where the desired treatment lumen is of a relatively small cross-section and/or the working channel of the endoscope is relatively small.
Thus, it is desirable to have a miniature biopsy forceps assembly that can access small working channels of smaller endoscopic devices, more precisely access the tortuous and relatively small cross-sectional areas of certain anatomical body lumens, and both sever and retain tissue samples adequate for pathology study. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Many machine tools are configured so that workpieces are machined in an internal area closed by a cover, thereby securing the security. Although the cover has a window, an operator can visually recognize only a limited portion through this window, and therefore, there is a limitation in monitoring the machining status of a workpiece.
Therefore, as described in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-190102, for example, a camera is arranged in the internal area in the machine tool and images obtained from this camera are displayed on the display device, thereby the operator can check the machining status of a workpiece with the displayed images. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention is directed to mass transfer devices and, more particularly, to vapor-liquid contact trays and methods of assembling such trays.
Trays, such as counter-flow trays and cross-flow trays, are commonly used in mass transfer columns to promote contact and mass transfer between ascending and downwardly flowing fluid streams. The ascending fluid is typically vapor and the descending fluid is typically liquid, although liquid-liquid and vapor-vapor systems are also known. Each tray normally extends horizontally across substantially the entire horizontal cross section of the column and is supported around its perimeter by a ring welded to the inner surface of the circular column wall or shell. Various trusses or beams are also used to provide intermediate support for the tray.
It Vapor-liquid contact trays of the type described above contain one or more downcomers that are positioned at openings in the tray to provide passageways for liquid to descend from one tray to an adjacent lower tray. Prior to entering the downcomer, the liquid travels along the tray upper surface and interacts with ascending vapor that passes through valves or other openings provided in selected portions of the tray deck. That portion of the tray deck containing vapor openings is commonly referred to as the xe2x80x9cactive areaxe2x80x9d because of the vapor and liquid mixing and frothing that occurs above the tray. In order to increase the vapor handling capacity and mass transfer efficiency of the tray, it is generally desirable to maximize the active area of the tray by providing vapor openings in as much of the tray deck as possible.
In order to facilitate installation and removal of the above described trays within a column, the trays are typically fabricated in smaller pieces or panels that are sized to fit through openings or manways in the column shell. Once the tray panels are carried through the manways, they are placed on the support beams with the edges of each tray panel overlapping the edges of adjacent tray panels. The tray panels are then typically bolted together along their overlapped edges to resist against lifting or separation of individual tray panels, either by the upward force that is exerted by the ascending vapor stream, or by the vibrations that can occur during operation of the column.
Bolting the multiple tray panels together for each of the numerous trays typically found in a mass transfer column is an extremely labor intensive and time consuming process. In order to reduce the assembly time, a hinged joint has been previously developed to join together adjacent tray panels without requiring the use of bolts. This hinged joint is formed by constructing spaced apart tabs that extend outwardly along the edge of one tray panel and complementally sized and positioned slots spaced a preselected distance from the edge of an adjacent tray panel. The tabs are then inserted into the slots by slightly elevating the opposite end of one of the tray panels, sliding the tabs into the slots, and then lowering the raised end of the tray panel to a horizontal position.
While the hinged joint described above allows for more rapid assembly of tray panels, it does not lock the tray panels together and they may become separated as a result of operational vibrations within the column or if the tray should bow upwardly under the force of high vapor flow rates. In order to resist against separation of the tray panels under anticipated vapor flow rates, the tabs must be of sufficient length so that they do not slip out of the slots when the tray panels bow upward. These longer tabs, however, may overlap and impede the flow of vapor through any vapor openings or valves that are provided near the hinged joint. As a result, the tabs reduce the active area available on the tray deck for vapor and liquid interaction. Another disadvantage of the conventional hinged joint is the overlapped portions of the tray panels are elevated above the surrounding portions of the tray by the thickness of one tray panel. This elevated portion of the tray forms a hump that can disrupt the desired liquid flow pattern along the upper surface of the tray deck and can interfere with the placement of weirs or other structural components on the tray deck.
A need has thus developed for a way to quickly join together adjacent tray panels in a manner that reduces the risk of inadvertent separation during use or installation, does not impede the desired liquid flow pattern on the tray surface, and allows the vapor openings to be positioned more closely to the joint.
In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a vapor-liquid contact tray having a plurality of individual planar tray panels that are joined together to form a tray deck having a planar upper surface. Liquid streams flow along the upper surface of the tray panels and interact with vapor ascending through valves provided in the tray panels. At least two of the tray panels are releaseably joined together by a hinged joint formed along overlapping edge portions of the tray panels. The hinged joint is formed in part by fingers that extend outwardly from one tray panel and are received within slots located in the adjacent tray panel. The fingers have a distal segment and a proximal or attached segment and a first offset bend formed therebetween so that the distal segment is located in a plane underlying the attached segment. A second offset bend is formed in the adjacent tray panel near the overlapped edge portion and places the overlapped edge portion in a plane underlying the main body of the tray panel. The finger receiving slots are located in the second offset bend and are positioned so that the fingers extend through the slots and engage an undersurface of the adjacent tray panel. The hinged joint also includes a locking mechanism comprising at least one downturned locking flange formed in the overlapping edge portion of the one tray panel and extending downward into an opening in the overlapped edge portion of the adjacent tray panel. The hinged joint allows the tray panels to be quickly and easily assembled, with the locking mechanism securing the tray panels against inadvertent horizontal separation during operation of the column. The presence of the locking mechanism allows the fingers to be of a length sufficient to provide vertical support for the adjacent tray panel without the need for additional length to resist lateral separation. As a result, the vapor flow valves or openings can be placed close to the hinged joint to increase the tray active area without interference by the fingers blocking vapor entry into the valves. Advantageously, the construction of the hinged joint allows the overlapped margins of the tray panels to be positioned at or below the top surface of the main bodies of the trays so that disruptions in the flow of liquid across the top surface of the trays are not experienced. The planar hinged joint also facilitates placement of weirs or other structural components on the tray because notches or bends need not be formed in the structural components as is required by the presence of a hump in conventional hinged joints.
In another aspect, the invention is directed to method of assembling tray panels using the hinged joint described above. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates generally to cryomilled alloys and more particularly to cyromilled rhenium alloys.
The aerospace industry is increasingly becoming more competitive. To compete in the industry, it is necessary to develop propulsion systems that are low cost and can efficiently deliver high payloads. Rocket propulsion systems are commonly used for delivering payloads and spacecraft into space.
Many rocket propulsion systems use either a pressure fed system or a turbopump system that transfers propellants to the combustion chamber where they are mixed and burned to produce a high velocity stream of heated gases. The stream of heated gases is then exhausted through one or more nozzles to provide the desired thrust. Typically, combustion takes place at temperatures that may be in excess of 6000 F., which may be higher than the melting point of most conventional engine materials. As a result, in the absence of active cooling, it may be necessary to line the interior of the combustion chamber with a material having a high melting point and oxidation resistance.
Iridium-coated rhenium is a material that is commonly used to line the interior of the combustion chamber. Iridium provides high temperature oxidation resistance and has an intrinsic resistance to oxidation. Rhenium has a higher melting point than iridium and excellent high temperature structural capability. Iridium and rhenium are dense materials that are prohibitively expensive. As a result, the use of iridium and rhenium may increase the overall cost and weight of the propulsion system. Rhenium has also been advantageously used in solid rocket motor applications.
The processing of rhenium also presents several challenges. In many applications, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) fabrication is used. Typically, high temperatures are needed to deposit rhenium using CVD. However, conventional equipment for CVD produces temperatures on the order of 1000° C., which is much lower than the melting point of rhenium. CVD also typically requires relatively expensive starting materials and processing reactors that are relatively expensive to run and maintain. Other methods of processing rhenium, such as electrodeposition, may also present challenges and may result in the rhenium having an undesirable grain size. Post-processing, e.g. machining of rhenium, may also be difficult because of the high work hardening coefficient of rhenium.
The advantageous properties of rhenium may also be adversely affected, in part, by the processing conditions. For instance, in many cases rhenium properties may be dynamic when exposed to high temperatures. This dynamic behavior may result from grain growth that can occur at higher operating temperatures. Grain growth may decrease the mechanical properties of rhenium. Additionally, current methods of processing rhenium typically result in relatively large grain structures or grain structures that have an acicular grain structure. Such grain structures tend to increase the difficulty of processing rhenium and may also result in the rhenium having reduced mechanical properties, such as strength, at higher operating temperatures.
Thus, there still exists a need for a rhenium alloy and a method of processing rhenium that minimizes the level of rhenium that is required without decreasing the mechanical properties and high melt temperature of rhenium. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention generally relates to a writing instrument that includes a means for calculating the Body Mass Index (BMI) of a person. In general, the Body Mass Index (BMI) of a person is calculated based on the weight and height of the person. For example, a BMI may be determined based on the following equation: M/L2, where M is the body weight in kilograms, and L is the body height in meters. It is recognized that other equations may be used for calculating the BMI. For instance, the body weight may be expressed in pounds, and the body height by inches.
The BMI is a useful indicator of a person's body composition and can be used in various applications. For example, health-care providers can use a BMI to determine the proper amount of medication to prescribe for a patient. The BMI of a patient is used often in prescribing medication for treating diabetes and other illnesses.
Wall charts or reference books containing a BMI scale for patients are commonly used in the health care industry. The BMI chart can be hung on the wall of an examination room so that a health-care provider may refer to the chart. Also, various electronic devices are known for calculating the BMI of a patient. These devices have electronic input sensors for entering personal body data, electronic means for calculating the BMI based on the entered body data, and a graphics window for electronically displaying the BMI and other related information.
In a routine physical examination of a patient, a health-care provider must handle and use a large number of separate products including, for example, various medical instruments, pieces of diagnostic equipment, stethoscopes, height/weight scales, writing pens, patient charts, prescription pads, and the like. Although conventional electronic devices may be effective in calculating a patient's BMI, the health-care provider must handle and operate these devices separately in addition to various other items. Many health-care providers would like to reduce the number of items that they must handle during the examination of a patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,764 to Kuhlengel discloses a pen with rotatable cylindrical elements that is used to perform a simple calculation in the multiplication of two numbers. U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,603 to Wang discloses a writing pen with an integral electronic calculator including printed circuit board, keyboard and power supply. In each of these patents, the invention provides its user no capability to perform a specific non-linear calculation, as the former will not permit a non-linear calculation and the latter relies upon the user to supply a formula, in addition to its dependence on electronic, rather than manual components. Therefore, neither patent involves a device which may be manually employed to quickly determine the numerical outcome of a specific non-linear relationship equation, such as the Body Mass Index of a person, based jointly on multiple variables, in this case the two factors being their height and weight. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A successive approximation register comprises an analog-to-digital conversion method in which the input voltage is compared with the output voltage of a sequentially programmed digital-to-analog converter. First, the most significant bit (msb) of the digital-to-analog converter is turned on and compared with an analog input. If the input is greater than the digital-to-analog output, the msb is left on. Otherwise, it is turned off. This process is repeated for all other bits in decreasing order until the least significant bit (lsb) is reached. Within sampling circuits, such as a successive approximation register operating over a wide range of voltages such as from 0–3.6 V, there are signal ranges wherein the CMOS switches used within the sampling circuits may become nonconductive and show a very high resistance due to the bulk effect. This can increase the threshold voltage, Vt, of the transistor, which increases with the bulk-to-source voltage, VBS. The occurrence of the bulk effect within the CMOS devices is highly undesirable since the sampling circuits are supposed to operate most effectively when the switches are conductive throughout the entire operational voltage range. Thus, some manner for reducing or removing the bulk effect of the CMOS switches during sampling to increase the operating voltage range of the analog-to-digital converter would be greatly beneficial. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Portable computers are being increasingly used for both mobile and workstation or desktop applications or environments. For example, portable computers are generally used independently as a mobile device and as an office or desktop workstation via a docking station, thereby enabling the portable computer to be used as a desktop or workstation system while providing mobile convenience as well. However, conserving desktop work space and providing an ergonomic environment for using the portable computer in a desktop application is an important design objective. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A variety of exercise machines have been developed to generate elliptical foot motion. An object of the present invention is to modify such machines so that a user's feet are not constrained to travel in planes that are parallel to one another. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention:
The invention pertains to a leg support attached to a crutch and has particular application to, but is not limited to, supporting the leg of a user who has been fitted with any of a variety of leg casts.
2. Discussion of the Background:
As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,543,847 of Hallstedt, it is known to provide a sling, worn by a user, to keep a leg of the user constantly elevated in order to provide "perfect relief" from weight-bearing so that the user may recover from a unilateral leg disease such as Legg-Perthes disease. Such constant elevation may not be necessary for ordinary users of crutches, for example, those recovering from a broken bone or lesion. In such cases, e.g., when one merely desires assistance in supporting the weight of a cast, the constant restraint created by such a sling and the extra manipulation required when standing or sitting may be cumbersome.
The patent of Hallstedt contemplates that the sling will be used together with a conventional pair of crutches. Others have actually attached various forms of leg supports to crutches. Frequently, the leg support is maintained in a substantially fixed position with respect to the crutch, so that the resulting apparatus either is not designed for supporting the leg during the act of walking or, if it is intended for supporting the leg while walking, the leg must nevertheless follow the crutch closely, so that walking becomes cumbersome. Examples are U.S. Pat. No. 2,378,486 of Jones, U.S. Pat. No. 2,778,370 of Chamblee, U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,715 of Monte and U.S. Pat. No. 2,678,054 of Bostelman. Another characteristic of such inventions is that the leg support is often a rigid member and is attached to the crutch at a fairly low position, such as below the hand grip. This adds to the weight that the user must swing when repositioning the crutch and, to that extent, adds undesirable momentum to the crutch at a critical time during its operation, i.e., when the user is preparing to plant the crutch in a new position.
In addition, hardware mounted to the crutch in a manner described above can sometimes get in the way when it is not in use and is often in a position to be bumped unintentionally by the user.
In some cases, for example the patent of Chamblee, the leg support, when mounted on the crutch, is unsuitable for immediate use either with a left leg or a right leg, but not both. The apparatus must be reconfigured in order to change legs.
Where the knee support is substantially curved or otherwise configured to receive a knee or a leg, the configuration may not be appropriately sized or shaped to receive either a leg having a cast or a leg not having a cast.
Some but not all of the above-noted disadvantages have been at least partly addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,585,730 of Bodnar. In particular, there is provided a standard 18 that is pivoted to the shoulder rest 12 of the crutch by a pivot pin 16. Accordingly, the invention of Bodnar can accommodate leg motion during walking. However, there is still provided a solid member that constrains the motion of the leg to a single direction when the leg is moving forward and constrains the motion of the crutch when the crutch is being moved forward. That is, no provision is made for transverse motion of the standard 18 with respect to the crutch 10, and once a motion has begun, either it must be carried through to its completion in the same direction in which it was initiated or the user must attempt to pivot the crutch at its tip. Accordingly, any unintentional leg movement that may occur during the operation of lifting tee crutch, moving it forward and then placing the crutch on the walking surface may jerk the crutch into an unintended position. I addition, the standard 18 may be unwieldy when not in use. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In the commercial nuclear power industry, there are primarily two types of reactor systems, namely boiling water reactors (BWR) and pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Both use water to moderate the speed of neutrons released by the fissioning of fissionable nuclei, and to carry away heat generated by the fissioning process. Water flows through the reactor core, is recycled, and inevitably becomes contaminated with iron, Fe-55, colloidal and soluble cobalt, Co-58, and Co-60, and other radionuclides. The water further becomes contaminated with organics (e.g., oils and greases), biologicals and non-radioactive colloids (e.g., iron rust).
In a boiling water reactor (BWR), the water passing through the core will be used directly as steam in driving turbine-generators for the production of electricity. In a pressurized water reactor (PWR), the primary water that flows through the reactor is isolated from the secondary water that flows through the turbine generators by steam generators . In both cases, while the chemical constituents of the waste water will be different, these reactor systems will produce colloidal, suspended and dissolved solids that must be removed before the waste water may be reused or released to the environment.
The presence of iron (as iron oxide from carbon steel piping) in Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) circuits and waste waters is a decades old problem. The presence and buildup of this iron in condensate phase separators (CPS) further confounds the problem when the CPS tank is decanted back to the plant. Iron carryover here is unavoidable without further treatment steps. The form of iron in these tanks, which partially settles and may be pumped to a de-waterable high integrity container (HIC), is particularly difficult and time consuming to dewater. The addition of chemicals upstream from the CPS, such as flocculation polymers, to precipitate out the iron only produces an iron form even more difficult to filter and dewater. Such chemically pretreated material contains both sub-micron particles and floc particles of sizes up to 100 microns. It is believed that the sub-micron particles penetrate into filter media, thus plugging the pores and preventing successful filtration of the larger micron particles.
Like BWR iron waste waters, fuel pools, or basins, (especially during the decontamination phase) often contain colloids which make clarity and good visibility nearly impossible. Likewise, miscellaneous, often high conductivity, waste steams at various plants contain such colloids as iron, salts (sometimes via seawater intrusion), dirt/clay, surfactants, waxes, chelants, biologicals, oils and the like. Such waste streams are not ideally suited for standard dead-end cartridge filtration or cross-flow filtration via ultrafiltration media (UF) and/or reverse osmosis (RO), even if followed by demineralizers. Filter and bed plugging are almost assured.
There are a number of prior art techniques used for removal of colloidal, suspended and dissolved solids, and the requirement to remove such materials from waste waters is not unique to nuclear reactors. However, the nature of nuclear reactors raises special concerns about the use of additives for chemical treatments because of the desire to avoid making radioactive wastes also chemical wastes.
There are other concerns as well. The processed waste water must be quite free of radioactive contaminants if it is to be released to the environment. The radioactive material extracted from the waste water during processing must be stable or in a form that can be stabilized for disposal in a way that meets disposal site requirements, particularly with respect to preventing the leaching out of radioactive contaminates by liquid water. Finally, the volume of the waste must be minimized because of both the limited space available for disposal of radioactive waste and the high cost of its disposal.
Accordingly there is a need for better ways of processing radioactive waste water containing suspended solids and dissolved ions from nuclear power reactors and other sources. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a bolus intended to receive irradiation during radiotherapy. It has a particularly useful but non-limitative application in breast radiotherapy.
By bolus is meant a material, if possible tissue-equivalent, placed in the contact with an irradiated region in order to correct surface irregularities or in order to give to the depth dose distribution a shape appropriate for the anatomical structures to be protected or irradiated.
In general, radiotherapy is becoming unavoidable in the treatment of breast cancers, regardless of the stage of development of the tumor and the therapeutic protocol; it limits the risk of local recurrence by 70%. Thus, radiotherapy is indispensable in radical surgery where a mastectomy combined with axillary curage is followed by irradiation of the thoracic wall and the drainage lymph node areas. It is becoming essential with the development of conservative treatments, surgery being limited to a tumorectomy and axillary curage. In other words, radiotherapy is indispensable in all forms of breast cancer in particular, usually combined with surgery and sometimes with chemotherapy.
In France, 50% of radiotherapy treatments after mastectomy use electron beam irradiation.
Treatment consists of irradiating a target volume which can be: the breast or the thoracic wall, the axillary region, the supraclavicular region, the internal mammary chain.
The problem associated with irradiation is therefore the presence of healthy organs in close proximity to the target to be treated. Irradiation of these healthy organs must be avoided, which can for example comprise: the lungs, the heart, the brachial plexus, the cervical spinal cord, the larynx, or the thyroid.
FIG. 1 according to the prior art shows a curve representing the energy efficiency of an electron beam irradiation as a function of the depth (Z) in the body. Physical phenomena mean that the efficiency does not follow a linear decrease from the skin to the inside of the body. Instead the efficiency has a dose maximum at a certain depth relative to the skin and then rapidly decreases exponentially. In most cases, it is necessary to shift this maximum so that the latter is situated exactly on the target while providing maximum protection to the healthy organs. In FIG. 1 for example the dose maximum is at a depth of 20 mm. In order to carry out a shift, current practice consists of placing a bolus on the zone to be treated so as to artificially increase the thickness of the skin and thus reduce the depth of penetration of the irradiation beam. The bolus most commonly used is made of silicone sold in sections ranging from 5 to 10 mm thick. This silicone bolus is difficult to handle and remains expensive. FIG. 2 according to the prior art shows such a bolus placed on a body the surface of which has an irregular shape. Because of the relative rigidity of silicone, gaps 3, 4 and 5 form between the body 2 and the bolus 1. Moreover, it is clearly evident that the penetration of the electron beam is not homogeneous. The disadvantages of a silicone bolus are therefore essentially: difficulty in handling, a density other than 1, this silicone bolus is not tissue-equivalent, high cost, and available in sections of a fixed thickness, which does not allow it to fit properly to the irregular surface of a human body: this leads to inhomogeneity in the dose distribution in the target volume.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,858 is known which describes a bolus for radiotherapy constituted by an aqueous gel. This gel is prepared from a mixture of natural organic polymers and water. This bolus is inexpensive and can be adapted so as to correct the dose distribution. However, to produce this bolus it is necessary to heat the water to a temperature between 70 and 100° C. before incorporating a natural organic polymer into it. This high-temperature preparation method is very restrictive and requires permanent and rigorous monitoring in order to avoid in particular the presence of air bubbles.
The article “Utilization of custom electron bolus in head and neck radiotherapy” by Kudchadker et al. (Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, pp. 322-333, Vol. 4, number 4, Fall 2003) describes a conformational wax bolus for radiotherapy treatment of the head and neck tumors. Two boluses were designed from data generated by a TPS (Treatment Planning System). The boluses were machined from modelling wax with an approximate density of 0.92 gm/cm3 (p. 324, C).
The article by Perkins et al. “A custom three dimensional electron bolus technique for optimization of post-mastectomy irradiation” Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. 51, 1142-1151, describes the use of a compensating wax bolus in the radiotherapy of breast tumors. The authors describe the use of a wax bolus 3 to 4 cm thick and the application of 16 MeV of energy.
Moreover, in fields far removed and independent of radiotherapy, polyurethane-based materials are known for various applications.
Document FR 2 682 289 describes a heat- or cold-energy accumulator constituted by a polyurethane or silicone gel in a very flexible casing (p. 1., I. 31). This casing is necessary for the accumulator because one of the properties of the gel in general is that it is sticky (p 1., I. 31-33) and the cross-linking of the initial liquid components of the gel is easier in a casing.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,216 describes hydrophilic and self-adhesive polyurethane gel substances.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,816 describes polyurethane resins characterized by increased strength. The applications of these resins are in particular the manufacture of intravenous catheters (col. 1, I 9-53). U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,816 also describes, among other objects manufactured with such a resin, boluses for animals (col. 14, I. 9). The description (p. 10, I. 30-35) refers to boluses for animals such as cattle or sheep where the property of the increased strength of the polyurethane resin is important. Thus “bolus” is a medical term also denoting an intravenous injection of a significant dose of a therapeutic agent. The term “bolus” in document U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,816 is therefore different from the bolus as treated in the present invention, which is a tissue-equivalent material to even out a dose of irradiation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The network of an enterprise or organization is typically organized in a centralized way, which means that one unit is responsible for the maintenance and administration of the enterprise's or organization's network while all other units or departments are able to use the network resources. Information technology has become more and more important as a way of doing business while the complexity of network environments has increased. Due to the increase in complexity, the costs of maintaining, upgrading, and administrating network environments has also increased.
The costs of the administration and maintenance of the network are typically shared between all units or all divisions of an enterprise or an organization. Today, there is however no commercial product available which can be employed to gather the network usage of all users of a network so that the corresponding departments or units of the users can be billed in accordance with the network usage of their users.
It is desirable to be able to do accounting so that the unit that maintains and administrates the network can act as a company's or organization's internal service provider. If it could be possible to determine the network usage of a department within a given period of time, for example each month, the costs could be allocated exactly to the corresponding cost centers.
There is therefore a need for an improved method and an improved data processing system for determining user specific network usage of a network according to which users or departments could be charged. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The methods and systems described below provide for optimal treatment of fibroadenomas. A fibroadenoma is a benign tumor found in women's breasts. They are small, solid, round, rubbery masses that are typically found in breast self-exams or mammography. Fibroadenomas are harmless, but may be painful, palpable and emotionally bothersome, and they may mask other lesions that would otherwise be visible to mammography. Fibroadenomas are removed to alleviate pain and to alleviate the emotional burden of living with a breast lump. Even when the breast lump is confirmed to be a benign fibroadenoma, many women elect removal for these reasons. Typically, fibroadenomas are removed by lumpectomy, which is an open surgical procedure. Open surgical recision requires a fairly large incision, creates an unsightly scar on the breast and a scar inside the breast that interferes with mammography, and it requires general anesthesia.
Sanarus, Inc. has proposed cryoablation of fibro-adenomas in its PCT publication WO0197702. As proposed in that publication, cryoablation entailed the commonly preferred double freeze-thaw cycle consisting of a 6 to 15 minute freezes followed by thawing until the internal cryoprobe temperature reaches 0° C. While that procedure is useful, the procedure described below provides suitable treatment with the advantages that a smaller iceball is created, it avoids ablating tissue surrounding the fibroadenoma that need not be ablated given the benign nature of the fibroadenoma, it limits the potential for damage to the skin overlying the fibroadenoma, and the resorption time for the ablated mass is greatly reduced. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) standard (IS-95) for cellular communication systems calls for an 8 Kbps voice coding (vocoding) algorithm. A vocoder converts speech into a digital data stream. A number of techniques have been used to reduce the data rate necessary to send acceptable speech signals. Despite this any given voice coding system produces a higher quality speech signal when it has a higher data rate.
Field tests of the 8 Kbps vocoder for the CDMA cellular systems have shown non-optimal speech quality. The obvious solution is to increase the data rate of the vocoder. This solution can have major impacts on other parts of the CDMA cellular telephone system.
Part of a CDMA cellular system 10 is shown in FIG. 1. A base station controller (BSC) 12 is coupled to a number of base transceiver sites 14 (BTS) through T1 telephone lines 16. The BTS 14 is in radio communication with a plurality of mobiles (portables or subscriber units) 18. In the CDMA system 10 incoming voice data is received by the BSC 12 from the public switched telephone network (PSTN) 20. A single voice channel consists of a 64 Kbps, pulse code modulation (PCM) signal. The BTS 14 transmits a single voice channel at 16 Kbps, including overhead data. The BSC 12 has a plurality of transcoders (XCDR) 22 that compress the 64 Kbps voice channels from the PSTN into 16 Kbps voice and control channels. Since the BSC 12 has more than a single channel of voice coming in from the PSTN 20 a demultiplexer 24 is necessary to separate the channels. Once the channels have been transcoded, they are multiplexed, by multiplexer 26 onto the T1 line 16. A controller 28 controls all aspects of the BSC 12.
The BTS 14 receives the plurality of voice signals from the T1 line 16 and demultiplexer 30 separates the voice channels and directs them to one of a plurality of transceivers (XCVR) 32. The transceivers 32 modulate the received voice signals for radio transmission over an antenna 34. A combiner/separator 36 couples the plurality of transceivers 32 to the antenna 34. The BTS 14 has a global positioning system (GPS) receiver 38, the function of which will be explained more fully below. A controller 40 coordinates and controls all aspects of the BTS 14.
The received voice signals from the PSTN 20 do not contain any of the control information necessary for the BSC 12 to communicate with the BTS 14. This control information is added by the BSC 12. The control information and transcoded voice data are transmitted in a frame. An example of a prior art frame 50 is shown in FIG. 2. The prior art frame 50 contains 320 bits and is 20 ms long. The frame 50 has a 35 bit synchronization word, 37 bits of control data, 202 bits of data (voice), 42 bits for a Universal Time Counter (UTC) and 4 T bits. In the prior art 8 Kbps vocoder only 166 of the 202 bits were used for the voice signal. Any vocoder changes to the CDMA standard need to fit within a 16 Kbps frame unless a major redesign of other parts of the architecture is undertaken. To meet the desired voice quality standards a 13.25 Kbps vocoder was chosen. This requires 265 data bits per frame.
A new frame structure was devised to achieve the 13.25 Kbps vocoding scheme. First, all the available data bits are used, increasing the available data bits to 202. The UTC bits are only sent on non-full rate links, freeing up 42 bits. The Hamming code portion of the control data bits are eliminated as unnecessary, freeing up 5 bits. The bad frame quality indicator is reduced to 9 bits. However, the frame sequence bits have to be increase by 1 bit. All these changes allow 253 bit per frame, twelve bits short of the necessary 265 bits.
The 4 T bits were rarely used, and there only function is to reserve time in case a frame needs to be advance in time. Further the frame and time alignment bits were not needed every frame, but were expected by the BTS 14 and BSC 12. Thus there exists a need for a frame and time alignment system and method that uses fewer bit per frame to free up bits for data. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Conventional integrated circuits (ICs) use timing signals to control sequences of events across a chip, and this is known as synchronous design. A clock signal is sent to each module on a chip and data signals are sent on separate lines. If a first module sends data to a second module following a clock transition Tn, then the second module will capture the data at the next clock transition, Tn+1. The use of synchronous design is a crucial factor in constraining the complexity of problems in integrated circuit design.
A typical system on a chip (SoC) may have a large number of clocks. All of the logic in all of the modules clocked by a single clock, and all of the logic and data connections between such modules is known as a single clock environment and this conforms to synchronous design. Other design techniques are employed for data signals that cross between logic or modules that are clocked by different clocks.
Whilst synchronous design between modules generally limits IC design problems there are problems with this approach. Firstly, for a synchronous chip to function correctly, a reliable clock signal has to be available across every part of the design. Tracks are generally used to transport the clock signal on a chip. High drive strengths will be required in order to overcome capacitance on these tracks. Lines with high drive strengths risk being cross-talk aggressors, meaning that they interfere with other lines on the chip. The solution is generally to limit the maximum length of any one track, and use repeaters where the track length is longer than this maximum length. However, in order to distribute the clock, there may well not be one long thin track, but a tree branch fan-out to a number of destinations. Driving a lot of circuit track has a number of undesirable effects including inducing cross-talk and transistor lifetime degradation. Furthermore, there are often design problems in driving many buffers to all destinations on a chip.
The problems with synchronous designs may be partially overcome in asynchronous designs, in which modules on a chip may operate at their own independent speeds, and no clock signal is transmitted between modules. However, an entirely asynchronous design is an extremely difficult proposition in practice, due to the uncertainty of when signals in the circuit are valid.
An approach has been proposed which is globally asynchronous, locally synchronous (GALS). This means that the logic in each module on a chip is synchronous while the connections between modules are asynchronous. This approach promises to solve timing problems and reduce power consumption, all without designers needing to learn fundamentally new skills or abandoning any of the existing huge investment in predefined, synchronous IP (Intellectual Property) circuit blocks. However, for asynchronous communication between modules on a chip, there are two basic requirements: the receiving unit has to know when to read the data line; and the sending unit has to know when it can send a new value. In synchronous designs these issues are controlled by the system clock, and by knowing the timing characteristics of the link, timing can be controlled such that these requirements are met.
Asynchronous design is significantly more difficult both for manual analysis and to automate because of the computational complexity. In synchronous design, it is only the final, settled output of each logic cone that needs to be analysed in terms of its logic value and timing; that is, what is the longest path that a transition could take to propagate through the logic cone and also what is the shortest path (used to determine how long the result will remain stable after a subsequent clock). This synchronous design analysis only need be performed at two process extremes, the slowest PVT (process, voltage, temperature) for the longest path and the fastest PVT for the shortest path. In synchronous design, it does not matter if the output of any cone of logic changes any number of times or glitches prior to the final settled output time because the resultant data is only captured once coincident with the following clock edge. However, in asynchronous design multiple output changes and glitches need to be avoided and the analysis for such needs to be performed across all variations of input timings and all combinations of timing paths through the logic cone.
In asynchronous design, the simplest approach is to use two wires—one for ‘1’s and the other for ‘0’s. When both wires are low, then no data is transmitted and the receiver knows that there is no data value on the wire. When either wire is set to high, the receiver knows that there is data on the wire, and depending on which wire is set to high, the data will be a 0 or a 1. Another approach is to have one wire designated as a clock or strobe, and the second wire (or collection of wires) carrying the data.
Particular problems arise when switching multi-wire asynchronous on-chip communications. It is possible to consider switching such communications, but this often involves a complex feedback path to communicate a handshake of each bit of data, or is limited by the number of switching elements that the separate wires can pass through before the difference in path delays for each wire and each gate within the switch becomes too large.
Consider normal serial data in a synchronous system. As explained above, either the clock is considered global, or the clock is routed alongside the data wire. At each switching node the potential misalignment between the data dn the clock increases and eventually becomes too large. The normal procedure is to limit the impact of switching by either limiting the clock frequency or by limiting the “size” (the number of cascaded switch elements) of the switch. The most common solution to this problem is to “retime” the signal at each switch step. Retiming involves capturing the data in a flip-flop and passing the output of that flip-flop, along with the clock, onto the next switch step. Thus one clock cycle of latency is added for each switch step. This is expensive, both in terms of latency and in terms of the area and power consumption of the flip-flop. Thus, the integrity of the data is corrected by resynchronizing with each clock. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Structural devices are often formed as assemblies of a number of smaller structural members. Such assembling of individual members may be necessary to form devices that are too large or too complicated to be formed by conventional manufacturing methods. For example, such factors as casting sizes, forging sizes, available plate and block sizes, and the like can limit the size and geometry of the individual structural members that can be manufactured. To form larger or more complex devices, the structural members are typically assembled by joining the individual structural members using a variety of known joining techniques including, for example, mechanical fastening or welding.
Joints formed by mechanical fasteners such as rivets, screws, and bolts typically require an overlap of the structural materials at the joint. The fasteners and the overlap of material result in an increase in weight of the joint and the structural assembly. The joint can also introduce areas of increased stress, for example, around holes drilled for receiving rivets. Alternatively, weld joints can be formed to join the structural members, sometimes requiring little or no overlap of material. However, the formation of conventional weld joints, such as by arc or electron beam welding, can result in undesirable dimensional changes in the structural members. Welding can also introduce porosity or other discontinuities into the structural members or otherwise cause unwanted changes to the material properties of the structural members.
Friction welding has also been proposed as an alternative to conventional welding methods for joining members. Weld joints formed by friction welding generally exhibit refined grain structure as compared to weld joints formed by other conventional weld techniques such as plasma arc welding. Linear friction welding and rotational friction welding can be used to form strong joints without reducing the mechanical characteristics of the joined materials or causing significant dimensional changes. However, each of these conventional friction welding techniques is limited by the dimensions of the structural members and/or the joints to be formed. For example, conventional linear friction welding and rotational friction welding require one member to be moved, i.e., oscillated or rotated, and urged against the other member. Because of the difficulty of moving large structural members, it can be impossible or impractical to join some structural members by these techniques.
Thus, there exists a need for an improved apparatus and method of joining structural members to form structural assemblies. Preferably, the method should enable the manufacture of preforms that approximate the desired dimensions and configuration of the structural assembly and therefore require little machining or other subsequent processing to form the structural assemblies. The method should be adaptable for joining large and/or complex structural members. Further, the method should not add significant weight to the structural assembly, and should minimize dimensional changes and undesirable changes to the material properties of the structural members. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates to an improved method and construction of pulley wheels.
The prior art is replete with methods and constructions of pulley wheels which utilize an annular hub member joined to a pair of back-to-back discs. Positive indexing of the hub member as well as positive control of the lateral run-out or wobble and radial run-out of the pulley wheel are constant objectives within economically feasible limits. Ancillary to this is the overall service-life of the wheel itself as well as total manufacturing costs. The pulley wheel industry is highly competitive and there is a constant need for an improved method and construction of a pulley wheel which has negligible run-out and wobble, and a longer service-life at reduced costs. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to mountings for steering telecommunication antennae.
Such mountings are used for supporting a telecommunications antenna which allows communications to be established with a satellite which is stationary in relation to the earth, and it is an object of the invention to provide such mounting which will enable the antenna to be aimed and to be held steady in a predetermined position. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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To maintain safety, PPE products require routine maintenance and appropriate training for the personnel using the PPE products. Managing the safety of PPE products in the field can be a challenge for any company having workers at one or more locations that utilize PPE products.
In this regard, it is important for a company to appropriately maintain the PPE products that its workers use, ensure that such workers are properly trained with respect to the specific PPE items that they use, remain current on the requirements and standards for the PPE products that they use, and ensure that appropriate PPE products are being utilized by the personnel at each particular job site. To this end, it is known to provide automated systems that utilize accessible electronic databases containing lists of the specific PPE items the personal protection equipment that are used by a company and the safety information relevant to those specific PPE items so that the company can be assisted in managing the safety of and/or the PPE products used by its personnel. Such automated systems are known to use Low Frequency and/or High Frequency RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chips and 2D bar codes attached to each personal protection equipment item used by a company so that the company can track the safety information relevant to those personal protection equipment items.
The RFID chips and 2D bar codes of conventional systems typically have a 96 bit or smaller identifier encoded or inscribed therein that can be read by a mobile or handheld reader/scanner that is placed closely adjacent the RFID chip and/or bar code so as to wirelessly receive or scan the identifiers. The identifier and the corresponding item of PPE can then be assigned to a particular worker and/or a particular worksite. This information can then be used to access the electronic databases to obtain the safety information relevant to each specific PPE item assigned to a particular worker and/or to a particular worksite. While such systems may perform acceptably for their intended function, there is always room for improvement. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a relaying apparatus between relative rotary members for carrying out an electrical connection between rotary members which rotate relatively through a cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
A relaying apparatus between relative rotary members according to a related art includes a rotary body having an internal cylindrical portion, a fixed body having an external cylindrical portion for surrounding the internal cylindrical portion with a predetermined distance and a C-shaped moving body provided within a space between the rotary body and the fixed body. A flexible flat cable is disposed in a space between the rotary body and the inner peripheral surface of the C-shaped moving body and is also disposed in a space between the inner peripheral surface of the fixed body and the outer peripheral surface of the C-shaped moving body, through a gap portion of the C-shaped moving body. A cover member is fitted to the fixed body in order to prevent the C-shaped moving body and the flexible flat cable from escaping from the fixed body.
Accordingly, when the rotary body is rotated relative to the fixed body, a sliding surface of the rotary body rotates by sliding on a sliding surface of the fixed body. In order to prevent a sliding noise and abrasion, lubricant which is a lubricating material is coated at a plurality of points on these sliding surfaces. In this case, it is necessary that the lubricant is adhered to as many points as possible by a small quantity at each point so that the lubricant is uniformly distributed to the sliding surfaces.
However, in order to adhere the lubricant by a small quantity to each point, an apparatus for supplying the lubricant must be the one having a high precision of quantity measuring. Further, it is necessary to adhere the lubricant to many points. Accordingly, there has been a problem that a high cost is required for coating the lubricant to meet the above requirements. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a valve element adapted to be used in a solenoid valve, the valve element having a disk-shaped leaf spring carrying a movable core fitted thereto.
Control valves for controlling the flow of fluid include flow rate control valves, direction control valves and pressure control valves. The flow rate control valve is designed to modify the flow rate of fluid by providing appropriate resistance to the flow by means of a valve element and the direction control valve is designed to allow or block a flow of fluid in a given direction to shift the direction of a flow of fluid also by means of a valve element, whereas the pressure control valve is adapted to regulate the pressure of the flow of fluid in a fluid circuit by means of a valve element. A solenoid valve is a kind of control valve having a valve element to be operated by means of a solenoid.
Known solenoid valves for controlling the flow rate of fluid flowing through a flow path include the one proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-145873. The proposed method of manufacturing refers to a solenoid valve comprising a valve housing having two ports and a valve element fitted to the valve housing, the valve element having a valve seal adapted to take an open position for opening a valve seat and allowing the two ports to communicate with each other or take a closed position for closing the valve seat and blocking the communication therebetween.
A solenoid coil is arranged in the valve housing in order to operate the valve element. A fixed core (fixed iron core) and a movable core (movable iron core) are arranged at the center of the coil so that the valve element may be opened and closed by means of the movable core. As valve elements capable of being operated by a movable core, there has been developed a valve element provided with such movable core fitted thereto. The valve element of this type typically comprises a disk-shaped leaf spring, an outer peripheral seal arranged at the outer periphery of the leaf spring, a movable core with a cup-shaped cross section arranged in a central area of the leaf spring and a valve seal arranged at an end face of the movable core in order to open and close the valve seat.
The inventors of the present invention have studied valve bodies having a movable core fitted thereto as well as methods for manufacturing such a valve element. As a result of intensive research efforts, the inventor of the present invention invented a method of placing a leaf spring in a metal mold with a movable core held in engagement with the central hole of the leaf spring and forming a leaf spring holding section for rigidly holding the movable core and the leaf spring through vulcanization and molding at the time of forming a valve seal for an end wall section of the movable also through vulcanization and molding so that the leaf spring and the movable core may be rigidly held together by the leaf spring holding section formed integrally with the valve seal.
However, the sealing effect of a valve element relative to a valve seat may be ensured when costly fluorine rubber is only used for the valve seal but the arrangement of rigidly holding the movable core in position by means of a fluorine rubber valve seal and preparing the valve seal and the outer peripheral seal simultaneously by molding requires the valve seal to have a large capacity. Then, such a valve seal can be prepared only by using a large volume of costly and heavy fluorine rubber to consequently raise the weight of the valve element and counter all the efforts for reducing the weight of the valve element. Additionally, any attempt for rigidly holding a movable core and a leaf spring together by means of a leaf spring holding section made of expensive fluorine rubber is accompanied by an insufficient holding strength particularly when the leaf spring holding section is poorly contractible during the molding process. Then, the valve element would not be able to enjoy a long service life and the solenoid valve comprising such a valve element would lose reliability.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a highly reliable valve element that can be prepared with a reduced volume of costly fluorine rubber and hence at reduced cost.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a lightweight valve element.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a highly durable valve element wherein the leaf spring and the movable core are rigidly held together with an enhanced level of strength.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a valve element adapted to be arranged in a solenoid valve to open and close a valve seat, comprising a step of preparing a leaf spring including an outer peripheral ring section, a hub section having a central hole, and a plurality of radial arm sections for connecting between said outer peripheral ring section and said hub section, a step of forming a ring-shaped outer peripheral seal by vulcanizing and molding an elastic material such as rubber along said outer peripheral ring section, a step of preparing a movable core having a cup-shaped cross-section and including a cylindrical section and an end wall section, said end wall section being arranged at an end of the cylindrical section and having a central through hole, said cylindrical section having on its outer periphery a stepped section to be held in contact with said leaf spring and having a groove section, a step of forming a valve seal through vulcanization and molding at said end wall, said valve seal having a main body section disposed on an outer surface of said end wall section, a small diameter section disposed in said through hole, and an holding section located on an inner surface of said end wall section and connected to said main body section by way of the small diameter section, a step of placing said movable core and said leaf spring in a thermal caulking metal mold and aligning and holding said leaf spring and said stepped section in contact with each other, a step of aligning a holder ring along an outer periphery of said movable core and a step of bringing said holder ring into engagement with said groove by thermal caulking to that said leaf spring and said movable core are rigidly secured to each other by means of said holder ring. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and apparatus for handling storage media in a data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for handling magnetic media in the form of a tape in a storage system.
2. Description of Related Art
One issue faced by the data processing industry is how to store the maximum amount of data on a minimum volume of media. Magnetic recording tape is commonly used as the media of choice because it is inexpensive and yet it provides significant data storage capacity per unit volume. Improvements in magnetic recording technology have increased the track density as well as the bit recording density for magnetic tape. These improvements have been used to maximize the number of bits stored per square inch of magnetic tape. Further improvements in the recording density of magnetic tape are increasingly difficult to attain because of the need for accurate alignments of the magnetic tape with the read/write head to read the data from the tracks written on the magnetic tape. Any misalignments of the tracks of the magnetic tape with the read/write head causes errors in the data read from the magnetic tape. In addition, the increase in linear recording density is restricted by the bandwidth of the recording channel.
One approach to increasing the amounts of data that may be stored on magnetic tape is to use a two-sided magnetic tape. On a two-sided magnetic tape, data is written on both sides of the tape. These types of systems, however, require two sets of read/write heads, with one set of read/write heads being located on each of the two sides of the magnetic tape as it travels through the tape path and the tape drive. These types of systems require specially designed tape drives. These tape drive systems are complex because they require the use of two sets of read/write heads to read and write both sides of the tape as it travels through the system. The increased number of components also increases the cost of creating such tape drive systems.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method and apparatus for reading both sides of a media using a single set of read/write heads.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus in a data storage system for accessing a tape storage media wherein the tape storage media has a first side and a second side for storing data. The tape storage media is received at a reel. The reel is rotatable in a first direction and in a second direction, and the reel is positioned proximate to a head used to access the tape storage media as the tape storage media is wound onto the reel. The reel is selectively rotated in the first direction and the second direction to selectively present the first side and the second side for access by the head.
In the depicted examples, the reel includes an inner reel and an outer reel. The outer reel is rotatable in a first direction and in a second direction to selectively present one side of the tape to the head. The inner reel is rotatable to draw additional portions of the presented side of the tape on the outer reel past the head. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a brake control device and a brake control method, and, more particularly, to a brake control device and a brake control method that control the braking force applied to the wheels provided on a motor vehicle.
2. Background of the Invention
A brake-by-wire system is described in, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. JP-A-2005-35471 and JP-A-2006-123889. The brake-by-wire system generates braking force through electronic control by detecting a driver's brake operation.
With the brake-by-wire system, there is a need to detect a driver's brake operation. In order to reliably generate braking force in response to a driver's request, the brake system must have additional fail-safe mechanisms to ensure that the operation of the brake pedal by the driver is appropriately detected. The brake system must also ensure that no braking force is generated when the brake pedal is not operated. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In disk-based storage systems, there is usually a clear separation between the primary storage function—which deals with providing rapid and efficient access to active data—and secondary storage mechanisms which deal with less active data, with long term data protection, and with maintaining archives of historical storage contents.
These secondary functions have, for the most part, traditionally been handled using magnetic tape storage. Reasons for this include the fact that tape has been much cheaper than disk storage (and other alternatives), and tape cartridges are easily transported to provide offsite copies of data to protect against loss due to localized disasters.
For a number of years, the cost per byte of disk hardware has been dropping at a much faster rate than that of tape hardware, making disk increasingly attractive as an alternative to tape as a medium for secondary storage. Some of the properties of disk, such as low-latency random access, clearly make it superior to tape as a secondary storage medium. If, however, the superior properties of disk are exploited in a secondary storage system, then new challenges arise which did not previously exist with tape.
For example, since every hard disk drive includes the mechanism for reading and writing the media that it contains, in a disk-based secondary storage system it becomes attractive to keep all data online at all times. This means that traditional mechanisms for protecting archival data, based on physically isolating and protecting the storage media, become inapplicable. One could simply turn the disks into write-once media by disallowing deletions in hardware, but then deletion of old data that are no longer needed would also be prohibited.
Moreover, for low cost safe disk storage it may be attractive to use an object storage scheme, such as is described in Margolus et al., “A Data Repository and Method for Promoting Network Storage of Data,” U.S. 2002/0,038,296 A1 (Mar. 28, 2002). An object storage system is like a file system without a built-in mechanism for organizing the files (“objects”) into a hierarchy. The clients of the object storage system must define and implement any such mechanism, for example by storing directory information in objects. This lack of built-in hierarchy separates out a complicated issue from the implementation of the storage system itself.
In the example of Margolus et al. U.S. 2002/0,038,296, security and privacy considerations are addressed by assuming that the storage system has little or no access to information about the structure or nature of the data that it stores. This constraint adds an extra dimension to the problem of safely allowing deletion of unnecessary data, while protecting necessary data from malicious or accidental deletion.
If deletion of unnecessary data is to be allowed, mechanisms are of course required for determining which data has become unnecessary. Traditional backup schemes maintain “snapshots” of storage system contents at predefined moments, discarding some snapshots as unnecessary after some period of time. File servers often use an on-disk snapshotting mechanism for short-term protection of files from data corruption or accidental deletion. Commonly, this is implemented by simply avoiding overwriting data that is needed for some existing snapshot, and instead writing the new data to a new location (and maintaining appropriate indexing information for finding the different versions of files). A snapshot is created by declaring at some point in time that no data that exists at that point will be overwritten. A snapshot is discarded by freeing storage resources that are not needed by any other snapshot, and are not currently in use.
Thus one definition of unnecessary data is data that is only needed by discarded historical snapshots. The challenge of deleting only unnecessary data then requires reconciling this definition with the constraints and structure of a distributed, private and secure storage system. For example, it may not be possible, in general, for a storage server to determine which stored data is part of a given historical version, or even which historical versions exist. This problem is compounded if some pieces of data are shared: different historical versions of the same object, or even different objects, may all share common pieces of data, for storage efficiency. These pieces may only be deleted when they are no longer needed by any version of any object. Finally, there may be more sophisticated needs for the protection of historical information than are provided by simple snapshotting. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Self-checkout stations at grocery stores and other retail stores are well known. The stations permit a consumer to scan articles for purchase so the station may identify the articles and a corresponding price. When the consumer indicates all articles for purchase have been presented to the terminal, a sub-total is accumulated, any taxes and discounts are computed, and a total amount due is displayed for the consumer. The station then allows the consumer to select a payment method. The station presents menu selections to the consumer so funds may be transferred to the retailer's account. Upon confirmation of payment, the articles are released to the consumer.
A self-checkout station typically includes a terminal, a scanner/scale for reading unit price codes (UPC) and determining article weight, a cashier keypad and display, a POS terminal for payment entry, a receipt printer, a change unit, and a checkout area for holding articles once they have been scanned. The terminal also includes a display, a processor, memory, programmed instructions, and data peripherals to control the operations of the station. The programmed instructions may contain modules for querying for article prices, computing totals and performing other functions related to the purchase of articles through a self-checkout station. Some checkout stations may also include a security application program that uses data from sensors such as scales to reduce the likelihood that the consumer leaves without scanning all of the articles or exchanging scanned articles with more expensive articles that have not been scanned.
Typically, two or more self-checkout stations are located proximately to one another with a checkout attendant station nearby. The checkout attendant may help consumers who may be using a self-checkout station for the first time, who are having trouble with scanning an article, or who are having difficulty with a payment method or the like. That is, the primary duty of the attendant is to provide assistance to customers who are using the self-checkout stations so the stations efficiently and quickly process customers with their checkouts. Although these attendants are available to assist in security monitoring, such duties actually detract from the performance of their primary duty.
Checkout stations that require cashiers or other store personnel to operate them have an architecture that is similar to that of the self-checkout stations. That is, they have a terminal that is coupled to a variety of peripherals, such as a hard disk drive, a display, a credit card terminal, and the like. However, these terminals have their primary display and keyboard oriented away from the consumer so a store employee may control the checkout procedure. Many fast food establishments have the same type of terminals, although the keyboards may be supplied with keys that may be pre-programmed or programmed on site for association with specific food items on an establishment's menu. Fast food terminals may also include peripherals, such as a hard disk drive, and ancillary displays. One example of ancillary displays is a display in the kitchen or other food preparing area where the display may be used to inform the staff of the ordered items that need preparation for service to consumers.
In each of the environments described above, each terminal includes a processor and the necessary hardware used to support its operation. For example, each processor typically resides on a printed circuit card that includes circuitry for controlling the communication bus of the terminal. Program and data memory is also required for the operating system and working memory space so each processor may perform in accordance with instructions for a checkout application. Not only are the hardware costs for each processor duplicated in each checkout station, self-checkout station, or attendant station, but the software costs are also replicated as well. That is, software licenses are required for copies of the operating system software and other application programs that reside within the memory of each terminal. These duplicative expenses increase the cost of these terminal systems for an industry that historically has low profit margins.
The cost of these duplicative elements is further exacerbated by the maintenance and service costs associated with these independent processor-controlled systems. Each processor and its requisite interface and support components are subject to wear and tear that may degrade the operational performance of a terminal and require replacement. Because the terminals are not likely to fail at approximately the same time, multiple service calls may be required to service the terminals and to replace failing components associated with the processors in the terminals. Likewise, software upgrades for the applications executed by the terminal processors require the memory of each processor to be serviced for installing the upgrade in the memory of a processor. This increases the amount of time required for a service call to upgrade the performance of a terminal.
Service calls to sites having multiple checkout stations also require that the maintenance person open the housing of each terminal to clean, inspect, or replace components. This duplicative activity of opening and closing each terminal during service or maintenance visits also increases the time and expense of service and maintenance calls.
What is needed is a way to reduce the duplication of processors and their support components in self-checkout and retail terminals.
What is needed is a way to reduce the need to house a terminal processor and its associated computer peripherals in a housing separate from another terminal processor and its associated computer peripherals.
What is needed is a way to reduce the need for multiple software licenses because a copy of an application program is required for each terminal.
What is needed is a way to reduce the time and expense for maintenance and service calls for checkout stations. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Field
One or more example embodiments relate to liveness testing methods, liveness testing apparatuses, image processing methods, image processing apparatuses, and/or electronic devices including the same.
Description of the Related Art
Biometric technologies may identify a human based on unique biometric characteristics of each individual user. Among conventional biometric technologies, a face recognition system may naturally recognize a user based on the user's face without requiring user contact with a sensor, such as a fingerprint scanner or the like. However, conventional face recognition systems may be vulnerable to impersonations using a picture of a face of a registered target. | {
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Minimally invasive surgical techniques are aimed at reducing the amount of extraneous tissue that is damaged during diagnostic or surgical procedures, thereby reducing patient recovery time, discomfort, and deleterious side effects. As a consequence, the average length of a hospital stay for standard surgery may be shortened significantly using minimally invasive surgical techniques. Also, patient recovery times, patient discomfort, surgical side effects, and time away from work may also be reduced with minimally invasive surgery.
A common form of minimally invasive surgery is endoscopy, and a common form of endoscopy is laparoscopy, which is minimally invasive inspection and surgery inside the abdominal cavity. In standard laparoscopic surgery, a patient's abdomen is insufflated with gas, and cannula sleeves are passed through small (approximately one-half inch or less) incisions to provide entry ports for laparoscopic instruments.
Laparoscopic surgical instruments generally include an endoscope (e.g., laparoscope) for viewing the surgical field and tools for working at the surgical site. The working tools are typically similar to those used in conventional (open) surgery, except that the working end or end effector of each tool is separated from its handle by an extension tube (also known as, e.g., an instrument shaft or a main shaft). The end effector can include, for example, a clamp, grasper, scissor, stapler, cautery tool, linear cutter, or needle holder.
To perform surgical procedures, the surgeon passes working tools through cannula sleeves to an internal surgical site and manipulates them from outside the abdomen. The surgeon views the procedure by means of a monitor that displays an image of the surgical site taken from the endoscope. Similar endoscopic techniques are employed in, for example, arthroscopy, retroperitoneoscopy, pelviscopy, nephroscopy, cystoscopy, cisternoscopy, sinoscopy, hysteroscopy, urethroscopy, and the like.
Minimally invasive telesurgical robotic systems are being developed to increase a surgeon's dexterity when working on an internal surgical site, as well as to allow a surgeon to operate on a patient from a remote location (outside the sterile field). In a telesurgery system, the surgeon is often provided with an image of the surgical site at a control console. While viewing a three dimensional image of the surgical site on a suitable viewer or display, the surgeon performs the surgical procedures on the patient by manipulating master input or control devices of the control console. Each of the master input devices controls the motion of a servo-mechanically actuated/articulated surgical instrument. During the surgical procedure, the telesurgical system can provide mechanical actuation and control of a variety of surgical instruments or tools having end effectors that perform various functions for the surgeon, for example, holding or driving a needle, grasping a blood vessel, dissecting tissue, or the like, in response to manipulation of the master input devices.
Non-robotic linear clamping, cutting and stapling devices have been employed in many different surgical procedures. For example, such a device can be used to resect a cancerous or anomalous tissue from a gastro-intestinal tract. Unfortunately, many known surgical devices, including known linear clamping, cutting and stapling devices, have opposing jaws that may generate less than a desired clamping force, which may reduce the effectiveness of the surgical device. Alternative devices may provide sufficient mechanical advantage to generate a desired level of clamping force for applicable surgical procedures (e.g., tissue stapling), but may have an actuation response rate that is less than desirable for telesurgical tissue manipulation. Furthermore, swapping tools having such high force jaw actuation mechanisms may be more complex (and potentially more prone to glitches) than would be ideal.
Thus, there is believed to be a need for tools with improved end effectors. Improved end effectors that provide sufficient clamping force, provide a fast response/low force articulation mode, and are at least partially back-drivable may also be desirable. Such tools may be beneficial in surgical applications, particularly in minimally invasive surgical applications. | {
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The operation of electronic devices generates electromagnetic radiation within the electronic circuitry of the equipment. Such radiation results in electromagnetic interference (EMI), which can interfere with the operation of other electronic devices within a certain proximity. A common solution to ameliorate the effects of EMI has been the development of shields capable of absorbing and/or reflecting EMI energy. These shields are typically employed to localize EMI within its source, and to insulate other devices proximal to the EMI source. | {
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The invention relates more particularly to a wheeled platform for coupling to a pushchair in particular for transporting a standing child, the platform comprising a footplate fitted with wheels and at least one coupling arm having a first end fitted to the footplate and a second end adapted to co-operate with means for securing it to the pushchair.
Patent document EP 1 104 377 describes a platform of the above-specified type, comprising a footplate that is coupled to the pushchair by means of arms having ends fitted to the footplate via bushings.
Specifically, the bushings extend along a common horizontal axis and have stop means for holding the arms angularly relative to the platform, the arms themselves being held angularly in the bushings. Although that disposition does indeed enable the trim of the platform to be adjusted so that said trim is substantially horizontal in use, it is nevertheless relatively complex and expensive to manufacture.
Patent document DE-U-297 19064 describes a wheeled footplate for a pushchair in which the connection between the footplate and the pushchair is provided by a front fitting secured by being screwed directly into the front portion of the platform and being fastened to the rear axle of the pushchair.
Patent document DE-U-200 23469 describes a wheeled footplate for a pushchair in which the bottom ends of the arms pass freely in recesses of the platform: the connection is then voluntarily loose.
WO-A-99/16653 also describes a wheeled footplate for a pushchair in which the platform is connected to the side arms by hinges constituted by lateral studs, so as to allow it to be raised by pivoting.
For the technological background, reference may also be made to the following documents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,935, U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,887, DE-C-97 662, DE-U-295 06009, DE-U-297 22147, and WO-A-93/22179. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Establishment of a communication session (e.g., an interactive multimedia session) generally entails allocation of network resources (e.g., bandwidth, communication channels (such as signaling channels), packet data protocols (PDPs), processing resources, and the like), regardless of the communication session being established successfully or failing to initiate. In scenarios in which the communication session is attempted between a peer network and a service network, processing such communication session can form routing loops which generate one or more network responses, such as alarms, unnecessarily consuming network resources associated with management of such responses. These and other shortcomings are addressed by the present disclosure. | {
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Intervertebral spacer implants, either alone or further provided as an assembly, inclusive of a retention mechanism to help alleviate expulsion and movement of the implant when placed in the spine, are well known. Such implant assemblies are advantageous in providing an implant that is easier to insert in the spine, and which resists expulsion subsequent to implantation. Intervertebral spacer implant assemblies which include a spacer and a plate, where the plate comprises a supplemental or alternative retention mechanism having one or more holes in the anterior end of the plate that are directed toward the superior, inferior or both endplates of adjacent vertebrae are also known in the art. Such implants are used to stabilize and immobilize the spinal segments in the treatment of single or multi-level degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and failed previous fusions, as well as other spine conditions.
The problem with many of these implants resides in preservation of the highest degree of mobility possible, while avoiding backing out or loosening of the implant assembly fastening elements, such as bone screws and the like.
As will be illustrated herein, the prior art devices often lack sufficient means to insure lockable engagement of the anterior instrumentation and fastener elements, nor do they provide passive means to enable screw retention. In many instances the screw retainer components are provided as separate elements, which must be installed by the surgeon via a separate and distinct step subsequent to application of the fixation element.
An additional deficiency of the prior art devices is that they are not designed to enable the surgeon to place multiple bone fasteners within a single entry point, so as to provide the surgeon with the freedom to moderate the angularity of the fastener elements in such a manner that they can be targeted for both the superior and inferior vertebral bodies surrounding the implant.
The instant invention satisfies a long felt need in the art by providing a biomechanical implant with stabilizing instrumentation, (which instrumentation will alternatively be referred to as anterior, posterior or lateral instrumentation throughout the present disclosure) which provides stabilization to the adjacent vertebra wherein a single opening in such instrumentation permits bone screws or equivalent fixation elements to be positioned within both the superior and inferior vertebral body surrounding the implant, and wherein said bone screws or equivalent fixation elements are constructed and arranged to cooperate with an elongated and dished curvilinear opening formed within a first surface of the anterior instrumentation, effective to urge the fixation elements into locking engagement, one to the other, as well as with the anterior instrumentation, upon final fixation of the components, thereby forming a frictionally engaged assemblage. A further long felt need is met by the inclusion of a screw retainer component, which is in the form of a passive locking ring or equivalent device, which constitutes a third piece of instrumentation in this device. The screw retainer component resides in a mounting area formed near the first surface of the anterior instrumentation and is constructed and arranged to deflect from a resting position, so as to allow passage of each fastener element, subsequent to which passage, the screw retainer component returns to its initial position so as to block any of the fasteners from separating from the anterior instrumentation, should loosening or breakage occur. | {
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This invention relates generally to firmware for processor-based systems.
Processor-based systems may use firmware for booting an operating system. Generally, firmware initiates a system using a particular instruction set architecture. For example, a 32 bit Pentium® architecture platform boots in a flat model protected mode using 32 bit callable interfaces in a 4 gigabyte address space.
After booting, the operating system takes control during a stage called run time. The run time system still uses the same instruction set architecture. However, newer systems can support 32 bit or 64 bit instruction set architectures during run time. A number of other instruction set architectures are also available.
An operating system that was booted in a particular 32 bit instruction set architecture has no support for calling back into the 32 bit mode from the kernel during run time. This problem is addressed by one manufacturer by simply prohibiting the kernel from calling back from one instruction set architecture into another instruction set architecture. See BIOS and Kernel Developer's Guide for AMD Athalon™ 64 and AMD Opteron™ Processors, Publication No. 26094, Revision 306, dated September 2003, available from Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif. While this certainly overcomes the problem, it does so in a relatively inflexible way.
Thus, there is a need for ways to enable call backs by an operating system kernel to an instruction set architecture different from the one used to boot the system. | {
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Analog manufacturing is moving towards, and is expected to one day be consumed, by digital manufacturing. This shift is customer driven and arises from a desire for more customized products, on-demand delivery, and other market factors that support the move towards a less expensive alternative to traditional manufacturing.
Digital fabrication encompasses a range of technologies, including ink jet. Ink jet has the advantage of being a non-contact, additive process (as opposed to subtractive processes like computer numerical control machining) with the built-in ability to deliver metered amounts of various fluids to a precise location in time and space. Moreover, digital ink jet fabrication has a wide materials scope and may be used to print a variety of materials, such as UV-curable resins and molten thermoplastic polymers.
Current technologies for three-dimensional printing include stereolithography and rapid prototyping. While suitable for some purposes, these technologies each have their own limitations. Stereolithography is a costly process with machines often costing in excess of $250,000. The polymer materials employed are also extremely expensive, with a common stereolithography photopolymer costing about $800 per gallon. Rapid prototyping systems typically use a fused deposition method wherein molten acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) polymer is deposited. The extremely rapid solidification of the ABS manifests in ridges that form on the finished object. Post-printing treatment of the prototype (such as sanding or polishing) is required to render a smooth object.
The concept of “freezing” or phase-change has been described for three-dimensional printing using aqueous inks on a chilled (that is, sub-zero temperature) substrate. See D. Mager et al., “Phase Change Rapid Prototyping With Aqueous Inks,” NIP 23 and Digital Fabrication 2007 Conference Proceedings, pages 908-911, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. Ink jet fabrication using wax based materials has been described but is disadvantaged by the fact that the resulting primary structures are neither robust nor permanent.
Currently, many three-dimensional printing technologies use rigid materials. For example, fused deposition methods use molten thermosetting resins, such as ABS plastic and hard acrylates. Moreover, many current technologies use ultra-thin jetted layers (for example, 0.6 mm) that must be cured after each deposition step. As such, there remains a need for a wider selection of materials having a variety of different properties, particularly a wider range of room temperature modulus, thereby providing rigid and rubbery objects, and materials that reduce the number of curing steps between deposition steps, thereby providing faster object construction and lower energy requirements. | {
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Without limiting the scope of the present invention, the background will be described in relation to the hospitality lodging industry, as an example. Housekeepers have one of the most important roles in the hospitality lodging industry. The hotel or other lodging establishment needs to be presentable, clean, and sanitary. To these ends, the duties of a housekeeper include making sure each hotel room has enough hygiene products, stationery, clean linens, clean drink ware and a supply of beverages, for example. Typically, hotels may provide housekeepers with clipboards and checklists as an informational job aid to ensure completion of each housekeeper's tasks and reduce failure by compensating for potential limits of human memory and attention. Such a paper-dependent approach has proven to be a limitation in an ever increasing paperless hospitality lodging industry. Accordingly, there is a need for improved systems and methods that ensure the completion of housekeeping tasks, while integrating well into existing and planned hospitality lodging establishments. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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With the development of mobile communication technology, various indicators of the propagation path of radio waves (i.e., wireless channels), such as bandwidth, frequency band, antenna scale, etc., have increased greatly, leading to a sharp increase in the amount of data in wireless channels. The original wireless channel model is no longer applicable to the wireless channels having an increasing amount of data, cannot be used for simulation, testing and evaluation of the wireless channels, and thus cannot help the technical personnel analyze and improve the communication performance of the wireless channels.
When performing wireless channel modeling, the prior art usually employs a deterministic modeling method, in which a spatial model is established and transmission sources, reception points and material parameters are configured, so that a propagation characteristic of radio waves in a spatial model is obtained, and a wireless channel model is then obtained. This method has high complexity and mass calculation amount and requires a large storage space. At the same time, due to the great effect of environment and human factors on measured data, the accuracy of the wireless channel model is low. | {
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H2—O2 fuel cells use hydrogen (H2) as a fuel and oxygen (as air) as an oxidant. The hydrogen used in the fuel cell can be derived from the reformation of a hydrocarbon fuel (e.g. methanol or gasoline). For example, in a steam reformation process, a hydrocarbon fuel (such as methanol) and water (as steam) are ideally reacted in a catalytic reactor (a.k.a. “steam reformer”) to generate a reformate gas comprising primarily hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
An exemplary steam reformer is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,727 to Vanderborgh. For another example, in an autothermal reformation process, a hydrocarbon fuel (such as gasoline), air and steam are ideally reacted in a combine partial oxidation and steam reforming catalytic reactor (a.k.a. autothermal reformer) to generate a reformate gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide. An exemplary autothermal reformer is described in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/626,553 filed Jul. 27, 2000. The reformate exiting the reformer contains undesirably high concentrations of carbon monoxide most of which must be removed to prevent poisoning of the catalyst of the fuel cell's anode. In this regard, carbon monoxide (i.e., about 3-10 mole %) contained in the H2-rich reformate/effluent exiting the reformer must be reduced to very low nontoxic concentrations (i.e., less than about 20 ppm) to avoid poisoning of the anode.
It is known that the carbon monoxide, CO, level of the reformate/effluent exiting a reformer can be reduced by utilizing a so-call “shift” reaction wherein water (i.e. steam) is added to the reformate/effluent exiting the reformer, in the presence of a suitable catalyst. This lowers the carbon monoxide content of the reformate according to the following ideal shift reaction:CO+H2O→CO2+H2.
Some (i.e., about 0.5 mole % or more) CO still survives the shift reaction. Hence, shift reactor effluent comprises hydrogen, carbon dioxide, water carbon monoxide, and nitrogen.
The shift reaction is not enough to reduce the CO content of the reformate enough (i.e., to below about 20-200 ppm). Therefore, it is necessary to further remove carbon monoxide from the hydrogen-rich reformate stream exiting the shift reactor, and prior to supplying it to the fuel cell. It is known to further reduce the CO content of H2-rich reformate exiting the shift reactor by a so-called “PrOx” (i.e., preferential oxidation) reaction effected in a suitable PrOx reactor operated at temperatures which promote the preferential oxidation of the CO with air in the presence of the H2, but without consuming/oxidizing substantial quantities of the H2 or triggering the so-called “reverse water gas shift” (RWGS) reaction. The PrOx and RWGS reactions are as follows:CO+½O2→CO2(PrOx)CO2+H2→H2O+CO(RWGS)The PrOx process is described in a paper entitled “Methanol Fuel Processing for Low Temperature Fuel Cells” published in the Program and Abstracts of the 1988 Fuel Cell Seminar, Oct. 23-26, 1988, Long Beach, Calif., and in Vanderborgh et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,916, inter alia.
Desirably, the O2 required for the PrOx reaction will be about two times the stoichiometric amount required to react the CO in the reformate. If the amount of O2 exceeds about two times the stoichiometric amount needed, excessive consumption of H2 results. On the other hand, if the amount of O2 is substantially less than about two times the stoichiometric amount needed, insufficient CO oxidation may occur and there is greater potential for the RWGS reaction to occur. Accordingly in practice, many practitioners use about 4 or more times the stoichiometric amount of O2 than is theoretically required to react with the CO.
PrOx reactors may be either (1) adiabatic (i.e. where the temperature of the reactor is allowed to rise during oxidation of the CO) or (2) isothermal (i.e. where the temperature the reactor is maintained substantially constant during oxidation of the CO). The adiabatic PrOx process is sometimes effected via a number of sequential stages, which progressively reduce the CO content in stages, and requires careful temperature control, because if the temperature rises too much, the RWGS reaction can occur which counter productively produces more CO. The isothermal process can effect the same CO reduction as the adiabatic process, but in fewer stages and without concern for the RWGS reaction if (1) the reactor temperature can be kept low enough, and (2) O2 depletion near the end of the reactor can be avoided.
One known isothermal reactor is essentially a catalyzed heat exchanger having a thermally conductive barrier or wall that separates the heat exchanger into (1) a first channel through which the H2-rich gas to be decontaminated (i.e. CO removed) passes, and (2) a second channel through which a coolant flows to maintain the temperature of the reactor substantially constant within a defined working range. The barrier wall has a catalyzed first surface confronting the first channel for promoting the CO+O2 reaction and an uncatalyzed second surface confronting the second channel for contacting the coolant therein to extract heat from the catalyzed first surface through the barrier. The catalyzed surfaces of adjacent barriers oppose each other, and are closely spaced from each other, so as to define a narrow first channel through which the H2-rich gas moves.
The reformation process of gasoline or other hydrocarbons operate at high temperatures (i.e. about 600-800° C.). The water gas shift reactor is active at temperatures of 250-450° C., The PrOx reaction is active at temperatures of 100-200° C. Thus, it is necessary that the reformer, the water gas shift (WGS) reactor, and the PrOx reactor are each heated to temperatures sufficient for the fuel processor to operate. During start-up, however, a conventional fuel processor is such that the heating of various components is staged. This approach can lead to undesirable lag time for bringing the system on line. Alternately, external electrical heat sources (i.e. heaters) may be employed to bring the components to proper operating temperatures. This approach requires an external source of electricity such as a battery.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a fuel processor that is capable of heating the fuel processor components quickly to achieve these high operating temperatures for startup. Furthermore, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a fuel processor that maximizes this heat input into the fuel processor while minimizing the tendency to form carbon. Still further, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a fuel processor capable of heating the fuel processor while minimizing the use of electrical energy during startup and the reliance on catalytic reactions. | {
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This invention relates to rockingly movable chairs particularly adapted for use in office work.
Conventional chairs used in office work comprise a seat horizontally mounted on a leg portion and a tiltable back which is normally biassed to a generally vertical position by a spring. The user of the chair can temporarily change his attitude by leaning on the back to relieve his fatigue. However, it has been difficult to maintain such attitude without forcibly leaning on the back. Further, the angle between the upper half and the lower half of the body of the user will change in changing the tilting angle of the back, which is not necessarily suitable for relieving his fatigue even though the back of the chair is locked at a desired tilting angle. It is preferable to maintain the angle between the upper and lower halves of the body at a predetermined range for minimizing fatigue and maximizing the efficiency of office work. Further, it has sometimes been required to maintain the angle between the upper and lower halves of the body at a predetermined range with the tilting angle of the seat or the back of the chair with respect to the horizontal surface being adjustable in some types of the work.
Further, it is publicly known that the fatigue can quickly be relieved by rockingly moving the chair back and forth.
Conventional chairs used in office work cannot satisfy the requirements aforementioned. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Conventional door knockers where an arm is supported by a base or ornamental door plaques are made of heavy metal to produce the required tapping noise and are used for entrance doors of a house only. Children of all ages are taught to knock on the door of a parents' and/or siblings' room before entering. Children are also encouraged to seek permission before entering another persons home but conventional door knockers made of metal or plastic are heavy and unattractive for use within a house, school or any building. Further these door knockers only serve the purpose of producing noise and are not interactive for children to learn issues such as privacy.
Thus, there is a need to create a door knocker, particularly a toy door knocker that can not only serve as a traditional door knocker but is also a construction and educational kit. All of the above mentioned disadvantages of the prior art are addressed and overcome in the present invention which is described below. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In recent years, hydrogen has been found to have the effect of removing active oxygen, which is thought to cause aging and cancer. It is also reported that, when drinking water containing hydrogen, it is possible to remove active oxygen in the body and to remedy health impairments, such as allergic diseases and digestive diseases. The use of water having hydrogen dissolved therein (hereinafter, referred to as hydrogen water) as a drink in consideration of the fact that hydrogen has the effect of removing active oxygen as described above has attracted considerable attention. In fact, the market for hydrogen water for drinking has quickly expanded.
It is generally thought that, when the concentration of hydrogen contained in hydrogen water is high, the hydrogen water has the effect of removing active oxygen. For this reason, the amount of hydrogen that is contained in hydrogen water is important in showing the effect of the hydrogen water. Consequently, it is considerably important to know the concentration of hydrogen in hydrogen water, i.e. the concentration of hydrogen molecules contained in an aqueous solution (hereinafter, referred to as dissolved hydrogen).
In general, however, no clear criterion is prescribed for a method of measuring the concentration of dissolved hydrogen (such a criterion is not prescribed even in, for example, JIS standards). In addition, in a conventional method of measuring the concentration of dissolved hydrogen, the concentration of dissolved hydrogen is generally calculated on the basis of oxidation-reduction potential (for example, Patent Document 1). Consequently, all materials having an influence on oxidation and reduction are measured, and therefore it is not clear whether or not the concentration of only hydrogen dissolved in an aqueous solution is appropriately displayed. | {
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The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Wireless network devices such as client stations operate in an ad-hoc mode or an infrastructure mode as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. In the ad-hoc mode, each client station 10-1, 10-2, . . . , and 10-N (collectively client stations 10) communicates directly with other client stations without requiring an access point (AP). In the infrastructure mode, each client station 20-1, 20-2, . . . , and 20-M (collectively client stations 20) communicates with other client stations through an AP 24. The AP 24 may provide a connection to a network 26, a server 28, and/or Internet 30.
Referring now to FIG. 3, the AP 24 transmits beacons at a beacon interval. Every Nth beacon is a delivery traffic indication message (DTIM) beacon, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1. The DTIM beacon is followed by buffered broadcast and multicast frames transmitted by the AP 24 to the client stations 20.
Generally, the AP 24 and the client stations 20 do not exchange data after each DTIM beacon. Accordingly, client stations 20 may operate in two modes: an active mode and an inactive (or sleep) mode. When the AP 24 and the client stations 20 exchange data, the client stations 20 may operate in the active mode. On the other hand, when the AP 24 and the client stations 20 do not exchange data, the client stations 20 may operate in the inactive mode to conserve power. Components of the client station are shut down during the inactive mode. An inactive mode clock and a wake up module determine when to transition back to the active mode. Based on the DTIM beacon interval, the client stations 20 may determine the amount of time to remain in the inactive mode before waking up to receive the next DTIM beacon. | {
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The present invention relates to a lighting unit and lighting modules for implementing low-cost display whose display quality is excellent, and a liquid-crystal display using these unit and modules.
Hereinafter, the explanation will be given below concerning a conventional lighting unit and lighting modules, and a liquid-crystal display using these conventional unit and modules.
Up to the present, as displays, a CRT display has been in the mainstream thereof. In recent years, however, an active-matrix liquid-crystal display (which, hereinafter, will be referred to as “LCD”) has been becoming more and more prevalent. The LCD is a display which utilizes light transmittance property of liquid crystal. Namely, the liquid crystal itself emits no light, and performs display by allowing light of a backlight to be transmitted/cutoff. Here, the backlight exists at the rear surface of the liquid crystal.
As most of backlights for this LCD, a fluorescent tube has been used. In recent years, however, there have existed the following reports: Namely, in order to enhance color reproductivity of a displayed image, a light emitting diode (hereinafter, referred to as “LED element”) is used as the backlight. Examples of these reports are as follows: “18.1-inch XGA TFT-LCD with Wide Color Reproduction using High Power LED-Backlighting”, Hideyo Ohtsuki, et al., SID′02 DIGEST, pp. 1154-1157.
The LED element described in this document is a one considerably close to a point light source. As a result, in order to use this LED element as the backlight for a liquid-crystal display for performing flat-surface display, it becomes necessary to assemble the LED elements in plural number and thereby to form a flat-surface light source.
Also, the LED element at present exhibits the following characteristics conspicuously: Namely, in the electric-power-to-light-emission-brightness efficiency (Referred to as light emission efficiency hereafter.), the LED element is lower than the fluorescent tube used so far. Moreover, this light-emission efficiency is lowered by temperature rise.
As a method for solving these problems, there has existed “LED backlight for large area LCD TV's”, Robert Scott West, et al., IDW′03, pp. 657-659. This document indicates an embodiment where large-sized LED elements having an excellent heat-radiation characteristic are positioned in a straight-line-like manner along a few rows.
Also, as an example of the method of forming the flat-surface light source, there has existed JP-A-2002-351342. This document indicates an embodiment where the backlight of the LED elements is configured to be separated into a plurality of regions. Furthermore, there has existed JP-A-2003-156728. This document indicates an example where a diffuser is provided on this flat-surface light source thereby to reduce brightness unevenness which occurs in boundary portions of the flat-surface light source. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Low molecular weight polysilanes having at least one terminating silicon atom bearing three hydrogens are of great interest in the fabrication of electronic devices. The simplest compounds of this class, perhydridopolysilanes, have been known for over a century, having first been disclosed by Alfred Stock. General synthetic methods include hydrolytic decomposition of metal silicides, e.g. magnesium silicide; Wurtz coupling of mixed hydridohalosilanes, e.g. iodosilane; pyrolytic coupling of lower polysilanes, e.g. disilane; reduction of chlorinated polysilanes and polysilane complexes; and dephenylation of perphenylpolysilanes.
Those familiar with the art readily appreciate the difficulty in preparing polysilanes with more than three silicon atoms. For example, synthetic methods generally proceed in relatively low yield and require purification of a pyrophoric mixture of liquid and gaseous products and byproducts. It would be desirable to be able to prepare trihydridosilyl-terminated polysilanes in good yield with minimal handling of pyrophoric intermediates and byproducts. | {
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Field of the Invention
Embodiments described herein relate generally to storing and accessing content. More particularly, embodiments described herein relate generally to the storing and accessing of non-real-time (NRT) content broadcast from a content source.
Background
Modern consumer electronic devices such as televisions, set top boxes, mobile devices, etc. are capable of receiving a plurality of different types of content. Depending on the type of consumer electronic device, the content can be broadcast, streamed, or retrieved and stored locally for presentation to a user. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for packet transmission, which are provided to transmit packets onto a packet network such as the Internet or the like, and a bandwidth guaranteeing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a terminal device on a packet network such as the Internet, to control the amount of data to be transmitted per unit time, it is necessary to limit the number of packets to be transmitted per unit time at a network interface. For example, referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a conventional process for limiting the amount of data transfer per unit time, i.e., a bandwidth to be used. This process is carried out as follows: by using a leaky bucket algorithm or the like, packets PK received from an application are temporarily stored in a buffer, i.e., in the queue of a driver, at the network interface and, then, the packets are dequeued from the queue at fixed intervals, and are transmitted one by one at each fixed interval.
In this conventional case, if a packet size is variable in length, it is impossible to accurately control the amount of data transfer while the interval of packet transmission is kept fixed. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 2, the interval of transmission must be changed according to the size of each packet. In addition, even if a packet size is fixed in length, the interval of packet transmission must be changed when there is a change in the amount of data transfer per unit time. Thus, when it was necessary to dynamically change the interval of packet transmission, processing was carried out according to a process like that shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3.
Specifically, in the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3, first, next packet transmission time tn is initialized by 0 (step S51).
Then, a packet is dequeued from a queue (step S52). A packet size is divided by a current transfer rate to calculate time tx necessary for packet transmission (step S53).
Then, comparison is made between current time t and the packet transmission time tn to determine whether t<tn is established or not (step S54). When the current time t reaches the time tn for packet transmission, the packet is transmitted (step S55).
Then, tn=t+tx, that is, next packet transmission time tn is calculated by adding the time tx necessary for packet transmission to the current time t (step S56).
Subsequently, the process returns to step S52 to execute processing for a next packet. By repeating the foregoing operations from step S52 to step S56, packets are sequentially transmitted.
In the conventional process described above with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3, if the calculation of the interval of packet transmission is executed immediately before transmission, there is a possibility that the time of calculation will be longer than the calculated interval of packet transmission. This problem occurs in particular when the amount of data transfer per unit time is large, or when the time of calculation for a leaky bucket is slow. In other words, for example, in the examples shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the state of t being larger than tn may occur during the calculation of tx with the consequence of incorrect packet transmission or other problems. Therefore, it may even be impossible to control the amount of data to be transmitted per unit time.
When the number of flows through the network interface is single, there will be no problems if a packet flow rate is controlled by the network interface. On the other hand, when a plurality of flows share one network interface, not only a bandwidth to be used but also other network resources such as a transmission buffer will also be shared by the plurality of flows. In such a case, to prevent interference among the flows, the method of Fair Queueing for dividing queues among the flows like that shown in FIG. 4 is used. A flow is specified based on an identifier of one kind or another, and each flow can use exclusive queue, e.g., an identifier A to a queue Qa, an identifier B to a queue Qb, an identifier C to a queue Qc, and so on, up to an identifier Z to a queue Qz. For example, in a network using a TCP/IP as a communication protocol, each packet is provided with a packet header like that shown in FIG. 5. Accordingly, a flow identifier can be formed by combining the IP addresses, the port numbers of both transmitting/receiving sides, a protocol number, and parts or all of other fields. The packets enqueued according to the identifiers are sequentially dequeued one by one by Round Robin, and transmitted into the network. In the example of FIG. 4, the chances of packet transmission are given to the respective queues in order, e.g., QaRQbRQcR , , , RQzRQaR (the process returns to the first queue Qa after the last queue Qz is reached). If there is a packet contained in the queue that has been given the transmission chance, then the packet is transmitted to the network.
If there is bandwidth specification for a plurality of flows, a bandwidth guarantee per flow unit can be realized by combining the foregoing two methods to control a flow rate by a leaky bucket at the outlet of each queue as shown in FIG. 6.
However, there is no clear division between a scheduling module for deciding the order of transmitting packets, i.e., the queue of a next packet to be transmitted, and a shaping module for controlling a packet flow rate so as to keep the data transfer amount of each flow within a reserved bandwidth. Consequently, the amount of information to be managed by a queue unit is large, making management work complex. In addition, to change only one of the scheduling and shaping methods, because of unclear division thereof, changing work cannot be easily carried out.
In addition, the control of a packet flow rate using a leaky bucket or the like is carried out based on the granularity of a kernel clock as a minimum unit for counting time within a kernel. Thus, a considerable reduction occurs in accuracy for the data link of a broad bandwidth.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7, when a plurality of flows, resource reservation having been made therefor, are transmitted from a plurality of transmission terminals, or passed through a certain network intermediate node, network resources at this node are shared by the plurality of flows. Accordingly, at the network intermediate node, the information of each flow must be held for flow identification, and flow identification must be carried out by referring to the information each time a packet is received. The packet that has been subjected to flow identification is enqueued. In addition, scheduling, a queue memory management, and so on, must be carried out. The processing work of this kind is increased in proportion to an increase in the number of target flows. Consequently, in a large-scale network, such processing costs will be extremely large. | {
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The present invention relates to initiators involved in controlling propellant-actuated devices (PADs) and, in particular, an initiator assembly having a circuit board with components to receive and process control signals to determine whether to activate such a device.
Inflators for inflating an air bag or other inflatable in a vehicle typically include an initiator assembly for igniting the propellant that is contained within the inflator housing. Upon activation of the propellant, it generates gases for filling the inflatable. The initiator assembly commonly includes an exterior configuration or member for connecting to a supporting structure. The assignee of the present application has previously developed an initiator assembly with an outer metal casing that has a collar for coupling to the inflator housing. The collar is located at the outer surface of insulating material that surrounds initiator conductive pins. In an initiator assembly design of another, it is known to injection mold portions of a cover with plastic material that surrounds portions of the initiator. The assignee of the present application has also developed an initiator assembly that facilitates a suitable connection between the initiator assembly and the inflator housing, while reducing the size of the injection molded part. Initiators have also been advanced that contain their own printed circuit board (PCB) including electronic components. The PCB processes control signals involved in the determination of whether or not to trigger or ignite the initiator.
Notwithstanding these previous disclosures, it is desirable to provide an initiator assembly that incorporates circuitry to receive and process a signal for use in determining whether to initiate at least one propellant actuated device, such as an automotive inflator, seat belt pretensioner, pin puller, cable cutter and/or gas generator. Due to the size of such circuitry, typically within the range of approximately 6-12 mm in diameter, incorporating such circuitry into an initiator assembly requires solutions to certain problems and consequences. For example, a typical initiator cap would not be large enough to house such circuitry. A larger initiator cap presents problems related to unwanted increased size and installation in the vehicle, in addition to the manufacturing cost for the initiator.
In accordance with the present invention, an initiator assembly is provided for use with devices that are activated when a propellant is ignited including an inflator, a seat belt pretensioner, a pin puller, a cable cutter and a gas generator. In the embodiment of an automotive inflator, the initiator assembly can comprise an initiator, circuitry and a collar assembly joined to the initiator. In another embodiment, the initiator assembly includes the initiator and the circuitry, but not the collar assembly. When activated by an ignition signal received by an initiator conductive pin and processed by the circuitry, the initiator assembly ignites the propellant contained in an inflator housing. In addition to at least one conductive pin, the initiator has a cap member that surrounds a charge that ignites when the circuitry receives a signal and determines to send the ignition signal. When present or being included, the collar assembly holds the initiator assembly to the inflator housing including after activation of the initiator.
The collar assembly includes an injected molded insulating material and an insert member that is fixedly joined to the insulating material during the injection molding process. The insert member can be configured according to a number of different embodiments, any one of which can be readily connected to an inflator housing by injection molding with the insulating material. The assignee of the present invention has previously developed such insert members and has filed application Ser. No. 09/044,523 entitled xe2x80x9cInflator Initiator With Insert Memberxe2x80x9d relating thereto and which is hereby incorporated by reference. At least one of the embodiments of the insert member is part of an initiator assembly that has a single conductive pin. However, other embodiments can be employed that have more than one such conductive pin.
The circuitry is capable of receiving and processing a control signal to determine whether to send an ignition signal to the initiator. The circuitry may be configured in many embodiments and may be positioned in a variety of locations within the initiator assembly, including on either side of the insert member. The circuitry may be electrically insulated by proper positioning of the circuitry within the initiator assembly before injection molding the insulating material. The circuitry is also properly protected against the high temperature(s) and pressure(s) that the electronic components can be subjected to during the injection molding process. This protection can include a protective coating or cover surrounding the circuitry that is provided before it is injection molded to the initiator. The circuitry may also contain one or more pass through ports or other connection(s) for a conductive pin. Importantly, the circuitry can be utilized with currently sized and available initiators.
Additional advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following discussion, particularly when taken together with the accompanying drawings. | {
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Insect pests are a major factor in the loss of agricultural crops. The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, is one of the most devastating corn rootworm species in North America, especially in the midwestern corn-growing areas. A related species, the Northern corn rootworm, D. barberi Smith and Lawrence, co-inhabits in much of the range, and is fairly similar in biology to western corn rootworm. A third corn rootworm species, the Southern corn rootworm, D. undecimpunctata howardi, causes significant economic damage in other regions.
Corn rootworm larvae can destroy significant percentages of corn if left untreated. In the United States, it is presently estimated that 30 million acres (120,000 km2) of corn (out of 80 million grown) are infested with corn rootworms, and that the area is expected to grow over the next 20 years. The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that corn rootworms cause $1 billion in lost revenue each year, which includes $800 million in yield loss and $200 million in cost of treatment for corn growers.
Most of the damage in corn is caused by larval feeding. Newly hatched rootworms locate corn roots in the soil and initially begin feeding on the fine root hairs and burrow into root tips of the corn plant. As larvae grow larger, they feed on and tunnel into primary roots. When rootworms are abundant, larval feeding and deterioration of injured roots by root rot pathogens can result in roots being pruned to the base of the stalk. Severe root injury interferes with the roots' ability to transport water and nutrients into the plant reducing plant growth and resulting in reduced grain production. Severe root injury also may result in lodging of corn plants, making harvest more difficult. Silk feeding by adults can result in pruning of silks at the ear tip, commonly called silk clipping. In field corn, beetle populations are occasionally high enough to cause severe silk clipping during pollen shed, which may interfere with pollination.
Corn rootworms of the genus Diabrotica (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) are among the most important insect pest of agricultural crops in the United States. For example, the Southern corn rootworm (SCRW), Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber is an economically important pest of corn, cucurbits and peanuts. SCRW Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber, or the spotted cucumber beetle, is widely distributed in North America, occurring in most areas east of the Rocky Mountains, in southern Canada, and in Mexico. It is most abundant and destructive in the southern United States. This insect is multivoltine and overwinters as adults in the southern parts of its range (Branson & Krysan (1981) Environmental Entomology 10:826-831). Southern corn rootworms infest the roots of many grass crops and weeds, as well as those of peanuts, alfalfa, and occasionally cucurbits. Annually, 20 to 25 million acres of corn are treated with soil insecticides to protect the crop from corn rootworm larval feeding damage (Fuller et al. (1997) J Econ Entomol 90:1332-1340). Soil insecticides applied for the corn rootworm represent one of the major uses of insecticide in the United States. Costs associated with insecticides applied to control larval damage to corn roots and adult damage to corn silks, along with crop losses can approach $1 billion annually (Metcalf (1986) In M. Kogan [ed.], Ecological Theory and Integrated Pest Management Practice. John Wiley & Sons, New York).
Biological control of insect pests of agricultural significance using a microbial agent, such as fungi, bacteria, or another species of insect affords an environmentally friendly and commercially attractive alternative to synthetic chemical pesticides. Generally speaking, the use of biopesticides presents a lower risk of pollution and environmental hazards. Biopesticides also provide greater target specificity than is characteristic of traditional broad-spectrum chemical insecticides. Biopesticides are often less expensive to produce and, thus, improve economic yield for a wide variety of crops.
Microbial insecticides, particularly those obtained from Bacillus strains, have played an important role in agriculture as alternatives to chemical pest control. Certain species of microorganisms of the genus Bacillus are known to possess pesticidal activity against a broad range of insect pests including Lepidoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and others. Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus papilliae are among the most successful biocontrol agents discovered to date. Insect pathogenicity has also been attributed to strains of B. larvae, B. lentimorbus, B. sphaericus (Harwook, ed., ((1989) Bacillus (Plenum Press), 306) and B. cereus (International Application Publication No. WO 96/10083). Pesticidal activity appears to be concentrated in parasporal crystalline protein inclusions, although pesticidal proteins have also been isolated from the vegetative growth stage of Bacillus. Several genes encoding these pesticidal proteins have been isolated and characterized (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,366,892 and 5,840,868).
Recently, agricultural scientists have developed crop plants with enhanced insect resistance by genetically engineering crop plants to produce pesticidal proteins from Bacillus. For example, corn and cotton plants have been genetically engineered to produce pesticidal proteins isolated from strains of B. thuringiensis. These proteins are known as δ-endotoxins or Cry toxins (see, e.g., Aronson (2002) Cell Mol. Life Sci. 59(3):417-425; Schnepf et al. (1998) Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 62(3):775-806). These genetically engineered crops are now widely used in American agriculture and have provided the farmer with an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional insect-control methods. In addition, potatoes genetically engineered to contain pesticidal Cry toxins have been sold to the American farmer. While they have proven to be very successful commercially, these genetically engineered, insect-resistant crop plants provide resistance to only a narrow range of the economically important insect pests.
Accordingly, there remains a need for new Bt toxins with a broader range of insecticidal activity against insect pests including, for example, toxins which are active against a greater variety of insects from the order Coleoptera. In addition, there remains a need for biopesticides having activity against a variety of insect pests and for biopesticides which have improved insecticidal activity. | {
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The present invention generally relates to data transmission systems, and more particularly to a data transmission system which automatically transmits data to a host via a communication line. For example, the data is input from a bar code reader, a keyboard and the like and is stored in a portable terminal equipment which makes the automatic transmission.
Conventionally, there is a known portable terminal equipment which has a memory for storing data input from a bar code reader, a keyboard and the like, so that the stored data can be transmitted to a host via a communication line such as a public telephone line. When transmitting the data from such a portable terminal equipment, the portable terminal equipment is coupled to the communication line before displaying an operation menu on a display screen so as to select the "transmission" menu to start the data transmission. Alternatively, a "transmission key" of the keyboard is pushed to start the data transmission.
However, the conventional portable terminal equipment suffers from the following problems.
First, the operation of the portable terminal equipment is troublesome when transmitting the stored data to the host, because it requires the selection of the menu or the manipulation of a key to start the data transmission.
Second, the operator may forget to transmit the stored data to the host because the stored data will not be transmitted unless the operator specifically instructs the data transmission by selecting the menu or manipulating the key.
Third, the portable terminal equipment is not user-friendly because the data transmission will not be started unless the user performs an operation.
Therefore, there is a demand to realize a portable terminal equipment in which the above described problems are eliminated. | {
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The invention relates to a proportional magnet for a hydraulic directional control valve and to a method for the production thereof.
Directional control valves of this kind are used, for example, in internal combustion engines for the actuation of hydraulic camshaft adjusters.
DE 103 00 974 A1 discloses a proportional solenoid valve of a camshaft adjuster device for motor vehicles. The proportional solenoid valve has a valve housing in which a piston can slide and which has a plurality of connections via which hydraulic oil can be supplied. The proportional solenoid valve also comprises an electromagnet part with which the piston can be adjusted by means of a plunger. The plunger is mounted in an axial bore in a housing of the electromagnet part, as a result of which it can slide axially.
DE 102 11 467 A1 presents a camshaft adjuster having an electromagnet which is designed as a repelling proportional magnet. The proportional magnet has a magnet armature which is fixedly seated on an armature plunger which is guided through a pole core and which bears with a free end surface against a control piston or against a part fixedly connected thereto. The magnet housing and magnet flange are screw-connected to a control housing cover and sealed off by means of a flat sealing means.
DE 101 53 019 A1 describes an electromagnet which is suitable, in particular, as a proportional magnet for operating a hydraulic valve. The electromagnet comprises a hollow cylindrical coil former which is delimited by an upper pole shoe and a lower pole shoe. The electromagnet is surrounded by a magnet housing. The coil former acts magnetically on a magnet armature which transmits the magnetic force onward via a plunger rod for operating the hydraulic valve. The plunger rod is mounted in an axial bore in the lower pole shoe, as a result of which it can slide axially.
DE 10 2004 057 873 A1 relates to a seat valve having a line system for conducting an inflowing medium through it. The seat valve has a seat and an adjustable closing element in the line system. The adjustable closing element is operated by means of an electromagnetic actuating device. The electromagnetic actuating device comprises an armature housing in which an armature is arranged so as to be adjustable in the direction of a coil axis. The armature is connected to an actuating element which operates the closing element. The actuating element is mounted in an axial bore in the housing of the electromagnetic actuating device, as a result of which it can slide axially.
DE 10 2005 048 732 A1 relates to an electromagnetic actuating unit of a hydraulic directional control valve. The electromagnetic actuating unit comprises an armature, which is arranged within an armature chamber such that it can slide axially, and a pole core, which is arranged in a receptacle in the housing by means of a press fit and delimits the armature chamber in one movement direction of the armature. An armature guide sleeve is provided for axially guiding the armature. Furthermore, the electromagnetic actuating unit comprises a coil which is preferably encapsulated with a non-magnetizable material so as to form a coil former. The armature is mounted in a sliding sleeve, as a result of which it can slide axially with low friction.
JP 2005-188630 A describes a hydraulic directional control valve having an electromagnetic actuating unit. The electromagnetic actuating unit comprises a coil for generating a magnetic field which acts on an armature which can slide axially. The armature comprises an actuating element which operates the hydraulic directional control valve. The actuating element is mounted in an axial bore in the housing of the electromagnetic actuating device, as a result of which it can slide axially.
FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional illustration of a further electromagnetic actuating unit according to the prior art. Said electromagnetic actuating unit is designed for actuating a hydraulic directional control valve which is designed as a central valve and which is arranged radially within an internal rotor of an apparatus for variably adjusting the control times of an internal combustion engine. The electromagnetic actuating unit comprises firstly a coil 01 which is fed electrically via a plug contact 02. The coil 01 is arranged within a coil former 03 which is produced by encapsulation of the coil 01 with a plastic. The magnetic field that can be generated by means of the coil 01 is transmitted via a soft-iron circuit, which comprises a yoke 04, a yoke disk 06, a pole core 07 and a housing 08, to a magnet armature 09 which is mounted such that it can move axially. The magnetic field exerts a magnetic force on the magnet armature 09 via an air gap between the pole core 07 and the magnet armature 09. Said magnetic force is transmitted via a pressure pin 11 of the magnet armature 09 to a piston of the central valve (not shown). The electromagnetic actuating unit is fastened by means of a flange 12 of the housing 08 to the central valve or to a housing surrounding the central valve. The magnetic field which can be generated by means of the coil 01 does not act entirely in the sliding direction of the magnet armature 09 on account of an eccentricity of the magnet armature 09. Said eccentricity is caused firstly by a degree of play of the magnet armature 09 and of the pressure pin 11 in the bearing arrangement thereof. Secondly, the eccentricity is a result of a deviation of the coaxiality between an armature bearing 13 and a pole core bearing 14. Said deviation may be extremely large depending on the assembly concept and on the tolerances of the components of the electromagnetic actuating unit. On account of the eccentricity of the magnet armature 09, parts of the magnetic field which can be generated by means of the coil 01 act laterally on the magnet armature 09, as a result of which forces are generated which act laterally on the magnet armature 09. Said laterally acting forces are proportional to the eccentricity of the magnet armature 09 or even proportional to the square of the eccentricity of the magnet armature 09. The alignment errors resulting from the deviation of the coaxiality between the armature bearing 13 and the pole core bearing 14 lead to tilting of the magnet armature 09 in its armature bearing 13. As a result of said tilting, the pressure pin 11 no longer slides on the entire bearing surface of the pole core bearing 14; in particular, a situation may arise in which the pressure pin 11 is mounted only on the edges of the pole core bearing 14. This leads to restricted functionality of the electromagnetic actuating unit and to increased wear of the pressure pin 11 and of the pole core bearing 14. Furthermore, the increased wear leads to an increasing eccentricity of the magnet armature 09, as a result of which the forces acting laterally on the magnet armature 09 increase yet further. As a result, the wear exhibits a progressive profile. The final result is failure of the apparatus for variably adjusting the control times of the internal combustion engine, in particular on account of the fact that the adjustment of the control times of the internal combustion engine can no longer take place within the admissible adjustment times.
New injection molding dies are always required for producing the known proportional magnets when variations in the magnet characteristics or stroke are desired or when other properties are intended to be changed in accordance with clients' requests. | {
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In buildings and so forth occupied by multiple offices or multiple tenants, so-called split system air conditioners are often used to effectively regulate the air-conditioned environments inside the building. In split system air conditioners, multiple air conditioners are installed inside a building, so in a building in which split system air conditioners are used, the proportion of the consumed energy of the air conditioners with respect to the consumed energy of the building overall tends to increase as the number of air conditioners installed increases.
Meanwhile, in recent years, reducing consumed energy has been raised. For example, as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-85087, a technology that estimates the consumed energy of an air conditioner and judges from the estimation result whether or not there is waste in the operation of the air conditioner is known. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a radio receiving apparatus and a radio transmitting apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a radio receiving apparatus and a radio transmitting apparatus using a single-carrier transmission system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, frequency equalization single-carrier transmission systems have been studied with an eye toward next-generation mobile communication systems. In the frequency equalization single-carrier transmission system, data symbols arranged in the time domain are transmitted by a single carrier. A receiving apparatus corrects signal distortion in the transmission path by equalizing that distortion on the frequency axis. More specifically, the receiving apparatus calculates a channel estimation value for each frequency on the frequency domain, and performs weighting for equalizing channel distortion on a frequency-by-frequency basis. Then the received data is demodulated.
The art disclosed in Patent Document 1 relates to the above frequency equalization single-carrier transmission systems. This art will be briefly described below. As shown in FIG. 1, the transmission system disclosed in Patent Document 1 generates signals in which a predetermined portion of the rear part of transmission data (data part in the drawing) is attached to the head of the data part as a guard interval (hereinafter abbreviated as “GI”). The signals generated are then transmitted from the transmitting apparatus, and signals combining direct waves and delayed waves arrive at the receiving apparatus. At the receiving apparatus, as shown in FIG. 2, a timing synchronization process is performed for the received data, and signals of the length of the data part are extracted from the beginning of the data part of the direct wave. The extracted signals thereby include the direct wave component, the delayed wave component and the noise component from the receiving apparatus, and the extracted signals combine all of these components. Then, the extracted signals are subjected to signal distortion correction process in the frequency domain (frequency domain equalization) and demodulated.
A GI is also called a cyclic prefix (“CP”).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-349889 | {
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1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a liquid crystal display.
2. Discussion of the Background
A liquid crystal display panel, which is one of the more common types of flat panel displays currently in use, includes two sheets of substrates with field generating electrodes is such as a pixel electrode and a common electrode, and a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween.
The liquid crystal display generates electric fields in the liquid crystal layer by applying voltages to the field generating electrodes, determines the alignment of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer by the generated electric field, and controls polarization of incident light to display images.
The liquid crystal display also includes a switching element connected to each pixel electrode, and a plurality of signal lines including gate lines and data lines to apply the voltage to the pixel electrode by controlling the switching element.
Among the liquid crystal displays, a vertically aligned mode (“VM mode”) liquid crystal display in which long axes of the liquid crystal molecules are arranged to be vertical to a display panel in the absence of an electric field has been in the limelight due to its high contrast ratio and wide viewing angle thereof.
Among the vertical alignment (VA) mode LCD devices, the liquid crystal display of a SVA (super vertical alignment) mode controls a liquid crystal direction through a vertical electric field and a horizontal electric field by using an electrode pattern having a minute slit structure, thereby increasing transmittance.
However, in the liquid crystal display of the SVA mode, spots may be generated because of non-uniform luminance while reducing an interval of the minute slits or minute branches.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of is ordinary skill in the art. | {
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The present invention relates to an automatic faucet wherein a closing valve operates under signals from a sensor for detecting a human body and a discharging member disposed at the front end portion of a water passage extending downstream of the closing valve discharges water.
An automatic faucet provided with a discharging member and an optical sensor disposed close to and directed in the same direction as the discharging member is disclosed in Japanese Utility-Model Laid-Open Publication No.2-93369. In this automatic faucet, the optical sensor projects light in parallel with the stream line of the discharging water and detects the hands of a user, wherever the hands are put into the stream line of the discharging water, and the water starts to discharge. The automatic faucet is therefore convenient. In the automatic faucet, a pair of spaces are formed in the front end portion of a cylindrical faucet body. The discharging member is installed in one of the spaces and the optical sensor is installed in the other of the spaces. Therefore, the automatic faucet has a disadvantage that the front end portion of the faucet has a complex structure that makes assembly of the faucet difficult, production cost of the faucet high, and maintenance of the faucet troublesome.
The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic faucet that is convenient for the user, easy to assemble, producible at low cost and easy to maintain.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an automatic faucet comprising a closing valve, a controller of the closing valve, a discharging member connected to the closing valve through a pipe, an optical sensor connected to the controller through an electric wire and a cylindrical faucet body through which the pipe and the electric wire are passed, wherein the discharging member and the optical sensor are directed in the same direction, assembled in a unit, and installed in a single space formed in the front end portion of the faucet body.
The discharging member and the optical sensor are directed in the same direction. Therefore, wherever a user puts his or her hands into the stream line of the discharging water, the optical sensor projecting light in parallel with the stream line of the discharging water detects the hands and the water starts to discharge. The automatic faucet of the present invention is therefore convenient. The discharging member and the optical sensor are assembled in a unit and installed in a single space formed in the front end portion of the faucet body. Thus, the front end portion of the automatic faucet of the present invention has a simple structure. Therefore, the automatic faucet of the present invention is easy to assemble, producible at low cost, and easy to maintain.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the discharging member and the optical sensor are assembled to be detachable.
The discharging member and the optical sensor assembled to be detachable can be detached from each other and maintained independently. Therefore, maintenance of the automatic faucet becomes easy. Moreover, they can be exchanged independently. Therefore, the cost of maintaining the automatic faucet can be reduced.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the optical sensor surrounds the discharging member.
The optical sensor surrounding the discharging member can fill an annular space formed between the discharging member and the peripheral circumferential surface of the single space in the front end portion of the faucet body. Therefore, cleaning of the front end portion of the automatic faucet becomes easy.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the discharging member is fixed to the faucet body with a screw upwardly threaded into the discharging member.
The screw can be easily disengaged. Therefore, the discharging member and the optical sensor assembled in a unit can be easily detached from the faucet body and maintenance of the automatic faucet becomes easy. The head of the screw upwardly threaded into the discharging member is shield from the view of the user. Therefore, the automatic faucet is more appealing during operation.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the discharging member is screwed into the faucet body to be fixed to the faucet body.
Connection by screwing can be easily released. Therefore, the discharging member and the optical sensor assembled in a unit can be easily detached from the faucet body and maintenance of the automatic faucet becomes easy.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the discharging member is provided with key grooves.
Connection of the discharging member with the faucet body by screwing can be easily released by rotating a tool engaging the key grooves. Therefore, the discharging member and the optical sensor assembled in a unit can be easily detached from the faucet body and maintenance of the automatic faucet becomes easy.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the discharging member is provided with slits at its front end.
The discharging member can be compressed in the radial direction as the slits become narrow. Thus, an annular space between the discharging member and the peripheral circumferential surface of the single space in the front end portion of the faucet body is enlarged, which makes the work of detaching the discharging member from the faucet body easy. Therefore, maintenance of the automatic faucet becomes easy. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a novel process for producing compositions for ruminants in which an aqueous suspension is used for coating.
In ruminants, substances orally administered are stored in the rumen of pH 5.5 and then absorbed into a blood stream in the abomasum of pH 3.0.
In order to increase the absorption of physiologically active substances in the abomasum, there have been developed compositions for ruminants utilizing coating materials which have a suppressive effect on the decomposition of the active substances in the rumen, but do not have a suppressive effect on the absorption of the active substances in the abomasum.
For example, Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application Nos. 88843/86, 88844/86 and U.S. Pat No. 5,080,917 (EP-A-336,713) disclose compositions which comprise as a coating a hydrophobic substance hardly soluble in water of pH 5.5 or above and a polymer soluble in water of pH 5.0 or below. The compositions are produced by coating a granulated physiologically active substance as a nucleus with a coating material by spraying. The coating material is prepared by dissolving a hydrophobic substance hardly soluble in water of pH 5.5 or above and a polymer soluble in water of pH 5.0 or below in an organic solvent. During the spray coating, a large quantity of the organic solvent evaporates and diffuses into the air. Such process involves the danger of pollution and fire.
Therefore, it is desired to develop a process for producing compositions for ruminants which does not involve such problem. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Flow meters are widely used in industry and research to indicate and/or control flow rates of gases or flow rates of liquids to improve processing and increase the operation efficiency of the equipment involved. This type of instrument is basically a vertical-internally tapered, so-called "float" or meter tube mounted with the large end at the top of the instrument and a ball-like float or rotor with an outer diameter slightly less than the minimum diameter of the tube, being placed inside the float tube. The clearance space between the float and the float tube internal surfacing forms an annular passage or orifice, and as the float tube is defined by a tapering bore that diverges upwardly, the area of this orifice is larger when the float is near the top of the float tube than when the float is near the bottom of the float tube. By connecting the float tube into a fluid flow line so that fluid flow direction is from the bottom to the top of the float tube, the float will move upwardly and be supported at a point where the orifice is just large enough to pass the fluid flowing through the system. By making the float tube transparent so that the position of the float can be seen and by providing a scale along side the float tube, the flow position may be "read" in terms of numbers on the scale which are provided in accordance with standard practices in this field.
The rotameter has become one of the most popular flow meters in the chemical process industries. In the usual type of rotameter a weighted plummet or float contained in an upright tapered tube is raised to a position of equilibrium between the downward force of the flow and the upward force of the fluid flowing past the float through the annular orifice surrounding the float. The term "rotameter" was derived from the fact the plummets originally had slots to impart a rotational force thereto for the purpose of centering and stabilizing the float. The present trend, however, is toward non-rotating floats.
To provide for more versatility in the application, interchangeable precision-bore glass tubes and metal metering tubes are available. Rotameters have proved satisfactory for both gases and liquids at high and low pressures. A single instrument can readily cover a ten-fold range of flow, and by providing "floats" of different densities, a two-hundred fold range is practicable.
Aside from rotameters which require visual observation of the height of the float inside the tube, there exists electronic flow meter devices commercially available that operate on different principles such as rotating vanes, pressure drops, ultrasonic measurements, etc. Such commercially available electronic flow meter devices disadvantageously require that the liquid or gas flow to be measured contacts metal parts of the flow meter devices. Besides the problems associated with invasively contacting the fluid flow to be measured, known electronic flow meters generally are unable to operate in the presence of large magnetic fields such as NMR fields generally used in connection with medical environments including working hearts and other circulatory systems.
While automatic monitoring and control is desirable in flow metering, conventional rotameters used today generally require visual observation and manual recording.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,485 to Wastl, Sr. discloses a gas or low volume liquid flow meter permitting non-invasive electrical monitoring of the flow of a fluid at relatively low pressures and flow rates. The flow meter of this patent includes a housing provided with a generally cylindrical shaped chamber and a spherically shaped float indicator which is movable vertically within the chamber. A position detector means is also provided, non-invasively mounted to the flow meter, for detecting the vertical position of the indicator and providing an electrical output signal which is responsive thereto. The position detector includes a light source and a light sensitive element which is a photopotentiometer having a light sensitive surface. The resistance across the light sensitive surface of the photopotentiometer increases as the shadow cast by the float indicator moves upwardly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,739 to Elson discloses a volume calculator for a spirometer which includes a vertically extending chamber and a movable indicator located with the chamber. The chamber is arranged between an energy source and an energy detector which communicate with one another by means of an energy beam, the chamber being transparent to the particular type of energy transmitted by the energy source. When the indicator rises to a height in the chamber adjacent the energy source, the energy beam is interrupted and the electronic circuitry is activated to measure the time that the energy beam is interrupted and calculates the total volume of inspired air.
The present invention provides for a means to accurately monitor fluid flow utilizing a standard rotameter. More particularly, the present invention provides a means for monitoring the position of the float in a rotameter in a manner that optically scans the rotameter for the float position. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The laser ultrasonic inspection apparatus includes an ultrasonic excitation unit with a laser and an ultrasonic detection unit with a laser. The ultrasonic excitation by the laser is performed by irradiating test pieces with a pulsed laser beam (excitation laser). When the power density of the laser beam is low, thermal stress is generated due to the rapid heating-cooling process on a micro region of the surface, and the generated thermal stress serves as the source of distortion of the material, whereby ultrasonic signals are generated (a thermoelastic mode).
On the other hand, when the power density of the laser beam is high, a surface layer of the test piece is turned into plasma, and the pressure is applied to the test piece as a reaction to the expansion of plasma, whereby ultrasound is generated (an ablation mode).
The reception of ultrasonic waves by a laser is performed by measurement of the surface displacement induced by ultrasonic waves with a laser displacement meter. As the laser displacement meter, there is a method of using deflection of beam by surface displacement which is called a knife edge method. The knife edge method is inexpensive, and a speckle knife edge detector (hereinafter, referred to as SKED) capable of being applied to a rough surface is disclosed in JP-T-2015-505362. Therefore, a practical and inexpensive laser ultrasonic inspection apparatus can be realized using a knife-edge type detector.
An example of related art includes JP-T-2015-505362. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to an electrical power strip, and more particularly, to an electrical power strip that can be used in conjunction with a computer so as to allow peripheral devices associated with the computer to be automatically turned on or off simultaneous with the computer being turned on or off.
The term personal computer is used to describe a desktop computer, a mobile computer, a desk side computer, or a small rack mount computer. Typical personal computer systems today have at a minimum a central processing unit (xe2x80x9cCPUxe2x80x9d) and a display monitor. In addition to having a CPU and monitor, many computer users, including users of IBM compatible personal computers (xe2x80x9cPCxe2x80x9d) and Apple Macintosh personal computers, connect their CPUs to one or more peripheral devices. For instance, many people connect a printer, powered speakers, external hard disk drives, CD ROM devices, CD RW devices, and other AC powered peripherals.
The use of multiple peripheral devices creates a need for multiple electrical outlets for plugging in the power cords of the various peripheral devices. Electrical power strips, which typically contain four or more individual outlets, are commonly used to supply the AC power to the peripheral devices connected to a computer, and often the computer itself. The electrical power strip provides a convenient and central mechanism for plugging in the peripheral devices.
Most peripheral devices typically are not used independent of the computer, and in fact, most are not usable when the associated computer is not turned on. Accordingly, when a user is finished using his computer, he must then proceed to turn off the individual peripheral devices. The user can manually toggle the switch on each peripheral device, or if all the devices are plugged into one central power strip, the user can manually turn off all the peripheral devices by toggling the master power switch on the power strip itself
In either case, the procedure is not automatic, and it requires a computer user to take an extra manual step to turn off the individual peripheral devices after the user has finished using his/her computer. In many cases, the user leaves the peripheral devices turned on, wasting energy and potentially shortening the life of the devices. Some devices, such as an EnergyStar monitor, will automatically enter a xe2x80x9clow powerxe2x80x9d mode after an extended period of non-use, thereby conserving energy. However, it is important to note that a no power mode is preferable to a low power mode in that a no power mode further reduces energy usage and further extends the life of a peripheral device.
There exist prior art devices that facilitate a computer user""s ability to turn off the peripheral devices associated with a computer. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,537 issued to Mione, discloses a device to detect when a computer is on or off based on sensing the current drawn by the computer. When current is detected above a set point, the computer is deemed to be on, and outlets in a power strip are energized to turn on the peripheral devices plugged into the power strip. Similarly, the outlets are de-energized when the computer is turned off. The Mione patent allows for the inclusion of time delays between the computer turn on and the peripheral turn on. A separate time delay can be provided at turn off as well.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,623 issued to Pintar, expands upon Mione""s current sensing concept to include detection of current surges indicating specific activity of the computer or a peripheral to automatically turn on the appropriate device by energizing the outlet to which the device is connected. For example, a paper sorter can be turned on by sensed activity of the associated printer, which is turned on by the computer being on. Similar inventions are described for non-computer applications, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,140 issued to St. Louis for sensing line current to turn on and off a vacuum device when a power tool is turned on and off.
One inventor has disclosed an electrical power strip modified such that the devices plugged into the power strip can be energized or de-energized when another main device is likewise energized or de-energized. U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,201, issued to Karageozian in 1996, discloses a power strip that is modified to include a wire or power cord connectable to a main device such that a signal or indication of the state of energization/de-energization of the main device can be delivered to the power strip. The power strip of the Karageozian patent includes an additional power cord. In order for the power strip of the Karageozian patent to be utilized to automatically turn on or off computer peripheral devices, the wire or power cord of the modified power strip would have to be connected to a power output jack on the computer""s CPU. Although the Karageozian patent allows for an automated process for shutting down or turning on devices plugged into an electrical strip, the modified power strip requires an additional electrical cord that must be plugged into a power output jack of the main device. The PC marketplace is very competitive, resulting in low profit margins. The cost of the required power jack on the unit is a burden that PC manufacturers have not accepted.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,211,581, issued to Farrant, discloses a power strip that can be connected to a remote control that can be utilized to turn on or off any devices plugged into the power strip. This device is designed to overcome the problem that arises when a power strip is located on the floor, under a desk, or in another area that is difficult to access. Although the remote control makes it easier for a computer user to turn on or off the peripheral devices, it still requires a manual step to turn off the peripheral devices, and it will not prevent peripheral devices from remaining on when the user simply forgets to switch them off.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an economical device that will allow personal computer users to automatically turn their peripheral devices on or off when they likewise turn on or off their computers.
The present invention is a conventional AC electrical power strip modified to be used in conjunction with a personal computer system, such that the user can have all the peripheral devices automatically turn on or off when the computer is likewise turned on or off. In its elemental form, the power strip device of this invention includes at least one power outlet into which a peripheral device can be plugged. The device also contains a connector port that can receive a Universal Serial Bus (xe2x80x9cUSBxe2x80x9d) cable that is connected to the USB port on the computer.
Personal computers manufactured to the industry standard PC97 or PC98 requirements have one or more USB ports. Apple Macintosh computers starting with the Power Macintosh G3 are also equipped with USB ports. As a result, many peripheral devices are now designed such that they can be connected to a personal computer through the USB port. The USB port provides for a simplified and uniform method of connecting various devices to a computer. Important to the device of this invention is that the USB port not only can be used for the transmission of data, but it also provides a switched 5 volt power source.
Accordingly, a USB cable can be used to connect the USB port on a computer to the USB connector of the power strip device of this invention. The power strip device utilizes a relay so that when the computer is turned on and power is supplied via the USB port, the relay is energized, thereby allowing a current to be supplied to the outlets in the power strip. On the other hand, when the computer is turned off, no power is supplied via the USB port, the relay of the power strip is not energized, and any devices plugged into the power outlets in the power strip are not provided power. This presents a practical and failsafe system to ensure that peripheral devices are turned on or off when the associated computer is likewise turned on or off.
Historically, this function could not be accomplished inexpensively. PCs have traditionally had two easily accessible built-in connections, a serial port and a parallel port. These connections provide access to signals and ground but not to power. The mouse and keyboard ports contain power and ground connections, but these connections are live even when the PC is switched off. A device performing the automatic power strip switch function attached to a serial or parallel port would require its own (external) power supply, circuitry to detect activity on the port, and possibly software to create the activity to detect, adding significant complexity and expense. This invention does not require the complexity or expense, by using the USB power supply available in modem (post mid-1998) computers. The USB ports and IEEE-1394 ports that have become nearly universal on Macintosh and PC computers have power connections that switch on when the computer is on, and switch off when the computer is off. All Macintosh computers starting with the G3, and all PC computers starting with the Pentium-II have USB ports. Many current Unix workstations from Sun, HP and SGI have USB ports as well.
The power strip device of this invention can be produced at low cost, and requires little or no software to function. The basic function described above requires absolutely no software, and no effort on the part of the user after initial configuration. It is a completely automated process.
It is an important aspect of this invention to allow personal computer users to conveniently and automatically turn on or off peripheral devices associated with a computer when the computer is likewise turned on or off.
It is another important aspect of this invention to provide a device that will conserve energy by ensuring that powered peripheral devices connected to a computer are turned off when the computer is turned off.
It is a further aspect of this invention to provide a device that will help extend the life of peripheral devices by ensuring that powered peripheral devices connected to a computer are turned off when the computer is turned off.
It is another important aspect of this invention to provide a modified power strip device that can be produced inexpensively.
It is a further aspect of this invention to provide a device that can be used to automatically turn on or off peripheral devices without any software requirements.
It is an important aspect of this invention to provide a device that can be used by way of a simple connection to a personal computer""s USB port, with which modern computers are universally equipped. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Payment networks are known to facilitate payment account transactions, through which consumers are able to fund purchases of products, such as, for example, goods and services. In connection therewith, or apart therefrom, the payment networks are known to provide a variety of services, which are manifest in dozens or even hundreds of applications dispersed geographically throughout the payment networks and often supported by a number of different development teams. To provide desired quality of the services associated with the applications, the payment networks often rely on development teams, and/or further on support teams, to maintain the applications, and when necessary, address issues, revisions, and/or improvement for the applications. When the applications rely on other applications, or are relied on by other applications, the teams are known to work together to maintain the applications.
Separately, application performance management tools are available to detect potential issues with applications. Typically, these tools predefined a set of performance measures generically, which are then selected and/or used to gauge the performance of the deployed applications.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to laminates and foam filled sheet products, both decorative and structural, and more particularly it relates to structurally rigid sheets of foam having glass fibers distributed substantially evenly throughout the foam. It also relates to a method for forming such a product.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The field of foamed resins is wide and the choice of resin is determined not only by cost and availability but also by properties such as flammability, friability, thermal conductance, appearance, ease in foaming and application and moisture resistance. And it is, of course, well-known to include fillers and additives to alter the properties of the foamed material.
Many attempts have been made to create structural laminates, particularly of foamed resins to be used for purposes of insulation as well as for wall and ceiling panels. Laminates have often been limited in the choice of foamed resins for this reason. Alternatively, foamed resins which are unsatisfactory in respect to certain properties have been made acceptable by the use of additives. These additives or fillers have had various disadvantages such as the toxic nature of halogen and/or phosphorus containing fire retardant additives. Self-supporting foamed laminates, such as the polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride, are also well-known, but have low structural strengths which limit the use of such laminates.
Laminates employing a core of batting material are also known in the art. Typically such materials suffer discontinuities and structural weaknesses.
It is therefore an object of this invention to create a strong laminate which is free of discontinuities.
It is a further object of this invention to form a laminate utilizing a foamed polymeric resin with a mat of long glass fibers to form a unique laminate of superior performance and of pleasing appearance.
Before laminates of this type can be used, however, it is necessary that they meet structural and fire safety standards.
Previous attempts to make similar structures utilizing foams have relied on the spongy character of a high loft batting into which a foam-forming resin was forced and then permitted to foam and expand at the same rate as the high loft fibrous batting material expanded. An example of this process applied to making a flexible foam filled batting material can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,594.
A distinct disadvantage is presented by using a high loft batting in that the batting may elastically recover faster than the foam-forming mixture expands, thereby producing voids or pockets within the resultant material, the pockets contributing directly to possible structural failure of the material when subjected to high heat conditions.
It is therefore an object of this invention to form a structural laminate using a low loft mat of long glass fibers, the mat being thin, substantially incompressible, yet expansible under the sole influence of the expansion of a foam-forming mixture which penetrates and completely fills the interstices between the fibers of the mat.
It is another object of this invention to create a structural laminate having improved fire resistant properties.
It is yet another object of this invention to produce a structural laminate having superior fire resistant properties, which would qualify for approval by the Factory Mutual Research Corporation, an independent risk certification firm.
A method of making a low loft mat which satisfies the functional and structural requirement of this invention is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,609,320, provided certain limitations are placed on the method. For example, in a mat acceptable for use in a laminate according to this invention, the glass fibers are attached to one another by an amount of fiber binder sufficient to make the mat of glass fibers dimensionally stable but insufficient to fill the interstices between the glass fibers. Preferably, only a minimum amount of this fiber binder should be employed. Further, the mat should not be expanded or puffed up in thickness as is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,609,320 but rather should be of low loft such that pressure applied to the faces of the mat will not substantially reduce the thickness of the mat and such that the mat does not elastically recover to any appreciable amount when the pressure is released from the faces of the mat. Of course, any other method can be used which would result in a batt of glass fibers having a structure substantially the same as that produced by the method of U.S. Pat. No. 2,609,320 with these restrictions. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming system, an image forming apparatus and an image forming method.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-267362, filed Nov. 30, 2010, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, the information data constituted from images and characters are distributed by using a network, for example, the Internet, and a display device shows the information based on the distributed information data. Such a display device is, for example, a cellular phone and/or a smartphone which is different from, for example, a TV set and a newspaper that repeatedly show the same information because the smartphone can switch the information in accordance with both a position or place of the smartphone and the time, and due to this, it is possible to display the information which is effective or impressive for a specifically targeted layer of people. Further, it is possible without any difficulty to switch the information on such a display device by updating the information data stored in a distribution source (distribution server), and therefore, it does not take time and is not a labor to switch the information data.
There are outputting methods of the information other than such a method of displaying the information on the display device, for example, a method in which the information is printed by an image forming apparatus, for example, a multi-function printer. For example, in a shop or a store such as a convenience store, a server (information operation apparatus) is installed together with the image forming apparatus, and the information operation apparatus stores the information data distributed from the distribution server. When receiving an output command, the image forming apparatus forms an image of the information based on the information data received from the information operation apparatus. Further, a display device is connected to the above-described information operation apparatus. The display device shows information based on the information data received from the information operation apparatus. When receiving an output command, the image forming apparatus forms the image of the information corresponding to a screen shown on the display apparatus.
However, in the above-described conventional technique, the information shown on the display apparatus is updated in a predetermined time, and there is a possibility in which, if the information is updated at a time when the user inputs an output command to the image forming apparatus, an image of information different from the information which the user wants is formed on a printing paper. Thus, there is a possibility that an image of information different from the information which the user wants is formed on a printing paper.
The present invention relates to, for example, the above-described conventional technique. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Usage of the Internet has become a daily occurrence for many people around the world. Internet usage has been driven to higher and more powerful levels by the likes of major search engines such as Google™ and Yahoo!™. Driving Internet usage even higher has been the advent and rise of social networking sites, such as Facebook™ and Myspace™, as well as personal blogging sites such as Wordpress™, and microblogging sites such as Twitter™ and Tumblr™. Global users of the Internet post information and content daily to such social networking and blogging sites, and other users of the Internet may find information posted using search engines.
As the Internet has grown, social media has grown along with it. No longer bounded by distance and geography, users of the Internet are free to immediately communicate with anyone, anywhere and at any time. However, with this new means for almost instantaneous communication comes a very real price.
Almost all content that is published online, be it a letter to a friend, a photo shared on a social networking site, or a video published and then linked in a blog post, is immortalized online. Without direct action, such published information is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, forever. As un-moderated as the Internet is currently, a problem exists when the information published is unfavorable, damaging, bullying or even defamatory to a person.
Unfavorable information that is published online can be quite damaging to a person. Lies, half-truths and misstated information can have real and serious impacts on a victim, from the loss of a job, the ending of a marriage or other civil union, and even eventual suicide or other self-harming activities.
Attempting to have the unfavorable content removed from the Internet can be a daunting task. One conventional method is a lawsuit, which can be cumbersome, slow and expensive. In suing a publisher of the unfavorable information for defamation or other civil torts, a victim will often need to hire an attorney, pay court and service fees, and wait years for an ultimate resolution of the matter. During this period that the lawsuit is ongoing, the unfavorable information is still online, accessible by anyone with Internet access. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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