Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The present invention relates to fan drive assemblies of the type including a cooling fan and a fan drive, and more particularly, to such fan drive assemblies wherein the fan drive is of the type in which heat is generated as a result of the transmission of torque within the fan drive, and the ability of the fan drive to dissipate such generated heat represents a limiting factor on the torque transmitting capability of the fan drive assembly.
Although the present invention may be used with various types and configurations of torque transmitting fan drives, it is especially adapted for use with fan drive assemblies of the type including a viscous fluid coupling device as the fan drive, and will be described in connection therewith.
Fan drive assemblies of the type which may benefit from the use of the present invention have found several uses, one of the most common of which is in connection with cooling the radiator of a vehicle engine. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the fan drive of the typical fan drive assembly comprises a viscous fluid coupling device, so named because the coupling utilizes a high viscosity fluid to transmit torque, by means of viscous shear drag, from an input coupling member (clutch) to an output coupling member (housing), with the cooling fan being bolted, or otherwise suitably attached, to the output coupling member.
The present invention is especially advantageous when used on a relatively high horsepower fan drive assembly, i.e., one which is capable of transmitting somewhere in the range of about two to about twelve horsepower from the fan drive to the cooling fan. Typically, such high horsepower fan drives include an output coupling member of the type which comprises a cast aluminum body and a cast aluminum cover. The input coupling member is typically also made as a cast aluminum member, and cooperates with the body and/or the cover to define a plurality of interdigitated lands and grooves which define the viscous shear space. When the shear space is filled with viscous fluid, typically a silicon fluid, torque is transmitted from the input coupling member to the output coupling assembly, in response to the rotation of the input coupling member.
During such torque transmission, substantial heat is generated as a result of the shearing of the viscous fluid between the lands and grooves. The amount of heat generated is generally proportional to the xe2x80x9cslip speedxe2x80x9d of the fan drive, i.e., the difference between the speed of the input and the speed of the output. It is generally well understood by those skilled in the art that the ability to transmit torque is limited by the ability of the device to dissipate the heat generated. For example, in a viscous fan drive, if the temperature of the viscous fluid exceeds a certain maximum temperature, the result will be a deterioration of the viscous properties of the fluid, resulting in a gradual loss of the torque transmitting capability of the fluid.
In the fan drive art, it has been conventional for the design and development of a particular cooling fan to occur generally independently of the design and development of the viscous fan drive with which the fan is to be utilized. In other words, the fan is designed to provide the desired operating parameters (e.g., torque, air flow, etc.), thus determining the blade configuration and spacing, and then the mounting portion of the fan (the xe2x80x9cspiderxe2x80x9d) is designed or merely modified to adapt to the configuration of the particular fan drive mounting arrangement (e.g., mounting pads or bosses, disposed at a particular diameter from the axis of the fan drive).
What has not been conventional in the fan drive art is to design the cooling fan and the fan drive as a xe2x80x9cpackagexe2x80x9d, with the goal of maximizing the heat dissipation of the overall fan drive assembly. As a result, it would appear that, at the time of the present invention, there is no commercially available fan drive assembly which achieves nearly its optimum, potential heat dissipation (heat rejection). As a further result, practically every fan drive assembly in commercial use is larger and more expensive than is actually necessary, in order to achieve a particular, desired flow of cooling air through the radiator.
Although the present invention is not limited to a fan drive assembly in which the fan is mounted to the rearward side of the housing (body), rather than being mounted to the cover, the invention is especially advantageous in such an arrangement, and will be described in connection therewith. A typical xe2x80x9crear mountxe2x80x9d fan drive is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,824, in which the body member includes four mounting bosses located radially inward of the body cooling fins. As a result, the fan spider interferes with the radial flow of cooling air through the body cooling fins, thus reducing the heat dissipation capability of the particular fan drive assembly.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fan drive assembly in which the cooling fan and the fluid coupling device driving the fan are designed such that the overall assembly approaches the optimum, potential heat dissipation.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide an improved fan drive assembly in which the cooling fan is mounted to the body (housing) of the fluid coupling device in a manner which substantially improves the flow of air through the housing cooling fins.
It is a related object of the present invention to provide an improved fan drive assembly which accomplishes the above-stated objects, and in which the cooling fan is configured to further improve the flow of air through the housing cooling fins.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved fan drive assembly which accomplishes the above-stated objects, and in which the cover cooling fins are configured to improve the flow of air through the cover cooling fins.
The above and other objects of the invention are accomplished by the provision of a fan drive assembly of the type comprising a cooling fan attached to a fluid coupling device, the cooling fan comprising a fan hub, a spider portion, and a plurality of fan blades extending radially from the fan hub. The fluid coupling device comprises a first rotatable coupling assembly including a body member having a rearward surface, and a cover member cooperating with the body member to define a fluid chamber therebetween, a second rotatable coupling member being disposed in the fluid chamber for rotation relative to the first coupling assembly. The first coupling assembly and the second coupling member cooperate to define a viscous shear chamber therebetween, whereby torque may be transmitted from the second coupling member to the first a coupling assembly in response to the presence of viscous fluid in the shear chamber. The body member includes a plurality of cooling fins and a plurality of mounting portions, the spider portion being attached to the mounting portions and defining a pilot diameter.
The improved fan drive assembly is characterized by the body member including a plurality of mounting portions, each of which is disposed immediately adjacent an outer periphery of the body member. Each of the mounting portions defines a machining chucking surface, and a spider mounting surface on a rearward face thereof. The spider mounting surface includes a pilot surface in engagement with the pilot diameter of the spider portion. The plurality of cooling fins covers substantially all of the rearward surface of the body member not covered by the mounting portions.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the fan hub and each of the plurality of fan blades cooperate to define a rearward axially extending air dam portion operable to restrict localized radial air flow.


In the field of microprocessors, the number of instructions executed per second is a primary performance measure. As is well known in the art, many factors in the design and manufacture of a microprocessor impact this measure. For example, the execution rate depends quite strongly on the clock frequency of the microprocessor. The frequency of the clock applied to a microprocessor is limited, however, by power dissipation concerns and by the switching characteristics of the transistors in the microprocessor.
The architecture of the microprocessor is also a significant factor in the execution rate of a microprocessor. For example, many modern microprocessors utilize a "pipelined" architecture to improve their execution rate if many of their instructions require multiple clock cycles for execution. According to conventional pipelining techniques, each microprocessor instruction is segmented into several stages, and separate circuitry is provided to perform each stage of the instruction. The execution rate of the microprocessor is thus increased by overlapping the execution of different stages of multiple instructions in each clock cycle. In this way, one multiple-cycle instruction may be completed in each clock cycle.
By way of further background, some microprocessor architectures are of the "superscalar" type, where multiple instructions are issued in each clock cycle for execution in parallel. Assuming no dependencies among instructions, the increase in instruction throughput is proportional to the degree of scalability.
Another known technique for improving the execution rate of a microprocessor and the system in which it is implemented is the use of a cache memory. Conventional cache memories are small high-speed memories that store program and data from memory locations which are likely to be accessed in performing later instructions, as determined by a selection algorithm. Since the cache memory can be accessed in a reduced number of clock cycles (often a single cycle) relative to main system memory, the effective execution rate of a microprocessor utilizing a cache is much improved over a non-cache system. Many cache memories are located on the same integrated circuit chip as the microprocessor itself, providing further performance improvement.
According to each of these architecture-related performance improvement techniques, certain events may occur that slow the microprocessor performance. For example, in both the pipelined and the superscalar architectures, multiple instructions may require access to the same internal circuitry at the same time, in which case one of the instructions will have to wait (i.e., "stall") until the priority instruction is serviced by the circuitry.
One type of such a conflict often occurs where one instruction requests a write to memory (including cache) at the same time that another instruction requests a read from the memory. If the instructions are serviced in a "first-come-first-served" basis, the later-arriving instruction will have to wait for the completion of a prior instruction until it is granted memory access. These and other stalls are, of course, detrimental to microprocessor performance.
It has been discovered that, for most instruction sequences (i.e., programs), reads from memory or cache are generally more time-critical than writes to memory or cache, especially where a large number of general-purpose registers are provided in the microprocessor architecture. This is because the instructions and input data are necessary at specific times in the execution of the program in order for the program to execute in an efficient manner; in contrast, since writes to memory are merely writing the result of the program execution, the actual time at which the writing occurs is not as critical since the execution of later instructions may not depend upon the result.
By way of further background, write buffers have been provided in microprocessors, such write buffers being logically located between on-chip cache memory and the bus to main memory. These conventional post-cache write buffers receive data from the cache for a write-through or write-back operation; the contents of the post-cache write buffer are written to main memory under the control of the bus controller, at times when the bus becomes available.
By way of further background, some pipelined architecture microprocessors operate according to speculative execution in order to maintain the pipeline full despite conditional branch or jump instructions being present in the program sequence. Speculative execution requires that predictive branching be performed, where the microprocessor predicts whether the conditional branch will be taken or not taken according to an algorithm; the predicted path is then executed in the pipeline. It is important that the results of speculative executed instructions not be written to memory or cache, because if the prediction is incorrect, it may be difficult or impossible to recover from the incorrectly performed memory write.
Another type of situation can occur where instructions are processed in a pipeline, including writes to memory, where an earlier instruction has an exception condition (e.g., divide-by-zero) for which the program execution should be immediately stopped.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a microprocessor architecture which buffers the writing of data from the CPU core into a write buffer, prior to retiring of the data to a cache, and in which recovery from speculative execution or exceptions can be readily performed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an architecture which prevents the writing of data to memory during a speculative execution sequence.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an architecture which allows for multiple degrees of speculative execution.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having reference to the following specification in combination with the drawings.


In recent years, a sputter neutral particle mass spectrometry apparatus using a focused ion beam device and a light beam oscillation device has been developed. In light beam post-ionized neutral particle mass spectrometry using a focused ion beam, an ion beam is irradiated on a sample to generate neutral particles, and a light beam is made incident horizontally on the surface of the sample to perform post-ionization a single time. Here, a secondary ion mass spectrometry apparatus is equipped with a light beam for post-ionization to improve detection sensitivity. Therefore, the measuring system is simplified to facilitate optimization of the timing for irradiating the light beam and the timing for drawing in ions.
In such neutral particle mass spectrometry, since the output of the light beam is small, it has been necessary to make the light beams converge at a particular position on the sample surface in order to secure sufficient detection sensitivity. Therefore, to prevent background noise caused by direct contact of the light beams with the sample from occurring, the optical axis of the light beam has been required to be designed horizontal to, and at a fixed distance from the sample surface. As a result, the light beam irradiation timing needed to be delayed, and thus density per unit volume of a sputter neutral particle group decreased, causing a decline in yield.
In recent years, objects to be analyzed by the sputter neutral particle mass spectrometry apparatus have become microscopic. Therefore, there is a need for a sputter neutral particle mass spectrometry apparatus which is capable of improving detection sensitivity by increasing the yield of any element in the region of analysis.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a network of devices. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus and system for coupling and decoupling data storage initiator devices to a network without disrupting the network.
2. Related Art
The data storage market includes a number of vendors and products. Unfortunately, integrating various products from different vendors is difficult, and it requires a substantial investment due to a lack of interoperability standards.
In one instance, in order to increase system performance and lower costs, the manufacturers of blade servers and other storage devices are considering integrating a Fibre Channel fabric switch into their devices. However, a blade server with an integrated fabric switch is likely to have difficulties communicating to an external network because of incompatibilities and proprietary features. The conventional wisdom is that such devices are connected using a Fibre Channel E-Port or B-Port topology, thereby allowing fabric related information to be communicated. But, this causes many currently available Fibre Channel fabric switches to be reconfigured to a mode in which proprietary features are turned off and functions are disabled, resulting in a disruption of the network. It is also likely to create network management problems.
What is needed, therefore, are new ways for integrating products from different venders to an existing network that overcome the deficiencies noted above.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling multiple powers for sequential supply and reversal interruption and, more particularly, to an apparatus for controlling multiple powers which is capable of sequentially turning on or reversely turning off the multiple powers in their priorities for systems or components to be supplied with the multiple powers such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) module.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Hereinafter, the supply and the interruption have the same meaning as ON and OFF, which will be used together for simplicity of description.
In general, multiple powers should be supplied to components or systems requiring the multiple powers for safe drive in a sequential manner to comply with their priorities of supplying the powers based on the respective specifications, and should be interrupted in its reversal order. To detail this, in the case of the power supply for driving the LCD module, four kinds of power supply voltage, 3.3V, 5V, −9V, and 15V, are sequentially supplied to the LCD module by respective time intervals of 10 ms, image data are then applied thereto. In addition, in the case of interrupting the power supply, it is interrupted in its reversal order.
For example, one of methods capable of performing sequential supply and reversal interruption on the multiple powers in accordance with the conventional art will be described. FIG. 1 is a circuit view of an apparatus for controlling multiple powers in accordance with the conventional art.
The apparatus for controlling the multiple powers according to the conventional art as shown in FIG. 1 is configured to sequentially switch the multiple power supply voltages by sequentially driving relays using a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) and counter logical elements. In this configuration, a pair of counter elements, i.e., a counter element for sequential turn on and a counter element for reversal turn off are required to generate a control signal for switching one power supply voltage. An upper block including the counter element is responsible for sequential on control and a lower block is responsible for sequential off control. In addition, one SCR and two relays are required in its output terminal in order to turn off one voltage having levels different from each other in the above-described configuration.
Accordingly, in the apparatus for controlling the multiple powers according to the conventional art, the more the voltages to be controlled are present, the more logical gates and counter semiconductor elements constituted by flip-flops or latches should be used and many relays should also be used, which cause volume to be increased and control to be complicated.


A recently developed type of secondary or rechargeable electrical conversion device comprises: (1) one or more anodic reaction zones containing a molten alkali metal anode-reactant, e.g., sodium, in electrical contact with an external circuit; (2) one or more cathodic reaction zones containing (a) a cathodic reactant comprising a liquid electrolyte, e.g., sulfur or a mixture of sulfur and molten polysulfide, which is electrochemically reversibly reactive with said anodic reactant, and (b) a conductive electrode which is at least partially immersed in said cathodic reactant; and (3) a solid electrolyte comprising a cationpermeable barrier to mass liquid transfer interposed between and in contact with said anodic and cathodic reaction zones. As used herein the term "reactant" is intended to mean both reactants and reaction products.
During the discharge cycle of such a device, molten alkali metal atoms such as sodium surrender an electron to an external circuit and the resulting cation passes through the solid electrolyte barrier and into the liquid electrolyte to unite with polysuflfide ions. The polysulfide ions are formed by charge transfer by reaction of the cathodic reactant with electrons conducted through the electrode from the external circuit. Because the ionic conductivity of the liquid electrolyte is less than the electronic conductivity of the electrode material, it is desirable during discharge that both electrons and sulfur be applied to and distributed along the surface of the conductive electrode in the vicinity of the cation-permeable solid electrolyte. When sulfur and electrons are so supplied, polysulfide ions can be formed near the solid electrolyte and the alkali metal cations can pass out of the solid electrolyte into the liquid electrolyte and combine to form alkali metal polysulfide near the solid electrolyte.
During the charge cycle of such a device when a negative potential larger than the open circuit cell voltage is applied to the anode the opposite process occurs. Thus electrons are removed from the alkali metal polysulfide by charge transfer at the surface of the electrode and are conducted through the electrode to the external circuit, and the alkali metal cation is conducted through the liquid electrolyte and solid electrolyte to the anode where it accepts an electron from the external circuit. Because of the aforementioned relative conductivities of the ionic and electronic phases, this charging process occurs preferentially in the vicinity of the solid electrolyte and leaves behind molten elemental sulfur. As can be readily appreciated the production of large amounts of sulfur near the surface of the cation-permeable membrane has a limiting effect on rechargeability. This is the case since sulfur is nonconductive and when it covers surfaces of the electrode, charge transfer is inhibited and the charging process is greatly hindered or terminated. Thus, in order to improve the rechargeability of a cell of this type it is necessary not only to supply polysulfide to the surface of the electrode in the vicinity of the cation-permeable membrane, but also to remove sulfur therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,811,943 and United States patent application Ser. No. 545,048 filed Jan. 29, 1975 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,496 both disclose energy conversion device designs which allow or promote improved mass transportation of reactants and reaction products to and from the vicinity of the solid electrolyte and the porous electrode during both discharge and charge. In the device disclosed in the patent an ionically conductive solid electrolyte is located between a first reactant in one container and a second reactant in another container. An electrode for one of the reactants comprises a layer of porous, electronically conductive material having one surface in contact with one side of the ionically conductive solid electrolyte and the other surface in contact with a structurally integral electronically conductive member permeable to mass flow of its reactants and electrically connected to the external circuit. An open volume exists between the structurally integral conductive member and the container wall to promote free flow and mixing of the reactants. Reactants also flow readily through the conductive member into the layer of porous electronically conductive material. The conductive member distributes electrons to the porous, conductive material which in turn transfers electrons to or from the reactants.
The improvement disclosed in Ser. No. 545,048 comprises designing the cathodic reaction zone of the device such that there are a plurality of channels and/or spaces within said zone which are free of porous conductive electrodes and which are thus adapted to allow free flow of the molten cathodic reactants during operation of the device. This flow results from free convection within the channels and/or spaces, and from wicking of cathodic reactants within the conductive porous material.
The secondary battery or cell designs disclosed and claimed in the aforementioned U.S. patent and Ser. No. 545,048 are effective in promoting distribution of reactants during both charge and discharge, thereby increasing the capacity of the device. However, the capacity of the device is limited by the amount of anodic and cathodic reactant available for reaction.
It is the object of this invention to provide an improved secondary battery or cell which is effective in promoting distribution of reactants during charge and discharge and which provides for an increased supply of reactants, thereby increasing the ampere-hour capacity of the device.


There currently exists a variety of absorbent articles that have been developed to improve the health and hygiene of the user. For example, infant diapers, training pants, adult incontinence articles, feminine care articles, and the like are commonly used to absorb urine, menses, and other bodily exudates. However, despite the useful nature of these products, some users desire greater discretion regarding their need for particular absorbent articles. This may be particularly relevant to some adult users with incontinence. As such, some users may obtain absorbent articles by home delivery to avoid the embarrassment or self-consciousness of shopping in a traditional grocery store or drug store.
However, even with home delivery, some users are concerned about the cases of branded product being seen by others during delivery, storage, and/or disposal. To address this need, some manufacturers of absorbent articles ship the products in cases having no visible branding. This addresses the need for discretion but can cause issues with some retailers that want to see the branding on the cases to ensure proper merchandise inventory, transfer, and/or stocking. In order to serve both needs, some manufactures have provided two different case designs to satisfy the needs of the two different customers (i.e., branded cases for the retailers and unbranded cases for home delivery). However, this solution creates logistical and economic inefficiencies by requiring the manufacturer of the absorbent articles to manage two different case designs for a single product code.
Other methods of addressing discretion have included manufactures of absorbent articles providing the same branded cases to both retailers and home delivery providers. In turn, some of the home delivery providers have emptied the cases, turned the cases inside out, and refilled the cases such that the brand is printed on the inside of the case. Transforming the cases in this way eliminates the need for two different case designs but requires additional labor and expense on the part of the home delivery providers. Furthermore, this solution does not address the need for discretion when storing or disposing of the branded case because the branding is still visible on the inner surface of the case.
In other situations when manufactures of absorbent articles provide the same branded cases to both retailers and home delivery providers, the home delivery providers remove the product from the branded cases and repack the product into unbranded cases. This solution addresses the need for discretion during receipt, storage, and disposal of the case but re-introduces the problem of having two different case designs (i.e., branded and unbranded). The only difference is that the expense has transferred from the manufacturer of the absorbent articles to the home delivery provider.
Thus, there exists a need for a single case design that meets the branding requirements of retailers and the discretion requirements of home delivery providers. There also exists a need for a method to use the single case design to satisfy the needs of all customers/retailers.


The present invention relates generally to communication networks, and more specifically to the monitoring and management of quality of signal transmissions in a communications network.
Originally, cable networks were established to transmit television signals to homes and offices. Cable networks provided advantages over transmission television networks that included providing a clearer signal and a greater selection of channels. These networks were made up of co-axial cables routed in a tree and branch structure to customer sites and were intended simply to provide customers with analog television signals.
More recently, cable networks have been converted to transmit digital signals in a hybrid of fiber optic cable and co-axial cable structures. These converted networks accommodate not only traditional, analog television signals but also digital television signals, digital data signals and telephone signals. These cable networks use packet switching techniques to transfer information (data) over packet networks using packet switching techniques.
Digital television signals provide a crisper, more detailed picture along with enhanced sound. With the capability to transmit digital data signals, cable networks may now be coupled to the Internet thereby providing homes and offices access to the Internet. This Internet access is generally faster than access provided by other technologies. In addition, cable networks may now be used to transmit telephone voice signals in the form of packetized data. This involves a substantial savings in the amount of wiring around houses and offices because one co-axial cable can now carry analog, digital and voice signals.
Another signal transmission technology that offers significant improvement in data transfer is the Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) technology. DSL technology provides increased communications bandwidth while using existing twisted-pair copper lines that are prevalent throughout much of the world. DSL delivers a basic data transfer rate of 128 kbps. High speed DSL, or HDSL, can deliver a data transfer rate of 1.544 megabits per second (Mbps) in North America, and 2.048 Mbps elsewhere. Asymmetric DSL, or ADSL, can deliver data rates ranging from 1.5 to 9.0 Mbps on a downstream or receiving path, and 16 to 800 kbps on an upstream or sending path. Taken together, varying DSL technologies are referred to as xDSL.
A conventional xDSL communication network includes a Main Distribution Frame (MDF), an access matrix, a DSL Access Multiplexer (DSLAM), and a test unit. The MDF is coupled to the access matrix, which itself is coupled to the DSLAM and the test unit. The MDF, the access matrix, the test unit, and the DSLAM each reside at an xDSL service provider site (or Central Office). At a customer site, a set of Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) units is connected to the MDF. Each CPE unit includes an xDSL modem.
To monitor the quality of the transmission of telephone or voice signals in the form of packetized data, various transmission impairment tests (TIT) are used. One common type of transmission impairment test is the Perceptual Speech Quality Measurement (PSQM) according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) P.861 Standard. Information about ITU and ITU Standard P.861 is available at http://www.itu.ch. Determination of a PSQM score typically involves sending of a PSQM file from a home device to a remote device, and calculating a PSQM score by the remote device based on the PSQM file received at the remote device. A PSQM file is a file including digital signals representative of voice signals of various people (e.g., men, women, children, etc.) speaking different languages. Alternatively, a PSQM score can be determined by sending a PSQM file from a remote device to a home device, and calculating the PSQM score by the home device based on the PSQM file received at the home device. The PSQM score is a number between one and seven where a higher number represents higher quality.
Another type of TIT is the Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) according to the ITU P.862 Standard. Information about ITU P.862 is available at http://www.itu.ch. PESQ has been found to be more accurate than PSQM at predicting quality in a very wide range of networks, including the speed transmission quality of packet-oriented networks. The PESQ score is a number between one and seven where a higher number represents higher quality.
The quality of the transmission of telephone or voice signals in the form of packetized data is also measured by another criteria commonly known as the Quality of Services (QoS). The QoS is a measurement of the amount of packet losses, jitter, delay, etc in the signal transmission. Transmission impairment tests (e.g., PSQM and PESQ), and QoS are important criteria to determine the quality of signal transmissions in a packetized network.
It should be noted that the TIT scores is more difficult to obtain than the QoS score as the TIT score, such as the PSQM score, varies with time and location of the measurement. Therefore, it would be desirable to correlate the TIT scores with a corresponding QoS score by measuring the TIT scores and the QoS score for the same signal transmission. This would allow a user (or an administrator) of the packet network to use a QoS score to predict the corresponding TIT scores. When the predicted TIT score drops below a minimum value indicative of network problems, the administrator will be informed to determine whether services to the network are needed to restore the signal transmission quality.
However, there are problems associated with the prior art systems that make the correlation of TIT scores and QoS scores complicated and expensive. First, even for a small region, thousands of phone calls are being made at any given time which makes it very difficult to keep track of a particular test telephone call to allow the calculation of TIT score and QoS score. Second, the TIT scores vary from location to location and also from time to time for the same location because of variations in call patterns and the traffic conditions of the packet network.
Thus, there has long been a need for a more economical and simple monitoring method and system, which would monitor and calculate TIT scores, such as PSQM scores and PESQ scores, and QoS scores for signal transmissions over a packet network; and then use QoS scores to provide an accurate prediction of the corresponding TIT scores.
The present invention provides a method and system for monitoring the quality of signal transmissions in a communications network.
The present invention further provides an economical and simple method and system for calculating both Transmission Impairment Test (TIT) scores and QoS scores for signal transmissions over a communications network.
The present invention still further provides a method and system for providing a correlation between TIT scores and QoS scores of signal transmissions over a communications network, thus allowing a user of the communications network to use a QoS score to predict the corresponding TIT score. When the TIT score falls below a minimum TIT score, the user may be informed and will have an opportunity to determine if service to the communications network is required to restore signal transmission quality.
The present invention provides a communications network having a cable modem termination system (CMTS); a voice band tester (VBT) coupled to the CMTS; a cable modem tester coupled to the CMTS; and a Voice over Internet Packet (VoIP) monitoring device coupled to the CMTS and the VBT. The VBT is located at a first location and the cable modem tester is located at a second location remote from the first location. The cable modem tester is adapted to provide a first communication signal to the voice band tester via the CMTS. The VoIP monitoring device is adapted to monitor the first communication signal and calculate a first Quality of Services (QoS) score based on traffic density between the CMTS and the VBT. The VBT is further adapted to calculate a first Transmission Impairment Test (TIT) score based on the first communication signal and a first received communication signal received by the VBT from the cable modem tester and provide the first TIT score to the VoIP monitoring device. The first TIT score could be a score such as a Perceptual Speech Quality Measurement (PSQM) score, or a Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) score.
The present invention further provides a method for monitoring quality of signal transmissions within a communications network. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a first communication signal from a cable modem tester located at a first location to a voice band tester (VBT) located at a second location remote from the first location via a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS); (b) identifying the first communication signal and begins monitoring signal transmissions from the cable modem tester to the VBT via the CMTS; (c) calculating a first Transmission Impairment Test (TIT) score based on the first communication signal and a first received communication signal received by the VBT from the cable modem tester; (d) providing the first TIT score to a Voice over Internet Packet (VoIP) monitoring device; and (e) calculating a first Quality of Services (QoS) score based on traffic density between the CMTS and the VBT.
The above and additional advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


In thermal dye transfer printing, an image is formed on a receptor sheet by selectively transferring an image forming material to the receptor sheet from a dye donor sheet. Material to be transferred from the dye donor sheet is selected by a thermal printhead, which consists of small, electrically heated elements. These elements transfer image-forming material from the dye donor sheet to areas of the dye receptor sheet in an imagewise manner.
There are three broad classes of thermal transfer systems that are known, (1) chemical reaction systems, (2) thermal mass transfer systems, and (3) thermal dye transfer systems.
In chemical reaction systems, the image is formed upon the receptor as a result of the imagewise transfer of some chemical reactant from the donor sheet. An example is the transfer of a mobile molecule, such as phenol, to the receptor sheet, which bears a leuco compound thereon. The phenol is transferred by being volatilized by the heat from the thermal print head, and, upon reaching the receptor sheet, reacts with the leuco compound to convert it from the colorless to the colored form. Alternately, the phenol can be on the receptor sheet and the leuco compound can be on the donor sheet.
In thermal mass systems, no color forming chemical reaction takes place. Instead, the image is formed simply by the transfer of a mass of material containing colorant therein, such as pigment-filled polymer coatings.
In thermal dye transfer systems, a dye donor sheet is used in combination with a dye receptor sheet wherein, with the application of heat, a dye is transferred onto the receptor sheet at a controlled amount to obtain a dye image having gradation like in a photograph.
Each system has its own advantages and disadvantages for the particular application of thermal printing. Various problems have been encountered with each proposed system. For thermal dye transfer, dye release layers have been proposed to enable efficient transfer of the dye layer from the dye donor sheet. Also, various dye-permeable release layers on the dye receptor layer have been proposed. The dye-permeable release layer is coated over the dye receptor layer, and is formulated to prevent sticking between the donor layer and the receptor layer during the transfer of the dye across the binder membranes. The release layer must also be formulated to allow effective transfer of the dye through the release layer. In general, many of these problems have been related to a specific resin used in the composition of the dye donor or dye receptor layers.
Selection of the functional resin systems for the dye donor and the receptor sheet layers has been the topic of concern for many proposed dye systems. In consideration of the above mentioned requirements, efficient dye transfer and sticking between the dye donor layer and the dye receptor layer during transfer, a good, functional resin system to eliminate some of these problems is needed. Interestingly, a unique resin system has been found that provides an efficient working dye donor sheet and dye receptor sheet. The resin system comprises a chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,584,576 describes a heat sensitive stencil sheet comprising a film adhered to a porous thin fibrous sheet. The stencil sheet is perforated by exposure to infrared rays. The film consists essentially of at least 75% by weight of a chlorinated polyvinyl chloride resin, the balance being a polyvinyl chloride resin. A colorant may be present in the film. Upon being heated by infrared radiation, the film melts and forms perforations. The pores in the remaining fibrous sheet enable stencilling to be done through the perforations and the sheet.
There are noticable difference between the above mentioned prior art use of CPVC in a thermally sensitive stencil applications and in the present invention. The prior art uses CPVC merely as a resinous binder, with or without other resinous binders. It is, in particular, used not as a receptor layer for a thermal dye transfer sheet, but as the thermoplastic binder for a thermal stencil sheet. The novel use of the CPVC resin in the thermal dye transfer printing of the present invention has been found to give surprisingly new and unique properties for use as the primary resinous thermal plastic binder in both a dye donor sheet, and a dye receptor sheet. Typically, commercially available dye donor sheets and dye receptor sheets are comprised of chemically different binders with different functionals.


Semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) activity is an enzyme activity expressed by Vascular Adhesion Protein-1 (VAP-1) or Amine Oxidase, Copper Containing 3 (AOC3), belongs to the copper-containing amine oxidase family of enzymes (EC.1.4.3.6). Therefore inhibitors of the SSAO enzyme may also modulate the biological functions of the VAP-1 protein. Members of this enzyme family are sensitive to inhibition by semicarbazide and utilize cupric ion and protein-derived topa quinone (TPQ) cofactor in the oxidative deamination of primary amines to aldehydes, hydrogen peroxide, and ammonia according to the following reaction:R—CH2—NH2+O2→R—CHO+H2O2+NH3
Known substrates for human SSAO include endogenous methylamine and aminoacetone as well as some xenobiotic amines such as benzylamine [Lyles, Int. J. Biochem. Cell Biol. 1996, 28, 259-274; Klinman, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 2003, 1647(1-2), 131-137; Matyus et al., Curr. Med. Chem. 2004, 11(10), 1285-1298; O'Sullivan et al., Neurotoxicology 2004, 25(1-2), 303-315]. In analogy with other copper-containing amine oxidases, DNA-sequence analysis and structure determination suggest that the tissue-bound human SSAO is a homodimeric glycoprotein consisting of two 90-100 kDa subunits anchored to the plasma membrane by a single N-terminal membrane spanning domain [Morris et al., J. Biol. Chem. 1997, 272, 9388-9392; Smith et al., J. Exp. Med. 1998, 188, 17-27; Airenne et al., Protein Science 2005, 14, 1964-1974; Jakobsson et al., Acta Crystallogr. D Biol. Crystallogr. 2005, 61(Pt 11), 1550-1562]. SSAO activity has been found in a variety of tissues including vascular and non-vascular smooth muscle tissue, endothelium, and adipose tissue [Lewinsohn, Braz. J. Med. Biol. Res. 1984, 17, 223-256; Nakos & Gossrau, Folia Histochem. Cytobiol. 1994, 32, 3-10; Yu et al., Biochem. Pharmacol. 1994, 47, 1055-1059; Castillo et al., Neurochem. Int. 1998, 33, 415-423; Lyles & Pino, J. Neural. Transm. Suppl. 1998, 52, 239-250; Jaakkola et al., Am. J. Pathol. 1999, 155, 1953-1965; Morin et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 2001, 297, 563-572; Salmi & Jalkanen, Trends Immunol. 2001, 22, 211-216]. In addition, SSAO protein is found in blood plasma and this soluble form appears to have similar properties as the tissue-bound form [Yu et al., Biochem. Pharmacol. 1994, 47, 1055-1059; Kurkijarvi et al., J. Immunol. 1998, 161, 1549-1557]. It has recently been shown that circulating human and rodent SSAO originates from the tissue-bound form [Gökürk et al., Am. J. Pathol. 2003, 163(5), 1921-1928; Abella et al., Diabetologia 2004, 47(3), 429-438; Stolen et al., Circ. Res. 2004, 95(1), 50-57], whereas in other mammals the plasma/serum SSAO is also encoded by a separate gene called AOC4 [Schwelberger, J. Neural. Transm. 2007, 114(6), 757-762].
The precise physiological role of this abundant enzyme has yet to be fully determined, but it appears that SSAO and its reaction products may have several functions in cell signalling and regulation. For example, recent findings suggest that SSAO plays a role in both GLUT4-mediated glucose uptake [Enrique-Tarancon et al., J. Biol. Chem. 1998, 273, 8025-8032; Morin et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 2001, 297, 563-572] and adipocyte differentiation [Fontana et al., Biochem. J. 2001, 356, 769-777; Mercier et al., Biochem. J. 2001, 358, 335-342]. In addition, SSAO has been shown to be involved in inflammatory processes where it acts as an adhesion protein for leukocytes [Salmi & Jalkanen, Trends Immunol. 2001, 22, 211-216; Salmi & Jalkanen, in “Adhesion Molecules: Functions and Inhibition” K. Ley (Ed.), 2007, pp. 237-251], and might also play a role in connective tissue matrix development and maintenance [Langford et al., Cardiovasc. Toxicol. 2002, 2(2), 141-150; Goktark et al., Am. J. Pathol. 2003, 163(5), 1921-1928]. Moreover, a link between SSAO and angiogenesis has recently been discovered [Noda et al., FASEB J. 2008, 22(8), 2928-2935], and based on this link it is expected that inhibitors of SSAO have an anti-angiogenic effect.
Several studies in humans have demonstrated that SSAO activity in blood plasma is elevated in conditions such as congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer's disease, and inflammation [Lewinsohn, Braz. J. Med. Biol. Res. 1984, 17, 223-256; Boomsma et al., Cardiovasc. Res. 1997, 33, 387-391; Ekblom, Pharmacol. Res. 1998, 37, 87-92; Kurkijarvi et al., J. Immunol. 1998, 161, 1549-1557; Boomsma et al., Diabetologia 1999, 42, 233-237; Meszaros et al., Eur. J. Drug Metab. Pharmacokinet. 1999, 24, 299-302; Yu et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 2003, 1647(1-2), 193-199; Mntyus et al., Curr. Med. Chem. 2004, 11(10), 1285-1298; O'Sullivan et al., Neurotoxicology 2004, 25(1-2), 303-315; del Mar Hernandez et al., Neurosci. Lett. 2005, 384(1-2), 183-187]. The mechanisms underlying these alterations of enzyme activity are not clear. It has been suggested that reactive aldehydes and hydrogen peroxide produced by endogenous amine oxidases contribute to the progression of cardiovascular diseases, diabetic complications and Alzheimer's disease [Callingham et al., Prog. Brain Res. 1995, 106, 305-321; Ekblom, Pharmacol. Res. 1998, 37, 87-92; Yu et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 2003, 1647(1-2), 193-199; Jiang et al., Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol. 2008, 34(2), 194-204]. Furthermore, the enzymatic activity of SSAO is involved in the leukocyte extravasation process at sites of inflammation where SSAO has been shown to be strongly expressed on the vascular endothelium [Salmi et al., Immunity 2001, 14(3), 265-276; Salmi & Jalkanen, in “Adhesion Molecules: Functions and Inhibition” K. Ley (Ed.), 2007, pp. 237-251]. Accordingly, inhibition of SSAO has been suggested to have a therapeutic value in the prevention of diabetic complications and in inflammatory diseases [Ekblom, Pharmacol. Res. 1998, 37, 87-92; Salmi et al., Immunity 2001, 14(3), 265-276; Salter-Cid et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 2005, 315(2), 553-562].
SSAO knockout animals are phenotypically overtly normal but exhibit a marked decrease in the inflammatory responses evoked in response to various inflammatory stimuli [Stolen et al., Immunity 2005, 22(1), 105-115]. In addition, antagonism of its function in wild type animals in multiple animal models of human disease (e.g. carrageenan-induced paw inflammation, oxazolone-induced colitis, lipopolysaccharide-induced lung inflammation, collagen-induced arthritis, endotoxin-induced uveitis) by the use of antibodies and/or small molecules has been shown to be protective in decreasing the leukocyte infiltration, reducing the severity of the disease phenotype and reducing levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines [Kirton et al., Eur. J. Immunol. 2005, 35(11), 3119-3130; Salter-Cid et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 2005, 315(2), 553-562; McDonald et al., Annual Reports in Medicinal Chemistry 2007, 42, 229-243; Salmi & Jalkanen, in “Adhesion Molecules: Functions and Inhibition” K. Ley (Ed.), 2007, pp. 237-251; Noda et al., FASEB J. 2008 22(4), 1094-1103; Noda et al., FASEB J. 2008, 22(8), 2928-2935]. This anti-inflammatory protection seems to be afforded across a wide range of inflammatory models all with independent causative mechanisms, rather than being restricted to one particular disease or disease model. This would suggest that SSAO may be a key nodal point for the regulation of the inflammatory response, and it is therefore likely that SSAO inhibitors will be effective anti-inflammatory drugs in a wide range of human diseases. SSAO (VAP-1) is up regulated in gastric cancer and has been identified in the tumour vasculature of human melanoma, hepatoma and head and neck tumours (Yoong K F, McNab G, Hubscher S G, Adams D H. (1998), J Immunol 160, 3978-88; Irjala H, Salmi M, Alanen K, Gre'nman R, Jalkanen S (2001), Immunol. 166, 6937-6943; Forster-Horvath C, Dome B, Paku S, et al. (2004), Melanoma Res. 14, 135-40.). One report (Marttila-Ichihara F, Castermans K, Auvinen K, Oude Egbrink M G, Jalkanen S, Griffioen A W, Salmi M. (2010), J Immunol. 184, 3164-3173.) has shown that mice bearing enzymically inactive VAP-1 grow melanomas more slowly, and have reduced tumour blood vessel number and diameter. The reduced growth of ic) these tumours was also reflected in the reduced (by 60-70%) infiltration of myeloid suppressor cells. Encouragingly VAP-1 deficiency had no effect on vessel or lymph formation in normal tissue.
Small molecules of different structural classes have previously been disclosed as SSAO inhibitors, for example in WO 02/38153 (tetrahydroimidazo[4,5-c]pyridine derivatives), in WO 03/006003 (2-indanylhydrazine derivatives), in WO 2005/014530 (allylhydrazine and hydroxylamine (aminooxy) compounds) and in WO 2007/120528 (allylamino compounds). Additional SSAO inhibitors are disclosed in PCT/EP2009/062011 and PCT/EP2009/062018.
Our co-pending International Patent Application No.: PCT/EP2011/053818 relates to SSAO inhibitors of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, or N-oxide thereof:
whereinR1 is phenyl or 6-membered heteroaryl, optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen, cyano, C1-4-alkyl, halo-C1-4-alkyl, C1-4alkoxy-C1-4alkyl, hydroxy-C1-4-alkyl, cyano-C1-4-alkyl, amino-C1-4-alkyl, C1-4-alkylamino-C1-4-alkyl, di(C1-4-alkyl)amino-C1-4-alkyl, —NR4AR4B, —NR6C(O)OR5, —NR6C(O)R5, —NR6C(O)NR4AR4B, —C(O)NR4AR4B, —C(O)R5, —C(O)OR5, and —NR6S(O)2R5;A is a bond;R2 is —B-Q-[R3]n or —B—R3;wherein n=1, 2, 3, or 4B is a bond, O, NR4, —C(O)— or C1-3-alkylene;Q is saturated or partially unsaturated monocyclic 3-7 membered heterocyclic or C3-7-cycloalkyl ring;when R2 is —B-Q-[R3]n, R3 is selected from hydrogen, halogen, cyano, amino, hydroxyl, oxo, C1-4-alkyl, halo-C1-4-alkyl, C1-4-alkoxy, C1-4alkoxy-C1-4alkyl, hydroxy-C1-4-alkyl, cyano-C1-4-alkyl, amino-C1-4-alkyl, C1-4-alkylamino-C1-4-alkyl, di(C1-4-alkyl)amino-C1-4-alkyl, —NR4AR4B, —NR6C(O)OR5, —NR6C(O)R5, —NR6C(O)NR4AR4B, —C(O)NR4AR4B, —C(O)R5, —C(O)OR5, —NR6S(O)2R5, —S(O)2R5, phenyl-C1-4-alkyl and heteroaryl-C1-4-alkyl, and wherein any phenyl or heteroaryl residue is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen, cyano, C1-4-alkyl, halo-C1-4-alkyl, C1-4-alkoxy, C1-4alkoxy-C1-4alkyl, hydroxy-C1-4-alkyl, cyano-C1-4-alkyl, amino-C1-4-alkyl, C1-4-alkylamino-C1-4-alkyl, di(C1-4-alkyl)amino-C1-4-alkyl, —NR4AR4B, —NR6C(O)OR5, —NR6C(O)R5, —NR6C(O)NR4AR4B, —C(O)NR4AR4B, —C(O)R5, —C(O)OR5, —NR6S(O)2R5;when R2 is —B—R3, R3 is selected from amino, C1-4-alkoxy, C1-4alkoxy-C1-4alkyl, hydroxy-C1-4-alkyl, cyano-C1-4-alkyl, amino-C1-4-alkyl, C1-4-alkylamino-C1-4-alkyl, di(C1-4-alkyl)amino-C1-4-alkyl, —NR4AR4B, —NR6C(O)OR5, —NR6C(O)R5, —NR6C(O)NR4AR4B, —C(O)NR4AR4B, —C(O)R5, —NR6S(O)2R5, phenyl-C1-4-alkyl and heteroaryl-C1-4-alkyl, and wherein any phenyl or heteroaryl residue is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen, cyano, C1-4-alkyl, halo-C1-4-alkyl, C1-4-alkoxy, C1-4alkoxy-C1-4alkyl, hydroxy-C1-4-alkyl, cyano-C1-4-alkyl, amino-C1-4-alkyl, C1-4-alkylamino-C1-4-alkyl, di(C1-4-alkyl)amino-C1-4-alkyl, —NR4AR4B, —NR6C(O)OR5, —NR6C(O)R5, —NR6C(O)NR4AR4B, —C(O)NR4AR4B, —C(O)R5, —C(O)OR5, —NR6S(O)2R5, provided that when R2 is —B—R3, and B is a bond and R3 is —C(O)R5, then R5 is not hydrogen;R4A, R4B and R5 are each independently selected from hydrogen, C1-4-alkyl, hydroxy-C1-4-alkyl, halo-C1-4-alkyl, cyano-C1-4-alkyl, amino-C1-4-alkyl, C1-4-alkylamino-C1-4-alkyl, di(C1-4-alkyl)-amino-C1-4-alkyl or C1-4alkoxy-C1-4alkyl; or R4A and R4B together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form a cyclic amino group such as a piperidinyl, piperazinyl, N-substituted piperazinyl, morpholinyl or homopiperidinyl group;R4A1 is selected from C1-4-alkyl, hydroxy-C1-4-alkyl, halo-C1-4-alkyl, cyano-C1-4-alkyl, amino-C1-4-alkyl, C1-4-alkylamino-C1-4-alkyl, di(C1-4-alkyl)amino-C1-4-alkyl or C1-4alkoxy-C1-4alkyl; or R4A1 and R4B together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form a cyclic amino group such as a piperidinyl, piperazinyl, N-substituted piperazinyl, morpholinyl or homopiperidinyl group;R6 is hydrogen or C1-4-alkyl; andX is selected from the radicals of formulae (1-16) wherein the bond marked * is attached to R1A- and the bond marked ** is attached to —R2:
wherein Y is selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, amino, —NHR6, —OCH3;Z is selected from hydrogen, fluorine, hydroxyl, C1-4-alkoxy, halo-C1-4-alkyl, CONH2, cyano, SO2NH2, amino, —NHR6;W is selected from H, C1-4-alkyl, halo-C1-4-alkyl;


One of the major hypotheses that has recently been proposed for the cause of the observed effect of particulate matter on human health is that high numbers of ultrafine particles (for example, particles, diameters less than 0.1 μm) are more problematic than the particle mass that is now the basis of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. For example, significant associations of elevated cardiovascular and respiratory disease mortality with various fine (and ultrafine) particle indices have been found in one study based in Erfurt, Germany. Specifically, significant associations were found between mortality and ultrafine particle number (NC), ultrafine particle mass (MC), fine particle mass or SO2 concentrations. The correlation between MC 0.01-2.5 and NC 0.01-0.1 is only moderate, suggesting that it may be possible to partially separate effects of ultrafine and fine particles. Thus, measurements of the ultrafine particle concentrations as well as particle mass are needed to help provide more data to examine these relationships.
In addition, there are a variety of particle counting needs in industrial settings. With the increased emphasis on nanometer sized particles for the production of nanostructured materials, particle counters can be important in process control. There are currently only a limited number of instruments available to make such measurements.
One method or device that has shown to be an effective means of detecting such fine particles is the use of heterogeneous nucleation with a turbulent mixing condensation nuclei counter (that is, a “TMCNC”). In a TMCNC system, a gas (for example, air) containing the particles to be measured is turbulently mixed with a stream of air saturated with a condensable vapor so that the vapor cools and condensates, that is nucleates, onto the particles. The resulting droplets or nuclei then grow to a size whereby they can be effectively detected by, for example, light scattering. Although the concept of a TMCNC has been available for over 15 years (see for example, McMurry, 2000), the TMCNC has not been developed into a viable commercial instrument capable of particle detection down to 2 nanometers.
The Condensation Nuclei Counter (CNC), which grows primary particles (nuclei) up to a more easily detectable size, is one of the most widely used devices for studying particles below 0.1 micrometer (μm). A general description of CNC's is given in many books and reviews (for example, see Willeke and Baron, 1993 and McMurry, 2000). Several types of CNCs are used in researching aerosols, that is, suspensions of fine solid or liquid particles in a gas, typically, air. The main difference among these CNC designs is the way the devices produce supersaturation that leads to particle growth up to a predetermined size for subsequent detection. In an expansion-type CNC, supersaturation is generated by adiabatic cooling during pressure reduction. An expansion-type CNC is typically a batch instrument. Expansion-type CNCs have been used in atmospheric aerosol research for many years. A continuous CNC (for example, as disclosed by Agarwal and Sem, 1980) is widely used. In the continuous CNC, supersaturation is formed by cooling a laminar aerosol flow that is saturated with working fluid vapor. In the conductive cooling type continuous CNC the aerosol-containing sample is typically saturated with working fluid and then cooled whereby the working fluid condenses on the aerosol particles. However, one disadvantage of the conductive cooling CNC is its sensitivity to moisture in the sample gas. Moisture in the sample gas may also condense on the aerosol particles or otherwise interfere with the condensation of the working fluid and affect the measured particle count. Attempts to remove moisture from the sample gas typically can also remove aerosol particles, which hampers the accuracy of the particle measurements. Aspects of the present invention overcome this deficiency of the prior art.
The third type of CNC, known as a turbulent mixing CNC (or TMCNC), is based on turbulent mixing of a gas flow with particles with working fluid vapor. The TMCNC instrument has not yet been commercialized. One prior art TMCNC is described by Kogan and Burnashova (1960) and was further developed in different versions by Okuyama, et al. (1984); Ankilov, et al. (1991); Kousaka (1993); and Mavliev and Wang (1999). The major advantage of the TMCNC is the flexibility of generating supersaturation by simply mixing the aerosol flow and a separate gas flow saturated with the working fluid vapor.
The CNC is one of the most sensitive devices for detecting nanometer-size particles, for example, some CNC studies have reached a detection limit of 2-3 nanometers (nm) (Stolzenburg and McMurry, 1991; McDermont et al., 1991; Okuyama et al., 1984; Mavliev and Wang, 1999). In one commercially available CNC system that can detect 3 nm particles, the aerosol stream is directed through a capillary tube in order to align the particle stream within a small central zone of uniform saturation conditions. However, the capillary in this system is prone to problematic clogging when used to directly measure ambient aerosols and cleaning the capillary tube can be difficult.
The minimum detection efficiency of CNCs is very sensitive to the size of particles being detected (Makela, et al., 1996). The detection efficiency may also be sensitive to the composition of the particle (Mavliev et al., 2001) and to the nature of the working fluid (Lee et al., 2003; Mavliev et al., 2004).
Although the CNC is primarily devoted to measuring the number concentration of particles, some prior art CNCs have been shown to be able to measure size distribution of particles, for example, of nanometer-sized particles. In one prior art system, the size distribution of nuclei can be measured by means of changing the CNC's sensitivity (McDermont et al. 1991) and by means of measuring the size of grown particles (Ahn and Liu, 1990; Rebours, et al., 1996; Saros, et al., 1996). One prior art method is based on the fact that the growth of smaller particles is delayed because of the Kelvin effect that results in the final size of particles being dependent on initial nucleus size. However, these prior art devices provide unsatisfactory size resolution and their operational range is limited to a range of 3-10 nm. In addition, in some of these prior art systems, the growth time for particles of the same size depends strongly on spatial uniformity of supersaturation. For most continuous flow CNCs, the spatial distribution of supersaturation is not uniform because of the use of diffusive cooling in the laminar flow (Stolzenburg, 1988).
Moreover, some commercially available prior art CNCs were developed as laboratory research tools or to monitor clean rooms, and, as far as the present inventors know, no effort has yet been made to optimize their performance for ambient aerosol monitoring. For example, typically, the aerosol-laden air streams of such research CNCs are not conditioned in any way, nor is there any control or limitation of the introduction of large particles to these CNCs. In prior art ultrafine CNCs, large particles can clog the device, for example, the capillaries in such devices. In addition, in prior art systems there is typically no control of temperature and humidity in the inlet stream and both temperature and humidity can produce some variability in the instrumental response. These deficiencies in the prior art devices cause problems when using a CNC for ambient particle monitoring.
In addition, prior art CNCs typically use n-butanol as the working fluid. However, butanol is toxic, flammable, has a noxious odor, and is thus undesirable in a commercially-available device that may readably experience human contact, operation, and servicing.
Thus, in view of the deficiencies and disadvantages of prior art CNCs, there is a need for an improved stand-alone TMCNC aerosol particle counter that will provide improved sensitivity, for example, for particle sizes down to the order of about 2 nm, well-defined inlet characteristics, robust design, consistent and reproducible performance, and employ a working fluid that is less offensive and less dangerous to humans. Aspects of the present invention address these and other deficiencies of the prior art while providing improved detection efficiency, greater ease of use, and adaptability for use in ambient gas particulate measurements.


Conventional optical data storage devices are configured to read digital data from and write digital data to a removable optical disc. Currently, writable compact discs (CD-R) and re-writable compact discs (CD-RW) are popular formats for personal computers and other like devices. Re-writable digital versatile discs (DVDs), known as DVD-RAMs (random access memory), DVD-R, DVD-R/W, etc., have also become popular as the price of the applicable DVD drive devices has become more affordable.
The process of writing data to an optical disc is often referred to as “burning” the disc, since a beam from a write laser is used to selectively raise the temperature of certain materials within the optical disc such that the materials are altered in some manner. Consequently, features are formed on the disc. These features represent binary data values, i.e., 1's and 0's, which can subsequently be detected (read) using a read laser. After burning in a CD-R, for example, the user may decide to label the CD-R disc to reflect the data files that have been stored on the disc.
The LightScribe™ printing system developed by the Hewlett-Packard Company of Palo Alto, Calif. is a direct disc labeling technology that produces optically visible text and graphics on the surface of a CD or DVD disc media using the disc drive's laser and a specially coated LightScribe disc. A LightScribe disc drive writes data (on the data side of the disc) and creates optically visible labels (on the label side of the disc) with the same drive, and may use the same laser for both operations by flipping the disc over after writing the digital data in order to create the label. Using laser technology, LightScribe's specially coated discs chemically change when a laser strikes its label side with energy of a particular wavelength, producing optically visible marks that can be arranged to form titles and graphics using LightScribe software. One embodiment of a suitable coating is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0108708 A1.
It would be useful to avoid having to flip a disc over in order to label it. It would also be useful to reduce the cost or complexity of a printhead for a disc drive.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ammunition, especially for utilization with cannon which are mounted on board aircraft, including a subcaliber projectile core and a propulsion mechanism.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Ammunition of that type is described in the specification of German Patent No. 31 31 540. A propulsion mechanism which is constructed in the form of a sabot is interconnected with the subcaliber-sized projectile core through the utilization of a locking or spring ring which is provided to act as a securing device under centrifugal force. In response to the spin acting on the projectile, the spring ring will expand so as to facilitate the projectile core exiting from the sabot. The sabot possesses a high flow resistance so as to fall back during flight relative to the projectile core. Consequently, this will produce the danger of the sabot, as well as the plastic components of the projectile hood, striking against and damaging the aircraft which is firing the ammunition.
In the disclosure of German Laid-Open Patent Appln. No. 35 08 053 there is described a subcaliber-sized projectile possessing a sabot which is constituted from a plurality of segments. The sabot is dispersed or split up into its segments as a consequence of its high flow resistance, so as to cause the projectile core to be freed. When a projectile of this kind is fired from a flying aircraft, there is then encountered the danger that the aircraft will fly into the segments from the sabot.