Author: claimsbot

1. A watertight, expandible and contractible pipe joint for high temperature insulated piping, the pipe joint comprising:
a first and second length of inner metal carrier pipe, each having an inner end connected to a metallic expansion joint and an opposite, outwardly extending end, the first and second lengths of metal pipe being surrounded by an envelope of bonded foam insulation, the foam insulation, in turn, being surrounded by an outer protective jacket, and wherein the outwardly extending end of each of the first and second lengths of metal carrier pipe projects beyond an end of the envelope of insulation and beyond an end of the jacket to form an exposed, joining end, the joining ends of the inner pipes being sealingly connected in a piping string to form a continuous fluid conduit for conveying high temperature fluids;
a flexible sheet material surrounding but spaced radially apart from the inner ends of the inner pipes and the metallic expansion joint, the sheet material being capable of being axially expanded and contracted, the sheet material having opposing outer extents which are joined to the respective outer protective jackets of the respective first and second lengths of inner metal carrier pipe thereby defining a closed and watertight bellows interior; and
a layer of high temperature insulation surrounding the inner pipe ends and the metallic expansion joint within the closed bellows interior;
the insulation, flexible sheet material and outer protective jacket forming a water tight encasement for the metallic expansion joint, the flexible sheet material being compressible on itself while allowing the inner carrier pipe to compress the metallic expansion joint.
2. The watertight, expandible and contractible pipe joint for high temperature insulated piping of claim 1, wherein a metal end cap is welded to each outwardly extending end of each of the inner carrier pipes at a point which encapsulates the layer of high temperature insulation, to thereby provide a water proof end closure and a stand alone pipe joint which can be installed in a run of bare or field insulated piping.
3. The watertight, expandible and contractible pipe joint for high temperature insulated piping of claim 1, wherein a metal water stop is welded to each of the carrier pipes at a predetermined point along the length thereof within the layer of surrounding high temperature insulation.
4. The watertight, expandible and contractible pipe joint for high temperature insulated piping of claim 1, wherein the foam insulation is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane foams and polyisocyanurate foam.
5. The watertight, expandible and contractible pipe joint for high temperature insulated piping of claim 1, wherein the protective jackets are formed from a synthetic polyolefin.
6. The watertight, expandible and contractible pipe joint for high temperature insulated piping of claim 1, wherein the flexible sheet material takes the form of a tubular bellows, and wherein the tubular bellows is electrofused at either of the opposite extents thereof to the respective protective jackets of the respective inner carrier pipes.
7. The watertight, expandible and contractible pipe joint for high temperature insulated piping of claim 1, wherein the lengths of insulated piping being joined are part of a pipeline conveying steam, hot water or other hot fluids.
8. The watertight, expandible and contractible pipe joint for high temperature insulated piping of claim 6, wherein the layer of high temperature insulation surrounding the inner pipe ends and the metallic expansion joint within the closed bellows interior is a layer of high temperature flexible foam.
9. The watertight, expandible and contractible pipe joint for high temperature insulated piping of claim 1, wherein the insulated piping is run through a tunnel which is exposed to flood intrusion.
10. A method of coupling lengths of insulated piping used to form a high temperature fluid conveyance system, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a pipeline comprised of a plurality of lengths of high temperature insulated piping which are joined together in continuous fashion;
installing a stand-alone watertight, expandible and contractible pipe joint within the pipeline at a desired location, the expandible and contractible pipe joint comprising:
a first and second length of inner metal carrier pipe, each having an inner end connected to a metallic expansion joint and an opposite, outwardly extending end, the first and second lengths of metal pipe being surrounded by an envelope of foam insulation, the foam insulation, in turn, being surrounded by an outer protective jacket, and wherein the outwardly extending end of each of the first and second lengths of metal carrier pipe projects beyond an end of the envelope of insulation and beyond an end of the jacket to form an exposed, joining end, the joining ends of the inner pipes being sealingly connected in the piping string which forms a continuous fluid conduit for conveying high temperature fluids;
a flexible rubber bellows surrounding the inner ends of the inner pipes and the metallic expansion joint, the bellows being capable of being axially expanded and contracted, the flexible bellows having opposing outer extents which are joined to the respective outer protective jackets of the respective first and second lengths of inner metal carrier pipe thereby defining a closed and watertight bellows interior; and
a layer of high temperature insulation surrounding the inner pipe ends and the metallic expansion joint within the closed bellows interior, whereby the insulation, bellows and outer protective jacket form a water tight encasement for the metallic expansion joint.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the lengths of high temperature insulated piping in the pipeline also comprises a metal inner carrier pipe surrounded by a layer of bonded foam insulation which, in turn, is surrounded by an outer protective jacket.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the foam insulation which is used to surround the inner pipes is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane foam and polyisocyanurate foam.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the protective jackets are formed of HDPE.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the tubular bellows is electrofused at either of the opposite extents thereof to the respective protective jackets of the respective pipe lengths.
15. The method of claim 10, wherein the lengths of insulated piping being joined are part of a pipeline conveying steam at a temperature of 250\xb0 F., or greater.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. An image decoding apparatus provided with a decoding device which decodes the input coded data of an image for generating an image data, comprising:
first to N-th (N is an integer more than 2) image format conversion devices for generating and outputting first to N-th images after converting said image data into predetermined image formats.
2. An image decoding apparatus comprising:
first to N-th decoding devices which convert input first to N-th image coded data for generating and outputting first to N-th image data by decoding said first to N-th image coded data; and
first to N-th image format conversion devices for generating and outputting first to N-th image data by converting any of said image data from among said first to N-th image data into respective predetermined image formats.
3. An image decoding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image decoding apparatus comprises a distribution control apparatus for distributing any of the image data among first to N-th image data respectively to first to N-th image format conversion devices, in response to a request of said first to N-th image format conversion device.
4. An image decoding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said first to N-th image coded data is input through a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus.
5. An image decoding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image decoding apparatus comprises:
an image synchronizing signal generation device for generating and outputting a first vertical image synchronizing signal used for outputting said image by any one of the image format conversion devices among said first to N-th image format conversion devices; and
first to M-th (M: an integer equal to N1) image synchronizing signal generating and synchronization adjusting devices for generating and outputting the second to the N-th vertical image synchronizing signals respectively in synchronization with said first vertical image synchronizing signal by said image format conversion devices other than said one of the image format conversion device.
6. An image decoding apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first to M-th image synchronizing signal generating and synchronization adjusting devices comprise:
a counter for generating any one of said second to N-th vertical image synchronizing signals generated and output respectively by said first to M-th image synchronizing signal generating and synchronization adjusting devices; and
a counter control device for controlling the operation of said counter based on said first vertical image synchronizing signal.
7. An image decoding device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said image format conversion devices among said first to N-th image format conversion devices generates an image converted into a format composed of 1920 pixels in the horizontal direction and 1080 lines in the vertical direction, and at least one of said image format conversion devices generates an image converted into a format composed of 720 pixels in the horizontal direction and 480 lines in the vertical direction.
8. An image decoding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said decoding device and said first to N-th image format conversion devices are formed on the same semiconductor integrated circuit substrate.
9. A semiconductor device comprising:
a decoding device for generating an image data by decoding input image coded data, and for storing the thus generated image data in an externally installed memory device;
a decoded data reading device for reading said image data stored in said memory device in response to an inputting decoded data request signal and for outputting as the decoded data;
an image synchronizing signal generation device for generating and outputting a first horizontal image synchronizing signal and a first vertical image synchronizing signal;
an image synchronizing signal generating and synchronization adjusting device for generating and outputting a second horizontal image synchronizing signal and a second vertical image synchronizing signal, which is synchronized with said first vertical image synchronizing signal;
a first image format conversion device for generating a first image by converting said input decoded data signal into a predetermined image format, and for outputting said first image after synchronizing with said first horizontal image synchronizing signal and said first vertical image synchronizing signal; and
a second image format conversion device for generating a second image by converting said inputting decoded data signal into a predetermined image format, and for outputting said second image after synchronizing with said second horizontal image synchronizing signal and said second vertical image synchronizing signal.
10. A semiconductor device comprising:
a first decoding device for generating a first image data by decoding input first image coded data and for storing the generated first image data in an externally installed memory device;
a second decoding device for generating a second image data by decoding an input second image coded data, and for storing the generated second image data in an externally-installed memory device;
a decoded data reading device for reading said first or second image data stored in said memory device in response to an inputting first decoded data request signal and for reading said first or second image data stored in said memory device in response to an inputting second decoded data request signal and for outputting multiplexed decoded data prepared by multiplexing said first or second image data;
a distribution control device for distributing said multiplexed decoded signal to a first decoded data signal corresponding to said first decoded data request signal and a second decoded data signal corresponding to said second decoded data request signal;
an image synchronizing signal generation device for generating a first horizontal image synchronizing signal and a first vertical image synchronizing signal;
an image synchronizing signal generating and synchronization adjusting device for generating and outputting a second horizontal image synchronizing signal and a second vertical image synchronizing signal;
a first image format conversion device, which outputs a first decoded data request signal for generating a first image by converting said input decoded data signal into a predetermined image format and for outputting said first image after synchronizing with said first horizontal image synchronizing signal and said first vertical image synchronizing signal; and
a second image format conversion device which outputs a second decoded data signal for generating a second image by converting said inputting decoded data signal into a predetermined image format, and for outputting said second image after synchronizing with said second horizontal image synchronizing signal and said second vertical image synchronizing signal.
11. A semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein at least said decoding device, said image synchronizing signal generating device, said image synchronizing signal generating and synchronization adjusting device, said image format conversion device, and said second image format conversion device are formed on a semiconductor integrated circuit substrate.
12. An image decoding method for decoding an inputting image coded data and for generating an image data comprising the steps of:
generating a first horizontal image synchronizing signal and a first vertical image synchronizing signal;
generating a second horizontal image synchronizing signal and a second vertical image synchronizing signal which is synchronized with said first vertical image synchronizing signal;
generating a first image by converting said image data into a predetermined image format and outputting the generated first image after synchronizing said first image with said first horizontal image synchronizing signal and with said first vertical image synchronizing signal; and
generating a second image by converting said image data into a predetermined image format and outputting the generated second image after synchronizing said second image with said second horizontal image synchronizing signal and with said second vertical image synchronizing signal.
13. An image decoding method comprising:
generating a first image data by decoding an inputting first image coded data;
generating a second image data by decoding an inputting second image coded data;
controlling the distribution of said first and second image data to their request sources;
generating a first horizontal image synchronizing signal and a first vertical image synchronizing signal;
generating a second horizontal image synchronizing signal and a second vertical image synchronizing signal synchronized with said first vertical image synchronizing signal;
generating a first image from said requested first image data by converting into a predetermined image format and outputting said first image after synchronizing said first image with said first horizontal image synchronizing signal and said first vertical image synchronizing signal; and
generating a second image from said requested second image data by converting into a predetermined image format and outputting said second image after synchronizing said second image with said second horizontal image synchronizing signal and said second vertical image synchronizing signal.

1. A method comprising:
obtaining a copy of a content section with a first watermark;
obtaining a copy of a content section with a second watermark; and
providing a copy of the content to a client of a plurality of clients by combining, in a combination that is unique to the client, the copy of the content section with the first watermark, the copy of the content section with the second watermark, and a neutral content section.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first watermark includes \u201c0s\u201d and the second watermark includes \u201c1s.\u201d
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
distributing uniquely combined content sections to one or more clients on a network.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
encrypting the unique combination of content sections.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
scrambling the unique combination of content sections.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second watermark each include one or more unique identifiers.
7. A server comprising:
a module
to combine parts of a first copy of the content with the first watermark and parts of a second copy of the content with the second watermark in a manner unique for an individual client, and
to provide a plurality of copies of the content, each having a unique combination of sections with the first watermark and sections with the second watermark.
8. The server of claim 7, wherein the first watermark includes \u201c0s\u201d and the second watermark includes \u201c1s.\u201d
9. The server of claim 7, wherein the server is to distribute the combined parts to one or more clients on a network.
10. The server of claim 7, wherein the server includes a media server module to provide content.
11. The server of claim 7, wherein the server includes a storage device to store content.
12. The server of claim 7, wherein the module is to receive a neutral copy of the content and to combine parts of the neutral copy, parts of the first copy with the first watermark, and parts of the second copy with the second watermark in a manner unique for an individual client.
13. A computing system comprising:
means for receiving content from a content source;
means for combining parts of a first copy of the content with the first watermark and parts of the second copy with the second watermark in a manner unique for an individual client; and
means for providing a plurality of the copies of the content, each having a unique combination of sections marked with the first watermark and sections marked with the second watermark.
14. The computing system of claim 13, wherein the first watermark includes \u201c0s\u201d and the second watermark includes \u201c1s.\u201d
15. The computing system of claim 13, further comprising:
means for distributing the combined parts to one or more clients on a network.
16. The computing system of claim 13, further comprising:
means for scrambling a neutral part of the content; and
means for combining parts of neutral copy, parts of the copy with the first watermark, and parts of the copy with the second watermark in a manner unique for an individual client.
17. A machine-readable medium providing instructions, which if executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform an operation comprising:
scrambling a copy of at least one part of content having a first watermark;
scrambling a copy of at least one part of content having a second watermark; and
providing scrambled copies for each of a plurality of clients by combining parts of the scrambled copy with the first watermark and parts of the scrambled copy with the second watermark in a manner unique for an individual client, such that the scrambled copies have a unique combination of sections marked with the first watermark and sections marked with the second watermark.
18. A digital processing system comprising:
a first module to provide content having a plurality of double parts, a first part watermarked with a first identifier and a second part watermarked with a second identifier;
a second module coupled to the first module, the second module to scramble the content with a first key, to scramble the first part watermarked with the first identifier with a second key, and to scramble the second part watermarked with the second identifier with a third key; and
a key management module to manage the keys as to allow one or more clients to unscramble the scramble content with a combination of scrambled first and second parts watermarked with the first identifier and second identifier, respectively, unique to each client.
19. The digital processing system of claim 18, wherein the first identifier includes \u201c0s\u201d and the second identifier includes \u201c1s.\u201d
20. The digital processing system of claim 18, wherein the second module is to provide entitlement control messages (ECMs) using the first key, second key, and third key, wherein the second and third key are alternated to obtain a unique combinations of \u201c0s\u201d and \u201c1s\u201d unique to each client.
21. The digital processing system of claim 18, wherein the system includes a storage device to store a client identification and a corresponding unique combination of watermarked copies for the client.
22. A key management module comprising:
a first component to manage a plurality of keys as to allow one or more clients to decrypt encrypted content with a combination of encrypted first and second parts watermarked with a first identifier and second identifier, respectively, unique to each client; and
a second component to communicate key management information to at least one other module.
23. A machine-readable medium providing instructions, which if executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform an operation comprising:
watermarking redundant parts of content with one or more unique watermarks;
encrypting the watermarked redundant parts using a unique key for each unique watermark; and
combining encrypted parts and nonencrypted parts of the content into a single stream of data.
24. A method of distributing content, the method comprising:
watermarking first and second duplicates of a content portion with first and second signatures respectively;
encrypting each of the first and second duplicates of the content portion with at least first and second keys respectively;
supplying both the first and second duplicates of the content portion to first and second users; and
supplying at least the first key to the first user and the second key to the second user, so that the first user is enabled to decrypt the first duplicate of the content portion watermarked with the first signature, and so that the second user is enabled to decrypt the second duplicate of the content portion watermarked with the signature.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the content includes text, audio, or video content.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein the supplying of the first and second duplicates and keys includes supplying the first and second duplicates and keys via a network.
27. An apparatus comprising:
watermarking means for watermarking first and second duplicates of a content portion with first and second signatures respectively;
encrypting means for encrypting each of the first and second duplicates of the content portion with at least first and second keys respectively;
supplying means for supplying both the first and second duplicates of the content portion to first and second users; and
supplying means for supplying at least the first key to the first user and the second key to the second user, so that the first user is enabled to decrypt the first duplicate of the content portion watermarked with the first signature, and so that the second user is enabled to decrypt the second duplicate of the content portion watermarked with the second signature.
28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the content includes text, audio, or video content.
29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the supplying means for the first and second duplicates and keys include supplying means for supplying the first and second duplicates and keys via a network.
30. A machine-readable medium providing instructions, which if executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform an operation comprising:
prior to communication of an encrypted copy of content,
watermarking first and second duplicates of a content portion with first and second signatures respectively;
encrypting each of the first and second duplicates of the content portion with at least first and second keys respectively;

after the watermarking and the encrypting,
supplying both the first and second duplicates of the content portion to first and second users; and
supplying at least the first key to the first user and the second key to the second user, so that the first user is enabled to decrypt the first duplicate of the content portion watermarked with the first signature, and so that the second user is enabled to decrypt the second duplicate of the content portion watermarked with the second signature.
31. A method of distributing content, the method comprising:
watermarking multiple sets of duplicated content portions with multiple sets of signatures, each signature of each set being unique to a specific duplicated content portion;
encrypting each duplicated content portion within each set with a respective key of a plurality of keys;
supplying the multiple sets of duplicated content portions to multiple users; and
supplying a unique set of keys, selected from the plurality of keys, to each of the multiple users so that each of the multiple users is enabled to decrypt the multiple sets of duplicated content portions to generate content embodying a unique sequence of signatures.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the supplying of the multiple sets of duplicated content portions includes multicasting the multiple sets of duplicated content portions to the multiple users on an Internet network.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the supplying of the unique sets of keys to each of the multiple users includes unicasting the unique set of keys to each of the multiple users on the Internet network.
34. The method of claim 31, wherein the content portions include text, audio, or video content portions.
35. An apparatus comprising:
prior to communication of an encrypted copy of content
watermarking means for watermarking multiple sets of duplicated content portions with multiple sets of signatures, each signature of each set being unique to a specific duplicated content portion;
encrypting means for encrypting each duplicated content portion within each set with a respective key of a plurality of keys;
supplying means for supplying the multiple sets of duplicated content portions to multiple users after the watermarking and the encrypting; and

supplying means for supplying a unique set of keys, selected from the plurality of keys, to each of the multiple users so that each of the multiple users is enabled to decrypt the multiple sets of duplicated content portions to generate content embodying a unique sequence of signatures.
36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the supplying means for supplying of the multiple sets of duplicated content portions includes multicasting means for multicasting the multiple sets of duplicated content portions to the multiple users on an Internet network.
37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the supplying means for supplying of the unique sets of keys to each of the multiple users includes unicasting means for unicasting the unique set of keys to each of the multiple users on the Internet network.
38. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the content portions include text, audio. or video content portions.
39. A machine-readable medium providing instructions, which if executed by a processors, causes the processor to perform an operation comprising:
prior to communication of an encrypted copy of content,
watermarking multiple sets of duplicated content portions with multiple sets of signatures, each signature of each set being unique to a specific duplicated content portion;
encrypting each duplicated content portion within each set with a respective key of a plurality of keys;
supplying the multiple sets of duplicated content portions to multiple users after the watermarking and encrypting; and
supplying a unique set of keys, selected from the plurality of keys, to each of the multiple users so that each of the multiple users is enabled to decrypt the multiple sets of duplicated content portions to generate content embodying a unique sequence of signatures.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1.-10. (canceled)
11. An oil filtering device for an in-line oil filtering configuration comprising:
a filter part having a micro-filtration device for filtering said oil, wherein axial end faces of the filtering part are formed by the micro-filtration device;
a filter housing comprising a lid;
a clamping mechanism for securing said lid to said housing;
an inlet port situated outside said filter part for radial flow-filtering of said oil;
an outlet port in fluid communication with a cylindrical interior space of said filter part;
internal, substantially flat filter end face contacting faces for axially closing a passage of oil; and
a closing face integrated into an insert member accommodating irregularities in shape of the housing at an axial side of the insert member opposing the closing face.
12. An oil filtering device according to claim 11 wherein an oil passage closing face is integrated into a housing part.
13. An oil filter device according to claim 11 wherein a radial thickness of the micro-filtration device is larger than a radial thickness of its interior space within said housing.
14. An oil filter device according to claim 11 wherein the micro-filtration device has a diameter substantially equal to that of the filter part.
15. An oil filter device according to claim 11 wherein the housing comprises a dimple for positioning the filter part.
16. An oil filter device according to claim 11 wherein the oil inlet port is positioned radially outside the filter part.
17. An oil filter device according to claim 11 wherein the micro-filtration device has a diameter substantially equal to that of the filter part, and wherein the housing comprises a dimple for positioning the filter part, and wherein the oil inlet port is positioned radially outside the filter part.
18. An oil filter device according to claim 12 wherein the oil passage closing face is integrated in a housing wall part having a thickness of more than twice the thickness of a majority of the corresponding housing wall part.
19. An oil filter device according to claim 11 comprising a by-pass mechanism to provide at least a minimum flow of oil through the filter device at substantially all times.
20. An oil filter device according to claim 19 wherein the by-pass mechanism comprises a spring or valve.
21. An oil filter device according to claim 11 comprising at least one closure member sealingly engaging an axial end face of the filter part.
22. An oil filter device according to claim 21 wherein at least one of the closure members includes a cylindrical notch adapted to fit in said cylindrical interior space of said filter part.
23. An oil filter device according to claim 21 wherein the at least one closure member contacts the housing by way of a spring.
24. An oil filter device according to claim 11 comprising a by-pass mechanism formed by an aperture provided in a closing member which sealingly engages an axial end face of the filter part, the aperture connecting the interior space in the filter part to a space exterior to said filter part
25. An oil filter device according to claim 24 wherein said by-pass comprises a valve mechanism movable between a closed position at a lowest operating oil pressure to an open position as a function of increasing operating oil pressure.
26. An oil filter device according to claim 25 wherein the valve mechanism is pressure dependent and comprises an elastically deformable device providing an internal passage which opens up as a function of increasing oil pressure.
27. An oil filtering dev ice according to claim 25 wherein the valve mechanism is at least partially incorporated in said aperture of an end face closing member.