Author: claimsbot

1. A heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet, comprising;
a support;
at least one receptor layer on a support, said at least one receptor layer containing at least one of a vinyl chloridevinyl acetate latex copolymer and a vinyl chlorideacrylate latex copolymer;
at least one heat insulation layer containing hollow latex polymer particles having an average diameter of from 0.3 to 1.5 \u03bcm, said at least one heat insulation layer being provided between the support and the at least one receptor layer; and
wherein the hollow polymer particles have a particle diameter distribution that a sum of the number of particles having diameters of 90% or less of an average diameter of the hollow polymer particles and the number of particles having diameters of 110% or more of the average diameter is at least 40% of the total number of the hollow polymer particles present in the heat insulation layer.
2. The heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet according to claim 1, wherein the hollow polymer particles are non-foaming hollow particles obtained in the following manner: a dispersion medium is contained inside of a capsule wall and, after a coating solution is applied and dried, the dispersion medium in the particles is vaporized out of the particles, so that the inside of each particle forms a hollow.
3. The heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet according to claim 1, wherein the heat insulation layer further contains a water-soluble polymer.
4. The heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet according to claim 3, wherein the water-soluble polymer is a gelatin andor a polyvinyl alcohol.
5. The heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet according to claim 1, in which the heat insulation layer has a hollow polymer content of 65 mass % or more.
6. The heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet according to claim 1, in which the average diameter of the hollow polymer particles is from 0.45 to 1.5 \u03bcm.
7. The heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet according to claim 1, wherein the receptor layer and the heat insulation layer are provided in a simultaneous multilayer coating.
8. The heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet according to claim 1, wherein the support comprises a base paper and a polyolefin resin layer that is provided on both side or at least on the side of the base paper to which the receptor layer is provided.
9. A method of forming an image, which method comprises the steps of:
superposing the heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet according to claim 1 upon a transfer material comprising a solid-phase ink layer, and
applying a thermal energy from a thermal head of a thermal transfer printer, and
forming an image on the receptor layer in the heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet.
10. The heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet according to claim 1, wherein the at least one heat insulation layer contains at least two kinds of water-soluble polymers.
11. The heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet according to claim 1, wherein said at least one receptor layer contains at least two kinds of latex polymers.
12. The heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet according to claim 1, wherein said at least one receptor layer contains at least one kind of wax dispersion.
13. The heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet according to claim 1, wherein the receptor layer comprising the latex copolymer is a layer most apart from the support.
14. The heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the latex copolymers contained in the receptor layer has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 0\xb0 C. to 80\xb0 C.
15. The heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet according to claim 1, wherein the receptor layer containing the latex copolymer includes at least two kinds of latex copolymers each of which has repeating units derived from vinyl chloride.

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. A communication apparatus including an analogue terminal communication unit for effecting communication through an analogue circuit with an analogue communication terminal and a data communication network connecting unit for effecting connection to a data communication network, further comprising:
a requesting unit adapted to request call establishment to the data communication network via a first communication system, when a sending request is received from the analogue communication terminal through the analogue circuit;
a receiving unit adapted to receive a notice indicating that call establishment is possible from the data communication network corresponding to the call establishment request; and
a communication executing unit adapted to execute the communication with the data communication network via a second communication system by switching the first communication system to the second communication system different from said first communication system and adapted to continue the communication with the analogue communication terminal without disconnecting the communication of the analogue circuit, when the notice is not received by said receiving unit.
2. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said communication executing unit adapted to execute the communication via the second communication system, when a release completion notice is received from the data communication network.
3. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said analogue communication terminal is a facsimile apparatus and said communication apparatus is a gateway apparatus.
4. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said data communication network is an internet.
5. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first communication system is a communication system via ITU recommendation T.38 and said second communication system is a communication system via ITU recommendation T.37.
6. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an analogue signal received by said analogue terminal communication unit from said analogue communication terminal is converted into a data packet signal having a predetermined type and the converted signal is sent from said data communication network connecting unit to said data communication network.
7. A communication system switching method applied to a communication apparatus including an analogue terminal communication unit for effecting communication through an analogue circuit with an analogue communication terminal and a data communication network connecting unit for effecting connection to a data communication network, comprising:
a requesting step of requesting call establishment to the data communication network via a first communication system, when a sending request is received from the analogue communication terminal through the analogue circuit;
a receiving step of receiving a notice indicating that call establishment is possible from the data communication network corresponding to the call establishment request; and
a communication executing step of executing the communication with the data communication network via a second communication system by switching the first communication system to the second communication system different from the first communication system and continuing the communication with the analogue communication terminal without disconnecting the communication of the analogue circuit, when the notice is not received in said receiving step.
8. A communication system switching method according to claim 7, wherein said communication executing step executes communication via the second communication system, when a release completion notice is received from the data communication network.
9. A communication system switching method according to claim 7, wherein the analogue communication terminal is a facsimile apparatus and the communication apparatus is a gateway apparatus.
10. A communication system switching method according to claim 7, wherein the data communication network is an internet.
11. A communication system switching method according to claim 10, wherein the first communication system is a communication system via ITU recommendation T.38 and the second communication system is a communication system via ITU recommendation T.37.
12. A computer-readable memory medium for storing a program capable of executing a communication system switching method applied to a communication apparatus including an analogue terminal communication unit for effecting communication through an analogue circuit with an analogue communication terminal and a data communication network connecting unit for effecting connection to a data communication network, wherein said communication system switching method comprises:
a requesting step of requesting call establishment to the data communication network via a first communication system, when a sending request is received from the analogue communication terminal through the analogue circuit; and
a receiving step of receiving a notice indicating that call establishment is possible from the data communication network corresponding to the call establishment request; and
a communication executing step of executing the communication with the data communication network via a second communication system by switching the first communication system to the second communication system different from the first communication system and continuing the communication with the analogue communication terminal without disconnecting the communication of the analogue circuit, when the notice is not received in said receiving step.
13. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the notice is received by said receiving unit, said communication executing unit is adapted to execute the communication via the first communication system for connecting the analogue communication terminal with the data communication network.
14. A communication system switching method according to claim 7, wherein, when the notice is received in said receiving step, said communication executing step executes the communication via the first communication system for connecting the analogue communication terminal with the data communication network.
15. A communication apparatus including a communication unit for effecting communication through an analogue circuit with another communication terminal and a communication network connecting unit for effecting connection to a communication network, said apparatus comprising:
a requesting unit adapted to request call establishment to the communication network via a first communication system, when a sending request is received from the other communication terminal through the analogue circuit;
a receiving unit adapted to receive a notice indicating that call establishment is possible from the communication network corresponding to the call establishment request; and
a communication executing unit adapted to execute the communication via the first communication system for connecting the other communication terminal with the communication network when the notice is received by said receiving unit,
wherein said communication executing unit is adapted to execute the communication with the communication network via a second communication system by switching the first communication system to the second communication system different from the first communication system and is adapted to continue the communication with the other communication terminal without disconnecting the communication of the analogue circuit, when the notice is not received by said receiving unit.
16. A communication system switching method applied to a communication apparatus including a communication unit for effecting communication through an analogue circuit with another communication terminal and a communication network connecting unit for effecting connection to a communication network, said method comprising:
a requesting step of requesting call establishment to the communication network via a first communication system, when a sending request is received from the other communication terminal through the analogue circuit; and
a receiving step of receiving a notice indicating that call establishment is possible from the communication network corresponding to the call establishment request; and
a communication executing step of executing the communication via the first communication system for connecting the other communication terminal with the communication network when the notice is received in said receiving step,
wherein said communication executing step executes the communication with the communication network via a second communication system by switching the first communication system to the second communication system different from the first communication system and continues the communication with the other communication terminal without disconnecting the communication of the analogue circuit, when the notice is not received in said receiving step.
17. A computer-readable memory medium for storing a program capable of executing a communication through an analogue circuit system switching method applied to a communication apparatus including a communication unit for effecting communication with another communication terminal and a communication network connecting unit for effecting connection to a communication network, wherein:
said communication system switching method comprises:
a requesting step of requesting call establishment to the communication network via a first communication system, when a sending request is received from the other communication terminal through the analogue circuit;
a receiving step of receiving a notice indicating that call establishment is possible from the communication network corresponding to the call establishment request; and
a communication executing step of executing the communication via the first communication system for connecting the other communication terminal with the communication network when the notice is received in said receiving step,
wherein said communication executing step executes the communication with the communication network via a second communication system by switching the first communication system to the second communication system different from the first communication system and continues the communication with the other communication terminal without disconnecting the communication of the analogue circuit, when the notice is not received in said receiving step.
18. A communication apparatus including a communication unit for effecting communication through an analogue circuit with another communication terminal and a communication network connecting unit for effecting connection to a data communication network, said apparatus comprising:
a requesting unit adapted to request call establishment to the data communication network via a first communication system, when a sending request is received from the other communication terminal through the analogue circuit;
a receiving unit adapted to receive a notice indicating that call establishment is possible from the data communication network corresponding to the call establishment request; and
a communication executing unit adapted to execute the communication via the first communication system for connecting the other communication terminal with the data communication network, when the notice is received by said receiving unit,
wherein said communication executing unit is adapted to execute the communication with the data communication network via a second communication system by switching the first communication system to the second communication system different from the first communication system and is adapted to continue the communication with the other communication terminal without disconnecting the communication of the analogue circuit to receive the data sent from the other communication terminal, to convert the sent data into an electronic mail, and to send the electronic mail to the data communication network, when the notice is not received by said receiving unit.
19. A communication system switching method applied to a communication apparatus including a communication unit for effecting communication through an analogue circuit with another communication terminal and a communication network connecting unit for effecting connection to a data communication network, said method comprising:
a requesting step of requesting call establishment to the data communication network via a first communication system, when a sending request is received from the other communication terminal through the analogue circuit;
a receiving step of receiving a notice indicating that call establishment is possible from the data communication network corresponding to the call establishment request; and
a communication executing step of executing the communication via the first communication system for connecting the other communication terminal with the data communication network, when the notice is received in said receiving step,
wherein said communication executing step executes the communication with the data communication network via a second communication system by switching the first communication system to the second communication system different from the first communication system and continues the communication with the other communication terminal without disconnecting the communication of the analogue circuit to receive the data sent from the other communication terminal, converts the sent data into an electronic mail, and sends the electronic mail to the data communication network, when the notice is not received in said receiving step.
20. A computer-readable memory medium for storing a program capable of executing a communication system switching method applied to a communication apparatus including a communication unit for effecting communication through an analogue circuit with another communication terminal and a communication network connecting unit for effecting connection to a data communication network, said method comprising:
a requesting step of requesting call establishment to the data communication network via a first communication system with, when a sending request is received from the other communication terminal through the analogue circuit;
a receiving step of receiving a notice indicating that call establishment is possible from the data communication network corresponding to the call establishment request; and
a communication executing step of executing the communication via the first communication system for connecting the other communication terminal with the data communication network, when the notice is received in said receiving step,
wherein said communication executing step executes the communication with the data communication network via a second communication system by switching the first communication system to the second communication system different from the first communication system and continues the communication with the other communication terminal without disconnecting the communication of the analogue circuit to receive the data sent from the other communication terminal, converts the sent data into an electronic mail, and sends the electronic mail to the data communication network, when the notice is not received in said receiving step.

1. A method for hydraulic fracture characterization using microseismic datapoints comprising:
identifying the principle strike orientations of the average microseismic datapoints that relate to one or more sets of planes and their orientation uncertainty using a computer processor;
determining the dip of each set of planes considering a contact weight between each microseismic datapoint and each plane within each set of planes;
determining the location of each plane within each set of planes; and
performing a statistical analysis for each set of planes with a common principle strike orientation to determine an uncertainty related to an orientation, spacing and dip of a respective set of subsurface fractures.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a location of all microseismic datapoints.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising setting an initial orientation for a plane, the initial orientation comprising a strike angle and a dip angle.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the principal strike orientations of the average microseismic datapoints that relate to one or more sets of planes and their orientation uncertainty are identified by:
creating the plane that has a normal vector and passes through the average location of all microseismic datapoints for the orientation of the plane;
calculating a perpendicular distance between each microseismic datapoint and the plane;
creating a set of planes parallel to the plane wherein each plane in the set of planes intersects a volume represented by a location uncertainty of each microseismic datapoint;
counting the number of planes in the set of planes and the number of microseismic datapoints that contact the planes in the set of planes;
calculating the average microseismic datapoints that contact each plane in the set of planes for each orientation of the planes in the set of planes;
incrementing the strike angle or the dip angle of the plane by 1 degree; and
repeating each of the prior steps until the strike angle equals 0 degrees or 360 degrees and the dip angle equals 0 degrees or 90 degrees.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the dip angle for each set of planes and the location of each plane within each set of planes is determined by:
repeating each step in claim 4 at each of the principal orientations for each respective dip angle;
identifying the plane from each set of planes created that has a maximum number of microseismic datapoint intersections and its location;
calculating a contact weight between the plane with the maximum number of microseismic datapoint intersections and the microseismic datapoints;
removing the microseismic datapoints that contact the plane with the maximum number of microseismic datapoint intersections; and
repeating each of the prior steps until there is no plane with the maximum number of microseismic datapoint intersections that contacts three or more microseismic datapoints.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the orientation uncertainty of the one or more sets of planes is determined by performing a Monte Carlo statistical analysis.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the uncertainty related to the orientation, spacing and dip of each respective set of subsurface fractures is calculated considering the contact weight for each set of planes and the microseismic datapoints that are related to each set of planes.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein the contact weight is based upon the location uncertainty of each microseismic datapoint, the perpendicular distance between each microseismic datapoint and the plane and a numerical weighted value that represents a moment magnitude associated with each microseismic datapoint.
9. The method of claim 5, wherein the contact weight is assigned to each respective microseismic datapoint.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the statistical analysis.
11. A non-transitory program carrier device tangibly carrying computer executable instructions for hydraulic fracture characterization using microseismic datapoints, the instructions being executable to implement:
identifying the principle strike orientations of the average microseismic datapoints that relate to one or more sets of planes and their orientation uncertainty;
determining the dip of each set of planes considering a contact weight between each microseismic datapoint and each plane within each set of planes;
determining the location of each plane within each set of planes; and
performing a statistical analysis for each set of planes with a common principle strike orientation to determine an uncertainty related to an orientation, spacing and dip of a respective set of subsurface fractures.
12. The program carrier device of claim 11, further comprising identifying a location of all microseismic datapoints.
13. The program carrier device of claim 12, further comprising setting an initial orientation for a plane, the initial orientation comprising a strike angle and a dip angle.
14. The program carrier device of claim 13, wherein the principal strike orientations of the average microseismic datapoints that relate to one or more sets of planes and their orientation uncertainty are identified by:
creating the plane that has a normal vector and passes through the average location of all microseismic datapoints for the orientation of the plane;
calculating a perpendicular distance between each microseismic datapoint and the plane;
creating a set of planes parallel to the plane wherein each plane in the set of plane intersects a volume represented by a location uncertainty of each microseismic datapoint;
counting the number of planes in the set of planes and the number of microseismic datapoints that contact the planes in the set of planes;
calculating the average microseismic datapoints that contact each plane in the set of planes for each orientation of the planes in the set of planes;
incrementing the strike angle or the dip angle of the plane by 1 degree; and
repeating each of the prior steps until the strike angle equals 0 degrees or 360 degrees and the dip angle equals 0 degrees or 90 degrees.
15. The program carrier device of claim 14, wherein the dip angle for each set of planes and the location of each plane within each set of planes is determined by:
repeating each step in claim 14 at each of the principal orientations for each respective dip angle;
identifying the plane from each set of planes created that has a maximum number of microseismic datapoint intersections and its location;
calculating a contact weight between the plane with the maximum number of microseismic datapoint intersections and the microseismic datapoints;
removing the microseismic datapoints that contact the plane with the maximum number of microseismic datapoint intersections; and
repeating each of the prior steps until there is no plane with the maximum number of microseismic datapoint intersections that contacts three or more microseismic datapoints.
16. The program carrier device of claim 11, wherein the orientation uncertainty of the one or more sets of planes is determined by performing a Monte Carlo statistical analysis.
17. The program carrier device of claim 15, wherein the uncertainty related to the orientation, spacing and dip of each respective set of subsurface fractures is calculated considering the contact weight for each set of planes and the microseismic datapoints that are related to each set of planes.
18. The program carrier device of claim 15, wherein the contact weight is based upon the location uncertainty of each microseismic datapoint, the perpendicular distance between each microseismic datapoint and the plane and a numerical weighted value that represents a moment magnitude associated with each microseismic datapoint.
19. The program carrier device of claim 15, wherein the contact weight is assigned to each respective microseismic datapoint.
20. The program carrier device of claim 11, further comprising displaying the statistical analysis.

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. In a communication system comprising at least a first and second simulcast station at a first remote site, a method comprising:
detecting unavailability of the first simulcast station for communicating on a first communication resource;
determining if the second simulcast station is available for supporting simulcast transmissions on the first communication resource, and
if the second simulcast station is available, assigning the second simulcast station to communicate on the first communication resource.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
communicating, by the second simulcast station, simulcast messages on the first communication resource.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the steps of detecting, determining and assigning are performed by a simulcast site controller.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of detecting is accomplished by the simulcast site controller failing to receive a response to a message sent to the first simulcast station.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein the communication system further comprises a comparator adapted for sending data to be communicated over the simulcast channel to one or more of the simulcast stations along with a timestamp specifying when the data will be transmitted.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of detecting is accomplished by the first simulcast station notifying the comparator of a malfunction and the comparator notifying the simulcast site controller of the malfunction.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of detecting is accomplished by the comparator notifying the simulcast site controller of a failure of the comparator to receive a response from a message sent by the comparator to the first simulcast station.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein the communication system further comprises a plurality of simulcast stations distributed among a plurality of remote sites and where subset of the plurality of simulcast stations communicate on the first communication resource and wherein the controller, comparator and simulcast stations are connected by an Internet Protocol network and the simulcast stations that communicate on the first communication resource share a multicast Internet Protocol address.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of assigning is accomplished by sending an Internet Protocol packet to the second simulcast station containing the multicast Internet Protocol address of the simulcast stations that communicate on the first communication resource.
10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of sending, by the simulcast site controller, an Internet Protocol packet instructing the first simulcast station to shut down.
11. The method of claim 5 wherein the unavailability of the first simulcast station is due to a problem with the connection between the first simulcast station and the comparator.
12. The method of claim 3 wherein the communication system further comprises a third and fourth simulcast station at a second remote site, the method further comprising:
detecting, by the simulcast site controller, the unavailability of the third simulcast station communicating on the first communication resource at the second remote site;
determining, by the simulcast site controller, if the fourth simulcast station is available for supporting simulcast communication on the first communication resource and, if the fourth simulcast station is available;
assigning, by the simulcast site controller, the fourth simulcast station to communicate on the first communication resource; and
communicating, by the fourth simulcast station, simulcast messages on the first communication resource.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the unavailability of the first simulcast station is due to a malfunction of the first simulcast station.
14. In a wireless communication system employing simulcast communication, a method for initiating simulcast communication in a simulcast site, the simulcast site comprising a plurality of remote sites, the method comprising:
determining availability of a plurality of simulcast stations located at the plurality of remote sites;
assigning, by a simulcast site controller, members of a first simulcast channel, the members comprising respective first-available simulcast stations at each of the remote sites; and
performing simulcast communication using the first simulcast channel.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first simulcast channel is used for communication of control information.
16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
assigning, by the simulcast site controller, members of a second simulcast channel, the members comprising respective second-available simulcast stations at each of the remote sites; and
commencing simulcast communication using the second simulcast channel.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the second simulcast channel is a payload channel.
18. In a communication system employing simulcast transmissions by a simulcast site, the simulcast site comprising a simulcast site controller and a plurality of remote sites, each remote site having a plurality of simulcast stations, a method comprising:
detecting, by the simulcast site controller, unavailability of a first simulcast station of the plurality of simulcast station at a first remote site of the plurality of remote sites for communicating on a first communication resource;
determining, by the simulcast site controller, if there is a second simulcast station of the plurality of simulcast stations at the first site that is available for supporting simulcast transmissions on the first communication resource, and if the second simulcast station is available;
assigning, by the simulcast site controller, the second simulcast station to communicate on the first communication resource.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
communicating, by the second simulcast station, simulcast messages on the first communication resource.