Author: claimsbot

1. A mixture comprising:
(a) a macrocyclic polyester oligomer; and
(b) a filler comprising magnesium silicate.
2. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the filler dissolves in the mixture.
3. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the mixture is an intimate physical mixture.
4. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the mixture is a nanocomposite.
5. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the filler comprises anhydrous magnesium silicate.
6. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the filler is present in the mixture in an amount of at least about 10 weight percent.
7. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the filler is present in the mixture in an amount of at least about 20 weight percent.
8. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the filler is present in the mixture in an amount of at least about 30 weight percent.
9. A polymer composition resulting from the polymerization of at least one component of the mixture of claim 1, wherein the polymer composition exhibits a higher elastic modulus than a polymer resulting from the polymerization of the macrocyclic polyester oligomer without the filler at least over a temperature range from about 10\xb0 C. to about 50\xb0 C.
10. A polymer composition resulting from the polymerization of at least one component of the mixture of claim 1, wherein the polymer composition exhibits a higher elastic modulus than a polymer resulting from the polymerization of the macrocyclic polyester oligomer without the filler at least over a temperature range from about 10\xb0 C. to about 100\xb0 C.
11. A polymer composition resulting from the polymerization of at least one component of the mixture of claim 1, wherein the polymer composition exhibits a higher elastic modulus than a polymer resulting from the polymerization of the macrocyclic polyester oligomer without the filler at least over a temperature range from about 10\xb0 C. to about 150\xb0 C.
12. A polymer composition resulting from the polymerization of at least one component of the mixture of claim 1, wherein the polymer composition exhibits a higher heat deflection temperature (HDT) than a polymer resulting from the polymerization of the macrocyclic polyester oligomer without the filler.
13. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the macrocyclic polyester oligomer comprises a plurality of species.
14. The mixture of claim 13, wherein the macrocyclic polyester oligomer comprises species having different degrees of polymerization.
15. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the macrocyclic polyester oligomer comprises butylene terephthalate units and ethylene terephthalate units.
16. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the mixture further comprises a catalyst.
17. The mixture of claim 16, wherein the catalyst comprises a tin compound.
18. The mixture of claim 16, wherein the catalyst comprises a titanate compound.
19. The mixture of claim 16, wherein the catalyst comprises butyltin chloride dihydroxide.
20. The mixture of claim 16, wherein the mixture is stable at ambient conditions for at least one week.
21. The mixture of claim 16, wherein the mixture is stable at ambient conditions for at least one month.
22. A polymer composition resulting from the polymerization of at least one component of the mixture of claim 1.
23. The polymer composition of claim 22, wherein the polymer composition is a nanocomposite.
24. A method for preparing an intimate physical mixture, the method comprising the step of:
contacting a macrocyclic polyester oligomer and an anhydrous magnesium silicate at a temperature at which the macrocyclic polyester oligomer is at least partially melted.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the macrocyclic polyester oligomer is at least partially melted prior to the contacting step.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein the anhydrous magnesium silicate dissolves.
27. The method of claim 24, wherein the temperature is within a range from about 150\xb0 C. to about 190\xb0 C.
28. A method for polymerizing a macrocyclic polyester oligomer, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing an intimate physical mixture stable at ambient conditions for at least one week, the mixture comprising:
(i) a macrocyclic polyester oligomer;
(ii) a polymerization catalyst; and
(iii) a layered mineral; and

(b) heating the mixture to polymerize the macrocyclic polyester oligomer.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein the layered mineral comprises a silicate.
30. The method of claim 28, wherein the layered mineral comprises magnesium silicate.
31. The method of claim 28, wherein the layered mineral is present in the mixture in an amount of at least about 10 weight percent.
32. The method of claim 28, wherein the method produces a polymer composition that exhibits a higher heat deflection temperature (HDT) than a polymer resulting from the polymerization of the macrocyclic polyester oligomer without the filler.
33. An intimate physical mixture comprising:
(a) a macrocyclic polyester oligomer; and
(b) a layered mineral, the layered mineral comprising a substantially non-polar, substantially charge-neutral surface.
34. The mixture of claim 33, wherein the layered mineral comprises a layered silicate.
35. The mixture of claim 33, wherein the layered mineral comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of molybdenum sulfide, graphite, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, sodium, manganese, titanium, zirconium, copper, berylium, and zinc.
36. The mixture of claim 33, wherein the mixture further comprises a catalyst.
37. The mixture of claim 36, wherein the mixture is stable at ambient conditions for at least one week.
38. The mixture of claim 36, wherein the mixture is stable at ambient conditions for at least one month.
39. The mixture of claim 33, wherein the filler is present in the mixture in an amount of greater than about 10 weight percent.
40. The mixture of claim 33, wherein the filler is present in the mixture in an amount of greater than about 30 weight percent.
41. The mixture of claim 33, wherein the filler is present in the mixture in an amount of greater than about 40 weight percent.
42. The mixture of claim 33, wherein the filler is present in the mixture in an amount of greater than about 60 weight percent.
43. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the filler is present in the mixture in an amount of greater than about 40 weight percent.
44. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the filler is present in the mixture in an amount of greater than about 60 weight percent.

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 method of forecasting asphaltic precipitation when injecting a viscosity reducing diluent into a reservoir formation to assist oil recovery therefrom, the method comprising:
determining a relationship between the magnitude of asphaltic precipitation and a solubility parameter for the oil when diluted;
utilizing the relationship to forecast the magnitude of asphaltic precipitation within the formation consequent upon injecting a predetermined viscosity reducing diluent into the formation; and
injecting a viscosity reducing diluent into the reservoir formation to assist oil recovery from the reservoir formation.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the viscosity reducing diluent comprises carbon dioxide which is in supercritical form within the reservoir formation.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein determining a relationship comprises determining a solubility parameter corresponding to the onset of asphaltene precipitation.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein determining a relationship comprises performing a series of experiments each comprising mixing a measured amount of oil from the reservoir with a measured amount of a liquid which is at least partially miscible with the oil, where the experiments in the series differ from one another in the proportions of oil and liquid andor solubility parameter of the liquid, obtaining as a result of each experiment an observation whether asphaltene separation occurs, and a measurement of the amount of separated asphaltene, and utilizing the experimental results together with the amounts of the oil and liquids and the solubility parameters of the liquid(s) to determine the relationship between the magnitude of asphaltic precipitation and a solubility parameter for the oil when diluted and the solubility parameter of diluted oil at the onset of asphaltene precipitation.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein utilization of a relationship between asphaltic precipitation and a solubility parameter for the diluted oil is carried out by a computer programmed to simulate changes in a reservoir formation when a viscosity reducing diluent is injected into the formation.
6. A method according to claim 1 comprising utilizing the said relationship to forecast the magnitude of asphaltic precipitation within the formation when injecting each of a plurality of predetermined viscosity reducing diluents into the formation.
7. A method according to claim 1 comprising utilizing the said relationship to predetermine proportions of constituents in a viscosity reducing diluent mixture forecast to avoid asphaltic precipitation within the formation when injected into the formation.
8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the viscosity reducing diluent mixture contains carbon dioxide and a of at least one added substance which takes a liquid form when it is at 20 deg.C and one bar pressure, the proportion by weight of carbon dioxide being larger than the proportion by weight of the at least one added substance and wherein, when the viscosity reducing diluent mixture is within the reservoir formation, the carbon dioxide is in supercriticial form with the added substance(s) dissolved therein.
9. A method according to claim 2 wherein the viscosity reducing diluent also comprises a liquid or liquid mixture which is more polar that the carbon dioxide, the proportion by volume of carbon dioxide being larger than the proportion by volume of the liquid or liquid mixture.
10. A method according to claim 3 which comprises performing a series of experiments each comprising mixing a measured amount of oil from the reservoir with a measured amount of a liquid which is partially miscible with the oil, where the experiments in the series differ from one another in the solubility parameter of the liquid and a result of each experiment is a measurement of the amount of separated asphaltene or an observation that no precipitation has occurred and also performing a series of experiments each comprising mixing a measured amount of oil from the reservoir with a measured amount of a liquid which is partially miscible with the oil, where the experiments in the series differ from one another in the proportions of oil and liquid and a result of each experiment is an observation whether asphaltene separation occurs, and utilizing the results from both series of experiments together with the amounts of the oil and liquids and the solubility parameters of the liquids to determine the solubility parameter of diluted oil at the onset of asphaltene precipitation and also a relationship between solubility parameter and the amount of asphaltene precipitated.
11. A method according to claim 9 wherein the carbon dioxide and the more polar liquid or liquid mixture are conveyed separately down a wellbore towards the reservoir formation and are mixed together after the carbon dioxide has reached a supercritical state.
12. A method according to claim 9 wherein the liquid or liquid mixture comprises at least one aliphatic compound which includes at least one of the following: a cycloaliphatic ring, an olefinic unsaturation, a ester, an ether group.
13. A method of forecasting asphaltic precipitation when injecting a viscosity reducing diluent into a reservoir formation, the method comprising:
performing a series of experiments each comprising mixing a measured amount of oil from the reservoir with a measured amount of a liquid which is at least partially miscible with the oil, where the experiments in the series differ from one another in the proportions of oil and liquid andor solubility parameter of the liquid, obtaining as a result of each experiment an observation whether asphaltene separation occurs, and a measurement of the amount of any separated asphaltene;
determining a relationship between the magnitude of asphaltic precipitation and a solubility parameter for diluted oil from the experimental results;
utilizing the relationship to forecast the magnitude of asphaltic precipitation within the formation consequent upon injecting each of a plurality of candidate predetermined viscosity reducing diluents into the formation, each candidate diluent comprising carbon dioxide and at least one candidate diluent also comprising at least one added substance which takes a liquid form when it is at 20 deg.C and one bar pressure, the proportion by weight of carbon dioxide being larger than the proportion by weight of the at least one added substance; and
injecting a viscosity reducing diluent into a reservoir formation to assist oil recovery from the reservoir formation, where the injected diluent comprises carbon dioxide and the temperature and pressure within the reservoir formation are such that the carbon dioxide is in supercritical form within the reservoir formation.

1. A computer implemented method for automatically scheduling execution of a process using information in a calendar, the computer implemented method comprising:
analyzing entries in a set of electronic calendars associated with a set of users to generate expected computer usage patterns for the set of users;
identifying a low usage time interval for a computer using the expected computer usage patterns, wherein the low usage time interval for the computer is a time interval when expected usage of the computer by the set of users does not exceed a threshold amount of usage; and
automatically executing the process during the low usage time interval.
2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the process is a backup process.
3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the process is at least one of a virus scan, a file compression process, a disk backup process, a checkpoint process, a restart process, a text index manipulation process, and a disk de-fragmentation process.
4. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving the entries in the set of electronic calendars from a client, by a server, wherein the server analyzes the entries in the set of electronic calendars to generate the expected computer usage patterns and identify the low usage time interval for the computer using the expected computer usage patterns; and
transmitting the low usage time interval for the computer to the client.
5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:
identifying a low usage time interval for each computer in a set of computers using the expected computer usage patterns to form low usage time intervals;
identifying an optimal low usage time interval, wherein the optimal low usage time interval comprises a low usage time interval for each computer in the set of computers; and
automatically executing the process in each computer in the set of computers during the optimal low usage time interval.
6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the entries in the set of electronic calendars further comprises:
identifying an entry in the set of entries associated with a given user in the set of users; and
responsive to identifying a low usage indicator flag associated with the entry, identifying a time interval associated with the entry as a low usage time interval.
7. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the entries in the set of electronic calendars further comprises:
identifying an entry in the set of entries associated with a given user in the set of users; and
responsive to a calendar status associated with the calendar entry indicating a user is on vacation, identifying a time interval associated with the calendar status as a low usage time interval.
8. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the entries in the set of electronic calendars further comprises:
identifying an entry in the set of entries associated with a given user in the set of users; and
performing a text analysis on text associated with the entry to form text analysis results;
responsive to the text analysis results indicating that an expected location of the given user is a different location than a location of the computer, identifying a time interval associated with the entry as a low usage time interval; and
responsive to the text analysis results indicating that an activity described in the entry is a low usage activity, identifying the time interval associated with the entry as the low usage time interval.
9. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein a calendar in the set of electronic calendars associated with a set of users is a calendar in an email program.
10. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein a calendar in the set of electronic calendars associated with a set of users is a calendar in a personal digital assistant.
11. A computer program product comprising:
a computer usable medium including computer usable program code for automatically scheduling execution of a process using information in a calendar, said computer program product comprising:
computer usable program code for analyzing entries in a set of electronic calendars associated with a set of users to generate expected computer usage patterns for the set of users;
computer usable program code for identifying a low usage time interval for a computer using the expected computer usage patterns, wherein the low usage time interval for the computer is a time interval when expected usage of the computer by the set of users does not exceed a threshold amount of usage; and
computer usable program code for automatically executing the process during the low usage time interval.
12. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the process is a backup process.
13. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the process is at least one of a virus scan, a file compression process, a disk backup process, a checkpoint process, a restart process, a text index manipulation process, and a disk de-fragmentation process.
14. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:
computer usable program code for receiving the entries in the set of electronic calendars from a client, by a server, wherein the server analyzes the entries in the set of electronic calendars to generate the expected computer usage patterns and identify the low usage time interval for the computer using the expected computer usage patterns; and
computer usable program code for transmitting the low usage time interval for the computer to the client.
15. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:
computer usable program code for identifying a low usage time interval for each computer in a set of computers using the expected computer usage patterns to form low usage time intervals;
computer usable program code for identifying an optimal low usage time interval, wherein the optimal low usage time interval comprises a low usage time interval for each computer in the set of computers; and
computer usable program code for automatically executing the process in each computer in the set of computers during the lowest usage time interval.
16. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein analyzing the entries in the set of electronic calendars further comprises:
computer usable program code for identifying an entry in the set of entries associated with a given user in the set of users; and
computer usable program code for identifying a time interval associated with the entry as a low usage time interval in response to identifying a low usage indicator flag associated with the entry.
17. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein analyzing the entries in the set of electronic calendars further comprises:
computer usable program code for identifying an entry in the set of entries associated with a given user in the set of users; and
computer usable program code for identifying a time interval associated with the calendar status as a low usage time interval in response to a calendar status associated with the calendar entry indicating a user is on vacation.
18. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein analyzing the entries in the set of electronic calendars further comprises:
computer usable program code for identifying an entry in the set of entries associated with a given user in the set of users; and
computer usable program code for performing a text analysis on text associated with the entry to form text analysis results;
computer usable program code for identifying a time interval associated with the entry as a low usage time interval in response to the text analysis results indicating that an expected location of the given user is a different location than a location of the computer; and
computer usable program code for identifying the time interval associated with the entry as the low usage time interval in response to the text analysis results indicating that an activity described in the entry is a low usage activity.
19. A computer implemented method for automatically scheduling execution of a maintenance process using information in a calendar, the computer implemented method comprising:
identifying an entry in an electronic calendar associated with a user of a computing device;
responsive to identifying a low usage indicator flag associated with the entry, identifying a time interval associated with the entry as a low usage time interval in a set of low usage time intervals, wherein the low usage time interval is a time interval when expected usage of the computer by the user does not exceed a threshold amount of usage;
responsive to an absence of the low usage indicator flag associated with the entry, performing a text analysis on text associated with the entry to form text analysis results;
responsive to the text analysis results indicating that an expected location of the given user is a different location than a location of the computer, identifying a time interval associated with the entry as a low usage time interval in the set of low usage time intervals; and
responsive to the text analysis results indicating that an activity described in the entry is a low usage activity, identifying the time interval associated with the entry as the low usage time interval in the set of low usage time intervals; and
automatically executing the maintenance process during the low usage time interval.
20. The computer implemented method of claim 19 further comprising:
analyzing a plurality of entries in a set of electronic calendars associated with a set of users to generate expected computer usage patterns for the set of users;
identifying a plurality of low usage time intervals for the computer using the expected computer usage patterns, wherein the low usage time interval for the computer is a time interval when expected usage of the computer by the set of users does not exceed a threshold amount of usage; and
automatically executing the maintenance process in each computer in the set of computers during a low usage time interval in the set of lowest usage time intervals, wherein the backup process is executed in each computer in the set of computers during the low usage time interval for the each computer.

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 turbine airfoil, comprising:
a generally elongated airfoil formed from an outer wall, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, a suction side, a tip section at a first end, a root coupled to the airfoil at an end generally opposite the first end for supporting the airfoil and for coupling the airfoil to a disc, and at least one cooling cavity in the outer wall forming a cooling system in the airfoil;
wherein the at least one cooling cavity in the outer wall extends generally spanwise from a location proximate to the root to a location proximate to the tip; and
at least one hot gas receiving cavity positioned mid-chord in the airfoil, having an opening in the tip, and extending from a location proximate to the root to a location proximate to the tip.
2. The turbine airfoil of claim 1, wherein the at least one hot gas receiving cavity comprises at least one rib extending from an inner surface of the outer wall of the pressure side to an inner surface of the outer wall of the suction side.
3. The turbine airfoil of claim 2, wherein the at least one hot gas receiving cavity comprises a plurality of ribs extending from an inner surface of the outer wall of the pressure side to an inner surface of the outer wall of the suction side.
4. The turbine airfoil of claim 3, wherein the plurality of ribs form a plurality of rows extending in a chordwise direction, wherein the ribs of adjacent rows are aligned chordwise.
5. The turbine airfoil of claim 3, wherein the plurality of ribs form a plurality of rows extending in a chordwise direction, wherein the ribs of adjacent spanwise rows are offset chordwise.
6. The turbine airfoil of claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling cavity in the outer wall comprises at least one rib extending from a first inner surface forming the at least one cooling cavity and proximate to an outer surface of the airfoil to a second inner surface forming the at least one cooling cavity, opposite to the first inner surface, and proximate to a surface of the airfoil forming the hot gas receiving cavity.
7. The turbine airfoil of claim 6, wherein the at least one cooling cavity in the outer wall comprises a plurality of ribs extending from a first inner surface forming the at least one cooling cavity and proximate to an outer surface of the airfoil to a second inner surface forming the at least one cooling cavity, opposite to the first inner surface, and proximate to a surface of the airfoil forming the hot gas receiving cavity.
8. The turbine airfoil of claim 7, wherein the plurality of ribs are offset chordwise from the plurality of ribs in the at least one hot gas receiving cavity.
9. The turbine airfoil of claim 7, wherein the plurality of ribs in the outer wall form a plurality of rows extending in a chordwise direction in which the ribs are aligned in the chordwise direction with adjacent ribs.
10. The turbine airfoil of claim 7, wherein the plurality of ribs in the outer wall form a plurality of rows extending in a chordwise direction in which the ribs are offset in the chordwise direction with adjacent ribs.
11. The turbine airfoil of claim 1, further comprising at least one leading edge spanwise cooling channel extending from generally proximate the root toward the tip.
12. The turbine airfoil of claim 1, further comprising at least one trailing edge spanwise cooling channel extending from generally proximate the root toward the tip.
13. A turbine airfoil, comprising:
a generally elongated airfoil formed from an outer wall, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, a suction side, a tip section at a first end, a root coupled to the airfoil at an end generally opposite the first end for supporting the airfoil and for coupling the airfoil to a disc, and at least one cooling cavity in the outer wall forming a cooling system in the airfoil;
wherein the at least one cooling cavity in the outer wall extends generally spanwise from a location proximate to the root to a location proximate to the tip; and
at least one hot gas receiving cavity positioned mid-chord in the airfoil, having an opening in the tip, and extending from a location proximate to the root to a location proximate to the tip; and
wherein the at least one hot gas receiving cavity includes a plurality of ribs extending from an inner surface of the outer wall of the pressure side to an inner surface of the outer wall of the suction side.
14. The turbine airfoil of claim 13, wherein the plurality of ribs form a plurality of rows extending in a chordwise direction, and the ribs of adjacent rows are aligned in the chordwise direction.
15. The turbine airfoil of claim 13, wherein the plurality of ribs form a plurality of rows extending in a chordwise direction, and the ribs of adjacent rows are offset in the chordwise direction.
16. The turbine airfoil of claim 13, wherein the at least one cooling cavity in the outer wall comprises a plurality of ribs extending from a first inner surface forming the at least one cooling cavity and proximate to an outer surface of the airfoil to a second inner surface forming the at least one outer cavity, opposite to the first inner surface, and proximate to a surface of the airfoil forming the hot gas receiving cavity.
17. The turbine airfoil of claim 16, wherein the plurality of ribs in the at least one cooling cavity in the outer wall are offset chordwise from the plurality of ribs in the at least one hot gas receiving cavity.
18. The turbine airfoil of claim 16, wherein the plurality of ribs in the outer wall form a plurality of rows in which the ribs are aligned chordwise with adjacent ribs.
19. The turbine airfoil of claim 16, wherein the plurality of ribs in the outer wall form a plurality of rows in which the ribs are offset chordwise relative to adjacent ribs.
20. The turbine airfoil of claim 1, further comprising at least one leading edge spanwise cooling channel extending from generally proximate the root toward the tip and at least one trailing edge spanwise cooling channel extending from generally proximate the root toward the tip.