text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Jan 25, 1994
|Filing date
|Aug 5, 1992
|Priority date
|Aug 5, 1992
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Stephen A. Edelen, Chiau-Chieh Ong
|Original Assignee
|Eaton Corporation
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (12), Referenced by (43), Classifications (21), Legal Events (4)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
The invention relates to closed-loop control systems for controlling actuators, such as a control system for shifting the transmission of a vehicle.
Control circuits have been used in prior art to drive actuators, for example, as in the preferred embodiment of the invention described herein, to drive a transmission-shifting servomechanism to its various positions. However, in the prior transmission-shifting mechanisms, the shifting performance was not always optimum because the gain of the control loop varied in accordance with the voltage of the vehicle's battery, which was used to drive an electric motor to move the shift mechanism. For example, gain constants of the control circuit that were chosen for good performance when the battery voltage was 12 volts were not appropriate when the battery voltage was some other value such as 14 volts. Different battery voltages caused different gains of the electric motor.
The present invention provides a servomechanism whose performance is substantially independent of the voltage of the battery. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the power of a motor is controlled by applying a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) switching signal that periodically connects and disconnects the motor to the battery for short time intervals, as in prior art. However, the widths of the PWM pulses, which are controlled in part by an error signal that is the difference between a position-feedback signal and position commands, are also controlled in this invention as a function of the battery voltage, in such a way as to compensate the performance for variations in battery voltage.
The energy of the pulses of the PWM signal is a function of a closed-loop error signal and an open-loop battery-voltage-compensation signal. In the particular preferred embodiment of the invention described below, the frequency of energy pulses to the motor is constant irrespective of both the battery voltage and the closed-loop error signal of the servomechanism, but constancy of frequency is not essential. The duration of the pulses is varied.
Voltage regulation alone by pulse-width modulation is not new; in the present invention the error signal of the servomechanism is multiplied by the battery-compensation signal to control the width of pulse-width-modulated motor-actuating signals applied to the motor.
In the case of the preferred embodiment, the motor is a permanent-magnet type, so its output power, if uncompensated, would be a function approximately of the square of the battery voltage, and of the duration of pulses of the PWM switching signal. To compensate for the fact that the power of the motor would be undesirably responsive to the square of the battery voltage, the duration of the pulses is made responsive herein to a function that involves the square of the battery voltage, thereby to compensate the power gain of the motor for variations in battery voltage. Time averaging of PWM input energy is performed in the motor because of the high inertia of the motor relative to the period of the energy pulses of the PWM signal that switches the motor's input power on and off.
The preferred embodiment is an adaptive servo-mechanism. An adaptive servomechanism may make corrections in its parameters (e.g., its proportional-channel gain and its differential-channel gain), at relatively infrequent times to compensate for changes of performance due to changes of temperature, etc. In the preferred embodiment corrections are made following each measurement of performance of the shift mechanism, each performance being in response to a shift command. However, the battery voltage can change after one adaptive correction of the servosystem parameters is made, and before the next shift, hence before the next performance measurement and correction. Without the present invention, the loop gains of the system would then be incorrect at the time of the next shift, because the gain of the motor would have changed subsequent to the most recent adaptive adjustment of the control parameters. The parameter-adaptiveness capability therefore renders even more valuable the inventive combination of error signal and battery-voltage-compensation signal for controlling pulse width.
The additional advantage of the invention when the servomechanism is an adaptive type can be stated in another way as follows. Uncontrolled variable battery voltage is applied to the motor when in the "on" intervals of the PWM pulses. If the battery voltage were not compensated by changing the pulse widths, the gain of the PWM permanent-magnet motor would vary with variations in battery voltage. In a gain-adjustable control system (for optimization of overshoot, shifting speed, etc.) an independently varying gain element, such as the motor, would degrade the operation when the motor's gain changes. Those variations would, if uncompensated, have to be corrected by the closed servo loop. That loop, however, can operate only at infrequent intervals, namely upon occurrences of shifts. The battery voltage could have changed in the meantime, and often does, with potential harmful effects on system performance. The present invention is a method for minimizing the effects of independent gain variations of the motor.
The battery voltage correction is an open-loop control that maintains the motor's gain at an approximately constant value by changing the pulse widths of the PWM signal as a function of battery voltage. The widths of the same pulses are also varying in accordance with the error signal of the closed loop of the servomechanism. Pulse width at the motor varies in accordance with both the battery voltage and the closed-loop error signal. The open-loop battery-voltage-correction circuitry compensates (by PWM changes) for changes in the battery voltage.
Accordingly, one object of the invention is to provide an actuator-control system including a closed-loop servomechanism having a motor that is powered by a variable power supply such as a battery, and in which variations of the battery's voltage are compensated by PWM, so that the power gain of the motor is independent of battery voltage, but is still dependent upon servomechanism error signals.
Another object is to provide an actuator-control system in which a servomechanism error signal controls a pulse-width-modulated signal that rapidly switches a motor on and off, and in which the pulse widths are controlled also by a signal that is responsive to the battery voltage.
Another object is to provide a control system in which a control signal for compensating for battery voltage variations is derived by squaring a ratio of a reference voltage to the instantaneous voltage of the battery.
Another object is to provide a control system in which a permanent-magnet (PM) motor is employed for driving a servomechanism, for example a device for shifting a transmission, and pulse-width-modulated signals are employed to switch the battery to the armature terminals of the PM motor, and the duty cycle of the pulse-width-modulated signals is controlled both by error signals from the servomechanism and by the voltage of the battery.
Another object is to provide a control system in which the effects on a motor of variations of battery voltage are compensated by varying the pulse widths of a PWM signal applied to the motor, and at least one parameter of the closed loop servomechanism is automatically adaptively altered in accordance with at least one performance characteristic of the shifting action.
Other objects are to provide methods for performing the functions of the apparatus described above.
Still more objects will be apparent from the description, drawings and claims of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a portion of a synchronized mechanical transmission that can utilize the invention.
FIG. 2 is a mechanical schematic diagram of a shift mechanism and associated position sensors.
FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of one embodiment of a position-feedback servomechanism for shifting a transmission.
FIG. 4 is a simplified motor-drive schematic diagram for making (PWM) connections to a permanent-magnet DC motor that drives the shift mechanism.
FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a voltage-compensation algorithm that is executed by a microcontroller that is part of the control system.
FIG. 6 is a table showing shifting times for various shifting tasks performed by the servomechanism when the voltage compensation circuit is disconnected and when the battery voltage is 10 volts. For example, it shows the time to shift from first or second gear into reverse.
FIG. 7 is the performance of the system of FIG. 6 except with the benefit of having the voltage-compensation circuit connected, again at 10 volts of battery voltage.
FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 6 except that the battery voltage is 12 volts.
FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 7 except that the battery voltage is 12 volts.
FIG. 10 is similar to FIG. 6 except that the battery voltage is 16 volts.
FIG. 11 is similar to FIG. 7 except that the battery voltage is 16 volts.
FIG. 12 is a table summarizing and comparing the shift performance of a transmission with and without battery-voltage compensation.
The present invention is related to another made by the same inventors and assigned to the same assignee, and described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/802,921, entitled "Transmission Shifter Having Automatic Adjustment of Control Parameters", filed Dec. 6, 1991. Background information is available in U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,881, issued Oct. 17, 1989, entitled "Electrically Actuated X-Y Shifting Mechanism". Both the above application and the patent are made a part of the present application by reference.
A preferred embodiment of the invention can be utilized with, for example, a conventional synchronized mechanical gear-change transmission having an input shaft, a countershaft, and an output shaft. The transmission has six forward speeds ranging in ratio from 9:1 to 1:1 and a reverse speed having a ratio of 9:1. Shifting of the transmission is accomplished by a motorized mechanism shown schematically in FIGS. 1 and 2.
In FIG. 1, a rail assembly 10 is shown, which includes a reverse-gear rail 12, a 1st- and 2nd-gear rail 14, a 3rd/4th rail 16, and a 5th/6th rail 18. Each of the slidable rails 12, 14, 16, 18 has a shift fork 20, 22, 24, 26 respectively affixed to it, that can move forward and aft (Y axis) when its rail slides axially, and each shift fork has two operating positions.
In the forward position of a shift fork on the Y axis the selected gear is reverse, 1, 3 or 5, and in the aft position it is 2, 4 or 6.
A movable rail-selection shift finger 19 (X axis) selects one of either the reverse rail 12, the 1st/2nd rail 14, the 3rd/4th rail 16, or the 5th/6th rail 18, by engaging the selected rail's respective shift block 21, 23, 25, 27.
FIG. 2 shows the shift finger 19 mounted on a shift shaft 29, which are part of means 28 for sliding and rotating the shift finger 19 along the shaft 29.
a ball screw mechanism 30, which engages the shift finger 19, is driven by a bidirectional permanent-magnet DC motor 32 having electrical leads 34, 36. The ball screw mechanism 30 is capable of sliding the shift finger 19 (X axis) when the motor 32 rotates the screw of the ball screw mechanism.
Similarly, a ball screw mechanism 38 engages a clevis 40 that is affixed to the shaft 29 in such a way as to rotate the shaft 29 through a small angle, and therefore to rotate the shift finger 19 through that small angle (Y axis), when the ball screw mechanism 38 is operated. The mechanism 38 is driven by a permanent-magnet DC motor 42 that can be energized to rotate in either direction.
Each of the ball screw mechanisms 30, 38, is equipped with a position sensor 48, 50 respectively for providing a position feedback signal to an electronic control unit (ECU).
Position sensors 48, 50 are variable resistors having +12 volts applied to one terminal and ground potential applied to another terminal. An arm of the variable resistor 48 moves in accordance with the position of the ball screw mechanism 30, and therefore in accordance with the forward or aft position of the shift finger 19 on the shaft 29. The voltage on the arm of the variable resistor 48 provides an indication of the X-axis position of the shift finger 19. The Y-axis position sensor 50 is similar.
In the preferred embodiment being described, an electronic control unit (ECU 81') controls the shifting mechanism, as shown in simplified form in FIG. 3. The ECU includes a proportional-integral-differential control circuit, which is part of a microcomputer that performs many functions.
A microcomputer flow chart for performing an algorithm involved in this invention is shown in FIG. 5, to be described later. Only conventional well-known programming techniques are required to practice the invention. Nevertheless, for further clarity, a simplified analog version of some of the microcomputer's functions is shown; the left-hand portion of FIG. 3 is an analog representation of software in the ECU 81.
The connections of FIG. 3 are as follows. The X-axis position sensor 48 provides a signal at a terminal 134', which is input to a subtractor 136'. Another input to the subtractor 136', at a terminal 140', comes from a command register that stores the desired final position (destination) of a shift operation of the X-axis portion of the X-Y shift mechanism 28. The difference between the actual position signal at terminal 134' and the optimum destination at terminal 140' is an error signal at a terminal 144'.
That error signal passes through a variable-gain proportional amplifier 148', whose gain is controlled by a signal at a gain-control terminal 148". Amplifier 148' is one of three channels for processing the error signal and its output is one of three inputs to a summer 155.
The error signal at terminal 144' is also processed by a differentiating amplifier 154' that extracts the time-rate of change of the error. Its gain is also under the control of a gain-control terminal 157'. Its output goes to another input terminal of the summing device 155.
The error signal at terminal 144' is also input to an integrating amplifier 162', whose gain may be controlled if desired. Its output serves as a third input to the summer 155.
An output terminal 170' of the summer 155 is connected to a motor-direction-control circuit 84" and to a clamp 171', whose output is input to a combiner and pulse-width modulator 173'. Another input to the combiner and pulse-width modulator 173' comes from a battery-voltage-signal-processing circuit 175'. The input to that battery-signal-processing circuit comes from a battery-sensing circuit 177' to which a battery 60 is connected for battery-voltage measurement.
The output of the combiner and pulse-width modulator 173' is connected to a terminal 83' of a logic circuit 82, whose purpose is to control the switching of four electronic motor-control switches. The logic circuit 82 also has an input terminal 84 for controlling the direction of the motor 32, an L-Dump terminal 86, and an enable terminal 88, that are described more fully in the reference patent application, Ser. No. 07/802,921.
Outputs of the logic circuit 82 are connected to control the operation of electronic switches 66, 68, 70, and 72. The battery 60 has a positive terminal 62 that is connected to the switches 66 and 70 and to the battery-voltage-sensing circuit 177'. The battery's negative terminal 64 is connected to the switches 68 and 72 and to a negative ground terminal (-) of the ECU 81'. The switches 66 and 68 are connected so as, when closed, to enable application of battery voltage to the motor 32 with a certain polarity. The switches 70 and 72, on the other hand, are connected to enable application of battery voltage of the opposite polarity to the motor 32.
A mechanical output shaft 31' of the armature of the motor 32 is mechanically connected to drive an X-axis portion of the shift mechanism 28, whose position is sensed by the sensor 48 as described above. Similar arrangements are provided for the Y axis.
To illustrate the operation of the control loop of FIG. 3, assume that it is desired to shift from fifth gear to sixth gear. The sixth-gear position is entered into a destination-position register and is represented at terminal 140' of FIG. 3. Sensor 48 causes a signal at terminal 134' that indicates the instantaneous X-axis position of the shift finger 19. The destination signal at terminal 140' is subtracted in subtractor 136' from the digitized actual position signal at terminal 134' to produce an error signal at the terminal 144'.
The variable-gain proportional amplifier 148' provides a proportional component of error signal at one input of the summer 155.
A differentiated version of the error signal is produced by the differentiator 154' and that component of signal also enters the summer 155.
The error signal at terminal 144' is integrated in the integrator 162' and the result is also presented to the summer 155. The output 170' of the summer is clamped in clamp 171' and then enters combiner 173', where it is one factor in controlling the width of pulses at the input of the logic circuit 82.
The sign of the output from the summer 155, at terminal 170', is utilized to control the direction of rotation of the motor 32 by means of the direction-control circuit 84", which connects to the input terminal 84 of the logic circuit 82, FIG. 3.
In FIG. 4 the motor 32 is shown schematically in a conventional switching circuit that enables reversible operation. The battery 60 provides nominally 12-volt DC power between its positive terminal 62 and its ground terminal 64.
The electronic switches 66, 68, 70, 72 are field-effect transistors, each having a drain, a source and a gate terminal, in which the gate terminal controls the actuation of the switch and conventional load current flows from the drain to the source. The gate terminals are designated 74, 76, 78, 80 respectively.
The logic circuit generally designated 82 controls the operation of the switches 66, 68, 70, 72 in response to commands at its input terminals. These input terminals include the pulse-width-modulation (PWM) terminal 83', the directional terminal 84, the LDUMP terminal 86, and the ENABLE terminal 88.
Another input to the logic circuit 82, at a terminal 90, has a battery-voltage-presence signal. The battery voltage at a terminal 63 is processed by a series-connected transistor 92 and a logic amplifier 94, whose final output voltages are binary logic levels compatible with the logic circuit 82.
The logic circuit 82 comprises four AND gates 96, 98, 100, 104, whose outputs are connected to the gate terminals 74, 76, 78, 80 respectively. A logic 1 signal at an AND-gate's output closes the switch to whose gate terminal it is connected.
Each of the four AND gates has three inputs. The PWM terminal 83' is connected to input terminals 106, 108 of AND gates 100, 96 respectively. The directional terminal 84 is connected to input terminals 110 and 112 of the AND gates 96, 98 respectively and to the input terminal of an inverter 106. The output of inverter 106 is connected to input terminals 114 and 116 of the AND gates 100, 104 respectively.
The LDUMP terminal 86 is connected to input terminals 118, 120 of AND gates 104, 98 respectively. The ENABLE terminal 88 is connected to input terminals 122, 124 of AND gates 104, 98 respectively. The battery-sensing terminal 90 of the logic circuit 82 is connected to input terminals 126, 128 of the AND gates 100, 96 respectively.
In FIG. 4, when battery voltage is present at the terminal 63, a logic 1 is applied by amplifier 94 to the AND gates 100 and 96. Absence of battery voltage would block those AND gates and prevent operation of the shift motor 32 in either direction. This is an optional safety feature.
The ECU 81' is also capable of disabling the motor 32, by applying a logic 0 signal to either the ENABLE terminal 88 or the LDUMP terminal 86. That causes the AND gates 98, 104 to apply logic 0 signals to gate terminals of the switches 68, 72 respectively, so as to prevent the connection of a ground potential to either terminal of the motor 32.
Continuing with FIG. 4, the ECU 81' controls the direction of operation of the motor 32 by applying a logic 1 signal to the directional terminal 84 when it is desired to move the shift finger forward on the X-axis. That puts a logic 1 on inputs of the AND gates 96, 98 and a logic 0 (through the inverter 106) on the AND gates 100, 104. Only the forward switches 66 and 68 can then be closed. Conversely, a logic 0 at the directional terminal 84 disables switches 66, 68 and enables closure of the aft-direction switches 70, 72.
In an example of the operation of the circuit of FIG. 4 the AND gates 96 and 98 are enabled by the direction signal 84, and the AND gates 100 and 104 are disabled, so switches 70 and 72 cannot be closed. Assuming that battery voltage is present, as indicated by a logic 1 at terminal 90, and that the LDUMP and ENABLE signals at terminals 86 and 88 are logic is, the output of AND gate 98 is a logic 1, so that switch 68 is closed.
The output of AND gate 96 is now under the sole control of the logic signal at the PWM terminal 83'. The switch 66 receives a pulse-width-modulated signal at its gate terminal 74, having a duty cycle that depends upon the signal at terminal 83' of the pulse-width-modulator 173'. The switch 66 is therefore alternately opened and closed for a controllable duty cycle that has some average ON time, which controls the average positive voltage applied to terminal 34 of the motor 32. The motor 32 therefore receives electrical input power that varies in accordance with both the demand stated at the output 170' of the summer 155 and the signal at the output 179' of the battery-voltage signal-processing circuit 175'.
The motor 32 operates the ball screw mechanism 30 and moves the shift finger 19 with a controlled speed. As the shift finger 19 approaches the sixth gear position on the rail 18 it encounters the inside boundary of a target zone, whose location is stored in a register of the ECU 81'.
The transit time of shift finger 19 from the time of issuance of the shift command to the time of arrival at the inside boundary is measured by a timer in ECU 81'. Timer output information is sent to a circuit that selects appropriate gains for the variable-gain amplifiers 148' and 154'. Thus the gains of the variable-gain amplifiers are adjusted to achieve appropriate speed, overshoot, etc. of the positioning system, as described in the above-referenced patent application Ser. No. 07/802,921.
By changing the duty cycle of the PWM signal, the ECU 81' controls the average voltage applied to the motor 32. This compensates for variations of system parameters such as friction and also compensates for variations of the battery voltage.
In the manner just described, the ECU 81' controls the operation of the motor 32 and movements of the shift finger 19 in forward and aft directions on the X-axis.
Similar circuits control the Y-axis motor 42.
FIG. 5 is a flow chart depicting an algorithm for compensating for variations in battery voltage, as to the battery voltage's effect on the power gain of the motor 32. FIG. 3 will also be referred to in describing the flowchart.
The program starts at symbol 131". In flow chart block 133", the position of the X-shift mechanism is measured by the position-sensing transducer 48 and a new position signal is entered into the ECU 81' at the terminal 134'. The block 133" also receives a measure of the voltage of the battery 60, which is sensed by sensor 177', as shown in FIG. 3.
The new position of the shift mechanism 30 is compared with the desired destination (whose value is standing at terminal 140'), in a subtractor block 136" of the flow chart to produce the error signal at the terminal 144'.
The time-rate of change of the error signal at 144' is determined in a block 154" by comparing the newly-measured error with the previous error. In a block 162" the error is integrated by adding the newly measured error to the previously accumulated errors.
In a block 170" the appropriate pulse-width modulation (corresponding to the gain of the motor 32 when the battery voltage is 12 volts), is computed. It is the sum of a first gain constant K1 times the proportional error plus a second gain constant K2 times the time-rate of change of error plus a third gain constant K3 times the integral of errors. The result is a signal at the terminal 170' of FIG. 3.
In a block 171" the desired pulse-width-modulation signal for 12 volts is clamped to a maximum of 100% and a minimum of -100% of the signal to enable it to be handled within the operable range of the circuits.
The resulting clamped signal is multiplied in a block 173" by the square of the ratio of 12 volts (reference) to the instantaneous battery voltage. The resulting signal at terminal 83' corresponds to the pulse-width-modulated input at terminal 83' of the logic circuit 82 (FIG. 3).
FIGS. 6-11 are data tables whose entries are the times required to perform various shifts of the transmission. The same prototype shifting device was used for all of the data of FIGS. 6-12. The times are expressed in computer loops, wherein a loop is ten milliseconds. The number in parentheses following each table entry represents a matrix pointer address that determines the proportional- and differential-channel gains for the adaptive controller of the shifter, which relates to the parameter-adjustment feature of the apparatus.
The parameter-adjustment capability and the voltage-compensation capability co-exist in the apparatus without interfering with each other. The voltage-compensation system makes the job of the parameter-adjustment system easier; it substantially eliminates one independent variable, namely the battery voltage, which in the absence of battery-voltage compensation would impair the parameter-adjustment system's performance.
Without the voltage-compensation system, the gain of the motor 32 would vary as the battery voltage changed. That would be very disruptive of the parameter-adjustment system, especially in the preferred embodiment of the parameter-adjustment system in which the parameters that are adjusted are gain parameters, namely, the gains of the proportional and differential channels of the controller. When the voltage-compensation capability is provided, the gain of the motor 32 is made constant, so the gain of the closed-loop control system is under the sole control of the parameter-adjustment system, enabling the shifter to perform significantly better.
The first column of each of the tables of FIGS. 6-11 represents times to shift from 1st/2nd rail to the reverse rail. Note that first and second gear share the 1st/2nd rail. The second column shows the times to shift from the reverse rail back to the 1st/2nd rail. The third column is for upshifts from the 1st/2nd rail to the 3rd/4th rail. The fourth column is for shifts from the 3rd/4th rail to the 5th/6th rail. The fifth column is for shifts from the 5th/6th rail down to the 3rd/4th rail. The sixth column is the times for shifts from the 3rd/4th rail down to the 1st/2nd rail.
Near the bottom of each of FIGS. 6-11 are two rows of numbers labelled "A.V." and "S.D.". Row A.V. shows the average shift times for each of the six columns, and at the extreme right the average of all of those averages is shown. In row S.D. the standard deviation is shown for the data in each of the six columns. The battery voltage was 10 volts when the data were taken for FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 was without battery-voltage compensation and FIG. 7 was with battery-voltage compensation.
FIGS. 8 and 9 are for battery voltage of 12 volts; FIG. 8 is without voltage compensation and FIG. 9 is with voltage compensation. The variation between FIGS. 8 and 9 is considered normal, and likely due to imperfect parameter compensation for unmeasured variables such as motor temperature. FIGS. 10 and 11 are for a battery voltage of 16 volts; FIG. 10 was without voltage compensation and FIG. 11 was with voltage compensation. In FIG. 12 the results of tests for the effectiveness of voltage compensation are summarized and analyzed. The performance of a "population one" that doesn't have voltage compensation is compared with the performance of a "population two" that has voltage compensation. Every entry in the two population tables represents about 25 shifts.
The first column of each of the two population tables of FIG. 12 is the voltage of the battery. The second column is the average shift time for shifting from the reverse rail to the 1st/2nd rail. The third column is the average shift time for shifting from the 1st/2nd rail to the 3rd/4th rail. The fourth column is for shifting from the 5th/6th rail to the 3rd/4th rail and the fifth column is for shifting from the 3rd/4th rail to the 1st/2nd rail. The sixth column is the average shifting time for columns 2-5 for each corresponding battery voltage. The seventh column is the standard deviation of the shift time data of columns 2-5 for the corresponding battery voltage.
At the bottom of the "population one" table of FIG. 12 is a row showing the average shift time for each of columns 2-5, and at the right of that row is the average of those four averages, 11.95. Another row, labelled Sxsf,i, gives the standard deviation of the data of column 2 and of each of the other columns, and at the extreme right is the standard deviation for all of the data of the "population one" table.
Also given are the standard deviation if the battery voltage and the type of shift performed are independent, and the maximum shift time if the population is of a normal distribution (3 sigma). Similar data are presented in respect of the table for "population two" of FIG. 12.
These figures show that the average shift time with voltage compensation ("population two") is 12.15 computer loops and the average shift time without voltage compensation is 11.95 shift loops. The shift time is negligibly greater (1.6% greater) with voltage compensation, as would be expected, because the particular data taken in these tests has the battery voltage ranging from only 2 volts below the reference of 12 volts, to 4 volts above the reference of 12 volts. The 16-volt battery voltage results in a very high gain for the motor 32 which is undesirable in that it cannot be reliably reproduced under lower-battery-voltage conditions.
It is much more significant that the standard deviation of the shift times with compensation is only 0.11 while the standard deviation without voltage compensation is almost twice as great, at 0.21. Moreover, with voltage compensation the maximum shift time if the population is normal is only 13.8, which is significantly less than the 15.0 maximum shift time for the population without voltage compensation.
Thus, the performance of the shift servomechanism is shown to be significantly improved by the voltage compensation, and it is shown that the voltage compensation system is capable of compatible operation with the adaptive servomechanism, even though both systems operate by adjusting the pulse widths of the same PWM signals that are applied to the switches for controlling the motor 32.
An embodiment employing an adaptive control system for adjusting parameters, along with the voltage compensation of the subject invention, has been described. Clearly it is not necessary that the control system have adaptive parameter-adjustment capability in order to employ the voltage compensation invention that is described.
Although the invention has been illustrated by only a few embodiments, many other forms are possible using its principles. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims.
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|Sep 17, 2007
|Aug 10, 2010
|Luk Lamellen Und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs Kg
|Method for controlling a gear-shifting process in a manual transmission with active interlock
|Jul 6, 2007
|Aug 31, 2010
|Luk Lamellen Und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs
|Transmission control system and method for compensating plant changes in a transmission control system of an automatic vehicle transmission
|Feb 2, 2007
|Mar 15, 2011
|Eaton Corporation
|PTO brake
|Jan 18, 2008
|Oct 25, 2011
|Eaton Corporation
|PTO overspeed protection strategy
|Oct 23, 2008
|Aug 18, 2015
|Wabco Gmbh
|Gear actuator
|Dec 23, 2003
|Sep 30, 2004
|Calsonic Kansei Corporation
|Driving control device for actuator
|Oct 8, 2004
|May 19, 2005
|Luk Lamellen Und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs Kg
|Transmission control system and method for compensating roadway changes in a transmission control system of an automatic vehicle transmission
|Aug 31, 2005
|May 11, 2006
|Luk Lamellen Und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs Kg
|Method for error recognition and error avoidance when switching an automated gearbox as well as an automated gearbox
|Dec 16, 2004
|Jun 22, 2006
|Eaton Corporation
|Method for controlling centrifugal clutch engagement using engine torque requests
|Jul 6, 2007
|Nov 15, 2007
|Luk Lamellen Und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs Kg
|Transmission control system and method for compensating plant changes in a transmission control system of an automatic vehicle transmission
|May 5, 2006
|Nov 29, 2007
|Virgin Islands Microsystems, Inc.
|Methods, devices and systems producing illumination and effects
|Sep 17, 2007
|May 8, 2008
|Luk Lamellen Und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs Kg
|Method for controlling a gear-shifting process in a manual transmission with active interlock
|Feb 2, 2007
|Aug 7, 2008
|Mike Romine
|PTO brake
|Oct 23, 2008
|May 19, 2011
|Mike Heurich
|Gear actuator
|Jan 19, 2009
|Dec 23, 2010
|Eaton Corp., Cleveland
|Oct 1, 1996
|Apr 16, 1997
|Eaton Corporation
|12V/24V X-Y transmission shifter
|Mar 25, 1999
|Oct 6, 1999
|Eaton Corporation
|Engine fuel control for completing shifts in controller-assisted, manually shifted transmission
|Mar 25, 1999
|Oct 6, 1999
|Eaton Corporation
|Range shift control
|Mar 25, 1999
|Oct 6, 1999
|Eaton Corporation
|Dynamic range shift actuation
|Mar 27, 1999
|Oct 6, 1999
|Eaton Corporation
|Adaptive upshift jaw clutch engagement control
|Oct 8, 1999
|May 3, 2000
|Eaton Corporation
|Robust control for three-position transmission shift actuator assembly
|May 3, 2001
|Nov 7, 2001
|Eaton Corporation
|Combined detent and neutral sensor
|Aug 5, 2005
|Jan 6, 2010
|LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
|Method to detect failure and to prevent failure during shifting of an automated transmission
|May 9, 2008
|Nov 11, 2009
|Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A.
|Electric servo-control for a servo-assited gearbox
|Nov 19, 2009
|Aug 24, 2011
|Byd Company Limited
|Gear control system and contral method thereof
|Nov 19, 2009
|Apr 18, 2012
|Byd Co Ltd
|Gear control system and contral method thereof
|U.S. Classification
|318/632, 701/60, 318/139, 318/400.38, 74/335
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Aug 5, 1992
Owner name: EATON CORPORATION, OHIO
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNORS:EDELEN, STEPHEN A.;ONG, CHIAU-CHIEH;REEL/FRAME:006224/0521;SIGNING DATES FROM 19920605 TO 19920622
|Jun 26, 1997
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Jun 29, 2001
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|Jun 30, 2005
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 12


text:
- Model
Thai silk cushions and home decor manufacturer. This design is manufactured with pure Thai silk.
Sweet Thai silk pillow, 100% Thai silk
Size: 16 inches x 16 inches (Any other size available as well!)
Material: 100% Thai silk
Colors: Please select from our fabric color chart online
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Ethernet Cable, Cat 5e, Orange, 3 ft.
VALUE BRAND| Zoro #: G1248572| Mfr #: 2136
Zoro #: G1248572Mfr. Part #: 2136
Zoro #: G1248572Mfr. Part #: 2136
$1.91 /ea
Orders over $50.00 ship free. DetailsStandard ground shipping
Technical Specifications
|Zoro #: G1248572 Mfr #: 2136
|Wire Gauge: 24 AWG
|Standards: UL, CSA
|Shielding: None
|Item: Ethernet Cable
|Transmission Speed: 1 Gbps
|Connector Type: RJ45 - 8P8C
|Color: Orange
|Boot Type: Booted
|Plenum Rated: No
|Jacket Material: PVC
|Category Type: 5e
|Cable Shape: Round
|Temp. Range: -40 Degrees to 167 Degrees F
|Length: 3 ft.
|Country of Origin (subject to change): Multiple
Product Description
Ethernet Cable, Category Type 5e, Color Orange, Length 3 ft., None Shielding, Connector Type RJ45 - 8P8C, Wire Gauge 24 AWG, Jacket Material PVC, Boot Type Booted, Transmission Speed 1 Gbps, Plenum Rated No, Temp. Range -40 Degrees to 167 Degrees F, Standards UL, CSA, Cable Shape Round


text:
Are you a fan of famed American artist Georgia O'Keeffe? If so, you shouldn't miss the opportunity to see her work at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Founded in 1997, the museum celebrates the life and work of O'Keeffe through her artistic creations, notes and other memorabilia. What's more, as Amir Landsman discovered on his recent visit, the museum houses the entire collection of the Georgia O'Keeffe Foundation. With well over 1,000 works of art created by O'Keeffe and nearly 3,000 total artworks in its collection, the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum is a must-see for serious art students and fans of O'Keeffe.
What Makes Georgia O'Keeffe So Special?
As a young artist, O'Keeffe first came to national prominence when her close-up paintings of flowers in bloom gained popularity among the New York art scene. She was in her late 20s and living in New York City at the time of this breakthrough.
O'Keeffe's sketches, drawings and paintings were critical to the development of the American Modernism school of art, and O'Keeffe herself has often been called the Mother of American Modernism. Her independent spirit and exceptional talent made her a standout in the art community and created demand for her landscapes, images of flowers and other still life subjects.
O'Keeffe's New Mexico Connection
Georgia O'Keeffe had a significant impact on other artists during her time in New York and was influenced by them in turn. Alfred Stieglitz, a prominent New York gallery owner, was one of the major factors in O'Keeffe's early success and provided her with exposure to some of the most innovative names in the art field. The Stieglitz Circle was composed of luminaries that included John Marin, Alfred Maurer, Abraham Walkowitz, Marsden Hartley and Arthur Dove. Stieglitz had extensive connections within the art world and was able to promote O'Keeffe's stunningly original depictions of flowers, bones and stark landscapes to an eager audience of critics and patrons. The relationship between O'Keeffe and Stieglitz became progressively closer, and the couple married in 1924. In 1929, O'Keeffe moved to New Mexico and began a series of landscapes and still life paintings that are considered classic examples of the Modernism movement.
In 1938, O'Keeffe was asked to create two paintings for an ad campaign planned by the Hawaiian Pineapple Company. Cash flow difficulties and interest in travel motivated O'Keeffe to accept this offer and travel to the islands of Maui, Oahu, Hawaii and Kauai. Her works during this period focus on tropical plant life, Hawaiian fishhooks and other traditional elements of island living and are among the most beautiful of O'Keeffe's paintings. She returned to New Mexico and the iconic flowers, bones and landscapes that made her a household name in the fine arts community. Until her death in 1986, Georgia O'Keeffe made her home at the Ghost Ranch retreat in New Mexico and painted numerous versions of the natural landscapes and geological features in the immediate area.
The simplicity and clarity of O'Keeffe's work continues to attract new admirers and devotees like Amir Landsman. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe provides opportunities for younger art fans to discover this unique artist and the natural world she depicted so well.


text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Jul 12, 2011
|Filing date
|Jul 19, 2007
|Priority date
|Jul 19, 2007
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Thomas DeMichael, Michael J. Labbe
|Original Assignee
|United Technologies Corporation
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (17), Non-Patent Citations (1), Referenced by (2), Classifications (31), Legal Events (3)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to repair of metal components.
2. Description of the Related Art
The manufacture, service and/or repair of metal components, such as gas turbine engines, oftentimes require localized heating of specified areas of the components. This can be done, for example, to allow for stress relief, metal forming and/or brazing applications. Localized heating is preferred when processing the entire component in an isothermal heat treatment oven could adversely affect the metallographic properties of the materials of the component, or for larger parts that might warp or otherwise deform during heat treatment.
In this regard, prior art localized heating methods include resistance and induction heating. Induction heating methods tend to be costly, afford little process control, and require extensive experience of an operator in order to match induction coils to both the induction generator and the component/cross sectional area being heated. In contrast, resistance heating is somewhat limited in that the power supplies are current matched to specific heating element designs. The necessity in the prior art of matching the power supplies and the heating elements has typically resulted in rather generic heating assemblies in the form of blankets that typically are much larger than the areas that require heating.
Systems and methods for providing localized heat treatment of metal components are provided. In this regard, a representative embodiment of such a method comprises: identifying a portion of a metal component to which localized heat treatment is to be performed; shielding an area in a vicinity of the portion of the metal component; and directing electromagnetic energy in the infrared (IR) spectrum toward the portion of the metal component such that the portion is heated to a desired temperature and such that the area in the vicinity of the portion that is subjected to shielding does not heat to the temperature desired for the heat treatment.
An embodiment of a system for providing localized heat treatment of metal components comprises: a non-oxidizing environment positioned about at least a portion of a component that is to be heat treated; a heating device having an infrared (IR) heating element operative to propagate electromagnetic energy in the IR spectrum responsive to an electrical input; and a shield positioned to obstruct a line-of-sight between the IR heating element and an area of the component located adjacent the portion that is to be heat treated.
Other systems, methods, features and/or advantages of this disclosure will be or may become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and/or advantages be included within this description and be within the scope of the present disclosure.
Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. While several embodiments are described in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit the disclosure to the embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents.
As will be described in detail here with respect to several exemplary embodiments, systems and methods for providing localized heat treatment of metal components are provided. It should be noted that although representative implementations will be described herein with reference to heat treatment of gas turbine engine components, various other components could be heat treated using similar techniques.
In this regard,
Mounting arm 102 enables the heating device 104 to be positioned so that the energy emitted by the element 108 can be directed toward an area of a component that is to be heat treated. In some embodiments, the mounting arm exhibits an articulated configuration to enable such positioning. Notably, the ability to manipulate positioning of the heating device via the mounting arm may make heat treatment of components possible without necessitating removal of such components from an assembly. By way of example, if the component that is to be heat treated is a portion of a turbine casing, the casing may not need to be removed from a nacelle to which the casing is mounted.
In the embodiment of
The embodiment of
As shown in
As shown in
Also shown in
The shield is positioned so that the cut-out is aligned with the flange, thereby enabling a line-of-sight to be established between the element of the heating device and the flange. As shown in the embodiment of
In some embodiments, a metallic foil interface (not shown) can be used between the heating element and component that is to be heated in order to establish more uniform temperature gradients. Of particular interest is using Titanium foil with Titanium components. Such a technique may not only help with the temperature gradients, but also can be useful as a gettering device to absorb contaminates that may out-gas from the element and component during heat-up. In the embodiment of
A thermocouple 312 is attached to the casing in a vicinity of the heat treatment. The thermocouple enables monitoring of the casing temperature to ensure that the heat treatment is performed as desired.
As shown in
In other embodiments, other gasses can be used, with the selection of such gasses being based, at least in part, on the materials being treated. For instance, for some materials, a gas such as Nitrogen could be used. In still other embodiments, the heat resistant enclosure could be a vacuum chamber designed to be evacuated of oxygen.
In the embodiment of
Additionally or alternately, a cooling device (not shown) can be used to provide localized cooling, such as to areas adjacent to those areas that are to be heat-treated. In some embodiments, the cooling device can be a cooling fan and/or a closed-loop cooling system, such as one that uses a liquid (e.g. water), for providing cooling.
It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments are merely possible examples of implementations set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of this disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Dec 27, 1983
|May 5, 1987
|United Technologies Corporation
|Pre-HIP heat treatment of superalloy castings
|Aug 4, 1986
|Nov 10, 1987
|United Technologies Corporation
|Repair of surface defects in superalloy articles
|Feb 7, 1986
|Jan 12, 1988
|Nippon Mining Co., Ltd.
|Process for selectively annealing metal strips
|Nov 20, 1986
|Feb 23, 1988
|United Technologies Corporation
|Methods for weld repairing hollow, air cooled turbine blades and vanes
|Sep 19, 1990
|Apr 27, 1993
|United Technologies Corporation
|Method for replacing worn airseal lands on engine compressor or turbine disks
|Nov 17, 2000
|Mar 11, 2003
|General Electric Co.
|Heat treatment of weld repaired gas turbine engine components
|May 8, 2001
|May 13, 2003
|General Electric Company
|Method for applying diffusion aluminide coating on a selective area of a turbine engine component
|Apr 1, 2002
|Jan 6, 2004
|Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.
|Method and apparatus for repairing superalloy components
|Jan 9, 2003
|Apr 26, 2005
|General Electric Company
|Method of weld repairing a component and component repaired thereby
|May 6, 2002
|Jul 12, 2005
|Howmet Corporation
|Weld repair of superalloy castings
|Jun 13, 2003
|May 30, 2006
|General Electric Company
|Process for repairing turbine components
|Dec 13, 2002
|Nov 21, 2006
|General Electric Company
|Apparatus and method for performing welding at elevated temperature
|Jul 6, 1988
|Jan 11, 1990
|Smt Maschinengesellschaft Mbh
|Jan 9, 1987
|Sep 2, 1987
|Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
|Process and device for the heat treatment of longitudinally welded pipes
|May 1, 2002
|Nov 13, 2002
|General Electric Company
|Method for applying diffusion aluminide coating on a selective area of a turbine engine component
|Title not available
|Title not available
|Li, J.H. et al., "Infrafred Heat Treatment of Ti-6Al-4V With Electroplated Cu," Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance, Aug. 2004, vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 445-450.
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Aug 7, 2009
|Sep 30, 2014
|Aisin Takaoka Co., Ltd.
|Heating device and heating method
|Aug 7, 2009
|Jun 9, 2011
|Aisin Takaoka Co., Ltd.
|Heating device and heating method
|U.S. Classification
|219/553, 427/253, 29/889.7, 427/142, 427/252, 29/402.16, 29/402.19, 29/889.72, 29/889.1, 219/121.67, 427/250, 219/121.65, 427/287, 428/155
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Jul 19, 2007
Owner name: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORP., CONNECTICUT
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:DEMICHAEL, THOMAS;LABBE, MICHAEL J.;REEL/FRAME:019575/0796
Effective date: 20070718
|Aug 9, 2007
Owner name: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORP., CONNECTICUT
Free format text: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 019575 FRAME 0796;ASSIGNORS:DEMICHAEL, THOMAS;LABBE, MICHAEL J.;REEL/FRAME:019671/0915
Effective date: 20070718
Owner name: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORP., CONNECTICUT
Free format text: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 019575 FRAME 0796. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE 400 MAIN STREET EAST HARTFORD, CT 06101;ASSIGNORS:DEMICHAEL, THOMAS;LABBE, MICHAEL J.;REEL/FRAME:019671/0915
Effective date: 20070718
|Dec 24, 2014
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4


text:
ABA Section of Litigation Hosts Inaugural Forum for LGBT Attorneys and Allies
Two Guiding Legal Principles for Startups
The Evolution of Digital Health
Season's Greetings from Fenwick & West
For more than four decades, Fenwick & West LLP has helped some of the world's most recognized companies become, and remain, market leaders. From emerging enterprises to large public corporations, our clients are leaders in the technology, life sciences and cleantech sectors and are fundamentally changing the world through rapid innovation. MORE >
Fenwick & West was founded in 1972 in the heart of Silicon Valley—before "Silicon Valley" existed—by four visionary lawyers who left a top-tier New York law firm to pursue their shared belief that technology would revolutionize the business world and to pioneer the legal work for those technological innovations. In order to be most effective, they decided they needed to move to a location close to primary research and technology development. These four attorneys opened their first office in downtown Palo Alto, and Fenwick became one of the first technology law firms in the world. MORE >
From our founding in 1972, Fenwick has been committed to promoting diversity and inclusion both within our firm and throughout the legal profession. For almost four decades, the firm has actively promoted an open and inclusive work environment and committed significant resources towards improving our diversity efforts at every level. MORE >
FLEX by Fenwick is the only service created by an AmLaw 100 firm that provides flexible and cost-effective solutions for interim in-house legal needs to high-growth companies. MORE >
At Fenwick, we are proud of our commitment to the community and to our culture of making a difference in the lives of individuals and organizations in the communities where we live and work. We recognize that providing legal services is not only an essential part of our professional responsibility, but also an excellent opportunity for our attorneys to gain valuable practical experience, learn new areas of the law and contribute to the community. MORE >
Year after year, Fenwick & West is honored for excellence in the legal profession. Many of our attorneys are recognized as leaders in their respective fields, and our Corporate, Tax, Litigation and Intellectual Property Practice Groups consistently receive top national and international rankings, including:
We take sustainability very seriously at Fenwick. Like many of our clients, we are adopting policies that reduce consumption and waste, and improve efficiency. By using technologies developed by a number of our cleantech clients, we are at the forefront of implementing sustainable policies and practices that minimize environmental impact. In fact, Fenwick has earned recognition in several areas as one of the top US law firms for implementing sustainable business practices. MORE >
At Fenwick, we have a passion for excellence and innovation that mirrors our client base. Our firm is making revolutionary changes to the practice of law through substantial investments in proprietary technology tools and processes—allowing us to deliver best-in-class legal services more effectively. MORE >
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Section 368 of the Internal Revenue Code allows companies to complete a tax-free reorganization if it meets certain requirements and conditions. There are seven different types of corporate reorganizations/restructurings allowed under Section 368. Each type of reorganization transaction or event has specific reporting requirements, which tax advisors must understand through each stage of the transaction.
Corporate tax professionals serve a vital role in advising management as to the optimal type of reorganization, whether a full tax-free reorganization, asset or stock under 368, and available post-transaction elections and required filings.
Tax managers must understand tax attributes that will carry forward in a reorganization and advise all stakeholders of the potential consequences. Guidance by an informed tax professional can provide real value to the transaction by protecting shareholders, the acquirer and target from critical tax errors.
Listen as our experienced panel of tax professionals provides a deep exploration of the tax and accounting impacts of Section 368 reorganizations.


text:
first edition Softcover
1848 · London
by Sandys, William, editor
London: printed for the Percy Society. Good. 1848. First Edition; First Printing. Softcover. lxi, [2] & 103 pages; This is the original 1848 edition. Publisher's printed wrappers. This text is publication No. LCCVII of the Percy Society, issued in July, 1848. The compiler, William Sandys [1792-1874] was an English solicitor, s member of the Percy Society, and fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. He is best remembered today as a fundamental figure in both the scholary and popular development of the Christmas Carol -- initially through his earlier publication 'Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern' (London, Richard Beckley, 1833). That book included the first appearance of "The First Noel", "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen", "I Saw Three Ships", and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." In this book, Sandys has moved on to gather other traditional songs to mark festivals or celebrations of other sorts, ranging back evidently to Anglo-Norman times. This is a copy of the scarce original edition. The front wrapper is now detached, and has short tears and defects along the gutter margin and the lower corner. The front blank and title page have modest soiling, and the top blank corner of the title page is broken away, otherwise the text is clean and complete, but the sewing is broken between pp. xxvi and xxv and the text block is now in two pieces. The spine is mostly gone, exposing the folds of the gatherings, and the rear wrapper is entirely gone. Not to be confused with the several print-on demand offerings (which usually apologize, with ample reason, for fuzzy, blurred or missing text -- the letterpress here is crisp and legible as it has been since 1848). See OCLC Number: 460527191 -- [3 locations only: National Library of Scotland; University of Glasgow; Bibliothèque Nationale de France]. . (Inventory #: 39875)


text:
It's so much more than ghosts. To gaze upon a relic is to infuse yourself with everything that relic has come to represent: the people, the era, the ambience. History in today's society has been relegated to the monotonous memorization … Continue reading
Tag Archives: ghosts
Society of the Supernatural recently conducted a paranormal investigation tour, hitting four locations in four days in the Midwest, primarily Indiana. The tour began with a kickoff interview on Norene Balovich's ParanormalZoneTV on Friday, March 11, followed by a public … Continue reading
David Weatherly's STRANGE INTRUDERS is both an engaging and informative book that introduces the readers to a wide array of paranormal and supernatural entities. Black eyed children, shadow people, djinn, pukwudgies, and more are examined through detailed descriptions and personal … Continue reading
I just released a new Top 11 video, this time one covering historic paranormal frauds. While I have witnessed some truly remarkable paranormal activity, there have been a number of people throughout the years that have created their own paranormal … Continue reading
In the spirit of the season I am republishing a number of my paranormal articles from my old column. Enjoy! Originally published April 21, 2011 While ghost stories circulate around the University of Oklahoma's campus, it is rather uncommon for … Continue reading
In the spirit of the season I am republishing a number of my paranormal articles from my old column. Enjoy! Originally published February 17, 2011 Most people enjoy a good ghost story. Whether it be a creepy tale told around … Continue reading
Ghostorian Case Files: Volume 1 Released this week is my latest book, GHOSTORIAN CASE FILES: VOLUME 1. This work has been in the making for a couple years and I'm happy to finally have put this collection together and have … Continue reading
Call this the blog entry that should have been. More than two and a half years ago we filmed for My Ghost Story, covering our haunted experiences at Black Bear church and cemetery in Oklahoma. This came on the heels … Continue reading
Continuing with my author interview series, here is psychic medium Rob Gutro. Rob is a scientist who happens to hear, feel, sense and communicate with Earth-bound ghosts and spirits who have passed on. Rob worked as a radio broadcast meteorologist at … Continue reading
I've just released the latest Ghosts and Legends of Oklahoma video, "101 Ranch Wild West Spirits," and it's bittersweet. This will be my last Oklahoma video for the foreseeable future since I've moved back to Maryland, so I need to consider where … Continue reading


text:
Product Description
Efficient and versatile, the Homestead keeps your midsize home cozy. One of the most efficient woodstoves on the market, the Homestead lends gentle radiant heat for lasting warmth you will enjoy all day long.
Heats up to : 1,800 sq. ft.
Firebox Capacity: 2.0 cu. ft.
Size: Up to 50,000 BTUs
EPA Certified : 1.9 grams per hour
Efficiency: 83.5% (Low Heating Value)
Burn Time: Up to 8 hours
HeatLife: Up to 12 hours
Maximum Log Length: 19″
Available in other colors


text:
Kathy Smith has resigned due to health issues. (Facebook)
NSW Labor MP Kathy Smith is resigning from state parliament because her cancer has returned.
"When I was diagnosed with cancer last year, my doctors were positive that with treatment I would win my second battle with this disease," the member for Gosford said in a statement.
"Unfortunately the cancer has metastasised and will now require further treatment."
Ms Smith was first diagnosed with cancer in 1996.
"It was my first battle with this disease that led me to become a cancer advocate, then chair of Cancer Voices NSW and ultimately be given the privilege of representing my community in the NSW parliament," she said in a statement on Tuesday.
Opposition Leader Luke Foley has wished Ms Smith a speedy recovery.
"Now with her resignation we are losing a remarkable, resilient and admirable woman, mother and colleague," he said in a statement.
"Her spirit and outlook will be missed around parliament and important though her work here was, she has a much bigger battle ahead."
Her resignation means new Premier Gladys Berejiklian will face a third by-election battle.
By-elections will also be held in Manly and North Sydney, vacated by former premier Mike Baird and long-time health minister Jillian Skinner.
Fire destroys boat at Gold Coast marinaPlumes of black smoke have been filmed billowing from a boat at the Runaway Bay Marina.
Send your photos, videos and stories to 9NEWS
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Auto news: Buying a new car? Here are 11 things you should consider first - caradvice.com.auCareer news: Why is nobody calling back? seek.com.au


text: You have searched the English word "Abdominal Distension" meaning in Urdu which is "شکم کا اپھارا" Shikam Ka Ubhar. Abdominal Distension meaning in Urdu has been search 5341 (five thousand three hundred and forty-one) times till 4/28/2017. You can find translation in Urdu and Roman for the word Shikam Ka Ubhar. Find the meaning in Urdu, Arabic, Hindi, Spanish, French and other languages.


text:
As years go via hair becomes dry, thin, and fragile, the hair boom will become slower and the hair itself lose its shine. as a way to restore shine to the hair you ought to nurture it the use of masks whose main components are excessive quality oils and butter.
Extensive and strong head rubdown with herbal oils has been demonstrated to be a exquisite way for combating white hair occurrence.
The great oil to use it coconut, but different powerful oils are olive, almond, castor and jojoba oil. but, rosemary oil is the quality in terms of hair darkening. numerous drops of it are sufficient for attaining so.


text:
Travel Notes: Bermuda (Feather + Flip)
Remember that eighties Beach Boys song, Kokomo? The first island they sing about is Bermuda. And for me, the island never quite moved beyond that decade. I pictured it as a place where baby boomers honeymooned, not a place for my family. This weekend I learned how wrong I've been.
I fell in love a bit before I arrived, starting with the moment the JetBlue captain announced our flying time: one hour, thirty minutes. My New Yorker brain immediately pictured the LIE on a summer weekend: driving to Montauk can easily take twice as much time, and there's no Direct TV to entertain us on the way there. By wheels down, I regretted not doing this trip a long time ago. -Henley
Bermuda has some of the most spectacular natural scenery you'll find, Caribbean and beyond. The island is surrounded by coral reefs and diveable shipwrecks, rimmed with pink sand beaches and impossibly clear water, pocketed by limestone caves (the famous Crystal Cave was the inspiration for Fraggle Rock). Bermuda's interiors are lush and green, with flowering gardens, towering palm trees and colorful homes. And for sporty families, there are enough activities to keep everyone busy for a week or longer.


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Filter Results:
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- Peter Brusilovsky
- User Model. User-Adapt. Interact.
- 1996
Adaptive hypermedia is a new direction of research within the area of adaptive and user model-based interfaces. Adaptive hypermedia (AH) systems build a model of the individual user and apply it for adaptation to that user, for example, to adapt the content of a hypermedia page to the user's knowledge and goals, or to suggest the most relevant links to… (More)
- Peter Brusilovsky
- User Model. User-Adapt. Interact.
- 2001
Adaptive hypermedia is a relatively new direction of research on the crossroads of hypermedia and user modeling. Adaptive hypermedia systems build a model of the goals, preferences and knowledge of each individual user, and use this model throughout the interaction with the user, in order to adapt to the needs of that user. The goal of this paper is to… (More)
- Carlos C. Amano, Thor Anderson, +49 authors Ian Wright
- 2002
and thus a draft of a proposed IEEE-SA Standard 1484.12.1 As such, this document may still be subject to changes in the final editing for publishing by IEEE as an approved IEEE – SA Standard. Permission is hereby granted for IEEE Standards Committee participants to reproduce this document for purposes of IEEE standardization activities only. Prior to… (More)
The paper provides a review of adaptive and intelligent technologies in a context of Web-based distance education. We analyze what kind of technologies are available right now, how easy they can be implemented on the Web, and what is the place of these technologies in large-scale Web-based education. 1 Introduction Web-based education (WBE) is currently a… (More)
- Peter Brusilovsky, John Eklund, Elmar W. Schwarz
- Computer Networks
- 1998
Many Web-based educational applications are expected to be used by very different groups of users without the assistance of a human teacher. Accordingly there is a need for systems which can adapt to users with very different backgrounds, prior knowledge of the subject and learning goals. An electronic textbook is one of the most prominent varieties of… (More)
This paper discusses the problems of developing versatile adaptive and intelligent learning systems that can be used in the context of practical Web-based education. We argue that versatility is an important feature of successful Web-based education systems. We introduce ELM-ART, an intelligent interactive educational system to support learning programming… (More)
- Peter Brusilovsky, Elmar W. Schwarz, Gerhard Weber
- Intelligent Tutoring Systems
- 1996
Making ITS available on the World Wide Web (WWW) is a way to integrate the flexibility and intelligence of ITS with worldwide availability of WWW applications. This paper discusses the problems of developing WWW-available ITS and, in particular, the problem of porting existing ITS to a WWW platform. We present the system ELM-ART which is a WWW-based ITS to… (More)
- Peter Brusilovsky, Christoph Peylo
- I. J. Artificial Intelligence in Education
- 2003
Adaptive and intelligent Web-based educational systems (AIWBES) provide an alternative to the traditional " just-put-it-on-the-Web " approach in the development of Web-based educational courseware (Brusilovsky & Miller, 2001). AIWBES attempt to be more adaptive by building a model of the goals, preferences and knowledge of each individual student and using… (More)
- Peter Brusilovsky
- 2004
This paper presents KnowledgeTree, an architecture for adaptive E-Learning based on distributed reusable intelligent learning activities. The goal of KnowledgeTree is to bridge the gap between the currently popular approach to Web-based education, which is centered on learning management systems vs. the powerful but underused technologies in intelligent… (More)
We argue that traditional sequencing technology developed in the field of intelligent tutoring systems could find an immediate place in large-scale web-based education. This paper discusses two models that have been explored by the authors – the dynamic course generation system DCG and the concept-based course maintenance system CoCoA. DCG includes… (More)


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What are some of your 4 player experiences on the Wii? Retail or WiiWare, it doesn't matter. Just note if the game requires other attachments as.
The Wii, more than any system before it, was designed to be a party system. The best one out of the bunch is Tap Runner, as players jump.
Need some games to play when friends come over. Can't play Wii Bowling forever. Only got 2 wiimote/raccontidiviaggi.info have Console Gaming, Nov 7, 2013 . 4 Player Split Screen 360 Games? Console Gaming, Jan 20. Thanks to its surprisingly great pack-in, the Wii became something of the go-to party game. Find More Posts by Rash. If you already have an account, sign in. Search this forum. But hidden underneath the sugar-coated veneer of Disney lies a pretty ingenious multiplayer game.
4 player wii games 2013 - downloadsFind More Posts by MisterHero View Public Profile Send a private message to fernoca Find More Posts by fernoca View Public Profile Send a private message to Mr. If you buy anything after clicking the Amazon links below, Dorkly will receive a commission and that'll help us keep making the comics and videos you love so dearly. New Super Mario Bros. The Dokapon Kingdom multiplayer seems to be really enjoyable if everybody understands the concept well enought As far as I can judge after a simple research and even Bomberman might be worth a try. Originally Posted by Littlegator.
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|Find More Posts by Littlegator. Originally Posted by JimboJones. Mario Kart No Drinking and Driving:. Give it purpose—fill it with books, DVDs, clothes, electronics, and. Show me the best:. Feel free to sign up today. Already a dream release for the publisher's faithful, Brawl adds a level editor, a single-player story mode and oodles of Nintendo minutiae to sweeten the deal.
|It may not display this or other websites correctly. The most tiring thing about Wii Sports Resort isn't all the gestue gaming. You're going to need the improved accuracy of the Wii Motion Plus to slice at specific angles during the swordfights. Find More Posts by MisterHero. Brawl we've played out already also.
|This House of the Dead seems like a zombie apocalypse pulled straight out of the Texan outsider director's head. Nab those two titles. Nunchuck is required I think. Balance Challenge of racing games. We are looking for a game that you can accomplish things like in this game. You might have noticed. It contains a lot of questions over a variety of topics and has multiple difficulty settings.


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Hillary Clinton, in her first public appearance after being defeated by Donald Trump in the high-voltage race for the White House, has exposed her mistake, saying she had needed to "curl up" with a decent book and "never go out again".
Talking at the Children's Defense Fund's "Beat The Odds" Gala here the previous evening, Clinton sincerely reflected about the misfortune and how she wished she could advise her mom — who decades back was surrendered as a youngster — that her battles were justified, despite all the trouble as a result of what her girl had finished. "I will concede coming here… wasn't the least demanding thing for me," the previous secretary of state said.
"There have been a couple times this previous week when all I've needed to do was just to twist up with a decent book or our canines and never go out until the end of time," the 69-year-old Democrat said. She utilized her discourse to request that her supporters not surrender in spite of profound divisions before the November 8 races. "The divisions revealed by this race run profound, yet please hear me out when I say this: America is justified, despite all the trouble," she said.
"I know a considerable lot of you are profoundly baffled about the aftereffects of the decision. I am as well, more than I can ever express," she said. "Have faith in our nation, battle for our qualities, and never, ever surrender," she said. Clinton said she needs to retreat in time and advise her mom Dorothy of her achievements.
"She figured out how to offer me the unfathomable love and bolster she never got herself," she said. Dorothy Rodham was put on a prepare to California with her more youthful sister to live with her grandparents. Those grandparents mishandled the kids, and Rodham moved back to the place where she grew up of Chicago, Illinois, to set up her life.
Clinton said she wished she could converse with her mom as she sat on that prepare to California. "I long for going up to her, and sitting alongside her and taking her in my arms and saying, 'Look, take a gander at me and tune in. You will survive. You will have your very own group: three kids,'" Clinton said, starting to cry.
"Also, as hard as it may be to envision, your little girl will grow up to be a United States congressperson, speak to our nation as secretary of state, and win more than 62 million votes in favor of president of the United States." The discourse was part reflection, part vow to stay solid even with a Trump organization. "We have work to do, and for our kids and our families and our nation, I request that you remain drew in, remain connected with on each level," Clinton said.
"We require you. America needs you, your vitality, your desire, your ability. That is the means by which we get past this," she said. In the last weeks of the decision crusade, Clinton swore to close her race against President-elect Trump the way she began her profession, by taking a shot at benefit of youngsters and families.


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By: Christine DiGangi
April 1, 2014
Most people have bank accounts, but 10.5% of the U.S. adult population is considered unbanked, meaning neither they nor their spouse or partner has a checking, savings or money market account. These people may find it difficult or expensive to deposit paychecks, use online payments or get loans.
In a new report, the Federal Reserve identifies mobile banking as a way to potentially increase the unbanked' s access to financial services. That way, they may not have to rely on prepaid cards, which can carry hefty fees, or payday loans, which often carry triple-digit interest rates and frequently lead to cycles of costly debt. Even people with bank accounts often use alternative financial services, including check cashers, pawn shops, auto title loans, prepaid cards and payday lenders. In the Fed report, these consumers are referred to as the underbanked, and they make up 16.9% of the U.S. adult population.
Taking Advantage of Mobile Phones
If the unbanked and underbanked are looking for convenience, mobile financial services could be a helpful option. Of the unbanked, 69% have access to a mobile phone (49% of which are smartphones), and 88% of the underbanked have cellphones (64% are smartphones).
"The relatively high prevalence of mobile phone and smartphone use among younger generations, minorities, and those with low levels of income--groups that are prone to be unbanked or underbanked--makes mobile phones a potential platform for expanding financial access and inclusion," the report says.
Overall, 87% of U.S. adults have regular access to a cellphone, 61% of which are smartphones.
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About a third of underbanked consumers say they have used mobile banking in the last 12 months, meaning they have either accessed their bank account through a mobile Web browser, used a banking application or made a payment with a mobile device.
Among all mobile phone users, the use of mobile banking has climbed during the past few years, and more than half of smartphone users reported using mobile banking in 2013. While the security of such activity remains a top concern among consumers, it seems mobile banking will continue to grow more popular, with the potential to fill the void unbanked and underbanked consumers may feel as a result of their current access to financial services.
Banking Alternatives
But access doesn't seem to be the primary issue. Of the unbanked consumers surveyed by the Fed, only 1% said they didn't have an account because banks do not have hours or locations convenient for them. A quarter of respondents said they didn't have enough money for an account, and 24% said they didn't want or need an account.
Prepaid cards are the most common type of financial services used as an alternative to banking. Among survey respondents, 22% said they used some type of prepaid card, and 6% said they use payday loans. Prepaid cards offer many of the conveniences of checking accounts, debit cards and credit cards (such as direct deposit, ATM withdrawal and online payments). Cardholders also have to pay fees for a variety of things like having a low balance, reloading the card and making cash withdrawals, depending on the card. Consumer protections on these cards can be limited in comparison to those of credit cards, as well.


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Disclaimer: Mi, Le, and Toe are of my own creation. Now the rest of these characters, you know, the DBZ variety, they don't belong to me! I'm jjust going to play with their little anime heads for a while, that's all ^_^
Author's Note:Well, it seems you reader out there really like this fic! Then it is for you guys that I will make myself take interest. I'm even writing an outline. I'm putting serious thought into this, and discovering that maybe I like it more than I thought I did! Thank you all, for urging me to continue, for supporting my efforts, and when needed, pointing out my blatant errors. I'll keep up on my end if you guys promise to keep up on yours ^_~ Now, read, enjoy, and review!
Warnings:A touch of violence, a touch of language
The Word of a Namek
~Riddle me this, riddle me that.
How could one day become such a wreck?
While the disbelievers stand chewing the fat,
Son Gohan places his fate in the hands of a Namek~
"No. Perhaps Trunks has a point."
He believes me. Piccolo-san, I know I've said I love you before, but I really mean it this time!Gohan allowed a hopeful smile to find its way across his features. Maybe it was too soon for that, but he didn't care. Piccolo was always there to rescue his behind. He'd do it again. Even in this world. He had too!
The Namekian turned his focus away from the teenager for the first time since their impromptu meeting. Looking across the gathered Z gang, he continued. "Those three do have their deceiving tricks. I believe this would even surpass their abilities of deception."
Vegita rolled his eyes. "And what, Namek, would make you think that?"
Piccolo's eyes swung back down to the teen who looked so hopefully at him. With a snort, he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and swung him about to face the group. Gohan blinked and looked confusedly back at his 'friend'. He saw a green hand gesture at his face from behind. "I know no magician which can put soul into the eyes of it's clones. I do not know that this boy tells the truth about everything, but he is Son Gohan."
A collective mummer arose form the group. Some of them still don't believe. Even with Piccolo's word! What is wrong with these people? Krillin and Yamcha were getting into a heated argument with Trunks and Tien on whether the teen was a trick or not. Goku and his son discussed it between themselves. Vegita looked about the group and snarled, "Enough!"
With that the Saiyan Prince had full attention of everyone there. He strode up to the teen. I don't like this. I don't like this! He has the look in his eye that says he's ready to start a fight. But Piccolo-san will help me, he… moved. Oh oh. Vegita studied the younger man for a time and a sneer graced his royal features. "I know how to prove this once and for all."
No notice was given, no chance to prepare, there was just a fist planted solidly into his chin. Gohan flew backwards a few yards only to land on his butt and skid a few more feet in the slick grass. His mind not yet registering what had happened, his body was on the move. Instinct drove the teen demi-Saiyan to his feet and into a defensive crouch. Gohan's eyes automatically riveted to the source of the attack; he waited.
After a few moments, no further move was made. With a sigh, Gohan moved one hand to gently wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth. He'd bitten his tongue on that one. I should have seen that coming. I don't want to fight them though! All eyes were on him now. Waiting for me to respond. I see. With a second, longer sigh, the teen sat back down in the field. He pulled his knees slightly up, propping elbows on them, and then rested his bruising chin in his hands. The demi-Saiyan proceeded to stare back at the Z-senshi.
A small giggle brought them all back to reality. "I think he is me. Anyone else would have hit Vegita back."
Trunks nodded, his eyes a touch wide. "No one else would sit down when confronted with a fight."
"And," Krillin chimed in, for the first time defending, "No clone could mirror that classic Son confused look!"
Vegita was apparently not yet appeased. He again made his way to stand before the teen Gohan. For his part, the boy wanted to flinch, or raise a hand in defense, move in general. But he stood his ground, or rather, sat. You are not intimidating me, and you are not goading me into a fight. Bruises will heal, but until I figure out what happened, I need your trust!
The prince studied him, eyes locked on eyes. His grin deepened. "You are Son Gohan. No Saiyan, trick or other wise would work so hard to avoid a fight. Except the pitiful half breed brat of Kakkarot. Get up boy, you look like we're boring you."
That worked… surprisingly well. That command from Vegita, he would take. Standing back up to his full height, Gohan stayed where he was. He didn't want to scare them all back into not believing him with any sudden movements. Toes wriggled in the dirt and weeds below him. Conversation started back up again between the people of this world. This time deciding what to do about the teenager where he was not a threat.
Trunks looked up from the congregation, across the few yards of field between the group and the lone teen who stood outside it. "Hey, guys? I think maybe Gohan over there should have some say in this."
Krillin snapped at him. "What does it matter what he wants, Trunks? It's not like we welcomed him here. You at least new about the androids. What does he have to offer us?"
Yeouch. Then, they don't trust me, they just aren't preparing to kill me anymore. Wonderful. It was then that a gruff voice rose over the rest, and Piccolo stepped threateningly towards the small bald man. "He may not have information, human, but even if he has done something stupid like quit training, he offers us more strength in combat than we have ever gotten from you."
"Oh yeah! Well I used to be more powerful than Goku even! I have always known what side I'm on. Unlike you. Maybe you've gone and jumped back to the side of evil again! Maybe your in league with those three abominations!"
The Namek snorted. "Please, you insult my character. Quit living the past, little man. You have been amongst the weakest for years."
"Guys!" Goku stepped between the two, "We can't be arguin' between our selves right now. We can't afford it. We really need to be training! Teen Gohan can join me, Piccolo and my son in training. Then he isn't a burden and everybody is bein' useful."
Apparently, every one in the group agreed with that. But, for all this was interesting, the teen was still horribly lost. "Um, excuse me? Could you tell me about Mi, Le, and Toe? So I know what it is I'm fighting against…"
The group went silent. It was Trunks that stepped from the circle of Z-senshi and out to Gohan's lonely little area. "Well, as you've probably heard, Mi, Le, and Toe are tricksters. Very powerful at that."
The teen cocked his head to the side. "So, their good fighters and very smart?"
"I, no. Well, we don't know. I think I miss worded that. We've never seen them fight. They have magic though and use that to create monsters and opponents that keep getting stronger. We very nearly didn't beat the last one. They usually speak in rhymes as well. We've found that buried in the versus of their rhymes is the answer to how to defeat all of their beasts. But, deciphering what the meaning behind their words is, is far harder than the fighting it self. It's like they have an intelligence that far surpasses anything or anyone I've ever met."
Something in that struck Gohan. "How, how do they create these opponents? Out of thin air or…"
Trunks raised his shoulders. "Well, kind of. That's weird all on it's own. Usually this pinprick of light shows up, and then it pulls down into a line. Then it just sort of rips open the air. The beasts and bad guys always come charging in through that rip."
Gohan paled slightly. Suddenly things were beginning to make sense. Being brought to this… dimension, wasn't purely a freak accident. A rip created by light, Trunks had said. A rip that slashed through the air and anything else in its path, say… innocent furniture. I don't understand. I've never even heard of anything like these three. The only magical creature I've ever dealt with was Buu. If we've never met, why did they take me? Did they expect me to attack these people? Blow up the Earth or something?
The teen felt a hand reach out and touch his shoulder and refocused on the concerned face of Mirai no Trunks. "Hey, Gohan? Are you all right? Maybe Otousan hit you a little harder than we thought."
"No, I'm fine. I was just… thinking, that's all." Oh, good save Gohan. "I uh, do you know when these three are going to show up next? Did they tell you at all?"
During the conversation the Z-senshi chose to regroup around the two outsiders. It was Goku that answered the question. "We can never really be sure when they'll come. Those three just sorta pop up whenever they feel like it. That's why we've been training so much. There's no way to be sure of what's going to happen next."
Chibi Gohan spoke up then, his voice rising with his words. "Uh, daddy? I think they're coming now!"
This was echoed by Yamcha. "Damn, speak of the devil and here come his advocates!"
The teen followed everyone else by looking up into the morning sky. Floating about in small clusters were sparkles. Shiny little dots of light pulsing to some unheard rhythm. There was a cluster of blue, of purple, and of red. With each pulse the specks of light grew and gathered. Soon three humanoid forms were outlined in the dazzling lights.
And then the world exploded into a white oblivion and a silent thunder stole all sound from the ears.
For a precious few moments, Gohan was aware of only two things; the powerful scent of ozone and the pounding of his own heart. Slowly, other things began coming back. The demi-Saiyan realized that he was on his hands and knee in the field, his fingers dug into the dirt. Sounds were then reintroduced to his world. Groans from the Z-senshi that had been standing with him. Blinking a few times, the world returned to its colorful norm. Everyone else was on the ground in one way or another as well.
The humans were flattened belly first into the field. Piccolo knelt in the soft soil. Goku and his son sat sprawled on their butts, still blinking away the after image. Vegita was all ready back on his feet, if unsteadily. Trunks was half supporting himself on Gohan, he too still blinking. He looked to the sky once more.
Three small children beat their wings there, each with a smirk on their small mouths. The bodies were those of children perhaps one year in age. Babies, really. Their chubby forms covered only by cloth diaper looking things. They were chained together by their arms, chubby fingers of one entwined with the fingers of the next. All though their mouths and poses may have been identical, the children themselves varied.
The first appeared to be a boy. He was of a very dark complexion with hair of a light honey color. Tiny Cherubic feathered white wings beat behind the child's back. His chubby tummy bulged slightly over soft blue diaper. One chubby dark leg was bent at the knee, the other held straight down. The boy studied the group from the depths of huge blue eyes that were slightly too shiny and held no pupil.
The second looked to be a girl. Her skin was fair, the pale smooth appearance of a child untouched by the ravages of sun. Her hair was a dark purple short cropped bangs just hiding the eyebrows. To puffy pig tails were done up high on the girl's head. She looked at the world through guiless lavender eyes. Once again, slightly to shiny and holding no pupil. Light lilac butterfly wings carried her weight and a light purple diaper was all she wore.
The third was a study in creativity. His skin tone was of a tan nature, neither light nor dark. Both chubby legs were held out before him. A red diaper contained his small tush, and it was a tad loose at the top, sagging where it should have been tight. Behind his back beat two midnight black bat wings, chibi, and even cute in their own right. His eyes were cherry red, reflecting the light of mischief. Once again, no pupil marred their perfect color. A small fang decorated the corner of his smirk. His hair was an array of wild bangs, but well tamed on top, except for two tufts which stood up like devil horns. This was, almost appropriately, a crimson red.
Gohan blinked, hoping the image would clear away. The enemy, they're children? I know I've never seen them before… And yet the three cherubic forms continued their flight. Continued their scrutiny. Vegita then rose his fist towards the children, "Cowards! You've decided to come back? Are you going to fight yourselves this time, or send us another of your mangy pets?!"
The three sets of eyes blinked in unison, and turned their attention toward the angry prince. The girl spoke first, her voice sounding of chimes. "You poor deluded Saiyan."
The dark boy spoke next, his voice soft and quiet. "You hide behind your arrogance."
The third then piped up, his voice energetic and loud. "Foolishly using your anger as a safe haven!"
"We must wonder if you will ever learn."
"Not to argue, to follow your fate."
"Instead of waving your fist like a breeze controlled fern."
Leaving the Saiyan sputtering, they turned their attention to the teen who stood farthest from them. "Son Gohan of the first dimension."
"We assume by now you've felt the tension,"
"Of this callous second dimension."
"You wonder why we brought you here."
"Who we are."
"If we will resolve your fear."
"Son Gohan we cannot tell,"
"All of the secrets of our ways."
"But this we'll say, to appease our needs you must traverse both heaven and hell!"
"Perhaps you think you've all ready seen the worst."
"With a lifetime of battle and sadness behind you."
"Having seen a father carried off twice by godly Hurst."
"This to you we will prove wrong."
"To the half Saiyan that believes nothing worse can happen."
"For you we will be sure to make this journey long."
They stayed silent for a time then, and Gohan worked up the nerve to talk back to them. "I don't understand. What have I done to make you think I need to learn this lesson of yours?" Why are you doing it to me?
The three exchanged a look. "I suppose that is fair."
"You have done nothing in and of itself."
"It has simply been fated, like the color of your hair."
"You have no need to worry."
"You have our word that we will send you home."
"If you take the time to understand what we say, and do not hurry."
"You must first complete our task."
"And survive the obstacles that come to pass."
"Is there anything else you wish to ask?"
Gohan nodded. "Are my mother and little brother all right?"
The girl offered a genuine smile then. "Son Chi Chi and Son Goten are well."
"They are under our protection while you face your fate."
"After all, Son Gohan, it is only you who is fated to live in eternal hell!"
~At Home~
"Gohan! I insist that you open this door right now! You have no right to lock your mother out! Son Gohan, answer me!" Chi Chi slammed her fist on the door while yelling through it.
Goten cowered slightly off to the side. There was something wrong. He couldn't sense his big brother at all. The little boy watched as his mother steeped back and abruptly kicked the bedroom door down. Both mother and son gasped at the sight that lay before them. The room was a wreck, as if a tornado had blown threw. Gohan's desk chair lay neatly cut in half on the floor. But there was no Gohan.
Chi Chi automatically went into hysterics, running to the phone. Goten knew that it wasn't necessary. His Daddy had been sparring with Vegita since dawn. He sensed that his Daddy knew tat Gohan had disappeared. If anybody could get his big brother back, it had to be Otousan. He had too.
Goten didn't want this to end like his nightmares always did. Because it had started like it…
Well, here we go! I know, that was down right rude of me, to leave you there. No worries, you'll live! I hope… Don't any of you go dying on me out there!


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A Property Broker Will Help You Achieve Your Dream of Owning A Home
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