The present invention provides a power amplifier system in which one or more power amplifiers may be inserted. The occupancy of ports by power amplifiers is monitored by a controller. The system has a plurality of output lines, each with different electrical line characteristics. The controller is responsive to ports becoming occupied or unoccupied by power amplifiers and routes the output signal through the output line having the electrical line characteristics that ensure an efficient signal transfer. Further, the switching configuration of the present invention eliminates the need for output signals to traverse through a switch.

The present invention generally relates to a power amplifier system used in telecommunication systems and more specifically to an adaptive system for efficiently combining and transmitting signals created by one or more power amplifiers.
Wireless communication signals received by antennas are often very weak. Therefore, power amplifiers are widely used in wireless transmission systems to increase the signal strength of the received wireless signal. Oftentimes, wireless transmission systems will utilize more than one power amplifier. For example, a plurality of amplifiers may be required because several different carrier signals must be amplified separately. In another scenario, more than one amplifier is required to provide an output signal with the requisite signal strength. The outputs of the plurality of amplifiers is commonly combined into a single output signal by a signal combiner.
Generally, two classes of power amplifiers exist for handling different types of transmission signals. Multi-Carrier Power Amplifiers (MCPAs) are used in amplifier modules designed to handle wideband signals (i.e., signals containing more than one carrier frequency). MCPAs are used to amplify signals containing multiple carriers. An alternative to MCPAs, are Single Carrier Power Amplifiers (SCPAs). SCPAs are limited to amplifying signals containing essentially only one carrier frequency. Therefore, before using an SCPA, a wideband signal having multiple carriers must be divided into individual signals, each generally containing only one carrier frequency. Each of these single carrier signals is then amplified by a separate SCPA.
The use of MCPAs offers a cost effective alternative to the use of numerous SCPAs for applications requiring high signal density in a wireless base station. However, utilizing a single MCPA has certain drawbacks. If a single MCPA fails in the operating environment, it has the potential of disabling the entire wideband transmission signal, including all the associated carrier frequencies, as opposed to affecting only one carrier frequency if an SCPA were to fail. Therefore, a level of redundancy is desirable for MCPAs implemented within a power amplifier scheme of a transmission system. Such a system of redundancy would also be useful in SCPA systems. Such redundancy would ensure that all of the carrier signals are not lost due to a single amplifier failure.
It is also often desirable to increase the number of carriers that may be amplified by an SCPA system. Such a system must allow additional SCPAs to be easily added to the power amplifier system.
Within a wireless transmission system, it is often desirable to upgrade or modify the system by adding additional amplification. Since the output power is increased by either replacing existing power amplifiers or adding additional amplifiers, such a system must allow for easy replacement of existing MCPAs or SCPAs or allow for the addition of more MCPAs or SCPAs.
When providing or modifying the amplification features of a wireless system to address such objectives, one possible solution is to construct a combining network consisting of multiple power amplifiers, which also allows additional amplifiers to be added. It also should provide for the amplifiers to be easily removed and replaced if necessary. However, several obstacles must be overcome in order for such a network to be cost effective and efficient.
First, the impedance of the output line of a combiner will vary depending upon the amplifiers in the system. Therefore, the system must address the issue of varying line characteristics at the output of a signal combiner, such as the impedance of the output line, based upon the number of MCPAs or SCPAs inserted within the system. This is an important consideration in order to ensure an efficient transfer of the amplified signals from the signal combiner to the output lines.
Additionally, a system with multiple ports for accepting power amplifiers will experience various levels of input signal loss if any of the ports are empty. Therefore, a solution to the above objectives must address input signal losses based upon the number of ports containing power amplifiers within the system.
Still further considerations involve the types of components utilized in the signal combining network. Conventional systems with multiple power amplifiers often use a large number of switches in order to control the flow of input signals to the various amplifiers. Such switches have various drawbacks. First, switches are inherently lossy electrical devices. Therefore, signal strength decreases each time a signal passes through a switch. Secondly, since switches are mechanical devices, they have a certain degree of unreliability because they are prone to failure. Therefore, a solution to various of the above-discussed issues should also address such unreliability, switch failures, minimize signal loss from switching components, and improve the robustness of the overall system.


The invention relates to a piezoelectric element comprising a piezoelectric material 1, in the form of a polymer network, between at least two electrodes 2, 3. The piezoelectric material is formed from a starting material comprising a liquid crystalline monomeric material and a chiral compound. The starting material is brought to a temperature at which a smectic phase is formed, and an electric field is applied to obtain a dipolar orientation in the starting material, after which the polymer network is formed by means of photopolymerisation. The piezoelectric element thus manufactured can suitably be used for various electromechanical applications, as a sensor material, for pyroelectric applications and, in particular, also for optical applications.

The invention relates to a piezoelectric material comprising a chiral compound and a polymer network having a smectic structure.
The invention also relates to a piezoelectric element comprising a piezoelectric material positioned between at least two electrodes, said piezoelectric material comprising a chiral compound and a polymer network having a smectic structure.
The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing a piezoelectric material by forming a polymer network from a starting material which comprises a liquid crystalline monomer material and a chiral compound.
Piezoelectric materials, in particular also synthetic resins such as polymeric materials, are suitable for use in many applications, such as in electromechanical components, generators and sensors, for example in microphones and speakers. Besides, use can be made of the pyroelectric effect and, in the ease of transparent materials, also of nonlinear optical properties.
The manufacture of a piezoelectric elastomer material is described by S. U. Vallerien et. al., in Makromol. Chem., Rapid Commun. 11, on pages 593-598 (1990). In this publication, polymers having mesogenic groups are mixed with a chiral compound to obtain spontaneous polarization in the polymeric material, after which the material is converted to an elastomer by means of thermal crosslinking from an isotropic phase. The resulting material may exhibit cholesteric and/or chiral smectic phases and ferroelectric properties in a multi-domain structure. If desired, an improved molecular orientation can be obtained by orienting the polymer molecules in a magnetic field during crosslinking.
The known material has the disadvantage that the piezoelectric effect is small, in particular, when a cholesteric phase is used. This is caused by the presence of a multi-domain structure as a result of which not all dipoles in the material are equally oriented, and by the fact that the mesogenic groups are partly situated in side chains of the polymer molecules, which is not very effective for obtaining a piezoelectric effect. In addition, the known material exhibits various phase transitions, so that the applicability is limited to narrow temperature ranges and the stability of a piezoelectric element manufactured with this known material is insufficient. Also the known method of manufacturing the piezoelectric material by thermally activating the crosslinking between the polymeric molecules causes any orientation of the molecules to be lost and leads to the formation of a loose network having a limited stability.

Piezoelectric material comprising a polymer network


An example hologram recording and reproducing apparatus includes a recording unit which records information on a holographic recording medium by recording interference fringes formed by irradiation of a reference light and an object light corresponding to recording information, a reproducing unit which generates detected information data and a focus error signal on the basis of detected light from the holographic recording medium, and a focus servo unit that carries out focus servo on the basis of the focus error signal. The focus servo unit has a servo target value setting unit which sets a target value for focus servo on the basis of the detected information data. The detected information data also includes information indicative of the position relationship between the recording medium and the reference light or the like. Accordingly, by utilizing the detected information data to set the target value for focus servo, it is possible to carry out more precise focus servo, with managing a variation in the focus servo target value caused by a change in environment such as temperature or a variation in the thickness of the recording medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hologram recording and reproducing apparatus that records and reproduces information on and from a holographic recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is known a hologram recording technique which records information to be recorded on a holographic recording medium (hereinafter simply referred to as a "recording medium") as interference fringes. One method for this technique uses the information to be recorded to spatially modulate a light from a light source to generate an object light. The apparatus irradiates the recording medium with an object light and a reference light. The object light and the reference light generate interference fringes on the recording medium, and the interference fringes are recorded in a recording layer of the recording medium. On the other hand, for reproduction, the interference fringes recorded on the recording medium are irradiated only with the reference light. A two-dimensional sensor detects a detected light from the recording medium to reproduce the recording information.
Similarly to the recording of information on an optical disc or the like, hologram recording focuses the object light and the reference light on the recording medium. Accordingly, to correctly record and reproduce information, it is necessary to perform what is called focus servo control for controlling the position of an objective lens with respect to the recording medium. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open under No. 2002-123949 describes an example of focus servo control performed in a hologram recording and reproducing apparatus to generate a focus error signal and thereby control driving of the objective lens. For precise focus servo, it is important to appropriately set a target value for focus servo. However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open under No. 2002-123949 does not disclose any method for determining a target value for focus servo.
Other documents, for example, Japanese Patent Applications Laid-Open under Nos. 2002-63733 and 2000-122012 also describe hologram recording.

Hologram recording and reproducing apparatus


A boat having bottom and side panels. A yieldable diaphragm has a seal between the diaphragm and the panels. A motor mount on a rear seat board projects rearwardly and beyond the diaphragm to present a support for a motor. A sailboat has a rudder controlled by a tiller. Another motor mount is rotatably mounted on the sides of the boat so that it serves as a seat or a mounting panel for a boat. A diaphragm can be placed on the bottom of the boat and then shifted rearwardly so that tongues or projections of rubber on the bottom and sides of the diaphragm can be moved rearwardly and received in sealing relationship with forwardly facing, open end slots on the bottom and side panels of the boat.

Collapsible boats are well known in the boating field. Disclosures of collapsible boats are found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
4,911,095; 2,346,081; 2,353,013; PA1 3,032,784; 3,108,295; 3,139,634; PA1 3,228,042; and 3,648,309.
A main aspect of collapsible boats is the transom area of the boat. It is important that the junction between the transom and the bottom and side panels of the boat is leak-proof. Also, it is important that provision be made to mount an outboard motor on the transoms. This is true, for the most part, because most small boats are powered by such a motor rather than by the use of oars.
Because of the continuing need for boats of this type for sportsmen and the like, improvements are always sought, and the present invention provides several improvements in the field of collapsible boats which represent distinct advances over the prior art.


Disclosed is a one-way valve and sealing assemblage wherein an affixed curved pliant film device, a compressible spring, and a reciprocal curved channel surface automatically work cooperatively to permit forward material flow above a predetermined fluid pressure threshold yet check reverse material backflow at any pressure.

Valve control of fluid flow, both gases and liquids, is an old and well populated art. Numerous styles of soft valve are known, the following are representative of current art. Collectively, arranged chronologically, each with a short description, they provide in their entireties, a background for understanding the current teachings regarding curved pliant film valves.
Snow, U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,594 (1976), "Pressure Operated Valve Systems" describes a relatively simple pinch valve formed as a normally closed elastic collar which blocks flow in a steel pipe. When sufficient pressure is applied to a fluid material like unset concrete the closed sleeve-like collar is forced open and a flow passageway created, the only control to open and close the valve is the pressure applied by the fluid itself. There is no provision for one-way control, sufficient pressurized backflow can open the passageway as easily as forward flow.
Atkinson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,925 (1991), "Normally Closed Duckbill Valve Assembly" is representative of a large category of one-way valves characterized by their descriptive duckbill shaped lips. Numerous variations exist derived from the size, shape and other attributes of design. Here, novelly shaped valve lips pivot outwardly on comparatively narrow stalks to open a relatively unrestrictive passageway to fluid flow. Common problems with such designs are the narrow sealing area afforded by the lips which wear rapidly due to flutter movement, damaged to the lips by fluid content, and lip seals that are prone to clogs contributing to leakage.
Drew, U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,986 (1992), "One Way Flow Device" describes a class of simple film valves sometimes seen in novelties such as balloons. Drew teaches a film attached to the sides of a fluid channel so as to allow only flow through a hole in the film. The film has sufficient longitudinal movement so that when flow is in a forward direction it moves the hole to the channel center but when flow is reversed the film with the hole is pushed against a channel wall and effectively closed. Due to the restrictive nature of the hole as the only passage for flow, clogging and poor seals are common with this design.
Jang, U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,263 (1998), "Backward Flow Prevention Device" describes a variation of a duckbill design best described as a windsock duckbill. A truncated cone of flexible material is mounted on a capped pipe with side holes as fluid outlets. The windsock tube trails off downstream in the channel, guiding all flow from the outlet to the far end of the cone where it emerges back into the channel. When reverse flow occurs the sock collapses and is bunched up at off-angle to the pipe thereby preventing the backflow from entering the outlet holes. A design having limited if functional applications.
Nickels, U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,631 (2003), "Sealed Fluid Dispensing Device" is representative of art where foam collars act as valves for handheld dispensers, the distinctions between numerous patented designs is subtle. They generally operate, as here, by forcing liquid from a pressure operated reservoir, up a channel to emerge from a fixed body clad with an elastic membrane. Under pressure the fluid separates a portion of the membrane from the body to form a passageway to a top outlet where the fluid is released for distribution. Absent fluid pressure the membrane closes on the body once again and seals off the temporary fluid channel. A useful technique having expanded the art through many manifestations.
Persson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,914 (2004), "Method and Arrangement to Accomplish a One-Way Flow" describes a plastic bag deployed in a sewer pipe to prevent backflow while offering minimal interference to continuous sewage outflow. Noting that swinging iron gates and like devices impede flow and often result in disastrous blockage, a flexible elastic bag partially glued to the pipe wall is designed to flatten against the pipe wall during outflow thereby offering minimal resistance but deploys to open and fill with backflow fluid to temporarily block the sewer when reverse flow occurs. It is problematic whether the bag could survive the harsh conditions of sewer flow and sewage content, successfully deploy as contemplated, and avoid creating the very blockages it is designed to alleviate.
Swiss, U.S. Pat. No. 7,306,129 (2007), "One Way Valve Assembly" describes another elastomeric membrane design covering a fixed core where ports allow flowable substances to push the flexible membrane away so as to form a flow path to a dispensing exit. Here, the membrane, when not pushed out by fluid pressure, blocks the ports so as to seal them against any backflow bearing contaminants. Swiss is distinguished from Nickels only by the shape and function of its inner core. In this class of dispensing valves the distinctions are often quite subtle.
Gueret, U.S. Pat. No. 7,594,595 (2009), "Device and Method for Dispensing of a Product" teaches a valve for controlling fluid flow described as a flow reducer which is essentially a foam disc with variously shaped slits through its center where pressurized fluid from a lower reservoir follows these slit routes to exit on the upper foam surface for dispensing. A key feature distinguishing this art is that the foam is permeable to air which allows atmospheric air to enter the reservoir thereby alleviating the buildup of negative reservoir pressure when the squeeze is released. While the device has some valve characteristics, it does require a cap on the foam disc to prevent leakage and evaporation given the foam is porous to fluids.
None of these disclosures individually or in aggregate either describe or suggest a particularly low-cost, reliable, disposable, minimal component, securely sealing one-way valve action that is easy to manufacture. The need for such a securely sealing one-way valve of simple, economical design has yet to be met.


An efficiency variable antenna is provided, the efficiency variable antenna including: a feeding portion; a first grounding portion; a second grounding portion; a first switching element configured to turn on or off the feeding portion and the first grounding portion; and a second switching element configured to turn on or off the feeding portion and the second grounding portion.

Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an efficiency variable antenna.
Background
Generally, isolation between an antenna and a circuit is required to secure a range of −6˜−15 dB, depending on the application. Recently, the isolation between a Wi-Fi antenna and a Bluetooth to an extent of −25 dB is required, due to introduction of a device that can simultaneously handle Wi-Fi and Bluetooth communications. An isolation below −30 dB is expected in near future.
However, when a device (for example, DTV, blue-ray device, etc.) is installed with an antenna, various and complicated peripheral reflectors make it difficult to secure an isolation, even if the isolation is secured by manual operation. In order to solve this problem, various techniques have been researched.
Generally, coexistence characteristic is measured to evaluate efficiency of an antenna. However, the conventional antenna and trimming method thereof consume a lot of time in measuring and improving the coexistence characteristic performance, which needs to be reduced


Electrochemical device using thin micro-porous metal sheets. The porous metal sheet may have a thickness less than 200 μm, provides three-dimensional networked pore structures of pore sizes in the range of 2.0 nm to 5.0 μm, and is electrically conductive. The micro-porous metal sheet is used for positively and/or negatively-charged electrodes by providing large specific contact surface area of reactants/electron. Nano-sized catalyst or features can be added inside pores of the porous metal sheet of pore sizes at sub- and micrometer scale to enhance the reaction activity and capacity. Micro-porous ceramic materials may be coated on the porous metal sheet at a thickness of less than 40 μm to enhance the functionality of the porous metal sheet and may function as a membrane separator. The electrochemical device may be used for decomposing molecules and for synthesis of molecules such as synthesis of ammonia from water and nitrogen molecules.

A membrane separator, a positively-charged electrode, and a negatively charged electrode are three basic components for electrochemical conversion devices, such as for water electrolysis, electrochemical production of ammonia, fuel cells, and batteries. At the negatively-charged electrode, electrons are supplied for electrochemical reactions occurring in the electrode. At the positively-charged electrode, electrons are removed from electrochemical reactions. For example, the following chemical reactions occur in water electrolysis in alkaline electrolyte:
On negatively-charged electrode:2e−+2H2O→2OH−+H2
On positively charged electrode2OH−→2e−+0.5 O2+H2OOverall reaction H2O→H2+0.5 O2
For operating hydrogen fuel cells in a hydroxide electrolyte, the following reactions occur on the electrode:
On negatively-charged electrode:2e−+H2O+0.5 O2→2OH−
On positively charged electrode:H2+2OH−→2e−+2H2OOverall reaction: H2+0.5 O2→H2O
Electrochemical conversions are used in many important industrial processes and have become increasingly important for storage of electrical energy from renewable or intermittent sources, such as wind power, solar power, and hydraulic power. Hydrogen and oxygen, which are two widely-used gases, can be produced by electrolysis of water in an electrolysis cell. Vice versa, electrical power can be produced by combusting hydrogen with oxygen in a fuel cell. Rechargeable batteries, which are widely used in electronic equipment and electrical cars, involve reversible electrochemical reactions. The electrochemical reaction plays a role in some emerging processes, such as production of ammonia from water and nitrogen with electrical power. A small-sized electrochemical unit can be used to produce ammonia on demand, such as providing ammonia for selective catalytic reduction of nitric oxides on vehicles. A large-size unit can be used to produce ammonia from wind or solar power for fertilizer or a chemical energy storage medium.
One common need for these electrochemical devices is an electrode that can provide high surface area for electrons to react with reactants per unit volume, i.e., specific surface area. Great amounts of research and development efforts have been devoted toward discovery of new reaction chemistry, improvements of electrolyte materials, improvements of catalysts, and formulations. However, the improvements to backbone structures of the electrode has been limited by availability of current material products. Embodiments described herein fill this gap.
In addition to the backing structure of the electrode, various embodiments described below provide a new material structure for the separator. As a component for electrochemical conversion devices, the separator provides one or more of the following functions: i) keeping the positively and negatively charged electrodes electrically insulated from each other to avoid short-circuit, ii) allowing the electrolyte to pass through, and iii) keeping the reaction products from the two electrodes separated.
In an embodiment, the separator is a membrane insulator that does not conduct electricity while allowing ions to pass through. For example, the separator allows OH— to pass through in alkaline-type electrolytes, H3O+ to pass through in proton-type electrolytes, and Li+ ions to pass through in lithium batteries. To have high power and energy density, the membrane separator is preferred to be as thin as possible. However, the membrane separator must be thick enough to prevent the two electrodes from being short-circuited and be strong enough to maintain structural integrity as the reaction occurs back and forth periodically. Thus, thin, durable, and highly-permeable membrane separators are desired for increased power and/or energy density of the electrochemical device.
The desire for more efficient electrodes and membrane separators are exemplified by development of electrochemical conversion process to produce ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen or from nitrogen and water. Today, ammonia is mostly produced via thermo-catalytic reactions of nitrogen and hydrogen under high temperatures (350-520° C.) and high pressures (100-300 bar). Such a production process, which is commonly referred as the Haber-Bosch process, is very capital and energy-intensive, and becomes economic when the production capacity scale is very high, much higher than the scale of ammonia production from renewable electrical power sources. On the other hand, this conversion process is thermodynamically favored at low temperatures.3H2+N2⇔2NH3 ΔH=−92.4 kJ·mol−1
U.S. Pat. No. 7,314,544 B2 (2006) discloses an electrochemical method for synthesis of ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen gas from an electrolyte comprising Li hydride+Li nitride molten salts. Without a membrane separator, a mixed product stream from the anode and cathode reactions will be produced. Using a lithium ion conductive membrane are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,916,123 B2 (2014) for producing ammonia from nitrogen and water in lithium nitride electrolyte, where nitrogen reacts lithium hydroxide to form lithium nitride and the lithium nitride is converted back to lithium hydroxide while producing ammonia by reaction with water. Actual examples of producing ammonia from nitrogen and water at temperatures well below the Haber-Bosch process are disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0138176A1 (2016), U.S. Patent Publication No. 2017/0037521 (2017), and U.S. Pat. No. 9,540,737 B2 (2017). These three patents disclose the use of alkaline-type electrolytes, including alkaline hydroxide water solutions, alkaline hydroxide and salts, and eutectic molten alkaline hydroxides. However, the membrane separator was not described. Having a separator is desired to keep the oxygen and hydrogen produced from the respective electrodes separated because the hydrogen and oxygen gas mixture can be explosive. Further, the separation of hydrogen and oxygen is expensive even if the mixture concentration is controlled beyond the explosion limits. The literature reports using of proton conducting electrolyte (PEM) membrane as a separator for low-temperature production of ammonia from air and water (Lan et al. "Synthesis of ammonia directly from air and water at ambient temperature and pressure" Scientific Reports, 3 (2013) 1145). However, those PEM membrane cells often use precious metal catalysts. Ceramic-type ion conducting membranes have been explored (for example, Lan et al. "Synthesis of ammonia directly from wet air at intermediate temperature" Applied Catalysis B: Environmental 152-153(2014) 212-217).
In summary, more efficient and productive electrochemical devices are needed to realize practical application of ammonia production from nitrogen and water.

Electrochemical device comprising thin porous metal sheet


A self-tuning resonator for use in a transmitter apparatus for inducing alternating currents in a buried conductor. The resonator is dynamically tuned at frequencies below 500 kHz by exploiting the inherent voltage-variability of net capacitance in multilayer ceramic capacitors. The transmitter apparatus provides improved efficiency and induced output power suitable for use in a man-portable locator system, providing a very high magnetic field output from a physically small battery-powered resonator at frequencies under 500 kHz. The resonator exhibits a very low equivalent series resistance (ESR) and is adaptively returned to a predetermined resonant frequency responsive to any changes in resonance arising from phenomena such as component heating, thereby supporting very high tank circuit currents from battery-powered source to produce very high magnetic flux output.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to systems for locating and tracing buried objects and more particularly to a system for inducing alternating current in a buried conductor to facilitate the detection and tracing thereof by means of an automated signal detection system.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many situations where is it desirable to locate buried utilities such as pipes and cables. For example, before starting any new construction that involves excavation, worker safety and project economic concerns require the location and identification of existing underground utilities such as underground power lines, gas lines, phone lines, fiber optic cable conduits, cable television (CATV) cables, sprinkler control wiring, water pipes, sewer pipes, etc., collectively and individually herein denominated "buried objects." As used herein, the term "buried objects" includes objects located inside walls, between floors in multi-story buildings or cast into concrete slabs, for example, as well as objects disposed below the surface of the ground. If excavation equipment such as a backhoe hits a high voltage line or a gas line, serious injury and property damage may result. Unintended severing of water mains and sewer lines generally leads to messy and expensive cleanup efforts. The unintended destruction of power and data cables may seriously disrupt the comfort and convenience of residents and bring huge financial costs to business.
Accordingly, the art is replete with proposed solutions to the buried object locating problem. For example, it is known to locate buried ferromagnetic objects either by detecting a localized change in free-space permeability with an inductive circuit element or by using a magnetic sensor to detect the fixed magnetic field (internal magnetic moment) emanating from the object. The presence of such ferromagnetic objects also distorts the Earth's magnetic field in a manner that is known to have utility for locating. Some buried cables, such as power lines and some communication lines, for example, are already energized and therefore characterized by the emission of an electromagnetic signal that includes a non-zero frequency magnetic field that may be detected by a magnetic sensor. As another example, an external transmitter, beacon or duct probe (a "sonde") is an external electromagnetic signal source having well-known utility for marking the location of any non-conductive buried object into which it may be physically introduced. A sonde typically includes a coil of wire wrapped around a ferromagnetic core that is packaged for insertion into a buried nonconductive conduit, such as a plastic utility runway or a concrete water pipe. Still other buried objects, such as conductive lines and pipes, may be located by first applying an external electromagnetic signal to the object to induce an alternating current therein, thereby energizing the object with a nonzero frequency magnetic field that may be detected by a magnetic sensor. For example, an external electrical signal source (transmitter) having a frequency in the range of approximately 4 Hz to 500 kHz has a well-known utility for energizing conductive objects by direct electrical coupling to permit their location. These examples of active and passive location of buried long conductors are also commonly denominated "line tracing."
The above commonly-assigned patent applications propose several improvements to the magnetic field measurement and line locating art, including the use of simultaneous measurement of magnetic field vectors in a plurality of independent frequency regions and the introduction of multiple 3D sensor arrays for measuring magnetic field vectors and the introduction of an improved Graphical User Interface (GUI) for line tracing.
Employing a directly-coupled external transmitter to induce an alternating current in a buried conductive objects is useful, provided that the buried line is accessible for the conductive attachment of the transmitter output signal. When there is no conductive access to the buried conductor, such a transmitter may alternatively be used to indirectly induce an alternating current in the buried line, but this approach has several well-known disadvantages. For example, when the transmitter is placed at a first location above the buried line and operated to radiate an electromagnetic field in the 4 Hz to 500 kHz region, an alternating current is induced in the line such that a locator array tuned to the same frequency may be deployed at a second location removed from the transmitter to detect the buried line. Any electromagnetic field energy that propagates above ground to the locator array directly from the transmitter tends to interfere with the accuracy of the desired locator measurement. However, the above-ground transmission of energy is significantly less efficient than the underground transmission, which arises from an electrical current flowing in a continuous conductor. This indirect-coupling active location technique is therefore useful over a range of transmitter and locator separations.
The minimum requisite separation between locator and transmitter may be reduced by providing the transmitter with a directional radiation pattern and directing it orthogonally to the locator direction. The maximum feasible separation between locator and transmitter is generally proportional to the transmitter output energy that may be successfully coupled to the underground line. This in turn depends on the efficiency with which the transmitter converts available battery power to induced magnetic flux. If the metallic line is buried deeply, a transmitter positioned on the surface must produce a high magnetic flux to penetrate to the line depth. In addition to a high transmitter flux, the magnetic flux pattern should also be widely dispersed in the downward direction to reach a deeply buried line. Thus, there is a recognized need in the art for a strong and effective induced signal, which must be provided by battery-powered transmitter apparatus that is easily portable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,793 issued to Mulcahy discloses a battery-powered transmitter circuit supported from a portable housing, a ferrite core antenna incorporated within the transmitter circuit, and a separate tank circuit that includes a loop antenna and a capacitor. The tank circuit is tuned to a predetermined operating frequency and nonconductively coupled to the ferrite core antenna, which transfers magnetic energy from a signal generator to the loop antenna. The magnetic field induced from the loop antenna inductively coupled to the buried line to create an alternating current therein. Mulcahy neither considers nor suggests solutions to the problem of tuning drift, which arises from temperature changes and aging in tank circuits and can reduce transmitter efficiency and magnetic flux output. Moreover, Mulcahy's apparatus must be returned to operate at an alternate frequency, which is often necessary in modern systems intended for use where the land that is to be excavated is traversed or crisscrossed by several different utilities such as an electrical power cable, a water line, a gas line, a sewer pipe and a communications line. It is highly desirable to be able to determine their paths and their depths all at the same time by using, for example, several different signals at different frequencies for application to the same underground object or even to different underground objects.
Accordingly, there is still a clearly-felt need in the art for an improved compact self-tuned electrical resonator suitable for generating a high magnetic flux from a battery-powered generator. These unresolved problems and deficiencies are clearly felt in the art and are solved by this invention in the manner described below.

Compact self-tuned electrical resonator for buried object locator applications


The invention relates to a novel method for preparing materials whose properties can be manipulated after fabrication. In this process, a base material is created in a manner that provides spaces or voids which can then be filled with a modifying composition. The method is particularly useful in the manufacture of light adjustable optical elements such as intraocular lenses.

Approximately two million cataract surgery procedures are performed in the United States annually. The procedure generally involves making an incision in the anterior lens capsule to remove the cataractous crystalline lens and implanting an intraocular lens in its place. The power of the implanted lens is selected (based upon pre-operative measurements of ocular length and corneal curvature) to enable the patient to see without additional corrective measures (e.g., glasses or contact lenses). Unfortunately, due to errors in measurement, and/or variable lens positioning and wound healing, about half of all patients undergoing this procedure will not enjoy optimal vision without correction after surgery. Brandser et al., Acta Ophthalmol Scan 75:162-165 (1997); Oshika et al., J. Cataract Refract Surg 24:509-514 (1998). Because the power of prior art intraocular lenses generally cannot be adjusted once they have been implanted, the patient typically must choose between replacing the implanted lens with another lens of a different power or be resigned to the use of additional corrective lenses such as glasses or contact lenses. Since the benefits typically do not outweigh the risks of the former, it is almost never done.
An intraocular lens whose power may be adjusted after implantation and subsequent wound healing would be an ideal solution to post-operative refractive errors associated with cataract surgery. Moreover, such a lens would have wider applications and may be used to correct more typical conditions such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Although surgical procedures such as LASIK which uses a laser to reshape the cornea are available, only low to moderate myopia and hyperopia may be readily treated. In contrast, an intraocular lens, which would function just like glasses or contact lenses to correct for the refractive error of the natural eye, could be implanted in the eye of any patient. Because the power of the implanted lens may be adjusted, post-operative refractive errors due to measurement irregularities and/or variable lens positioning and wound healing may be fine tuned in-situ. One solution has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,642. In this patent, optical elements such as intraocular lenses are created having a refraction modifying composition (RMC) dispersed throughout the lens. Dispersion of the RMC throughout the lens is accomplished by forming the base lens in the presence of the RMC. The result is a lens whose optical properties can be adjusted by localized polymerization of the RMC.
While this process is effective in creating an adaptable lens, the presence of the macromer during the formation process often results in at least some of the macromers being polymerized into the matrix of the lens. This reduces the amount of macromer available for subsequent polymerization. Additionally, the polymerization reaction of the base polymer must be mutually exclusive from the polymerization of the macromer.
It is desirable, therefore, to make a material whose properties can be manipulated through the use of modifiers dispersed in the material in a manner that the modifiers are not consumed during the initial fabrication process and the base material can be polymerized by any polymerization reaction including photo-polymerization.

Method for making novel compositions capable of post fabrication modification


In the case of performing self-sustained operation, when power conversion devices supply power to loads, all DC/AC conversion circuits of the power conversion devices are operated in a voltage control mode, and effective voltage (amplitude) of reference AC voltage as a control target for AC power outputted from each DC/AC conversion circuit under voltage control is adjusted in accordance with the power generation amount of a solar panel as a DC power supply, and the state of charge of a storage battery, thereby the amount of power supplied to the loads is controlled.

In recent years, in order to reduce environmental load, a power generation system utilizing natural energy such as solar power generation, which does not emit carbon dioxide, is spreading into homes. However, upon power outage, power generation using natural energy represented by solar power generation can only output the maximum power of 1500 W from a self-sustained operation outlet provided in advance in a power conversion device. In addition, in order to cope with power shortage or the like after Great East Japan Earthquake, a system having a storage battery, a system using an electric automobile as a storage battery, a system combining solar power generation and a storage battery, and the like are being developed.
For example, Patent Document 1 indicated below discloses an operation method for distributed power supplies in the case where, upon power outage, a plurality of solar power generators and a plurality of storage batteries are operated in parallel in a coordinated manner to supply power to an electric light line released from a system.
That is, the following method is described. In the case where a plurality of distributed power supplies that are released from a power supply are operated in a self-sustained manner in parallel, one of the distributed power supplies is set as an AC voltage source for self-sustained operation, the other distributed power supplies are set as AC current sources synchronized with the AC voltage source, and thus these distributed power supplies are operated in a coordinated manner. In this case, the distributed power supplies operated as AC current sources are classified into a first distributed power supply having a storage battery and a second distributed power supply using natural energy but not having a storage battery. The second distributed power supply is controlled so as to track the maximum power point, and is configured to be able to supply surplus power to the first distributed power supply, and thus control is performed so as to perform the charging when surplus power is generated.
Patent Document 2 indicated below describes a configuration method for a parallel operation device, in which the AC voltage amplitude of a main power supply is set to be greater than that of a sub power supply, and output of an AC power supply is subjected to wired OR with diodes, using a switch, whereby, if the main power supply has no abnormality, power is supplied from only the main power supply, and if the main power supply has abnormality, the main power supply is automatically switched to the sub power supply.


A preconnectorized apparatus includes a housing and at least one F-style coaxial cable connector extending therefrom. Each connector has a connector body with a cable receiving end and an opposite forward end. A compression element coupled to the receiving end is movable between an unseated position and a seated position and is configured to secure a coaxial cable within the connector body when in the seated position. The connector includes a tubular inner contact post having a free end configured to be inserted into a prepared coaxial cable end. A receiving member positioned forward of the contact post is electrically connected to a circuit within the housing. The receiving member receives a center conductor of a coaxial cable inserted through the connector body cable receiving end and electrically connects the center conductor to the circuit.

A coaxial cable is a known type of electrical cable that may be used to carry radio frequency ("RF") signals. Coaxial cables are widely used as transmission lines in cable television networks and/or to provide broadband Internet connectivity. Coaxial cables are also used in a wide variety of other applications such as, for example, interconnecting electrical equipment, connecting electrical equipment to antennas and the like. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional coaxial cable 10 that has been partially cut apart to reveal its internal structure. As shown in FIG. 1, the coaxial cable 10 has a central conductor 12 that is surrounded by a dielectric insulator 14. A tape 16 may be bonded to the outside surface of the dielectric insulator 14. A metallic electrical shield 18 such as braided shielding wires surrounds the central conductor 12, dielectric insulator 14 and tape 16. One or more electrical shielding tapes (not shown in FIG. 1) may surround the metallic electrical shield 18. The central conductor 12, dielectric insulator 14, tape 16, electrical shield 18 and any electrical shielding tape are enclosed within a protective cable jacket 20.
The central conductor 12 of coaxial cable 10 may comprise, for example, a copper wire or a copper clad aluminum or steel wire. The central conductor 12 is designed to carry RF signals. Typically, a conductor such as central conductor 12 that carries RF or other high frequency signals acts as an antenna, and thus some of the signal energy is radiated from the conductor, resulting in signal loss or "attenuation." Coaxial cables are designed to reduce such signal attenuation by placing the electrical shield 18 (which is connected to a ground reference) around the central conductor 12. As a result of this arrangement, the electromagnetic field of the RF signal that is carried by the central conductor 12 is generally trapped in the space inside the electrical shield 18, thereby greatly reducing signal radiation and associated signal attenuation losses.
Typically, each end of a coaxial cable is terminated with a male coaxial connector. The most common type of coaxial connectors are referred to in the art as "F-style" coaxial connectors. Female F-style coaxial connectors, which are often referred to as "connector ports" are commonly mounted on wall plates in homes and on various devices such as televisions, cable modems, splitters, signal amplifiers, tap units, ground blocks, etc. A typical female F-style connector port comprises an externally threaded cylindrical housing that includes an aperture on one end thereof that is configured to receive a protruding central conductor of a male F-style coaxial connector. A typical male F-style coaxial connector includes an internally-threaded nut which is threaded onto the externally-threaded housing of the female F-style coaxial connector port. A coaxial cable that includes a coaxial connector on at least one end thereof is referred to herein as a "terminated coaxial cable." Terminated coaxial cables are used in a wide variety of applications including use as jumper cables, internal cabling within buildings, drop cables and the like.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a conventional male F-style coaxial connector 30. FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the male F-style coaxial connector 30 of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 illustrates the connector 30 of FIGS. 2-3 after it has been attached to an end of a coaxial cable 10 to produce a terminated coaxial cable.
As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the F-style coaxial connector 30 includes a body assembly 32, a compression sleeve 36 and an internally-threaded nut 38. The body assembly 32 includes a tubular connector body 33 and a contact post 34 (FIG. 3). In FIG. 2, the compression sleeve 36 is depicted in its "unseated" position in which it may receive a coaxial cable 10 that is to be terminated into the coaxial connector 30.
When the compression sleeve 36 of coaxial connector 30 is in its unseated position of FIG. 2, a coaxial cable such as cable 10 may be inserted axially into the compression sleeve 36 and the body assembly 32. The central conductor 12, dielectric insulator 14 and tape 16 of cable 10 (coaxial cable 10 is not depicted in FIGS. 2-3 to more clearly show the structure of the connector 30) are inserted axially into the inside diameter of the contact post 34, while the electrical shield 18, and the cable jacket 20 are inserted inside the tubular connector body 33 so as to circumferentially surround the outer surface of the contact post 34. The outside surface of the contact post 34 may include one or more serrations, teeth, lips or other retention structures 35 (see FIG. 3). Once the coaxial cable 10 is inserted into the coaxial connector 30 as described above, a compression tool may be used to forcibly axially insert the compression sleeve 36 further into the tubular connector body 33 into its "seated" position (see FIG. 4). Moving the compression sleeve 36 into its seated position decreases the radial gap between the tubular connector body 33 and the contact post 34 so as to radially impart a generally 360-degree circumferential compression force on the electrical shield 18 and the cable jacket 20 that circumferentially surround the outer surface of contact post 34. This compression, in conjunction with the retention structures 35 on the outside surface of the contact post 34, applies a retention force to the coaxial cable 10 that firmly holds the coaxial cable 10 within the coaxial connector 30. As shown in FIG. 4, the central conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 10 extends into the internal cavity of the internally-threaded nut 38 to serve as the male protrusion of the coaxial connector 30.
As noted above, male F-style coaxial connectors are used to mechanically and electrically attach a coaxial cable such as coaxial cable 10 to a female connector port. Connector boxes adapted to have a coaxial antenna lead-in cable as well as the coaxial or other type of cables for several receivers interconnected therewithin are already known and are conventionally referred to as "splitters" or "splitter boxes". Within such splitters, the individual conductors of the several cables are generally interconnected through electronic circuit components of one type or another for purposes such as those already mentioned. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional F-style female connector port 40 that is used on conventional splitters, ground blocks, amplifiers, and the like. FIG. 6 illustrates a conventional coaxial cable splitter 50 having the female connector ports 40 of FIG. 5.
As shown in FIG. 5, the female connector port 40 may comprise a cylindrical housing 41 that has a plurality of external threads 42. The distal face 44 of the cylindrical housing 41 includes an aperture 46. A central conductor 48 (barely visible in FIG. 5) runs longitudinally through the center of the female connector port 40. The internally-threaded nut 38 of a mating male F-style coaxial connector 30 is inserted over, and threaded onto the external threads 42 of the female connector port 40 so that the central conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 10 that is attached to the coaxial connector 30 is received within the aperture 46. The central conductor 48 of female connector port 40 is configured to receive the central conductor 12 of the mating male F-style coaxial connector 30, thereby electrically connecting the central conductors 12, 48. Once the internally-threaded nut 38 is fully threaded onto the external threads 42 of the female connector port 40, the distal face 44 of the female connector port 40 is brought into mechanical and electrical contact with the base 34b (FIG. 3) of the contact post 34, thereby providing a ground plane connection between the body assembly 32 of coaxial connector 30 and the housing 41 of the female connector port 40.
When summoned to fix a problem with a cable television subscriber's service, technicians may not take the time to trouble-shoot various connections associated with a drop. Instead, the technicians may cut the F-style coaxial connectors off of the coaxial cables and throw away any splitters, couplers, or other devices. Unfortunately, this practice increases costs to cable television service providers. Moreover, this practice is wasteful in many cases because otherwise good connectors and/or devices are being thrown away.

Preconnectorized coaxial cable connector apparatus


The present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for transparent on-demand certificate provisioning for secure email. The method comprises: generating a keypair and a self-signed certificate; requesting a certificate from a certification authority; temporarily securing email using the self-signed certificate; and securing email using the requested certificate, after receipt of the requested certificate from the certification authority. The present inventions uses self-signed certificates as an initial, interim security mechanism, provides automatic submission of certificate requests and renewal requests, provides an administrative policy to specify when keypairs and self-signed certificates are generated by a user's client system, and when certificate requests are submitted, and provides automatic transition from end-user defined trust to delegated trust based upon CA-issued certificates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electronic mail (email). More particularly, the present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for transparent on-demand certificate provisioning for secure email.
2. Related Art
To participate in a secure email exchange, a user must obtain a public/private keypair and a corresponding digital certificate. While a keypair can be automatically generated by the user's client system, obtaining a certificate from a public certification authority (CA) may require significant effort by the end-user. In a managed environment targeted at users who may not have a high degree of technical expertise, such explicit involvement by the end-user is undesirable. As such, there is a need for a way for users to be automatically enabled for secure email (and other security services) in a managed environment, without requiring explicit action by the user.

Transparent on-demand certificate provisioning for secure email

International Business Machines Corporation


A portable mass spectrometer for underwater use includes a watertight case having an inlet and means for transforming an analyte gas molecule from a solution phase into a gas phase positioned within the case. Means for directing a fluid to the transforming means from the inlet and means for analyzing the gas-phase analyte molecule to determine an identity thereof are also positioned within the case.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable devices and methods for performing in situ chemical analysis of aqueous environments, and, more particularly, to such devices and methods for performing mass spectrometry.
2. Description of Related Art
Mass spectrometry (MS) is known to be a versatile and powerful chemical sensing technique. In all known mass spectrometers analytes are transported from their normal state (e.g., solid phase or solution) into the vacuum of the MS through a sample interface. After entering the vacuum system, ionized analytes are then dispersed according to their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) by some combination of electrical and magnetic fields. The ion signal is recorded as a function of m/z, typically using a high-gain electron multiplier or Faraday-cup detector. Measured intensities for each m/z result in the mass spectrum and can often be related to the concentration of the analyte in the original sample, or possibly be used for identification of unknowns in a complex mixture. Certain types of mass spectrometers allow multiple stages of mass spectrometry (K. L. Busch et al., Mass Spectrometry/Mass Spectrometry: Techniques and Applications of Tandem Mass Spectrometry, VCH, New York, 1988; C. Feigel, Spectroscopy 9, 31-40, 1994); two-stage analysis is denoted tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Tandem mass spectrometry is typically accomplished by selecting ions of a particular m/z in the first stage of the MS and allowing them to collide with a gas target. The molecular fragments created in these energetic collisions are then analyzed according to their m/z in the second stage of the MS. The fragment mass spectrum can be used to deduce molecular structure and to provide more positive identification of chemicals in complex samples.
Although prior known mass spectrometers have been large laboratory instruments, smaller portable systems have become available, including those intended for use in harsh environments (C. M. Henry, Anal Chem. 71, 264-68A, 1999).
Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) offer an attractive means for obtaining data in harsh underwater environments. These systems impose fairly stringent size and power constraints, with current devices limited to power supplied by 48 Vdc batteries for approximately 4 h, diameters less than 1 m, and lengths of approximately 2 m. An ROV-based submersible gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GCMS) system with automated membrane introduction was described in an article by G. Matz and G. Kibelka. The submersible GCMS system uses a large ion pump and is a significantly larger instrument than the portable instrument of the instant application, requiring a crane to lift, and having a shorter effective operation time in the field.
Some of the challenges faced in creating underwater mass spectrometry systems are related to the necessity of performing mass spectrometry in a vacuum (of the order of 10xe2x88x925 Torr). Analytes must be transported from the aqueous environment into a vacuum system, underwater. Since analysis of aqueous samples inevitably increases gas loads on vacuum pumps, use of entrainment or capture pumps would require frequent regeneration. Alternatively, if throughput pumps are used in a closed system, the inevitable increase in exhaust pressure of these pumps would eventually degrade pump operation. Since ambient underwater pressure increases by approximately 1 atm with 10-m depth increments, regeneration of entrainment pumps or decompression of pump housings becomes impractical at substantial depths.
There are additional challenges related to the desire to analyze these analytes, which may be present over a large range of concentrations (e.g., from 1 M for Na and Cl to 10xe2x88x9214 M for Au and Bi in the ocean) and in a variety of states (e.g., volatile, involatile, and complexed). For example, no single configuration of mass spectrometer is useful for analysis of this extremely wide range of compounds.
Thus there remains a need in the art for underwater mass spectrometer systems that is versatile, portable, and able to operate for a sustained period underfield conditions.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an integrated mass spectrometer adapted for underwater operation.
It is an additional object to provide such a spectrometer that is autonomous.
It is a further object to provide such a spectrometer that is portable.
It is another object to provide such a spectrometer capable of performing mass-spectral analysis of a wide variety of chemical species.
It is yet an additional object to provide such a spectrometer adapted for detection of volatile analytes dissolved in a fluid.
These objects and others are achieved by the present invention, a portable mass spectrometer adapted for underwater use. The device comprises a watertight case having an inlet and means for transforming an analyte molecule from a solution phase into a gas phase positioned within the case. Means for directing a fluid to the transforming means from the inlet and means for analyzing the gas-phase analyte molecule to determine an identity thereof are also positioned within the case.
This system and method enable in situ underwater chemical analysis at a depth of at least 30 m with ppb detection limits for some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and dissolved gases, such as those of interest to regulatory agencies and marine science. Alternative embodiments provide broader analytical access to chemical species in the water column. Future embodiments are planned, including networks of underwater vehicles capable of tracing chemicals, both natural and anthropogenic, to their sources (D. P. Fries et al., xe2x80x9cIn-Water Field analytical Technology: Underwater Mass Spectrometry, Mobile Robots, and Remote Intelligence for Wide and Local Area Chemical Profiling,xe2x80x9d Field Analytical Chemistry and Technology 5(3): 121-30, 2001).


A container includes a fan that is reversible so air can be removed from the container as a flexible bag is placed into the container and ambient air can be forced into the container when the flexible bag is being removed from the container. This will facilitate placement and removal of a flexible bag in and from the container.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general art of containers, and to the particular field of trash containers.
2. Background of the Invention
Conventionally, trash or other refuse material is collected and bagged in a flexible plastic liner placed within a rigid, upstanding receptacle. Typically, in residential and commercial trash collection, however, it has been observed that the plastic liner due to its flexible nature tends to cling to the inside wall of the trash receptacle, and as the trash liner is progressively filled with refuse material, the liner further clings to the trash receptacle wall and ultimately substantially fills the space defined by the receptacle wall. During this process, any air present between the liner and the receptacle wall slowly leaks out, and when the trash-filled liner occupies the interior space of the receptacle, a vacuum is created between the trash liner and the receptacle wall and the receptacle base portion lying beneath the liner. Accordingly, when a user lifts the trash liner, the suction pressure due to the vacuum counteracts removal of the trash liner. In this manner, trash can liners can become stuck within a trash can by the vacuum seal created when the trash can liner contacts the sidewalls of the trash can. When this happens it can be difficult, particularly for weak and infirm individuals, to physically pull the trash can liner out of the trash can. In some cases, pulling a bag against such a vacuum may even tear the bag.
An additional problem occurs when filling a flexible, collapsible trash liner which is mounted within a trash receptacle in that the air trapped between the flexible, collapsible trash liner and the interior walls of the trash receptacle prevents the flexible, collapsible trash liner from assuming a ready full configuration. This entrapped air prevents the bag liner from assuming its fullest possible configuration within the receptacle and, thereby, limits the amount of trash that can be held without manual adjustment.
While the art contains many examples of trash containers that have vents, vents are of limited expediency. Vents can become clogged and thus lose their effectiveness. Still further, a vent must be built large enough to accommodate all contingencies, thereby making it over-large for some applications.


A mechanism is provided for composite contention aware task scheduling. The mechanism performs task scheduling with shared resources in computer systems. A task is a group of instructions. A compute task is a group of compute instructions. A memory task, also referred to as a communication task, may be a group of load/store operations, for example. The mechanism performs composite contention-aware scheduling that considers the interaction among compute tasks, communication tasks, and application threads that include compute and communication tasks. The mechanism performs a composite of memory task throttling and application thread throttling.

The present application relates generally to an improved data processing apparatus and method and more specifically to mechanisms for composite contention aware task scheduling.
Resource contention is a conflict over access to shared resources, such as memory, disk storage, I/O devices, and cache. Multi-processor data processing systems may have shared memories, for instance. Multi-threaded processors may have a plurality of threads accessing the same caches. Multi-processor and multi-threaded data processing systems may experience latency due to resource contention despite the obvious advantages of multi-processing and multi-threading.
For example, many programs can be broken up into compute tasks and communication tasks. Compute tasks are portions of code that perform computational functions, such as arithmetic functions. Communication tasks are portions of code that perform I/O functions, such as accesses (i.e., load/store) to memory or persistent storage. When several threads access shared resources at the same time, resource contention may introduce latency into the threads.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Composite contention aware task scheduling


An agricultural baler includes a main bale chamber having an inlet for receiving crop material. A strawhook arrangement includes a plurality of strawhooks and an actuation mechanism for moving the strawhooks between an open position wherein the inlet to the main bale chamber is open, and a closed position wherein the inlet to the main bale chamber is closed. The actuation mechanism includes a two-bar linkage and an actuator. The two-bar linkage has a first bar with a first end and a second end, and a second bar with a first end and a second end. The first end of the first bar is pivotally coupled with the strawhooks, and the first end of the second bar is pivotally coupled with a fixed structure of the baler. The actuator is coupled with the second ends of the first bar and the second bar. The actuator is operable to apply pushing or pulling forces to each of the second ends and thereby selectively move the strawhooks between the open position and the closed position.

The present invention relates to agricultural balers, and, more particularly, to a strawhook arrangement for an agricultural baler.
Agricultural harvesting machines, such as balers, are used to consolidate and package crop material so as to facilitate the storage and handling of the crop material for later use. In the case of hay, a mower-conditioner is typically used to cut and condition the crop material for windrow drying in the sun. In the case of straw, an agricultural combine discharges non-grain crop material from the rear of the combine defining the straw (such as wheat or oat straw) which is to be picked up by the baler. The cut crop material is typically raked and dried, and a baler, such as a large square baler or round baler, straddles the windrows and travels along the windrows to pick up the crop material and form it into bales.
On a large square baler, a pickup unit at the front of the baler gathers the cut and windrowed crop material from the ground. The pickup unit includes a pickup roll, and optionally may include other components such as side shields, stub augers, wind guard, etc.
A packer unit is used to move the crop material from the pickup unit to a duct or pre-compression chamber. The packer unit forms a wad of crop within the pre-compression chamber, which is then transferred to a main bale chamber. (For purposes of discussion, the charge of crop material within the pre-compression chamber will be termed a "wad", and the charge of crop material after being compressed within the main bale chamber will be termed a "flake"). Typically such a packer unit includes packer tines or forks to move the crop material from the pickup unit into the pre-compression chamber. Instead of a packer unit it is also known to use a rotor cutter unit, which offers the possibility to chop the crop material into smaller pieces.
A stuffer unit transfers the wad of crop material in charges from the pre-compression chamber to the main bale chamber. Typically such a stuffer unit includes stuffer forks which are used to move the wad of crop material from the pre-compression chamber to the main bale chamber, in sequence with the reciprocating action of a plunger within the main bale chamber. Strawhooks are positioned to open and close the inlet to the main bale chamber in timed sequence with the movement of the stuffer forks.
In the main bale chamber, the plunger compresses the wad of crop material into flakes to form a bale and, at the same time, gradually advances the bale toward the outlet of the bale chamber. When enough flakes have been added and the bale reaches a full (or other predetermined) size, a number of knotters are actuated which wrap and tie twine, cord or the like around the bale while it is still in the main bale chamber. The twine is cut and the formed baled is ejected out the back of the baler as a new bale is formed.
As the charge of crop material is built up within the pre-compression chamber, pressure is built up against the strawhooks. Thus, it is necessary to firmly hold the strawhooks in place prior to moving the charge into the main bale chamber. Moreover, because of the pressure applied against the strawhooks by the charge of crop material in the pre-compression chamber, it is necessary to apply a sufficient force to overcome the frictional force of the crop material and move the strawhooks to the open position.

Strawhook arrangement for an agricultural baler


The linear measuring device comprises a rail (1) with a fixed measuring jaw (4) and a slide (5) with a movable measuring jaw (6). A holding member (9) with a handle hole (10) is adjustably mounted on the rail (1). The slide (5) has a ring (20) arranged displaceably therein. This ring is connected with a clamping piece (30) via connecting elements (36, 39). This clamping piece, after attaining a predetermined measuring pressure, is brought into the clamped position on the rail (1) and thus permits the maintenance of a constant measuring pressure, the slide (5) being shiftable, with the clamping piece (30) being locked in place, under the action of the spring (32) with respect to the clamping piece (30) whereby the measuring object can be adjusted into the precise measuring position under spring force. The arrangement of handle hole (10) and ring (20) offers the advantage that maximally precise measurements can be quickly performed in correspondence with a scissor-like operation of the device.

Such a device has been described, for example, in DE 33 35 743 A1. This device, however, is not suited for measurements of very high accuracy.
In recent times, measuring devices, especially slide-type gauges, have been developed further so that presently measuring pickups are available having a measurement resolution on the order of magnitude of 1/1000 mm. This means that increased attention must be devoted to the influences exerted by errors occurring during the measurement.
Linear measuring devices, such as slide-type gauges, bend under the influence of the measuring stresses and therefore are very sensitive to variations in measuring pressure. Thus, measuring accuracy is served well by maintaining the measuring pressure as constant as possible and making the measuring step as independent as possible from the sensory ability of the person performing the measuring step. In order to attain this object, solutions have been proposed as disclosed, for example, in DE 33 35 743 A1 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,771. Both instances involve instruments for the measurement of distances. The influence by the person doing the measurement is eliminated by the feature that, after a certain measuring pressure has been reached upon engagement of the measuring jaws, the jaws are mutually blocked so that they no longer react to outside influences.
It has been known from the measuring art that a measuring device in most cases will not as yet assume the ideal measuring position upon a first engagement; this depends, inter alia, on the manner in which the device is manipulated. It is then possible, while maintaining the measuring pressure, to bring the device into the definite measuring position by holding it more loosely, by relatively small motions or by vibrations, thus attaining accurate measuring results. However, in the aforementioned devices, such correcting steps cannot be performed since, after all, the measuring arms are blocked upon the first engagement.
It is furthermore known that slide-type gauges are poorly suited for certain, frequently occurring measuring tasks. This holds true in case of workpieces which are being machined or which are clamped in place for checking purposes.


A brake fluid pressure control apparatus for a vehicle includes a fluid pressure control valve device arranged between a master cylinder and a wheel cylinder, receiving control signals from a control unit measuring the skid condition of the wheel to control the brake fluid pressure to the wheel cylinder. A hydraulic reservoir stores the brake fluid discharged through the fluid pressure control valve device from the wheel cylinder and a pressure fluid supply conduit connects the master cylinder with the fluid pressure control valve device. A fluid pump returns the brake fluid from the hydraulic reservoir into the pressure fluid supply conduit and a valve apparatus is arranged in a conduit connecting the discharge side of the fluid pump with the master cylinder side, in the pressure fluid supply conduit. The valve apparatus takes a first position connecting both sides and a second position that cuts off the fluid flow from the discharging side of the fluid pump toward the master cylinder side. The valve apparatus is normally in the first position. During anti-skid control, it takes the first position continuously for a certain time depending on the control time of the fluid pressure decrease and continuously for another certain time depending on the control time if the fluid pressure is increased after the fluid pressure decrease, and it takes the second position continously for times other than the certain time and/or the other certain time. Alternatively, it cycles between the first and second position for a certain time depending on the control time of the fluid pressure decrease and/or for another certain time depending on the control time of increasing again the fluid pressure after the fluid pressure decrease, and it takes the second position for times other than the certain time and/or the another certain time.

1. Filed of the Invention
This invention relates to a brake fluid pressure control apparatus for a vehicle which can prevent locking of the wheels or which can prevent locking of the wheels and also control the traction of the drive wheels on acceleration of the vehicle, as when the vehicle starts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4395073 discloses a brake fluid pressure control apparatus in a skid control system for a vehicle having at least one wheel and a brake for the wheel which includes a fluid pressure control valve device arranged between a master cylinder and a wheel cylinder of a brake for the wheel. The fluid pressure control valve device receives control signals from a control unit measuring the skid condition of the wheel to control the brake fluid pressure to the wheel cylinder. A hydraulic reservoir reserves the brake fluid discharged through the fluid pressure control valve device from the wheel cylinder when the brake fluid pressure to the wheel cylinder is decreased with control of the fluid pressure control value device. A pressure fluid supply conduit connects the master cylinder with the fluid pressure control valve device and a fluid pump returns the brake fluid from the hydraulic reservoir into the pressure fluid supply conduit. A first check valve arranged in the pressure fluid supply conduit is opened when the brake fluid flows from the master cylinder toward the fluid pressure control valve device, and the outlet of the fluid pump is connected to the pressure fluid supply conduit between the first check valve and the fluid pressure control valve device. A pressure fluid return conduit connecting the master cylinder with the wheel cylinder and a second check valve arranged in the pressure fluid return conduit is opened when the brake fluid flows from the wheel cylinder toward the master cylinder, and a hydraulic accumulator or a fluid pressure adjusting valve receives the brake fluid discharged from the fluid pump.
With the above-described brake fluid pressure control apparatus, the wheels can be prevented from locking and kickback of the brake pedal can be avoided when the anti-skid control operator. However, since the hydraulic accumulator consists of a strong and heavy spring, a piston urged by the spring and a casing for the spring and piston, the whole apparatus is large-sized and heavy. It is very difficult to fit such an apparatus in a limited space such as the engine compartment of a vehicle.
On the other hand, the driving slip or traction control apparatus which can control or prevent the slip of the drive wheel vehicle acceleration with the increasing engine power, has been developed recently. This Applicant proposed a brake fluid pressure control apparatus which can prevent the wheels from locking and further control the drive wheels from slipping in the Japanese Patent Application No. 16732/1987. However, this apparatus is nearly equal to the arrangement in which the drive slip control apparatus is merely added to the lock preventing apparatus. As a result, the whole apparatus is large and heavy, and is accordingly costly.

Brake fluid pressure control apparatus for a vehicle


The selective isopropylation of a naphthyl compound to diisopropylnaphthalene enhanced in the 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene isomer is obtained in the presence of an acidic crystalline molecular sieve catalyst having twelve membered oxygen rings. The catalyst pore aperture dimension ranges from 5.5 .ANG. to 7.0 .ANG.. The use of these shape selective catalysts results in a diisopropylnaphthalene stream which is enhanced in .beta. isomers and enhanced in the desired 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene isomer. A particularly preferred catalyst is synthetic Mordenite. Specific catalyst modifications are also described to improve selectivity to the desired 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene isomer.

A new class of thermoplastic polymers, known as thermotropic liquid crystal polymers ("LCP"), has recently been introduced to the marketplace. These polymers combine the advantageous feature of moldability with multidirectional mechanical strength superior to other thermoplastics formerly available. Generally, these new LCP materials are polyesters made up of planar, linear disubstituted aromatics. Examples of some LCPs currently in use are p-hydroxybenzoic acid, 5 p-hydroquinone, 4,4'-dihydroxybiphenyl and 2-hydroxy, 6-napthenoic acid.
Other LCPs would appear commercially attractive if either 2,6-dihydroxynaphthalene or 2,6-dicarboxynaphthalene were readily available. Unfortunately, these materials are not commercially produced because cheap, readily available feed stocks do not exist. A viable feed stock, which is convertible into either the dihydroxy or dicarboxy monomers, based upon known technology, is 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene.
Before proceeding with any description of the isopropylation reaction system, it is important to first review the nomenclature and numbering scheme for the various substituted naphthalene isomers. Equation 1 shows the positional reference numbers. Non-hydrogen bearing carbons are unnumbered because no substitution takes place in these positions.

Process for selective diisopropylation of naphthyl compounds using shape selective acidic crystalline molecular sieve catalysts


A system may comprise one or more monitoring devices that may communicate with a mobile device or a wearable device worn by a user of a sporting apparatus. The system may enable motion data specific to motion of the sporting apparatus to be conveniently captured and transmitted, and displayed on the wearable device. The system may include functionality to permit disablement of the motion detecting, transmission, and/or displaying functions at times when such functions are not permitted to be used, and to record the date, time, and location when such functions have been disabled to permit verification thereof by a governing body or sporting organization. The system may further include a learning module enabling monitored motion of the object to be correlated to monitored motion of the user such that predictive motion of the sporting object based only on monitored motion of the user may be obtained and displayed.

Sports enthusiasts of all skill levels in all sports are constantly striving to enhance their ability while progressing along The Journey to Better® path to improvement. This is especially true in sports such as golf, which is challenging to master, and challenging to maintain one's skill level in, once mastered.
For this reason, sports enthusiasts have turned to technical innovations in an effort to improve their game, including the use of monitoring devices used to determine and display information specific to the enthusiast, such as a golfer's swing path. Golfers and golf club equipment manufacturers have been increasingly relying upon sensors and monitors to evaluate a golfer's swing. Sensors and monitors may track conditions, such as club head speed, attack angle, launch angle, golf ball spin rate and spin direction, and so on. And sellers of golf club equipment, including outlets that specialize in golf club fitting, increasingly rely on such sensors and monitors to assist a prospective purchaser in selecting golf clubs that best match their particular golf swing characteristics.
One such monitoring device that is commercially available is the "SB2" sensor available from Swingbyte, LLC (previously Swingbyte, Inc.) of Chicago, Ill. Such sensors, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,696,482, incorporated in its entirety by reference herein, are typically removeably attached to the shaft of a golf club, for example with a clamping mechanism, or fixed to the shaft, for example, with an adhesive. As is now known by virtue of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/564,933, filed Dec. 9, 2014, assigned to the assignee of the present application, and incorporated in its entirety by reference herein, monitoring devices may also be placed within sporting apparatus, such as the head, shaft, and/or grip of a golf club.
Such monitoring devices, also termed "three-dimensional golf swing analyzers," work as an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), and typically include, for example, a three-axis accelerometer capable of producing and transmitting linear acceleration data, a three-axis gyroscope capable of producing and transmitting angular velocity data, a first microprocessor that receives data from the accelerometer and the gyroscope and processes the data, a first computer memory wherein the microprocessor stores the processed data, and a radio transmitter for transmitting the processed data from the first computer memory. MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) technology may be used for the accelerometer and the gyroscope. The monitoring device is typically powered by a battery or other suitable power source. A housing may be used to hold the microprocessor, accelerometer, gyroscope computer memory, radio transmitter, and battery.
Such monitoring devices capture and analyze golf swing (or other sporting apparatus motion) data by attaching the monitoring device to a golf club either below the grip or on the cap, or by integrating the sensor into the shaft or head. After hitting a shot or swinging the golf club (or other sporting apparatus) players and instructors can view an interactive, three-dimensional animation of the swing, along with key metrics, such as club head speed, path, plane, and various angles at impact. It is sometimes preferred to affix such monitoring devices at a position remote from the golf club head, due to the head's tendency to vibrate violently at the point of impact, potentially disrupting the monitoring device's attempts to measure the swing characteristics. Such monitoring devices may use a transmitter to send processed linear and angular movement data that defines a sporting apparatus swing, e.g., a golf club swing, to a receiver on a mobile device, such as a smart phone, tablet computer, or laptop computer. A computer application running on the mobile device may receive the processed data, process the data further and display a graphical representation of the entire swing with comprehensive statistics for every point of the swing. The processed data may be stored and later used along with theoretical data to coach a golfer or other sporting apparatus user on his or her swing.
As used herein, the term "monitoring device" is intended to mean a device that is configured to perform one of more of the following functions: to transmit and/or produce motion data, such as linear acceleration data and/or angular velocity data, to receive and/or process one or more of such types of motion data, to store such processed data, and/or to transmit the processed data, including without limitation devices such as the SB2 monitoring device previously described.
As used herein, the term "wearable device" is intended to mean a device normally worn by a user, and including a display that is readily viewable by the user in a hands-free manner, such as a watch or heads up display, including without limitation an Apple® Watch, and a Google Glass® device. In addition, a wearable device may include a golf glove having monitoring devices that can capture grip pressure on a golf club and relay the information back to the user, such as that seen in the SensoGlove® product, available at http://shop.sensoglove.com. This technology utilizes only the glove to gather and display the information, and does not require transmission of data, to a mobile device, for example.
As used herein, the term "mobile device" is intended to mean a device not normally worn by a user (or if worn, for example in a holster, having a display not readily viewable by the user while being worn), such as a smart phone, tablet computer, or laptop computer that is configurable to communicate with a wearable device and/or a monitoring device.
One of the practical problems facing sports enthusiasts, and golfers in particular, is the need to disable or remove monitoring devices from the sporting apparatus with which they are associated. For example, the USGA does not permit use of monitoring devices "on course" in order for the round being played to count, either for USGA handicapping purposes, or for competitive purposes, including both PGA Tour and amateur tournaments. It is thus necessary for any player having a monitoring device associated with his or her golf clubs to remove the device prior to playing a round of golf in order for that round not to be disqualified under USGA rules. While it may be a minor inconvenience to disable or remove such a device if it is merely clipped to the golf club shaft, or used on only one club, such removal or disabling becomes more cumbersome if all of the golfer's clubs (14 being the USGA limit) are equipped with such a device, or if the device is not removably attached to the shaft, but is housed in the grip, for example, under a screw-off cap, or is housed in the club head, for example, according to the teachings of the aforementioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/564,933.
Moreover, current systems do not readily permit a golfer who is practicing while playing a practice round, to readily view motion data in real time and after each shot, in order to adjust his or her swing, club, etc., without the need to fumble for a mobile device such as a smart phone to view a display of such data.

System, method, and apparatus for monitoring sporting apparatus and users thereof