The present disclosure discloses a method and an information processing apparatus for displaying a graphic code. The method includes creating, by processing circuitry of an information processing apparatus, a customized layout in a notification bar. The method includes reading the graphic code from the predetermined application program by using the customized layout. The graphic code is obtained by the predetermined application program from a corresponding server linked to the predetermined application program. The method further includes displaying the graphic code in the customized layout.

A graphic code is a graphic pattern where geometric features are distributed/arranged on a plane according to a rule. The graphic code has a function of recording information.
The function of recording information provides the graphic code many applications, such as information pushing (e.g., a merchant can use an electronic device to present a graphic code to a customer for scanning, and the customer can directly browse information pushed by the merchant), friend adding (e.g., a user can use an electronic device to present a graphic code to another user for scanning, and the another user can add the user as a friend), and resource transfer (e.g., a user uses an electronic device to present a graphic code to a third party for scanning, and the electronic device and an electronic device used by the third party can complete a resource transfer through an electronic device channel provided by a predetermined server).

Graphic code display method and apparatus

TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED


A local content server system (LCS) for creating a secure environment for digital content is disclosed, which system comprises: a communications port in communication for connecting the LCS via a network to at least one Secure Electronic Content Distributor (SECD), which SECD is capable of storing a plurality of data sets, is capable of receiving a request to transfer at least one content data set, and is capable of transmitting the at least one content data set in a secured transmission; a rewritable storage medium whereby content received from outside the LCS may be stored and retrieved; a domain processor that imposes rules and procedures for content being transferred between the LCS and devices outside the LCS; and a programmable address module which can be programmed with an identification code uniquely associated with the LCS. The LCS is provided with rules and procedures for accepting and transmitting content data.

The music industry is at a critical inflection point. Digital technology enables anyone to make perfect replica copies of musical recordings from the comfort of their home, or as in some circumstances, in an offshore factory. Internet technology enables anyone to distribute these copies to their friends, or the entire world. Indeed, virtually any popular recording is already likely available in the MP3 format, for free if you know where to look.
How the industry will respond to these challenges and protect the rights and livelihoods of copyright owners and managers and has been a matter of increasing discussion, both in private industry forums and the public media. Security disasters like the cracking of DVD-Video's CSS security system have increased doubt about the potential for effective robust security implementations. Meanwhile, the success of non-secure initiatives such as portable MP3 players lead many to believe that these decisions may have already been made.
Music consumers have grown accustomed to copying their music for their own personal use. This fact of life was written into law in the United States via the Audio Home Recording Act of 1992. Millions of consumers have CD players and purchase music in the Compact Disc format. It is expected to take years for a format transition away from Red Book CD Audio to reach significant market penetration.
Hence, a need exists for a new and improved system for protecting digital content against unauthorized copying and distribution.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Provided is a highly safe portable electronic device having a secondary battery as a power source, and including a package, an electronic device body housed in the package, and a battery housing portion housed in the package, in which even if the content melts due to an extremely significant impact applied thereto, discharge of a melt is inhibited. In the portable electronic device, the battery housing portion is a molding with a battery fitting portion for fitting the secondary battery therein, and the battery fitting portion has a covering layer, which includes a temperature suppression layer and a block layer, provided on its surface.

For portable electronic devices, such as cell phones, personal digital assistants, notebook computers, camcorders, and handheld game machines, advanced functionality results in an increased number of heat-generating components mounted on a board. In use of the portable electronic device, heat dissipation from heat-generating components might cause the package surface to be locally heated to high temperature.
Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which heat from heat-generating components housed in the package of a portable electronic device is advantageously diffused by a heat-conducting member with superior heat dissipation performance which is arranged around the heat-generating components. Examples of the heat-conducting member include metallic materials such as aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, stainless steel, and plain steel.
Patent Document 2 discloses a flame-retardant resin composition which includes aromatic polycarbonate having a phosphorous flame retardant added thereto and is used as a material for packages and components of electronic devices.
Patent Document 3 discloses a resin composition including a heat-absorbing material such as aluminum hydroxide or magnesium hydroxide. Aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide reduce combustion heat through an endothermic reaction. The endothermic reaction is a reaction in which water is released. The endothermic reaction exerts a flame retardant effect.
Patent Document 4 discloses a battery pack including an exterior case, batteries housed in the exterior case, and a heat-insulating layer formed between the inner surface of the exterior case and the batteries. Patent Document 4 also discloses that such a heat-insulating layer prevents reduction in battery performance due to lowered environmental temperature.    Patent Document 1: International Publication WO2008/062879 pamphlet    Patent Document 2: Specification of Japanese Patent No. 3682148    Patent Document 3: Specification of Japanese Patent No. 3408676    Patent Document 4: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication. No. Hei 5-234573
Currently, among secondary batteries widely used as power sources of portable electronic devices, lithium ion secondary batteries are mainly used in which the positive electrode includes lithium cobalt oxide and the negative electrode includes graphite. It is assumed that if such a lithium ion secondary battery is subjected to an extremely significant impact, gas or flame goes out of the battery.
On the other hand, to achieve higher-capacity and higher-energy density lithium ion secondary batteries, attempts have been made to use silicon- or tin-based active materials as negative electrode active materials. In particular, the silicon-based active material has an extremely high capacity compared to graphite. It is assumed that if a lithium ion secondary battery using a silicon-based active material is subjected to an extremely significant impact, an alkali salt such as lithium orthosilicate melts to become a high-temperature liquid, which flows out of the battery.


Novel polymers are prepared from at least one cyanoacetamide monomer having the formula: ##STR1## where R.sub.1 is --CH.sub.3, --(CH.sub.2).sub.m CH.sub.3 or --H; R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 independently are --H, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) alkyl or aryl; R.sub.4 is --CH.sub.3, --(CH.sub.2).sub.n CH.sub.3 or --H; m is 1 to 10; n is 1 to 10; and x is 1 to 20.. These polymers can be readily reacted by a carbon-Michael addition reaction with carbon-Michael acceptors, such as polyfunctional acrylates, methacrylates, fumarates, maleates and aopates to form crosslinked polymer compositions.

Ambient-cure compositions based on carbon-Michael reaction between active methylene groups and active alkene groups are known in the art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,217,396; 4,217,439; 4,218,515 and 4,229,505 disclose crosslinked polymers from polyfunctional acrylates, cyanoacetates, diacetoacetamides, and ureadiacetoacetamides. The crosslinking is activated by strongly basic catalysts such as sodium methoxide, sodium metal, sodium ethylate and benzyl-trimethyl ammonium methoxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,018 teaches the use of base catalysts to activate carbon-Michael cure reactions of mixtures of acetoacetate polymers and polyfunctional acrylates. Other related inventions involve carbon-Michael reactions with acetoacetate polymers as carbon-Michael donors and maleate polyesters and fumarate polyesters as carbon-Michael acceptors.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,878 discloses the use of active-methylene containing polymers as hardening agents in photographic applications. The '878 patent specifically discloses polymers made from acetoacetate and cyanoacetate (ester) monomers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,673 discloses crosslinkable polymers derived from various amides and which are useful in photographic applications.
Some disadvantages with the prior are compositions involving carbon-Michael curing reactions are the relatively slow cure rates, susceptibility to hydrolysis, and relative nonreactivity with poly (methacrylate) crosslinkers. The present invention effectively overcomes these disadvantages by providing polymers polymerized from cyanoacetamide monomers which are readily crosslinked by carbon-Michael reactions with a variety of carbon-Michael acceptors.
It is an object of the present invention to provide novel polymer compositions which cure relatively rapidly at ambient temperatures. It is a further object of this invention to provide polymer compositions which have improved hydrolysis resistance, hardness and weatherability. If is an even further object of this invention to provide novel polymers which can be rapidly crosslinked by polyfunctional methacrylates to yield polymer compositions which are relatively non-toxic in comparison to prior art compositions.

Polymer compositions derived from acryloxyalkylcyanoacetamides


A steering shaft for a steering system of a motor vehicle, comprises an inner shaft mounted axially displaceably in a hollow shaft, wherein a rolling bearing having multiple metallic rolling elements, which are disposed axially in at least two rows, is disposed between the hollow shaft and the inner shaft. Previously known steering shafts cannot reliably present vibrations from being transmitted from the inner shaft to the hollow shaft. Therefore, the diameters of the metallic rolling elements decreases proceeding from the center of the rolling bearing toward the end faces thereof, wherein multiple mutually adjacent metallic rolling elements have identical and/or different diameters.

The invention relates to a steering shaft, in particular for a steering system of a motor vehicle, comprising an inner shaft mounted axially displaceably in a hollow shaft, wherein a rolling bearing having multiple metallic rolling elements, which are disposed axially in at least two rows, is disposed between the hollow shaft and the inner shaft.
The use of internal combustion engines having high compression causes the steering shaft known from the prior art to vibrate, which is undesirably perceived on the steering wheel, especially when driving straight ahead and at the beginning of a steering motion. Various solutions using an air gap between an elastomer part and the inner shaft have not been able to effectively solve this problem. An air gap between the rolling bearing, which is equipped with rolling elements having identical diameters, and the hollow shaft has likewise not proven to be of value.
It is the object of the invention to improve steering shafts of this type to the effect that the vibrations generated by the internal combustion engine can no longer be transmitted between the inner shaft and the hollow shaft by way of the rolling bearing.


An apparatus having a light source, light pipe, and light conversion layer is disclosed. The light source includes a plurality of LED dies arranged in an array, each LED emitting light having an excitation wavelength, the light source emitting light within a cone of angles. The light pipe is positioned to receive the light within the cone of angles through an edge surface such that the light within the predetermined cone of angles is totally reflected from the top surface. The light pipe has features that redirect some of the light at angles such that some of the redirected light exits through the top surface. The light conversion layer overlies the top surface and converts light of the excitation wavelength to light in an output spectrum having wavelengths different from the excitation wavelength. A display layer can be placed such that it is illuminated by light from the light pipe.

Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are used in a wide variety of computers and consumer devices such as TVs. A back-lit LCD is an array of pixels in which each pixel acts as a shutter that either passes or blocks light from a light source that is located behind the pixel. Color displays are implemented by equipping the pixels with color filters such that each pixel transmits or blocks light of a particular color. The intensity of the light from each pixel is set by the time the pixel is in the transmissive state.
The display is typically illuminated by a white light source that provides a uniform intensity of light across the back surface of the display. Illumination sources based on fluorescent lights are particularly attractive because of their high light output per watt-hour of power consumed. However, such sources require high driving voltages which makes them less attractive for battery operated devices.
LCD displays for use in handheld devices such as cellular telephones and PDAs must be very thin, as the display represents a significant fraction of the thickness of the device. Light sources based on fluorescent lights are poorly adapted for such thin displays. Back-lit illumination systems for LCD arrays typically utilize some form of light box or light pipe behind the LCD array. Light is injected into this light box at the periphery of the light box. The surface of the light box opposite to the surface that is adjacent to the LCD array has some form of scattering covering that scatters the light so that the back surface of the LCD is uniformly illuminated. The preferred light source is a linear source that generates white light. The linear source is aligned with the edge of the light pipe. To provide efficient coupling of the light into the light pipe, the linear source must have a thickness that is significantly smaller than that of the light pipe.
The thickness of the light source is limited by the thickness of the light box. The thickness of the display is particularly important in displays used for laptop computers and handheld devices such as photodetector arrays and cellular telephones, as the display thickness limits the overall thickness of the device. Some of these portable devices require light boxes that are less than 10 mm thick. As the thickness of the light box is reduced, solutions based on fluorescent lights become more difficult to implement and still maintain a high power conversion efficiency.
As a result, there has been considerable interest in utilizing light sources based on LEDs in such applications. LEDs have similar electrical efficiency and long lifetimes. In addition, the driving voltages needed are compatible with the battery power available on most portable devices. In addition, the size of the light emitter in an LED source is much less than 1 mm. Hence, a linear source constructed from a plurality of LEDs can provide high coupling efficiency even with the thin light pipes discussed above.
A display is typically constructed from an LCD panel that is backlit via a white light source. The panel consists of an array of pixels in which each pixel includes an LCD light gate that either transmits or blocks light from the backlight. Each pixel corresponds to the light of a particular color that is to appear at a particular point in the generated image. Hence, each pixel includes a bandpass filter that selects light of a particular color from the white light generated by the backlight. Typically, three colors are used, red, blue, and green. Hence, an image that is to have N image points requires 3N pixels.
The intensity of light at each pixel as perceived by a person viewing the screen is determined by the time period in which the shutter is open rather than by altering the intensity of the light passing through the shutter. Consider a motion picture that is being displayed on the display. The picture consists of a series of frames that are projected in sequence. The time period that each frame is displayed is so short that the eye can only measure the average light intensity from each pixel over the time period. Hence, a pixel that is open for twice the time that a neighboring pixel appears to be twice as bright, even though the actual intensity of light leaving each pixel is the same during the time periods in which the pixels are open.
An LED light source for illuminating such a display is typically constructed from three colors of LEDs. The relative intensities of the LEDs are adjusted by adjusting the drive current through each LED in light sources for LCD panels that utilize the intensity scheme described above. The light source is typically constructed by alternating the red, blue, and green LEDs along a line that is parallel to an edge of the light pipe to simulate a linear white light source.
Unfortunately, LEDs suffer from aging problems. As the LED ages, the drive current through the LED must be increased to compensate for the aging of the LED. Since the aging effects are different for different color LEDs, the perceived color of the display will shift with age unless the drive currents are altered. In one class of light sources, the intensity of light in each of the color bands is measured by a corresponding set of photodiodes. The drive conditions are then adjusted to maintain the output of the photodiodes at a set of predetermined values corresponding to the desired perceived color for the light source. This approach assumes that all of the LEDs of a particular type age at the same rate and that the LEDs of a given type are driven in series. However, even with this approximation, the additional circuitry and detectors associated with the monitoring operation are a significant factor in the cost of the display.

Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


Disclosed is a spar beam and a wind turbine blade comprising a spar beam. The wind turbine blade comprising a first blade section extending along a longitudinal axis from a root to a first end and a second blade section extending along the longitudinal axis from a second end to a tip. The spar beam comprises a conductive beam sheath circumscribing at least a beam sheath angular distance of the spar beam about the spar beam axis and longitudinally extending from a fourth beam axis position to a fifth beam axis position.

As wind turbines and wind turbine blades increase in size, the risk of lighting striking the wind turbine increases. It is therefore of increasing interest to provide wind turbines and in particular wind turbine blades with lightning protection measures.
It is known to provide blades for wind turbines with lightning receptors that are, inside the blade, in electric connection with a metallic down conductor that is able to connect a lightning current to earth.
Wind turbine blades of fibre-reinforced polymer and in particular the aerodynamic shells of wind turbine blades are usually manufactured in moulds, where the pressure side and the suction side of the blade are manufactured separately by arranging glass fibre mats and/or other fibre-reinforcement material, such as carbon fibre, in each of the two mould parts. Afterwards, the two halves are positioned on top of each other, and the two halves are glued together. The blade parts may be positioned on top of each other by turning and repositioning the complete half mould.
As the demand for blades for wind turbines tends towards blades of increasing lengths, a need concurrently arises for manufacture of blades having increased rigidity and a comparatively lower weight. One way of achieving these properties it to combine various types of fibres in the laminate of the blades, for instance it is an option to combine glass fibres and carbon fibres, and likewise carbon fibres or glass fibres may advantageously be combined with steel fibres. Combinations with other types of fibres are thus also possible and it is also an option to exclusively employ carbon fibres or other suitable fibre type. Combination of e.g. glass fibres with carbon fibres in a so-called hybrid laminate may possess a problem in that some of the fibre types are electrically conductive, e.g. carbon fibres and steel fibres. A lightning strike directly into the laminate may cause damage to a blade comprising electrically conductive fibres, as they would conduct the current and thereby i.a. be greatly heated. This is particularly problematic in case of fibres having comparatively poor conductivity, such as carbon fibres, and in case of hybrid laminates with fibres in e.g. mat-shape, where the individual mat may e.g. have a small portion of electrically conductive fibres and a larger portion of e.g. glass fibres that are not electrically conductive.
Further as the demands for blades for wind turbines tends towards blades of increasing lengths, attention is increasing on concepts of manufacturing blades in sections for being assembled at the installation site. Elements provided for allowing a secure and reliable connection between individual sections of the wind turbine blade bring about another challenge to protect the wind turbine blade from damages caused by lightning strikes. Such wind turbine blade, comprising a plurality of sections, may be known as a split blade, or two-part blade, or segmented blade or similar.

Lightning protection of a sectioned wind turbine blade


Disclosed herein are nanostructured plasmonic materials. The nanostructured plasmonic materials can include a first nanostructured layer comprising: a first layer of a first plasmonic material permeated by a first plurality of spaced-apart holes, wherein the first plurality of spaced apart holes comprise a first array; and a second nanostructured layer comprising a second layer of a second plasmonic material permeated by a second plurality of spaced-apart holes, wherein the second plurality of spaced apart holes comprise a second array; wherein the second nanostructured layer is located proximate the first nanostructured layer; and wherein the first principle axis of the first array is rotated at a rotation angle compared to the first principle axis of the second array.

Circular dichroism refers to the differential absorption of left and right circularly polarized light and is exhibited in the absorption bands of optically active chiral molecules. As used herein, a chiral molecule is any molecule that has a non-superposable mirror image. The symmetry of a molecule (or any other object) determines whether it is chiral. The two mirror images of a chiral molecule are called enantiomers, or optical isomers. Human hands are perhaps one of the most recognized examples of chirality: the left hand is a non-superposable mirror image of the right hand. Indeed, the term "chirality" is derived from the Greek word for hand, and pairs of enantiomers are often designated by their "handedness" (e.g., right-handed or left-handed). Enantiomers often exhibit similar physical and chemical properties due to their identical functional groups and composition. However, enantiomers behave different in the presence of other chiral molecules or objects, such as circularly polarized light.
An enantiomer can be named by the direction which it rotates the plane of polarized light. If the enantiomer rotates the light clockwise (as seen by a viewer towards whom the light is traveling), that enantiomer is labeled (+). Its mirror-image is labeled (−) and rotates the light counterclockwise. The handedness of enantiomers can be related to their pharmacological effects, especially their potency and toxicity. In the case of chiral drugs, in some examples only one enantiomer produces the desired pharmacological effect, while the other enantiomer can be less active or merely inactive. In some cases, the other enantiomer can produce unwanted side effects.
Circularly polarized light occurs when the direction of the electric field vector rotates about its propagation direction while the vector retains a constant magnitude. At a single point in space, the circularly polarized-vector will trace out a circle over one period of the wave frequency. For left circularly polarized light (LCP), with propagation towards the observer, the electric vector rotates counterclockwise. For right circularly polarized light (RCP), the electric vector rotates clockwise.
When circularly polarized light passes through an absorbing optically active medium, the speeds between right and left polarizations differ, as well as their wavelength, and the extent to which they are absorbed. As circularly polarized light is chiral, it interacts differently with chiral molecules. That is, the two types of circularly polarized light are absorbed to different extents by a chiral molecule. In a circular dichroism experiment, equal amounts of left and right circularly polarized light of a selected wavelength (or range of wavelengths) are alternately radiated into a (chiral) sample. One of the two polarizations is absorbed more than the other one and this wavelength-dependent difference of absorption is measured yielding the circular dichroism spectrum of the sample.
Chiral molecules on their own typically possess a small circular dichroism resonance with magnitude in the range of few tens of millidegrees. There are other challenges in conventional circular dichroism measurements: they cannot directly detect the handedness of the chiral molecule, they can be time consuming (often taking up to 30 minutes), and they can involve large amounts of analytes.
Plasmonic chiral metamaterials are promising for applications in chiral sensors and photonic devices due to their strong optical chirality and light matter interactions at the subwavelength scale. However, most of current plasmonic chiral metamaterials rely on local structural chirality or site-specific symmetry breaking, which has limited their optical activity, tunability, and scalable fabrication for practical applications.
The compositions, methods, and systems discussed herein addresses these and other needs.

Nanostructured plasmonic materials and methods of making and use thereof

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System


Acceleration sensors in a vehicular safety system with at least two acceleration sensors are stimulated by an electrical or sound excitation so that one of the sensors functions as a body sound transmitter, while the other(s) receive(s) these signals and vice versa. The performance which includes a calibration check, and the coupling to the housing structure are evaluated through a signal processing circuit. The safety system including its output trigger stage, remains switched-on during testing.

U. S. Pat. No. 4,950,915, issued Aug. 21, 1990, corresponding to German Patent Publication (DE) 3,706,765 A1, (Spies et al.), published on Sep. 15, 1988, describes an impact sensor for a motor vehicle. The known impact sensor is arranged in a sensor housing and activates a passive safety system in response to an impact of the motor vehicle against an obstacle, whereby, for example, an airbag is inflated or a safety belt is pulled tight, etc. The known impact sensor comprises a piezosensitive acceleration detector in a sensor housing, an evaluating circuit to provide an output signal, a trigger circuit for activating the safety system in response to the output signal, and a testing circuit for testing its performance efficacy. During the testing operation, the trigger circuit is separated from the safety system. As a part of the testing circuit, an electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical converter is arranged in the sensor housing and is acoustically or mechanically coupled with the piezoelectric acceleration detector or sensor.
German Patent Publication (DE) 2,207,831 A1 (Brede et al.), published Aug. 23, 1973, discloses an impact sensor which is provided with a testing circuit for testing the performance efficacy of the impact sensor, whereby impulse amplitudes from the sensor have such a magnitude that given threshold values can be tested.
Another conventional safety system is described in an article entitled "Airbag and Belt Pretensioner Provide Increased Safety For Driver and Front Passenger", by Brambilla, published in "Automobiltechnische Zeitschrift", ATZ Nr. 84 (1982) 2, pages 77 to 83. FIG. 10 of this reference discloses a block circuit diagram with additional components for the processing of the signal produced by a single acceleration sensor. Since there is only one sensor there can be no mutual testing between at least two sensors in the above mentioned conventional safety system.

Apparatus for performance testing acceleration sensors


Parametric model based computer implemented methods for determining the stiffness of a bone and systems for estimating the stiffness of a bone in vivo. The computer implemented methods include determining a complex compliance frequency response function Y(f) and an associated complex stiffness frequency response function H(f) and independently fitting a parametric mathematical model to Y(f) and to H(f). The systems include a device for measuring the stiffness of the bone in vivo and a data analyzer to determine a complex compliance frequency response function Y(f) and an associated complex stiffness frequency response function H(f).

Bone health affects the overall health and quality of life of people around the world; for example, over 1.5 million older Americans suffer fractures due to weak bones each year. The bony skeleton provides support, mobility, and protection to the body, and serves as a storage area for essential minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Bone is a composite material made up of protein, minerals, and living bone cells. Collagen protein serves as the framework of the bone and provides resilience and ductility. The minerals, in the form of crystals dispersed around and between collagen fibers, stiffen the bone's protein structure.
There are two types of bone: cortical (compact) and cancellous (trabecular). Cortical bone is configured for support and protection and is arranged as densely packed parallel collagen fibrils organized in layers. This dense cortical bone is located, for example, in the shafts (diaphyses) of the long and short bones of the extremities. Cancellous (trabecular) bone is a porous type of bone located, for example, at the ends (epiphyses) of long bones and in the vertebrae. Cancellous bone provides strength without adding much weight, as it is configured to transfer stresses to the stronger, more massive cortical bone.
Bone is a living tissue that is constantly turning over and regenerating throughout its lifespan. Old bone is broken down (resorbed), creating a void, and new bone is formed in the void. Under normal conditions there is a continuous cyclic remodeling of bone, where osteoclasts remove old and micro damaged bone by acidification and proteolytic digestion, and osteoblasts secrete collagen and other specialized matrix proteins to synthesize new bone. Many hormones, including vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, estrogen, and testosterone, are involved in the regulation and complex interaction between the skeleton, intestine, and kidneys to maintain mineral homeostasis in the body (bones). Overall bone health largely relies on the proper balance of such hormones. Additionally, adequate nutrition and high impact physical activity are contributors to adequate bone health. During childhood and through the teenage years, normal healthy bones experience more bone formation than resorption. However, as humans age, increased bone resorption, decreased bone formation, or a combination of both, lead to a weakening of bones as the net result is less bone formation than resorption.
Further, bone diseases may disrupt normal bone functioning and can make bones weak. One common bone disease is osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a skeletal disorder characterized by decreased bone strength predisposing to an increased risk of fracture. There are two types of osteoporosis: (1) Type 1 osteoporosis is characterized by a rapid loss of cancellous bone and a small loss of cortical bone in the hips, spine, and wrists of postmenopausal women; and (2) Type 2 (senile) osteoporosis affects both elderly men and women and, is characterized by a loss of cortical and cancellous bone in predominantly cortical bone sites, which is where a majority of non-vertebral fractures after the age of 60 occur in both men and women.
The strength of bone depends on the quality of the bone including the architecture, turnover, damage accumulation, and mineralization of the bone. Bone mineral density (BMD) describes the amount of mineral per area measured and is believed to account for only approximately 70% of bone strength. Current techniques used to diagnose osteoporosis and identify fracture risk focus primarily on measuring bone mineral density. One such technique of measuring BMD is Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). DXA noninvasively measures the transmission of x-rays with high and low energy photons through the body. A DXA measurement represents the sum of cortical and trabecular bone within the bone area scanned as part of the procedure. The results of a DXA scan are presented as a Z score and a T score, where the Z score is the number of standard deviations the measured result is from the mean for age and sex and the T score compares the measured BMD result with the average BMD of healthy young adults.
Other such techniques used to measure BMD include peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) and high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HRpQCT), in which 2-dimensional DXA images are made from many different angles around the body or limb and processed by a computer to create a 3-dimensional representation of a body part. These 3-dimensional measurements of bone density and structure can be used as inputs for finite element analyses of bone stiffness and strength.
However, such techniques of measuring BMD are limited in that they are not capable of providing direct insight into the mechanical properties of the bone. For example, changes in the mechanical properties of the bone can increase fracture risk while leaving bone mineral density intact, thus remaining undetected by such conventional screening methods.
Techniques for direct biomechanical testing of bone have also been developed. Direct biomechanical testing of bone is desired in that it provides information about mechanical integrity of bone. Currently, quasistatic mechanical testing (QMT) is the gold standard for directly measuring the strength of materials, including bone. QMT measures the force required to deform a bone at a very slow speed, and thereby at a very low strain rate, versus the associated displacement. QMT can be utilized in the performance of many differing types of mechanical tests such as, e.g., 3-point bending. To perform 3-point bending, or flexure tests, the specimen (bone) is supported at each end, and a force is applied at the midspan, where the sensitivity is greatest to the elastic modulus and other mechanical properties at that site. As the bone bends, fibers near the top surface undergo compressive forces and the fibers near the lower surface experience tensile forces.
Bone bending strength represents the maximum bending force a bone can bear before it breaks. Bone bending strength is measured with QMT as the peak force prior to fracture in a bending test, which occurs in the plastic region of the bone. The plastic region being the area under a force-displacement curve where permanent damage is accumulating within the bone, whereas the elastic region represents the area under a force-displacement curve where no permanent damage is being done and the bone will return to its original shape when the force is released. Bone bending stiffness (KB) is the resistance of a bone to bending and can be measured, for example, by QMT by applying increasing forces to the bone and measuring the slope of the force displacement curve in the elastic region of the bone.
QMT is thus limited in that it can only be used on excised bones and bone samples. More particularly, although QMT can make direct measurements of bone bending strength and stiffness, its use in vivo is limited in that: (1) QMT is not able to differentiate between skin compression and bone bending, which may result in an inaccurate estimation of bone displacement; and (2) measurement of bone strength by QMT requires fracturing of the bone. However, it is well known that measurements of bone bending stiffness accurately predict measurements of bone bending strength. Thus, the inventors recognize a need for improved methods and systems for assessing the stiffness of bone in vivo.

Systems and methods for establishing the stiffness of a ulna bone using mechanical response tissue analysis


A fluid-cooled re-entrant cold plate for thermal management of heat dissipating electronic devices or assemblies. The fluid leaves the cold plate's outer perimeter, fills a sealed cavity between the cold plate outer perimeter and the mating component/assembly, provides direct cooling of the electronic component, then re-enters the cold plate.

Electronic devices are powering some of today's biggest innovations in areas of wireless communications, electric vehicles, and computer processing. An enabling factor in many of these applications has been the advancement of higher performance electronics in smaller package sizes. This has increased the power-density of the devices, which can be challenging for the associated thermal management systems. Previous approaches implemented large, finned heat sinks and fans to cool individual components or assemblies of components (e.g., a printed circuit board or PCB). While these approaches offer an appealing simplicity, their modest performance is quickly becoming insufficient for today's power-dense devices.
Current approaches to cooling these types of devices and assemblies are increasingly favoring fluid-cooled cold plates. Cold plates have been comprised of a thermally conductive material (typically a metal) in the form of a flat plate. Components/assemblies are then mounted to this plate, with a thermal interface material between the two. Within the cold plate passes a coolant fluid. Heat from the components/assemblies is then conducted through the thermal interface material and cold plate material to ultimately be transferred to the coolant fluid. Such approaches offer higher performance than fan-based systems. However, they are still limited by the conduction through the thermal interface material and the plate itself. Additionally, the metal plates can be heavy, which then presents a difficult tradeoff between weight and performance in electric vehicle, aircraft, and space applications.
It would, therefore, be useful to have a cold plate that: offers even higher performance for the hottest components; minimizes thermal gradients between components of different power levels within the assembly; and can be made lighter weight.


A lighting eyelash curler includes a main board having a space securely receiving a circuit board. A fence is provided on a front end of the main board. Compartments are defined between sidewalls of the fence and sidewalls of the main board. Light-emitting diodes are mounted in at least one of the compartments and electrically connected to the circuit board. A movable clamp, a fixed clamp, and a turnover plate are mounted to the front end of the main board. The turnover plate includes a rotating plate, a catch, and a rotating shaft between the rotating plate and the rotating shaft. A catch hole is defined in a rear end of the movable clamp and receives the catch. Through provision of the light-emitting diodes, the lighting eyelash curler can be used in an environment having a dim light and has simple structure while allowing easy operation.

The present invention relates to a beauty tool and, more particularly, to a lighting eyelash curler.
There are more and more activities pursuant to the development of societies. Beauty tools, such as eyelash curlers, are carried by people while going out. However, facial treatment is not easy in some places having a dim light at night. As an example, poor trimming of the eyelashes may occur in some places having poor illumination at night, such as on a Taxi or at the stairs or passageways, so that the eye portions of the user are not bright and colorful enough, adversely affecting the beauty effect.


Apparatus and methods related to limiting surge current are provided. An under-voltage condition on a node is sensed and respective signals are provided in response. The under-voltage condition correlates to a surge in load current drawn from the node. A foldback signal is provided to a power controller to adjust the voltage on the node. The foldback signal is nullified when the surge current condition has been curtailed. Printers, computers and other apparatus can include surge current-limiting accordingly.

Printers, computers and other apparatus require electrical energy in order to perform their respective normal functions. Surges in electrical current consumption of such an apparatus can occur as a result of circuit faults, overloads, temperature-related variances, and other factors. Evolving rule and law in this area mandate systems and methods that respond quickly to curtail electrical surges in the interest of energy conservation, device protection and other considerations. The present teachings address the foregoing and related concerns.

Apparatus and methods for limiting surges in load current

Hewlett Packard Development Company, L.P.


Systems configured to provide illumination of a specimen or to inspect a specimen are provided. One system includes a light source configured to generate pulses of light at a repetition rate. The system also includes optical elements arranged in a first interferometer configuration followed by a second interferometer configuration. The optical elements are configured to quadruple the repetition rate of the pulses of light. In addition, the system includes an electro-optic phase modulator configured to receive the pulses of light from the optical elements and to alter a polarization of the pulses of light at a rate of one half the quadrupled repetition rate such that the pulses of light can be directed to the specimen as effectively continuous-wave uniformly polarized illumination.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to systems configured to provide illumination of a specimen or to inspect a specimen. Certain embodiments relate to a system that is configured to multiply the repetition rate of pulses of light generated by a light source such that the pulses of light can be directed to a specimen as quasi-continuous-wave illumination.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description and examples are not admitted to be prior art by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
Fabricating semiconductor devices such as logic and memory devices typically includes processing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer using a large number of semiconductor fabrication processes to form various features and multiple levels of the semiconductor devices. For example, lithography is a semiconductor fabrication process that involves transferring a pattern from a reticle to a resist arranged on a semiconductor wafer. Additional examples of semiconductor fabrication processes include, but are not limited to, chemical-mechanical polishing, etch, deposition, and ion implantation. Multiple semiconductor devices may be fabricated in an arrangement on a single semiconductor wafer and then separated into individual semiconductor devices.
Inspection processes are used at various steps during a semiconductor manufacturing process to detect defects on wafers to promote higher yield in the manufacturing process and thus higher profits. Inspection has always been an important part of fabricating semiconductor devices such as integrated circuits. However, as the dimensions of semiconductor devices decrease, inspection becomes even more important to the successful manufacture of acceptable semiconductor devices because smaller defects can cause the devices to fail. For instance, as the dimensions of semiconductor devices decrease, detection of defects of decreasing size has become necessary since even relatively small defects may cause unwanted aberrations in the semiconductor devices.
Defects in reticles are also a potential source of yield reduction in integrated circuit manufacturing. Therefore, inspection of a reticle is a critical step in the reticle manufacturing process and after release of the reticle to production. As minimum pattern sizes shrink and integrated circuits are designed with higher device densities, reticle defects that were once tolerable may no longer be acceptable. For example, a single reticle defect may be repeated in each die in stepper systems and may kill every die in single-die reduction reticles. In addition, VLSI and ULSI-level integrated circuit manufacturing require substantially defect-free and dimensionally perfect reticles due to the critical dimension (CD) budget of such manufacturing.
Generally, sensitivity of an inspection system is related to optical resolution for techniques that use optical microscopes to examine wafers and reticles for defects. Therefore, one obvious way to improve the detection of relatively small defects is to increase the resolution of an optical inspection system. One way to increase the resolution of an optical inspection system is to decrease the wavelength at which the system operates. For instance, resolution is defined as: Resolution=λ/n(NA), where λ is the wavelength, n is the index of refraction, and NA is the numerical aperture of the optical system at the object. Therefore, resolution increases as wavelength decreases.
The minimum wavelength of current inspection and defect review tools is in the range of 248 to 266 nm. For example, current generations of reticle inspection tools use laser illumination at a wavelength of about 257 nm generated by an intra-cavity doubled argon (Ar)-ion laser. Next generation tools need to operate at a sub-200 nm wavelength and will require multiple stages of nonlinear wavelength up-conversion. With continuous-wave (cw) lasers, the multiple stages of up-conversion will require multiple resonant build-up cavities in addition to the ion laser, resulting in a light source that will have a high cost of ownership (expensive to purchase and maintain) and poor reliability. Therefore, the lack of inexpensive cw light sources for wavelengths below 200 nm make such light sources impractical for next generation inspection and defect review tools.
Mode-locked lasers are an attractive alternative for the sub-200 nm generation of tools because these lasers are based on solid-state laser technology. In addition, their high peak power permits efficient single-pass nonlinear wavelength up-conversion without the use of external resonant build-up cavities. A mode-locked laser may replace a cw laser without extensive inspection tool re-architecture if it operates at a sufficiently high pulse repetition rate. A calculation based on the requirements for speckle-contrast reduction indicate that a pulse repetition rate of greater than about 200 MHz is required for mode-locked lasers to be a viable option. However, mode-locked lasers are much more efficient when operated at pulse rates of about 80 MHz to about 90 MHz.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to develop systems configured to provide illumination of a specimen such as a reticle or a wafer for applications such as inspection that include a simple and efficient optical configuration for quadrupling the repetition rate of pulses emitted by a light source such as a mode-locked laser.


A bone fixation clamp includes first and second clamp members, a stud, and a locking nut. The first member extends along a curve corresponding to an outer surface of a first portion of bone and includes an opening extending therethrough along an axis extending adjacent to the bone. The second member extends along a curve corresponding to an outer surface of a second portion of bone. The stud is receivable within the opening of the first member. The nut includes a threaded channel threadedly engaging a portion of the stud so that, when the first and second members are in the operative configuration, the nut is threadable over the stud to fix the first and second members over bone. The nut includes an anti-loosening feature which, when the nut is threaded over the stud, results in an interference with threading along the stud.

Periprosthetic fractures—fractures around areas of bone that have been previously fitted with a metal prosthesis—are, in some cases, difficult to treat because the previously implanted metal prosthesis (e.g., intramedullary nails, hip replacement implants) may preclude the use of bone fixation devices that extend into certain portions the bone. Such bone fixation procedures therefore use a combination of fixation devices such as, for example, clamps and compression plates.


An anti-sedimentation system can implement a method in which a pump pumps seawater to a discharge nozzle positioned under the seawater and facing an under keel clearance of a marine vessel docked at a dock. Sediments are flowed away from the under keel clearance by the discharge nozzle discharging the seawater toward the under keel clearance.

A marine vessel is any ship or boat that travels on the sea, ocean or other body of water. Examples of marine vessels include cruise ships that carry passengers or tankers that carry fluids such as hydrocarbons. To load or unload cargo from a marine vessel, the vessel is docked at a wharf. The dock is a structure built along or at an angle from the waterway.
Marine sediment is any deposit of insoluble material, for example, rock and soil particles, that have been transported from land areas to the ocean by wind, ice and rivers. Marine sediment also includes remains of marine organisms, products of submarine volcanism, chemical precipitates from water and other materials that accumulate on the seafloor. When a marine vessel is docked for a duration, marine sediment can accumulate below the vessel.

Anti-sedimentation system for marine vessels


Image data containing the face image of a person is retrieved from a plurality of images, the retrieved image data is displayed, face image data, which is for image retrieval, is extracted from the displayed image data, and the extracted face image data is registered as reference face image data. Specified reference face image data in the registered reference face image data is designated and image data that contains the reference face image data is retrieved.

Owing to the increasing popularity of digital cameras and digital video cameras in recent years, it is becoming increasingly common for an individual to possess a large quantity of digital image data. If the quantity of image data possessed thus becomes very large, the method used to retrieve desired image data from this image data becomes important. For example, there is need for a method used when it is desired to retrieve from digital image data only images in which the faces of persons appear or only images in which the face of a specific individual appears.
By performing retrieval in this manner, it becomes possible to execute processing through which digital image data in which a specific individual appears is placed in a specific folder or through which only the face area is cut from the image data and combined with other digital image data.
A technique for retrieving the area of the face of an individual from image data that contains the face of the individual includes pre-registering data, which characterizes the face of the individual, as reference face data in order to retrieve the specific individual, compare the registered reference face data with image data that is the object of the search, and retrieve an image area having face data that resembles the reference face data (see the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-183734).
In the image retrieval described above, however, it is necessary to register the reference face data in advance. As will be described below, such image retrieval does not lend itself to consumer products because the operation involved is troublesome.
Specifically, when face data serving as a reference for the object of a search is registered, the image file containing the face desired to be registered is designated, the image data of this image file is displayed and the face to serve as the reference is registered by designating the area of the desired face in the image. At this time feature data that characterizes the face is extracted from the image data of the face and the feature data is stored as the reference face data.
Next, when retrieval is carried out, the image file to be retrieved is designated. When this is done, the reference face data characterizing reference faces and the image data of the image file to be retrieved are compared and image data containing the face that most resembles the sought face is retrieved.
With the conventional retrieval apparatus, the operation for registering the reference face data desired to be retrieved and the operation for retrieving a face in image data are separate operations, as described above. The user seeking to perform retrieval, therefore, is required to carry out the troublesome operation of registering reference face data in advance. This does not lend itself to the users of consumer products in particular.
Further, if the face of an individual has been retrieved, the user interface that determines how the retrieved face will be shown to the user also is important.
The specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-334213 discloses an invention entitled "Image Processing Apparatus and Medium Storing Program for Controlling Image Processing Apparatus". The disclosed invention detects a face area in digital image data containing a picture of a person by comparing color data of the image and face-recognition color data prepared in advance and displays by complementary color data in inverse video a face area having the largest area, thereby indicating to the user where the face area to be retrieved is located. Further, by touching a "SELECT" button, a face area having the next largest area is detected and this face area is displayed in inverse video.
Though the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-334213 discloses that a plurality of face areas in digital image data of a single image are displayed in inverse video one after another by the "SELECT" button, the specification makes no disclosure whatsoever concerning a user interface for a case where there are multiple images represented by digital image data having face areas.
Further, when retrieval of a face is actually performed by a user, generally digital image data of a plurality of images is retrieved. A problem is that a user interface for dealing with retrieved multiple images becomes necessary.

Image retrieval apparatus and method, and image display apparatus and method thereof


Conventional aircraft offer an inadequate solution for handling freight items. The present invention significantly improves the handling of freight items. Inter alia, for this the cargo compartment of an aircraft is equipped with a robot with at least one robot arm, wherein the robot arm comprises a receiver tool to receive freight items and is arranged displaceably on a ceiling construction of the cargo compartment.

The invention concerns a cargo compartment of an aircraft comprising a robot with at least one robot arm, an aircraft and a freight storage device.
In commercial aviation, a distinction is made between wide-bodied aircraft, narrow-bodied aircraft and regional jets. In wide-bodied aircraft, usually standardized freight units, in particular freight containers and/or freight pallets, are loaded in the lower deck cargo compartment. In the rear of wide-bodied aircraft there is usually a smaller bulk cargo compartment for loading bulky luggage and/or late-delivered luggage which must be available again quickly after landing (e.g. wheelchairs). Normally the cargo compartments of such wide-bodied aircraft are around 1.6 meters high and can be loaded with containers type LD-3.
In contrast the lower deck cargo compartment of a narrow-bodied aircraft is substantially smaller in dimensions. When loading these cargo compartments, corresponding freight units (e.g. freight containers) are not usually used. Instead bulk loading is used. The individual freight items are placed on a conveyor belt outside the aircraft which delivers them to the inlet area or loading hatch of the cargo compartment. A person sits there, who throws or pushes the luggage further to the back inside the cargo compartment. Inside the cargo compartment is a further person who successively stacks the luggage. These cargo compartments are usually around 1 meter high so the loading personnel have difficulty moving therein. There are narrow-bodied aircraft (e.g. the A320 series) which allow loading of special freight containers. The loading of these containers is problematical.
In regional jets there is a special, also small cargo compartment behind the cabin e.g. at the same level as the cabin. Furthermore there are corresponding aircraft which have very small cargo compartments below the cabin, corresponding substantially to the lower deck cargo compartments of narrow-bodied aircraft. These however are very small, usually only have the cross section of a single suitcase and a height of less than half a meter. Such cargo compartments are usually loaded totally manually.
In the past attempts have been made to simplify loading for narrow-bodied aircraft as the conventional, mainly manual loading process is time-intensive and hence costly, and unhealthy for the ground crew. The ground crew is obliged to lift and stow heavy freight items, e.g. weighing 35 kilos, in very constricted spaces.
It has been considered for example to install freight conveyor belts within the cargo compartments to stow the freight items in an unordered manner within the cargo compartment (WO 2008/118076 A1).
A common solution at present is the "sliding carpet". Here the floor area and parts of the side area of the cargo compartment are lined with a conveyor belt. A person sitting in the inlet region of the aircraft stacks the cases arriving into a row or a type of wall of freight items. The conveyor belts are then moved such that there is space for stacking a further row. This process is repeated until the entire cargo compartment is fully loaded. On unloading, the individual rows are discharged successively and the conveyor belts moved accordingly.
One disadvantage of this loading process is that the installation of the conveyor belts takes up loading space and the weight of the device contributes significantly to the total weight of the aircraft. This means that less freight can be transported and the fuel consumption rises. This leads to higher transport costs. Furthermore certain gaps must be maintained from the side walls (lining) and ceiling else the freight items can lie against these on movement of the conveyor belts. This can lead to damage of the aircraft, the falling of previously stacked freight item rows or the seizing of freight items. Furthermore securing the loaded freight items suitably has proved extremely problematical. No intermediate nets can be used which absorb the loads occurring during flight along the longitudinal direction or X direction of the aircraft and dissipate these to the fuselage of the aircraft. If no such nets are used, the individual freight items can move around the entire cargo compartment as one unit.
WO 98/54073 discloses a loading system in which the ground crew is supported by means of an extendable conveyor belt and a loading table arranged on the end of this conveyor belt. This system is used merely as a loading and unloading aid and then remains on the ground. Finally, within the aircraft several small conveyor belts are arranged in succession such that a narrow continuous conveyor belt results along the longitudinal direction which extends from the loading hatch to the rear area of the cargo compartment. Incoming freight items are loaded on this conveyor belt and transported to the end of the cargo compartment. There the freight items are stacked as already described. As soon as a row is full, the conveyor belt is retracted successively with the associated loading table. This solution has several disadvantages. Firstly the loading system is expensive and requires a lot of maintenance. Furthermore freight items frequently fall off the narrow conveyor belt so that ground crew must again assist manually. Finally there is a substantial risk that the aircraft will be damaged on temporary installation of the freight loading system. The ground crew must be trained accordingly in order to perform the installation safely.
Further solutions are known (e.g. from WO 2009/007549 A2) but all entail substantial disadvantages.
In general therefore the aim is to make increasing use of freight units, in particular freight containers, for rapid loading and unloading of aircraft. However the use of freight containers has numerous disadvantages. Different containers are required for different aircraft types (e.g. wide-bodied aircraft, narrow-bodied aircraft). If individual freight containers are not used, they must be stored. Many airports do not at present have sufficient capacity to store these freight containers suitably. Freight containers have a relatively high own weight so that transport in the aircraft is costly. Furthermore freight containers must be constructed relatively simply so it is not possible to adapt these optimally to the structure of the aircraft. To this extent the use of freight containers leads to a loss of useful cargo space. Furthermore it must be noted that both maintenance and purchase of freight containers entail no insignificant cost.
Many airports also do not have the necessary equipment for loading freight containers quickly and efficiently. Finally, loading and unloading the freight containers takes time, so that the benefits and disadvantages of the use of containers must be evaluated carefully in order to achieve an optimum result. Therefore aircraft are still fitted with bulk loading compartments.
A further problem which occurs on air transport of freight items for passengers is that many passengers do not wish to hand over freight items. The passengers would prefer to take all luggage items with them into the passenger compartment in order to have access to this luggage at any time. There would then be no lengthy hand-over of freight items at check-in. Also for passengers the benefit would arise that on leaving the aircraft, they need not wait for the luggage to be unloaded and finally handed back. A trend is appearing in which more and more freight items are carried in the passenger compartment. Existing passenger compartments however often do not have sufficient capacity to receive all these freight items. Even if the freight items can be received in the passenger compartment by the provision of adequate storage space, not least significant problems arise for the aircraft operator. Firstly the luggage must be examined very carefully to prevent terrorist attacks. Furthermore incorrectly stowed luggage can lead to injury to passengers. Finally the provision of corresponding storage space would mean that only little space would be left in the passenger compartment for the passengers. This has an effect on the wellbeing of the passengers.
To take at least partial account of this problem, WO 2007/051593 proposes providing suitable freight containers directly at the entrance to the aircraft which can be loaded by the passengers. These freight containers are then brought into the cargo compartment of the aircraft, transported and after landing erected again so that passengers can extract their own freight items. However there is no access to the freight items during the flight.
Starting from this prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a better equipped aircraft so that freight items can be transported comfortably and efficiently. Furthermore the process of loading and unloading the cargo compartment is simplified. In total the passengers are able to hand over their freight items as quickly and as easily as possible and have access to these at any time.
This object is achieved amongst others by a cargo compartment according to claim 1.
In particular the object is achieved by a cargo compartment of an aircraft which comprises a robot with at least one robot arm with at least one receiver tool to receive freight items, wherein the robot is arranged displaceably on a ceiling construction of the cargo compartment.
This ceiling construction can for example be the centre deck of the aircraft or an arbitrary construction above the freight deck. If a correspondingly suspended robot system is used, optimum use of the cargo compartment can be achieved. The loading process itself can be performed fully automatically in constricted cargo compartments, wherein the robot performs the loading and unloading process. The cargo compartment can then be utilized to the optimum since, inter alia, no walkable surfaces are required. Furthermore it is not necessary to provide standardized tracks on which freight containers or freight pallets can be transported. Also regions located for example between the frames of the aircraft construction can be fully utilized. The system is particularly suitable for use in small cargo compartments (e.g. with low height).
The cargo compartment can comprise a holding device attached to the ceiling construction, in particular with at least one linear guide and a drive unit to move the robot attached to the holding device, preferably along at least one longitudinal axis of the aircraft.
It is conceivable that the robot arm is designed such that a statically attached robot has access to all necessary regions of the cargo compartment. Alternatively it would also be possible to arrange several robots such that they perform loading and unloading in cooperation. For example a first robot can transfer a freight item to a second robot. Preferably the robot can however travel within the cargo compartment so that greater distances can be covered. In one embodiment example, for this linear guides are provided on the ceiling construction on which the robot is suspended, wherein the drive unit ensures that the robot can be moved along these linear guides. This holding device is preferably designed at least such that the robot can travel along the longitudinal axis of the aircraft.
Moving the robot along the retaining device leads to a more efficient use and allows the transport of freight items with high weight as the robot arm can be designed substantially shorter (smaller lever).
In one embodiment the holding device can comprise a peripheral linear guide on which at least two robots are attached. The efficiency of the loading system can thus be increased further in that several robots are provided which can each be moved along a proposed holding device. If the holding device is a peripheral linear guide, the robots can act parallel to each other without conflict situations. For example a first robot can pick up a first freight item at the loading hatch of the aircraft and transport this into the interior of the cargo compartment. Then a second robot can pick up a second freight item from the loading hatch and follow the first robot. While the second robot is still busy stowing the freight item, the first robot can move back to the loading hatch on a parallel linear guide to pick up further freight items. A type of circular operation occurs which leads to very rapid loading and unloading.
The cargo compartment can comprise a freight deck with preferably passive freight conveyor devices, in particular ball mats and/or rollers and/or roller tracks, wherein the robot is formed and/or arranged to move freight units stored on the freight conveyor devices, in particular freight containers and/or freight pallets. The robots can therefore be used not only to pick up and load individual freight items virtually manually. Rather the robots can also be used to bring freight containers to a predefined position. Theoretically it is conceivable that the robot is dimensioned such that it lifts corresponding freight units and lowers these at a predefined position in the manner of a loading crane. Preferably however passive freight conveyor devices are provided, for example freight conveyor devices without their own in particular electric drive, on which the freight units can be moved with low force. Finally the freight delivery units receive the main load of the freight container. The robot is used merely to move, in particular push, the freight units on the freight conveyor devices in a predefined direction. To this extent it is possible to omit active freight conveyor devices, for example roller drive units (PDU power drive units). The robot need not be equipped to carry the entire load independently.
In total the robot can thus be used for different loading systems, wherein individual freight items in the manner of bulk loading, and freight units with a multiplicity of freight items, can be loaded.
The object cited above is furthermore achieved by a freight storage device for a cargo compartment of an aircraft with a multiplicity of freight compartments which are each formed by a multiplicity of side walls and comprise at least one freight opening for insertion and removal of freight items, wherein at least some of the side walls are connected together flexibly and/or rotationally mobile and/or translationally mobile such that the dimensions of at least one freight compartment can be changed by moving at least one side wall.
Such a freight storage device can be a type of shelf unit which is arranged or integrated on the side walls of the cargo compartment. Alternatively this freight storage device can be arranged on the floor of the cargo compartment so that the freight compartments extend substantially perpendicular to the floor surface, the openings facing upwards.
The freight storage device according to the invention allows efficient loading in particular of individual freight items for example suitcases, rucksacks, bags etc. The freight items are suitably placed in the freight compartments which are afterwards or previously adapted to the size of the freight items. To this extent the existing space can be utilized optimally, wherein a separate freight compartment is provided for each freight item. Later retrieval of the freight item is substantially facilitated. To this extent individual freight items can be unloaded in a targeted manner or provisionally made available to the passenger. The freight storage device according to the invention furthermore allows the compression of soft freight items for better utilization of the existing space.
In theory it is possible to use any arbitrary materials for the side walls of the freight compartments. For example a hanging shelf of fabric can be used according to the invention. In one embodiment example however rigid materials, in particular plastics and/or metal alloys, are used.
The freight storage device can comprise longitudinal partitions and transverse partitions to form the side walls. Preferably the longitudinal partitions can be displaced in relation to the transverse partitions and/or the transverse partitions can be displaced in relation to the longitudinal partitions. Such a displacement can be a parallel displacement. It is conceivable to arrange several partitions in the manner of a grid to form the individual freight compartments. Preferably at least one longitudinal partition or at least one transverse partition can be displaced such that the dimensions of the associated freight compartments are adapted to the corresponding freight items.
At least one freight compartment can comprise a closing device, in particular a roller shutter and/or net to at least partly close the freight opening. It is advantageous if the freight openings are closed during flight so that the freight items stored cannot fall out.
The freight storage device described can advantageously be used in any cargo compartment, in particular in a cargo compartment as already described. Also numerous positive synergy effects are achieved in conjunction with the robot described.
The object cited initially is furthermore achieved by a cargo compartment of an aircraft which comprises at least one freight storage device with a multiplicity of freight compartments, wherein at least one of the freight compartments is formed such that it can be loaded from above, in particular in a direction perpendicular to a freight deck of the cargo compartment. Said freight storage device can be a freight storage device as already described. It is possible to equip any arbitrary cargo compartment, including that already described, with a corresponding horizontal freight storage device.
Said freight storage device can better utilize the existing areas in the cargo compartment of the aircraft. For example the concave regions in the floor area resulting from the aircraft design can be fully utilized. The freight storage device described is particularly suitable for loading by a robot arranged for example on a ceiling construction. For loading by robot, no walkable floor for the personnel is required so the cargo compartment can be utilized very efficiently.
The object cited above is furthermore achieved by an aircraft with at least one passenger compartment and at least one cargo compartment, wherein the cargo compartment is preferably designed as already described. A robot can be provided for stowing freight items from the passenger compartment in the cargo compartment.
This robot can be formed as already described above. It is however also conceivable to use a different robot. A correspondingly equipped aircraft allows the passengers to take individual freight items, preferably hand luggage, with them into the passenger compartment. There the freight item is handed over and stowed not in the passenger compartment but in the cargo compartment. Preferably the aircraft is equipped such that the passenger can access the freight item again during the flight. For example after stowing a freight item, the robot can retrieve this again on request and deliver it directly or indirectly to the passenger.
The robot can comprise at least one, preferably at least two receiver tools for receiving freight items. A corresponding multiplicity of receiver tools allows different freight items to be picked up and transported suitably.
The aircraft, in particular the robot, can comprise at least one image capture device to provide at least one image of a freight item to be transported, wherein the robot is formed to select the receiver tool to receive the freight item to be transported on the basis of the image. It is conceivable to control the selection of a suitable receiver tool by an arbitrary mechanism. For example freight items for a first receiver tool can be provided in a first region and freight items for the second receiver tool in a second region. Furthermore the freight items can be fitted with a corresponding digital code (e.g. RFID, Bluetooth, 2D codes, 3D codes) so that from this information the robot knows which receiver tool should be used. Furthermore on hand over of the freight item, an input can be made which allows a suitable receiver tool to be selected. Preferably a selection is made however on the basis of a digital image capture system in which different freight items (e.g. rucksack, hard case) are recognized automatically. Alternatively or additionally recognition can be based on mechanical test results. For example the robot can have a gripper tool which (slightly) compresses the freight item to be transported and determines the hardness of the freight item by means of one or more force sensors.
After image recognition of the freight item, which preferably also detects its rough dimensions, an "odor identification" can take place. For example corresponding sensors can be provided to identify suspect chemicals (e.g. for bombs). This test can advantageously take place with the compression of the freight item described above. After or during the odor identification, an additional density test can take place as described above. This density test can also be used to determine the maximum compression force required for lifting a particular freight item.
A weight determination can take place with suitable sensors. The weight determination can be used for example to move heavy objects more slowly and/or carefully. Furthermore the particular weight can be decisive for where the corresponding freight item is stored. If a shelf unit is used for example for loading the freight item, heavy freight items are stored substantially further down than light freight items.
The receiver tool can comprise at least one vacuum head to hold freight items with an at least partly air-impermeable outer skin. With a corresponding tool head, corresponding freight items can be picked up and transported very easily and efficiently.
As already explained, at least one of the receiver tools can comprise at least one gripper tool for gripping freight items and/or at least one conveyor belt for receiving and depositing freight items. Such receiver tools are particularly suitable for picking up and transporting air-permeable freight items and/or freight items of soft material.
In these cases the receiver tool can be a type of mini-conveyor belt which loads or unloads the luggage item by driving the conveyor belt.
A receiver tool equipped with the corresponding conveyor belt can furthermore have side limiters which where applicable can compress and grip the freight item after it has been picked up. Furthermore this mechanism can be used to determine the density of the freight item or take other measurements.
Alternatively a type of "gripper fork" can be used, as fitted for example on overhead traveling cranes. It would also theoretically be conceivable to provide gripper tools which substantially emulate human hands, wherein for example flexible segments are provided in the fork contour.
It is conceivable to optimize said gripper tools such that these are ideal for gripping freight items with a maximum dimension of approximately 55×40×20 cm.
The object cited initially is furthermore achieved by an aircraft with at least one passenger compartment, at least one cargo compartment and at least one freight administration device, wherein the freight administration device comprises at least one freight item receiver device to receive a freight item, at least one input device to detect preferably the code allocated to the freight item, and at least one freight item loading device, in particular a robot. The freight administration device is preferably formed such that after input of a code, at least the freight item loading device is controlled such that the associated freight item is taken from the cargo compartment to the passenger compartment in the freight receiver device. The aircraft can be designed as described above. Furthermore the above-mentioned cargo compartment can be designed as described above. In particular the freight item loading device can comprise a robot with the features already explained.
By means of said freight administration device it is possible that a freight item not in the passenger compartment is issued to a passenger on the basis of a code. This process can be performed automatically. To this extent the passenger compartment can be substantially free from freight items not required. The freight administration device allows optimization of the entry and/or exit process as the passengers can enter and leave the aircraft with their luggage. Additional luggage delivery and collection processes can be at least partly omitted.
The freight item receiver device can comprise a lift and/or a connecting opening and/or a chute for transport of freight items from the passenger compartment to the cargo compartment. The freight item receiver device can thus be the connecting element between the passenger compartment and the cargo compartment so that delivery and collection of the freight items is optimized.
The input device can be a read device for an identification device preferably arranged in or on the freight item, in particular a passive transponder and/or a 2D and/or 3D code. To this extent it is possible to allocate an identification number or corresponding code automatically to a particular freight item so that this can always be clearly identified. This code can be used, inter alia, for later collection of the freight item. For example a passenger in the passenger compartment can enter a corresponding code on the freight item receiver device so that the freight administration device knows which freight item is required. Alternatively it is conceivable to associate the passenger with an identification number or identification code wherein the freight administration device knows which freight items should be allocated to which passenger. Corresponding data can be stored in a memory device provided to this end. For example a table can be provided with allocation of personal codes to freight item codes.
The freight administration device can be adapted to determine a storage position for a freight item entered in the freight item receiver device, control the freight item loading device such that the freight item is stowed in the storage position, preferably in the cargo compartment, and memorize the storage position preferably in conjunction with a code allocated in particular to the freight item and/or person. To this extent the freight administration device need not search for a particular freight item but knows precisely where this is stored. Consequently the collection process for freight items it optimized.
In one embodiment example the freight administration device can comprise a passenger detection device for detecting the position of at least one passenger and providing corresponding position data, wherein the freight administration device is formed to take the position data into account on an unloading process. An unloading process can thus be optimized. For example it is conceivable that after landing, all passengers want access to the freight items they have handed over. The freight administration device according to the invention is designed such that freight items are delivered only at predefined positions within the passenger compartment. For example the freight items can be provided by one or more freight item receiver devices. After the aircraft has landed, there may be a random order in which the passengers can seek a corresponding freight item receiver device. The data from the passenger detection device can advantageously be used to determine in what order certain freight items are collected. To this extent the freight administration device can take this order into account. For example pauses occurring can be used by the freight item loading device to store freight items at a suitable position so that these can be made available to a particular passenger at the correct time.
Preferably the passenger detection device comprises a device for detecting preferably passive transponders. The individual passengers can advantageously be equipped with corresponding transponders so that they can be easily identified.

Cargo compartment with robot, aircraft, freight storage device


Computerized apparatus for electrolytic processing of materials, includes an electrolytic processing bath, plural first electrodes, at least one second electrode, and a computerized power supply for supplying time multiplexed power to the electrodes. The power supply may include a pulse width modulator or a pulse position modulator and is operative to control the relative amounts of time that the respective electrodes are energized for electroplating, electropolishing, and the like. Current control and bath composition control are provided. Plural baths may be monitored and/or controlled by a single computer control. A method for electrolytic processing of materials includes placing plural first electrodes in an electrolytic processing bath, placing at least one second electrode in such bath, and using a computer to determine different respective times at which power is supplied between at least one of such first electrodes and such at least one second electrode.

In the field of electroplating an article intended to be plated is placed in an electrolytic bath. The plating material, such as gold, zinc, nickel, silver or other material or a combination of materials intended to be plated onto the article, is dissolved in or is otherwise conveyed into an electrolyte which forms the electroplating bath. Often the plating material is derived from one or more anodes positioned in the bath. The anode is coupled to a power supply and the article intended to be plated also is coupled to the power supply and serves as the cathode in the electrolytic plating system. By applying an electrical potential difference/voltage between the anode and cathode a current flows therebetween through the electrolyte and the plating material migrates to the article intended to be plated. The amount of plating material actually plated onto the cathode/article intended to be plated is a function of the applied voltage, current flow through the electrolyte and current density at the article intended to be plated. When the current density varies at different parts of a particular cathode/article, the degree of plating there also will tend to vary correspondingly. Also, if current is switched on and off, laminar plating may occur, which often is undesirable. Laminar plating is a formation of layers rather than a homogeneous plating.
Current tYpicallY is a function of applied voltage and the impedance, as is well known. The impedance typically is a function of the efficiency of the electrodes themselves (including electrochemical equivalents thereof), of the impedance characteristics of the plating bath, and of the spacing of the electrodes in the bath.
It would be desirable to maintain a controlled and uniform current density at the cathode/article intended to be plated in order to achieve a desired controlled, uniform plating thereof.
One type of alloy plating uses the anodes themselves to contribute to the composition of the bath. In such case plural plating materials are applied to the article intended to be plated as an alloy or mixture of such plating materials. The problems encountered with non-uniform current density are further complicated by the additional factor that the concentration of plating material ingredients may vary with time, voltage, plating that forms on a particular anode or cathode, polarization of an anode, efficiency of the anode and/or cathode, current density, etc. For example, in one alloy plating system with respect to which the invention will be described in detail below, there may be multiple anodes, each of which contributes a separate ingredient into the electrolytic plating bath to form the plating material alloy. The concentration of one plating material relative to the other or others must be maintained in the electrolytic plating bath to obtain the desired constituency or relative concentrations of plating materials on the article intended to be plated. For example, to obtain a plated coating of an alloy of zinc and nickel on a metal article, say of a constituency of 88% zinc 12% nickel, it is necessary that the relative amounts of such zinc and nickel ingredients in the electrolytic bath be at approximately a 62/38 ratio or some other known ratio that is altered according to some function, such as a function of the ionic nature of the respective ingredients that is representative of the tendency of such material to plate onto the cathode/article, the operative efficiency of the anode(s) and/or cathode, etc., as is known. For example, it is known that one material may plate more readily than another due to the fact that there are more free electrons available in one than in the other or there is some difference between the ions as they travel through the electrolytic plating bath from the anode to the cathode.
However, as the concentration of one ingredient relative to the other (others) in the electrolytic plating bath changes, regardless of whether such concentration change is due to anode dissolving or some other reason, the ratio of those ingredients in the finished plating coating will change, which may cause a variation from specifications for the finished plated article. This, of course, is undesirable.
To alter the concentration relationship of the electrolytic plating bath to bring it back to the desired specification, it is necessary to increase the amount of one ingredient relative to the other. Such increase sometimes is brought about by changing, say increasing, the current/potential difference between the anode that is supplying such ingredient and the cathode. Such a change in current, though may cause a change in current density at the cathode if a corresponding adjustment in the current/potential difference between the other anode and the cathode is not made, which changes the uniform plating thereat and also can cause a difference in the amount of one ingredient that is plated onto the cathode/article relative to the amount of the other ingredient that is plated onto the cathode/article. Such a change in current also causes a potential difference between the anode whose voltage has been changed by increasing current there and the other anode which is supplying the other ingredient to the plating bath, thus possibly causing undesirable plating of the first ingredient onto the other anode, which in turn can cause an undesirable shift in operation, anode efficiency, and/or concentration in the electrolytic plating bath.
In other types of electroplating ingredients are directly added to the bath to obtain plating material therein. The invention is useful in such plating techniques.
Another type of electrolytic processing is known as electrolytic polishing or simply electropolishing. In electropolishing high points or roughness causing flaws in the surface of a material intended to be polished are removed to improve smoothness of the surface. In electropolishing the part intended to be polished is placed in an electrolytic bath and serves as one electrode of the electropolishing system. A second electrode also is placed in the bath. A potential difference of prescribed polarity is applied between such electrodes so that current flows from the part toward the other electrode. Due to the direction of current flow, the part is referred to as the anode, and the other electrode is referred to as the cathode. Since the high points on the part tend to concentrate current or at least tend to experience higher current density than the already smoother surface portions, material at the high points tends to be removed with the current flow, thus effecting polishing. The various problems encountered in electroplating also can detrimentally affect electropolishing.
The present invention helps solve the above problems and disadvantages encountered in prior electroprocessing systems and methods.
Another problem encountered in the past has been the tendency of some electroplating baths to grow or to increase in the amount of a particular ingredient therein or ratio of that ingredient compared to another. Sometimes additives have been added to the bath to control such growth, and sometimes inert (non-dissolving) electrodes (anodes) have been used to control such growth. The present invention described below may be used to control power to such control electrodes, i.e., the inert electrodes, therefore controlling the composition of the bath.
Further, in the past electrodes formed of an alloy material have been used to provide the desired concentration of alloy ingredients to an electroplating bath. One example is an alloy of tin and lead. Using the present invention, though, separate electrodes, one of tin and the other of lead, can be controlled to provide the desired concentration of ingredients to the plating bath.
As used herein anode, cathode or electrode may refer to one anode, cathode or electrode or to a group of anodes, group of cathodes or group of electrodes, as will be evident to those having ordinary skill in the art.

Electrolytic processing apparatus and method with time multiplexed power supply


A remote copy system includes a first storage device performing data transmission/reception with a host computer, a second storage device receiving data from the first storage device, and a third storage device receiving data from the second storage device. The first storage device includes a logical volume, the second storage device includes a logical volume being a virtual volume, and the third storage device includes a logical volume. The first storage system changes the state of a first pair of the logical volumes based on the state of a second pair of the logical volumes. With such a remote copy system and a method for use therein, any data backup failure can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage system and, more specifically, to a remote copy system and method with which data replication is performed among a plurality of storage systems.
2. Description of Related Art
For replication of data stored in a storage system in regular use (referred to as a first storage system) to other storage systems (referred to as second and third storage systems), with a well-known technology, the second storage system keeps only one replication of replication-target data of the first storage system, and the replication data is available for the third storage system without having to use any redundant logical volume for remote copy use. An example includes Patent Document 1 (JP-A-2003-122509).


A dynamically reconfigurable linear core logic gate is a device that allows logical outputs dependent upon configurable parameters set within device. The device is comprised of three blocks: The first block receives at least one input signal and determines whether the signal or signals are low or high in comparison with a threshold reference signal. The second block sums the logic signals of the first block with an offset signal. The third block determines if the sum realized in the second block is a low or high by checking whether the sum falls within a predetermined interval.

There is great interest in developing new working paradigms to complement and even replace current statically-wired computer architectures. One of the newest ideas is Chaos Computing which focuses on the development of devices with dynamic logic architecture and employs nonlinear or chaotic elements in logic operations. Application of chaos computing requires the development of dynamic logic gates (also called logic cells) that are able to change their response according to threshold reference signals and offset signals in order to produce different logic gates. These dynamic logic gates would support development of logic chips for next generation computers.
Current research that exploits the logic features of nonlinear dynamic systems through their electronic implementations, for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,091,062, 7,973,566, 7,924,059, 7,863,937, 7,415,683, 7,096,437, 7,453,285, 7,925,814, 7,925,131 and US patent application 2010/0219858, are related to chaotic computing architectures for logic gates based in nonlinear elements, while the present invention discloses dynamically configurable structures for linear core logic gates.
There are reports of computing modules that can be rewired to produce different outputs, but these devices employ static logic gates. For example, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) support rewiring and a limited degree of flexibility with respect to reconfiguration. Examples of modules that use static logic gates were presented in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,025,735, 7,482,834, 5,748,009, 5,646,546 and Re. 35977. All are based on rewired static logic gates; different from the configurable structures for dynamic linear core logic gates presented in this application.
Reconfigurable computer modules based on chaotic or nonlinear elements (Chua's circuit or logistic map). Chua's circuit is easy to implement with off the shelf components. However, this device is not feasible to manufacture for integrated circuit technology because the required components (capacitors and inductor) occupy too much circuit area. The logistic map is based on a multiplier of its state, this produce the nonlinearity of the system and it is the core of the system. It should be noted that systems based on sensitive dependence on initial conditions are often very difficult to control in presence of noise because the nonlinear components.
In order to reduce the sensitive dependence on initial conditions of the nonlinear circuits and obtain a robust reconfigurable dynamic logic gate we have designed a method, circuit, array, and system to provide an implementation of a reconfigurable logic element using a linear core.

Reconfigurable dynamic logic gate with linear core

Instituto Potosino de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica A.C.