A DC power supply device includes transformers that operate with an enhanced efficiency and can reduce the factors that generate ripples in the output voltage to make it possible to downsize the transformers and the smoothing filters of the device, reduce the loss attributable to the switching elements during its constant power output operation and also downsize the heat sink fins so that the overall dimensions of the power supply device may be reduced. The DC power supply device also comprises a pair of switching changers, two output transformers and two rectifying/smoothing sections for rectifying the respective outputs of the switching changers. Each of the two switching changers has the same switching cycle period and the striking phases of the switching elements of one of the switching changers and those of the switching elements of the other switching changer are made variable. Then, a constant power output level is achieved by utilizing the difference of the striking phases of the two switching changers in order to isolate the switching changers from each other for operation and connect them in series or in parallel for operation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relate to a switching power supply device. More particularly, it relates to a DC power supply device with a constant power output level and output power control of such a device.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 19 of the accompanying drawings is a schematic circuit diagram of a switching power supply device to be typically used for a film forming device. In FIG. 19, reference symbols Q1 through Q4 denote respectively switching elements, which form a full-bridge; and reference symbol T1 denotes a transformer, while D1 through D4 respectively denotes rectifier diodes for the output of the transformer; and L denotes an output choke coil. Additionally, reference symbols Co, R, Vin, n1, n2 and VQ respectively denote a smoothing capacitor, a load, an input voltage source, a primary winding, a secondary winding and output voltage.
Constant power control is required for controlling a film forming device. Therefore, the power supply device of the system operates for power output in a manner as illustrated in FIG. 21. In FIG. 21, Vo denotes the output voltage of the power supply device and Io denotes the output current of the device.
In FIG. 21, V1 and I2 respectively indicate the highest output voltage and the largest output current, while V2 and I2 respectively indicate the output voltage and the output current at the opposite ends of the power output performance curve of the device. The constant power output range is found between A and B in FIG. 21. If V1=500V and I2=40A in FIG. 21, the output capacity of the power supply device is 20 kW (V1xc3x97I2). However, the maximum output of the device may be 10 kw if I1=20A and V2=250V for ICxc3x97V1 (=l2xc3x97V2) because of constant power control.
Therefore, the transformer is poorly exploited as it is used at the output level of 10 kW although it has a capacity of 20 kW. On the other hand, the switching elements Q1 through Q4 are arranged to form a full-bridge and used for pulse width control (PWM) with a constant cycle period Ts (FIG. 20). PWM itself is well known. FIGS. 20(a) through 20(d) show the waveforms of gate signals of Q1 through Q4; and FIG. 20(e) shows the waveform of the pulse output of the full-bridge (the primary input of the transformer) that has a pulse width of t. Because of constant power output, the output voltage is reduced to consequently show a small pulse width when the output current of the power supply device shows the maximum level. This means that a large smoothing filter is needed to rectify and smooth the voltage (see waveform FIG. 20(f)).
As pointed out above, the conventional control method is accompanied by disadvantages including that the transformer is poorly exploited and hence the use of a large filter is required and that the effective current of the switching/transforming section and that of the primary winding of the output transformer are increased to increase the loss of the output transformer and that of the switching elements because of the small pulse width in constant power output operations, which requires the use of large heat sink fins to obstruct efforts for down-sizing.
In view of the drawbacks of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a power supply device that can fully exploit its transformer and minimize the factors that give rise to ripples in the output voltage so that the transformer and the smoothing filter may be downsized and the loss of power of the switching elements may be reduced in constant power output operations. Thus, a power supply device according to the invention can be provided with reduced dimensions.
The first aspect of the invention, a power supply device supplying an output voltage from smoothing circuits to a load, comprising; a first primary winding and a second primary winding, and a first secondary winding and a second secondary winding magnetically coupled respectively to said first and second primary windings; a first current supply circuit and a second current supply circuit for respectively supplying electric currents to said first and second primary windings and inducing alternating voltages in said first and second secondary windings by making said electric current flow to said first and second primary windings; a rectifying circuit for rectifying the respective alternating voltages induced in said first and second secondary windings and being connected to said first and second secondary windings respectively at their ends; and a smoothing circuit for smoothing the voltage output from said rectifying circuit, other ends of said first and second secondary windings being short circuited, said first and second current supply circuits being adapted to control phases of alternating currents supplied to said first and second primary windings respectively.
The second aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to the first aspect, wherein an operation period of said power supply device includes a period where said first and second secondary windings are connected in parallel relative to said rectifying circuit as a function of polarities of the voltages induced in said first and second secondary windings respectively, and said period of said parallel connection is changed by controlling said phases by means of said first and second current supply circuits.
The third aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to the second aspect, wherein an operation period of said power supply device includes a period where said first and second secondary windings are connected in series relative to said rectifying circuit for a period as a function of polarities of the voltages induced in said first and second secondary windings respectively, and said period of said series connection is changed by controlling said phases by means of said first and second current supply circuits.
The fourth aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to the second aspect, further comprising a measuring circuit for measuring an output voltage and output current supplied to said load and controlling phases of said first and second current supply circuits based on a measurement result.
The fifth aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to the third aspect, further comprising a measuring circuit for measuring the output voltage and output current supplied to said load and controlling phases of said first and second current supply circuits based on the measurement results.
The sixth aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to the fourth aspect, wherein said measuring circuit prolongs the period of connecting said first and second secondary windings in parallel by controlling said phases of said first and second current supply circuits upon detecting any increase exceeding a predetermined upper limit in said output current, and shortens the period of connecting said first and second secondary windings in parallel by controlling said phases of said first and second current supply circuits upon detecting any decrease from said upper limit in said output current.
The seventh aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to the fifth aspect, wherein
said measuring circuit prolongs the period of connecting said first and second secondary windings in parallel by controlling said phases of said first and second current supply circuits upon detecting any increase exceeding a predetermined upper limit in said output current, and shortens the period of connecting said first and second secondary windings in parallel by controlling said phases of said first and second current supply circuits upon detecting any decrease from said upper limit in said output current.
The eighth aspect of the present invention is directed to the power supply device according to the fifth aspect, wherein said first and second current supply circuits prolong the period of connecting said first and second secondary windings in series by controlling said phases upon detection by said measuring circuit of any decrease in said output voltage, and shorten the period of connecting said first and second secondary windings in series by controlling said phases upon detection by said measuring circuit of any increase in said output voltage.
The ninth aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to the second aspect, wherein said first and second current supply circuits supply respective electric currents to said first and second primary windings so as to make frequencies of the alternating voltages induced in said first and second secondary windings equal to each other.
The tenth aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to the third aspect, wherein said first and second current supply circuits supply respective electric currents to said first and second primary windings so as to make frequencies of the alternating voltages induced in said first and second secondary windings equal to each other.
The eleventh aspect of the invention is directed to a power supply device supplying an output voltage from smoothing circuits to a load, comprising: a first primary winding and a second primary winding, and a first secondary winding and a second secondary winding magnetically coupled respectively to said first and second primary windings; a first current supply circuit and a second current supply circuit for respectively supplying a forwardly flowing electric current and a backwardly flowing electric current to said first and second primary windings and inducing voltages in said first and second secondary windings; a rectifying circuit for rectifying the respective voltages induced in said first and second secondary windings; and a smoothing circuit for smoothing the voltage output from said rectifying circuit; said rectifying circuit having a first series connected circuit, a second series connected circuit, and a third series connected circuit, each being formed by connecting two rectifying elements in series at a connection point, said first through third series connected circuits being short circuited respectively at anode sides and cathode sides and connected to said smoothing circuit; said first and second secondary windings being connected respectively at their ends thereof to connection middle points of said first and second series connected circuits; said first and second secondary windings being connected respectively to other ends thereof to a connection middle point of said third series connected circuits.
The twelfth aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to the eleventh aspect, wherein each of said two rectifying elements of said first series connected circuit consists at least two rectifying elements connected in parallel, respectively.
The thirteenth aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to eleventh aspect wherein an operation period of said power supply device includes periods where said first and second secondary windings are connected in parallel and in series relative to said rectifying circuits respectively as a function of polarities of the voltages induced in said first and second secondary windings respectively, and said periods of said series connection and that of said parallel connection are changed by controlling phases of alternating voltages induced in said first and second secondary windings by means of said first and second current supply circuits.
The fourteenth aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to thirteenth aspect, further comprising a measuring circuit for measuring an output voltage and an output current supplied to said load, said first and second current supply circuits being adapted to control said phases based on a measurement result.
The fifteenth aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to the thirteenth aspect, wherein said first and second current supply circuits prolong the period of said series connection of the said first and second secondary windings by controlling said phases upon detection by said measuring circuit of any reduction in said output voltage and shorten the period of said series connection of said first and second secondary windings upon detection by said measuring circuit of any increase in said output voltage.
The sixteenth aspect of the present invention is directed to the power supply device according to the thirteenth aspect, wherein said measuring circuit prolongs the period of connecting said first and second secondary windings in parallel by controlling said phases of said first and second current supply circuits upon detecting any increase exceeding a predetermined upper limit in said output current, and shortens the period of connecting said first and second secondary windings in parallel by controlling said phases of said first and second current supply circuits upon detecting any decrease from said upper limit in said output current.
The seventeenth aspect of the present invention is directed to the power supply device according to the thirteenth aspect, wherein said first and second current supply circuits supply respective electric currents to said first and second primary windings so as to make the frequencies of the alternating voltages induced in said first and second secondary windings equal to each other.
The eighteenth aspect of the invention is directed to a power supply device supplying an output voltage from smoothing circuits to a load, comprising: a first primary winding and a second primary winding, and a first secondary winding and a second secondary winding magnetically coupled respectively to said first and second primary windings; a first current supply circuit and a second current supply circuit for respectively and intermittently supplying electric currents to said first and second primary windings and inducing voltages in said first and second secondary windings; a rectifying circuit for rectifying respective voltages induced in said first and second primary windings; and a smoothing circuit for smoothing the voltage output from said rectifying circuit, the smoothing circuit being connected to a first common connection point and a second common connection point included in said rectifying circuit, said rectifying circuit having a first rectifying element, a second rectifying element, and a third rectifying element, said first and second secondary windings being connected respectively at their ends thereof to a first common connection point by way of said first and second rectifying elements; said first and second secondary windings being connected respectively to other ends thereof to a second common connection point, said second common connection point being connected to said first common connection point by way of said third rectifying element.
The nineteenth aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to the eighteenth aspect, wherein an operation period of said power supply device includes a period where said first and second secondary windings are connected in parallel relative to said rectifying circuit as a function of polarities of the voltages induced in said first and second secondary windings respectively, and said period of said parallel connection is changed by controlling said phases of the alternating voltages induced in said first and second secondary windings by means of said first and second current supply circuits.
The twentieth aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to nineteenth aspect, further comprising a measuring circuit for measuring an output voltage and an output current supplied to said load, said first and second current supply circuits being adapted to control said phases based on the measurement result.
The twenty first aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to the twentieth aspect, wherein said measuring circuit prolongs the period of connecting said first and second secondary windings in parallel by controlling said phases of said first and second current supply circuits upon detecting any increase exceeding a predetermined upper limit in said output current, and shortens the period of connecting said first and second secondary windings in parallel by controlling said phases of said first and second current supply circuits upon detecting any decrease from said upper limit in said output current.
The twenty second aspect of the invention is directed to the power supply device according to the thirteenth aspect, wherein said first and second current supply circuits supply respective electric currents to said first and second primary windings so as to make the frequencies of the alternating voltages induced in said first and second secondary windings equal to each other.

DC power supply device with constant power output level

Shindengen Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


Systems and methods for shear-corrected digital hologram acquisition, wherein the shear-corrected geometry is highly suited for two (or more) color operation with either broadband or laser illumination. An apparatus for shear-corrected recording of a spatially heterodyne hologram with broad-band or laser illumination includes: an illumination source; a beamsplitter optically coupled to said illumination source(s); a reference beam corner-mirror pair for translation and phase-shaping of the object beam optically coupled to the beamsplitter; an object optically coupled to the beamsplitter; a focusing lens optically coupled to both the reference beam corner-mirror pair and the object; and a digital recorder optically coupled to the focusing lens. A reference beam is incident upon the translating and phase-shaping corner-mirror pair, and the reference beam and an object beam are focused by the focusing lens at a focal plane of the digital recorder to form a spatially heterodyne hologram.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of holography. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shear-corrected digital hologram acquisition system suitable for use with "white light" (spectrally broadband) or laser illumination, or two-color illumination. For the two-color (more than two colors is also possible) implementation, the two colors may either both be broadband (low or very low coherence) illumination, or laser illumination. In one preferred implementation of the present invention, a laser is used for illumination, a mirror exclusive to the reference arm or corner mirror pair and an extended beam-combiner are used to create the phase-shift and shear-correction in the reference arm, and the hologram is recorded on a digital camera. The present invention thus relates to a digital hologram acquisition system.
2. Related Art
Prior methods of classical holography (1-4) and of digital hologram acquisition (5-9) have required both laser (coherent) illumination and that the reference and object (target) beams be combined at some angle (there is a shear between the two beams). Lasers have a number of problems, including high expense and generally requiring very extensive safety precautions, which makes them even more expensive. Additionally, since lasers have long coherence lengths (compared to broader band illumination sources), small reflections from optical surfaces will interfere with and make significant noise in the digital hologram. Previous methods have also required an angle (shear) between the two beams to create the spatially heterodyne fringe pattern that actually records the hologram. The shear is created by reflecting the reference beam from a mirror or beamsplitter so that it propagates at a different angle than the object (target) beam. In general digital holography systems require a small angle between the two beams; otherwise the fringes are too fine to be recorded by the digital camera or recorder being used. For common path systems, such as a Michelson geometry, or the last leg of a Mach-Zender geometry to the digital recorder, this means that the beams separate spatially from one another, and in fact makes it impossible to use a Michelson geometry for systems with high magnification—the reference beam becomes so separated due to the shear that it is either clipped by the optics, does not overlay the object beam, or both. Even with the shorter common path Mach-Zender layout, shear between the two beams often causes problems in achieving adequate overlay of the beams.
A system proposed by Thomas (10) teaches how to use a shearless system to solve the problem of non-overlapped beams of the sheared systems. The shearless system however requires generally expensive diffractive or holographic optical elements to eliminate the sheared beams problem.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art digital holography system with a Michelson geometry, where the shear between the two beams is indicated. Note that for this particular case, nominally a high-magnification case, the reference and object beams no longer have any overlap, as indicated, and therefore cannot form a hologram.


A system and method for application metadata is disclosed. A method for receiving search criteria drawn to a property of an application of an enterprise is disclosed. A method for searching a plurality of types of metadata using a search criteria is disclosed. A method for producing search results setting forth applications of an enterprise affected by a property of another application is disclosed. A metadata system comprising a plurality of types of metadata describing a plurality of applications is disclosed. A metadata system capable of searching a plurality of types of metadata based on a search criteria is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for use of application metadata, and more particularly, to a metadata system capable of including or cross-referencing a plurality of types of metadata.
2. Background of the Invention
Information technicians need to analyze systems, programs, and databases ("applications") used by their enterprise. To do so, they monitor or describe various aspects of these applications. They can monitor data communicated between applications and describe data that is stored or accessible by an application. Generally, the information learned from monitoring and describing applications in these ways is called "metadata." Specifically, the two types of information learned from these ways of monitoring and describing applications are referred to herein as types of "basic metadata," and are described in greater detail below.
Metadata is data about data; it describes data. For example, data, such as a book in the library, e.g., Moby Dick, can be described as a novel; a work by Herman Melville; a work about whales and whalers; a work about relentless pursuit; and a work written in the 19th Century, as well as many other descriptions. In this example, the data is the text of Moby Dick and the metadata is the description of Moby Dick: the author—Herman Melville; the subject—whales, whalers, and relentless pursuits; and the time written—the 19th Century.
When a technician needs to analyze his enterprise's applications he can search through the enterprise's collection of basic metadata. But basic metadata does not contain enough information, making the technician's analysis incomplete and often flawed. This makes it difficult for technicians to alter and replace applications, keep an accurate map of their enterprise's applications, and fully represent all of the technology assets retained by their enterprise.
Also, when a technician needs to analyze an application he may need to search multiple repositories of metadata because each type of basic metadata is stored in its own repository. Each repository typically contains a search engine designed for that repository and that type of metadata. Thus, to analyze an application, often a technician will need to run a search for every repository and every type of metadata, and to do so may need to understand in detail each repository, how to use it, what kind of metadata it contains, and so on. Performing multiple searches is burdensome and requires a substantial amount of effort.
In addition, after performing multiple searches, technicians gain multiple sets of results, making it difficult for technicians to gain a good map of their enterprise. It is difficult for technicians to gain a good map of their enterprise because to do so technicians would need to compile and/or integrate the multiple sets of results into one "map," which may require extensive effort.

System and method for use of application metadata


The present invention provides a movable closeout device or closeout panel for a convertible roof that attaches to the rear bow of the roof and moves up and down with the rear bow as the convertible roof retracts or extends. The closeout device may be a substantially rigid panel such as a parcel shelf, or may be a flexible or elastic panel. The movable closeout device attenuates noise entering the vehicle interior from the trunk and improves vehicle appearance by substantially closing out the area between the rear seat and the roof stowage area of the trunk when the convertible roof is in the up position.

Convertible roofs are in use on a variety of motor vehicles. Convertible roofs are characterized as retractable roofs in that they are generally movable between an up position in which the roof covers the vehicle passenger compartment and a stowage position in which the convertible roof retracts from over the passenger compartment and stores or stows into a storage compartment located generally within or near the vehicle trunk. Most convertible roofs are power operated although smaller vehicles can have manually operated convertible roofs. The convertible roof is generally retracted by the activation of a switch within the driver's cockpit area, often located on the vehicle dashboard, console or windshield header. Upon actuation, a power actuator engages and drives a scissors-like linkage and support frame having a set of metal arms (also referred to as rails and links) and brackets that are joined together by pins into a complete retractable/extensible folding roof support structure. The frame folds down into itself when the convertible roof retracts. Alternately, when the roof extends, the frame unfolds, extending the convertible roof over the passenger compartment. Convertible roofs are generally either of the soft/fabric type or alternately of convertible hard top varieties.
Vehicles equipped with a convertible roof generally retract the roof directly into a portion of the vehicle trunk or into a compartment located behind the rear passenger seat, which is also usually located in a portion of the trunk. The compartment, when used, is often lined with carpet, vinyl or other materials to provide an aesthetic finished appearance and to provide a cushioned lining for the retracted convertible roof to rest upon. Vehicles that do not use the separate compartment instead generally retract the convertible roof into a portion of the vehicle trunk. These types of vehicles cover the retracted roof with either a portion of the roof, the trunk lid or with a hard tonneau cover which is sized and configured to close out or cover and fill the opening behind the rear passenger seat, specifically the opening between the vehicle trunk and the passenger compartment. In these vehicles, the hard tonneau cover or trunk lid helps to reduce noise levels in the passenger cabin by providing a barrier to attenuate noise in the trunk that otherwise would enter the vehicle passenger compartment. Tonneau covers and trunk lids are also used to improve the appearance of the vehicle by hiding the presence of the retracted convertible roof from within the passenger compartment when the convertible roof is retracted and hiding in the roof stowage tub or roof stowage compartment from being seen through the vehicle rear window or behind the rear most seat.
Vehicles with convertible roofs that stow the roof directly into a portion of the vehicle trunk generally include a partition to separate the convertible roof stowage space of the trunk from the luggage area of the trunk. Some examples of partitions in use include a soft bag, a roller blind or a rigid panel.

Movable closeout device for a convertible roof


A horology component (1) for a timepiece, including a first portion (10) and a second portion (20), the first portion (10) comprising one part that is at least partially transparent and at least partially superposed on top of the second portion (20), this second portion (20) taking the form of a massive portion comprising a material capable of emitting at least one emission light wave if excited by at least one excitation light wave, and the at least partially transparent part of the first portion allowing an emission light wave emitted by the second portion (20) to be transmitted at least partially toward the outside of the horology component so that the horology component exhibits at least a first appearance by day and at least one different second appearance by night where the first portion (10) is backlit by an emission light wave emitted by the second portion (20).

There are, in existence, horology components the aesthetic of which changes according to the luminosity in order to create decorative effects, particularly dials. Such horology components traditionally comprise coats of luminescent lacquer. These existing horology components all exhibit disadvantages, including:                a complex architecture, leading to a manufacturing process that is complex, handling that is tricky, use that is limited and/or an overall cost that is high; and/or        limited rendition from an aesthetic standpoint.
It is an overall objective of the invention to offer a versatile horology component solution which does not have all or some of the disadvantages of the prior art, and which forms a solution that is an improvement on the existing solutions.
More particularly, one object of the invention is to offer a versatile horology component solution that is simple and makes it possible to achieve an attractive aesthetic effect.


Aspects of the invention generally relate to illumination gas imaging and detection. Camera systems can illuminate a target scene with light sources configured to emit absorbing and non-absorbing wavelengths with respect to a target gas. An image of the target scene illuminated with a non-absorbing wavelength can be compared to a non-illuminated image of the target scene in order to determine information about the background of the target scene. If sufficient light of the non-absorbing wavelength is scattered by the scene toward a detector, the target scene comprises an adequate background for performing a gas imaging process. A camera system can alert a user of portions of the target scene suitable or unsuitable for performing a gas imaging process. If necessary, the user can reposition the system until sufficient portions of the target scene are recognized as suitable for performing the gas imaging process.

Infrared imaging cameras are used in a variety of situations. For example, infrared imaging cameras are often used during maintenance inspections to thermally inspect equipment. Example equipment may include rotating machinery, electrical panels, or rows of circuit breakers, among other types of equipment. Infrared inspections can detect equipment hot spots such as overheating machinery or electrical components, helping to ensure timely repair or replacement of the overheating equipment before a more significant problem develops.
Depending on the configuration of the camera, the infrared imaging camera may also generate a visible light image of the same object. The camera may display the infrared image and the visible light image in a coordinated manner, for example, to help an operator interpret the thermal image generated by the thermal imaging camera.
Visible light and/or infrared imaging has been applied to the field of gas imaging, in which a user will inspect a target scene for the presence of a target gas. In a typical procedure, a user will illuminate the target scene with light of a wavelength that is absorbed by the target gas. In theory, the light incident on the target scene will either encounter the target gas and be at least partially absorbed, or will be scattered back to the camera at substantially full intensity from various portions of the target scene. Thus, if the camera detects substantially the full intensity of light of the illuminating wavelength from a portion of the target scene, such portion of the scene will be assumed to not comprise the target gas, as the light was not significantly absorbed. Conversely, illuminated portions of the target scene from which the camera does not detect or detects attenuated amounts of light of the illuminating wavelength are assumed to comprise the target gas, since the absence of backscattered light is indicative of the absorption properties of the gas.
These systems can be difficult to use effectively in the field due to varying background conditions that prevent or interfere with the backscattered illuminating light energy. For example, where no scattering background is present (e.g., sky in the background) there is no backscattered energy at all. In a similar manner, if the background is too far or angled away from the illuminating light source, the backscattered signal may be too weak to create a noticeable gas "shadow." This can be problematic because, where the backscatter is too weak, the weak or otherwise lack of gas shadow can cause a user to misinterpret the resulting image.
For example, if there is not an appropriate background for adequately scattering unabsorbed light toward the camera, the camera operator may falsely assume that the target gas is present in the target scene and is absorbing the illuminating light, since none of the light is scattered back toward the camera. On the other hand, in a setting in which backscatter is unlikely due to the background of the scene, a user may misinterpret a lack of detected backscattered light as an insufficient background as opposed to the target gas truly present in the target scene. In other examples, a background comprising angled or rounded surfaces can act to scatter light in directions away from the camera, resulting in a lack of backscattered energy incident on the camera in the absence of an absorbing target gas.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for determining regions suitable for gas imaging processes


The Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite of the present invention contains basic components of 44.0 to 50.0 mol % (50.0 mol % is excluded) Fe2O3, 4.0 to 26.5 mol % ZnO and the remainder MnO, and has a real part xcex5xe2x80x2 of complex relative permittivity of 20,000 or less at 1 kHz and 50 or less at 1 MHz, thereby maintaining initial permeability in a wide frequency band, showing a low stray capacitance with a coil provided, and ensuring an excellent impedance in a wide frequency band. And a coil using the Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite as a magnetic core is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite and a coil component using Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite as a magnetic core, and in particular to Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite and a coil component suitable for switching power supplies, noise filters, choke coils and so forth.
2. Description of the Related Art
Magnetic core materials for use in noise filters such as line filters for EMI countermeasures are desired to have high impedance in a frequency band where noises should be removed. Impedance in a high frequency band can be increased through the phenomenon of resonance between the stray capacitance (C) of a coil and the inductance (L) of a core. It is known that impedance is maximum at the resonance frequency (1/LC). It is also known that impedance at a frequency lower than the resonance frequency is proportional to the initial permeability of a core, and impedance at a frequency higher than the resonance frequency is inversely proportional to the stray capacitance of a coil.
Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite that has high permeability in a wide frequency band has been studied intensively and disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Nos. 2000-353613 and Hei 9-180925. The initial permeability of Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite is closely related to a real part xcex5xe2x80x2 of complex relative permittivity, and when xcex5xe2x80x2 has a large value, the initial permeability is relaxed in a high frequency band and cannot be maintained through up to a high frequency band. As a result, it is difficult to obtain excellent impedance properties in a high frequency band.
While Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-353613 mentioned above does not describe dielectric properties or impedance properties, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 9-180925 refers to permittivity (relative permittivity) xcex5, and describes the relative permittivity xcex5 as reading 50,000 to 1,000,000 at 1 KHz, which is very high. Usually, complex relative permittivity xcex5 is expressed as (xcex5xe2x80x2-jxcex5xe2x80x3), and although the above-mentioned relative permittivity xcex5 is not separated into a complex component and a real component, generally, in case of polycrystalline Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite, xcex5xe2x80x3/xcex5xe2x80x2=0.5 to 1.5. Accordingly, xcex5xe2x80x2 may be estimated to range from 30,000 to 60,000 at the lowest, which is a very high value. The real part xcex5xe2x80x2 of complex relative permittivity with such a high value at 1 kHz not only can never be 50 or less at 1 MHz, but also causes relaxation of initial permeability in the vicinity of 500 kHz making it impossible to maintain the initial permeability through up to a high frequency band of 1 MHz or more.
The present inventors have found that a coil component comprising a magnetic core of conventional Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite having a high real part xcex5xe2x80x2 of complex relative permittivity scarcely reduces stray capacitance despite whatever optimizations of its winding conditions. The stray capacitance of a coil component is roughly classified into capacitance between coils and capacitance between a coil and a core. The former is determined based on the winding conditions of a coil and the latter is determined based on the material properties of a magnetic core, both increasing as the real part xcex5xe2x80x2 of complex relative permittivity increases. Therefore, in the coil component with a magnetic core of conventional Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite having a high real part xcex5xe2x80x2 of complex relative permittivity, the capacitance between a coil and a core is extremely high as compared with the capacitance between coils. As a result, the optimization of winding conditions has been hardly effective in reducing the stray capacitance of the component.
When designing a magnetic core material and a coil component to be used in a high frequency band, two requirements must be met to reduce stray capacitance: one is to use a magnetic core material that maintains high permeability through up to a high frequency band and the other is to optimize its winding conditions. The coil component using conventional Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite as its magnetic core satisfies neither of the two requirements, making it difficult to obtain high impedance in a wide frequency band.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is therefore to provide Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite that maintains initial permeability over a wide frequency band, has small stray capacitance when provided with a coil, and has excellent impedance properties over a wide frequency band, and also a coil component made thereof.
In Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite according to the present invention, basic components include 44.0 to 50.0 mol % (50.0 mol % excluded) Fe2O3, 4.0 to 26.5 mol % ZnO and the remainder MnO, and its real part xcex5xe2x80x2 of complex relative permittivity is 20,000 or less at 1 kHz and 50 or less at 1 MHz, respectively.
The Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite of the present invention may further contain as additive at least one of 0.01 to 4.0 mass % SnO2 and 0.01 to 3.0 mass % TiO2 (provided that an upper limit is 4% in total when both thereof are contained). The Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite of the present invention may also contain as additive at least one of 0.01 to 2.0 mass % CuO, 0.01 to 2.0 mass % NiO, 0.01 to 2.0 mass % CoO, 0.01 to 2.0 mass % MgO, 0.01 to 2.0 mass % Al2O3 and 0.01 to 2.0 mass % Cr2O3 (provided that an upper limit in total is 2 mass % when two or more thereof are contained).
A coil component according to the present invention uses the above-described Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite as a magnetic core.
The Mnxe2x80x94Zn ferrite and the coil component according to the present invention can provide good impedance properties over a wide frequency band and effectively convert noises at a practically critical frequency band of 10 to 100 MHz into thermal energy and absorb them. Thus, they prove to be very useful.
FIG. 1 is a graph illustrating frequency properties of impedance of the present invention samples and comparative samples.

Mn-Zn ferrite and coil component using same


Provided herein are methods and compositions, including synergistic combinations, for the treatment of tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a pervasive disease estimated to be present in one third of the world's population. While the overall number of TB cases has leveled off due to the effectiveness of antibiotics such as Rifampin and Isoniazid, multiple drug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) cases have been on the rise. In particular, drug resistance rates are much higher in developing countries such as China and India, whose healthcare systems are poorly equipped to contain drug resistant strains. An outbreak of drug resistant TB in such regions would be difficult to contain and could reach pandemic levels. In short, new drug choices will be needed to treat today's MDR and XDR-TB.

Methods and compositions for the treatment of tuberculosis

PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE


Techniques for sending signaling information are described. Multiple signaling channels may be available to send signaling information. Different signaling information, different signaling parameter values, or different interpretations of signaling parameter values may be associated with different signaling channels and conveyed by the selection of these signaling channels, which may be used for actual transmission of remaining signaling information. A transmitter selects at least one signaling channel from among the multiple signaling channels based on first signaling information and sends second signaling information on the selected signaling channel(s) to convey the first and second signaling information. The transmitter sends at least one data stream on at least one data channel in accordance with the first and second signaling information. A receiver obtains the first signaling information based on the selected signaling channel(s) and decodes the selected signaling channel(s) to obtain the second signaling information. The receiver processes the data channel(s) in accordance with the first and second signaling information to recover the data stream(s).

I. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to communication, and more specifically to techniques for sending signaling information in a wireless communication system.
II. Background
A wireless multiple-access communication system can support communication for multiple terminals on the downlink and uplink. The downlink (or forward link) refers to the communication link from the base stations to the terminals, and the uplink (or reverse link) refers to the communication link from the terminals to the base stations. Multiple terminals may simultaneously receive data and signaling on the downlink and/or transmit data and signaling on the uplink. This may be achieved by multiplexing the transmissions on each link to be orthogonal to one another and/or by controlling the transmit power of each transmission to achieve a desired received signal quality.
A multiple-access system typically allocates some system resources for sending signaling information on the downlink to the terminals. The signaling information may be for various parameters used to support data transmission, such as resource assignment, coding and modulation scheme, etc. The amount of signaling information to send may be dependent on various factors such as the manner in which system resources are assigned, the number of parameters to send, the desired flexibility in sending the parameters, etc. Signaling messages may be generated for all defined parameters and sent using the system resources allocated for sending signaling information.
It is desirable to send signaling information as efficiently as possible since this information represents overhead. It is desirable to send a given amount of signaling information using as little system resources as possible or to send more signaling information for a given amount of system resources.

Method and apparatus for sending signaling information via channel IDS


Permselective asymmetric membranes suitable e.g. for hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration and hemofiltration of blood, and having improved performance, including improved sieving characteristics, providing enhanced removal of middle molecular weight substances, e.g. inflammatory mediators having a molecular weight between 20 and 40 kDa. The improved sieving characteristics are due to a narrow pore size distribution of the membranes created in the production process. Processes for the preparation of these membranes, devices comprising these membranes, and the use of these membranes in hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration and hemofiltration of blood, as well as in bioprocessing, plasma fractionation and the preparation of protein solutions.

EP 0 305 787 A1 discloses a permselective asymmetric membrane suitable for hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration and hemofiltration of blood, comprised of a hydrophobic first polymer, e.g. polyamide, a hydrophilic second polymer, e.g. polyvinylpyrrolidone, and suitable additives. The membrane has a three-layer structure, comprising a first layer in the form of dense, rather thin skin, responsible for the sieving properties, a second layer in the form of a sponge structure, having a high diffusive permeability and serving as a support for said first layer, and a third layer in the form of a finger structure, giving the membrane a mechanical stability.
WO 2004/056459 A1 discloses a permselective asymmetric membrane suitable for hemodialysis, comprising at least one hydrophobic polymer, e.g. polyethersulfone, and at least one hydrophilic polymer, e.g. polyvinylpyrrolidone. The outer surface of the hollow fiber membrane has pores in the range of 0.5 to 3 μm and the number of pores in the outer surface is in the range of 10,000 to 150,000 pores per mm2.
While these membranes already show very good performance in hemodialysis and excellent biocompatibility, there is a desire to further improve their performance to enhance removal of middle molecular weight substances, e.g. inflammatory mediators having a molecular weight between 20 and 40 kDa. It has now been found that membranes with improved performance can be obtained by a particular production process which comprises a step of treating the membranes with a salt solution before drying them.


Method and device for binary coding a structured document comprising a plurality of data are disclosed. After having determined (130) at least one parameter of a first coding scheme (130) and of at least one second coding scheme (140) according to said at least one parameter of said first coding scheme, said first and said at least one second coding scheme being of the same type, at least one item of data of said plurality of data is obtained. The coding efficiencies of said at least one item of data according to said first and said at least one second coding schemes are evaluated and compared (160). Depending on said comparison, said at least one item of data is coded (170) according to said first or said at least one second coding scheme.

Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a syntax for defining computer languages. XML makes it possible to create languages that are adapted for different uses but which may be processed by the same tools.
An XML document is composed of elements, each element starting with an start-tag comprising the name of the element, for example, <tag>, and ending with a end-tag which also comprises the name of the element, for example, </tag>. Each element can contain other elements or character data.
An element may be specified by attributes, each attribute being defined by a name and having a value. The attributes are placed in the opening tag of the element they specify, for example <tag attribute="value">.
XML syntax also makes it possible to define comments, for example <!--Comment-->, and processing instructions which may specify to a computer application what processing operations to apply to the XML document, for example <?myprocessing?>.
The elements, attributes, text data, comments and processing instructions are grouped together under the generic name of item.
Several different XML languages may contain elements with the same name. To use several different languages, an addition has been made to XML syntax making it possible to define namespaces. Two elements are identical only if they have the same name and are situated in the same namespace. A namespace is defined by a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), for example http://canon.crf.fr/xml/mylanguage. The use of a namespace in an XML document is via the definition of a prefix which is a shortcut to the URI of that namespace. The prefix is defined using a specific attribute. By way of illustration, the expression xmlns:ml="http://canon.crf.fr/xml/mylanguage" associates the prefix ml with the URI http://canon.crf.fr/xml/mylanguage. The namespace of an element or of an attribute is specified by having its name preceded by the prefix associated with the namespace followed by ':', for example, <ml:tag ml:attribute="value">.
XML has numerous advantages and has become a standard for storing data in a file or for exchanging data. XML makes it possible in particular to have numerous tools for processing the files generated. Furthermore, an XML document may be manually edited with a simple text editor. Moreover, an XML document, containing its structure integrated with the data, is easily readable even without knowing the specification.
However, the main drawback of the XML syntax is to be verbose. Thus, the size of an XML document may be several times greater than the inherent size of the data. This large size of XML documents thus leads to a long processing time when XML documents are generated and especially when they are read.
To mitigate these drawbacks, mechanisms for coding XML documents have been sought. The object of these mechanisms is to code the content of the XML document in a more efficient form but enabling the XML document to be easily reconstructed. However, most of these mechanisms do not maintain all the advantages of the XML format. Numerous new formats, enabling the data contained in an XML document to be stored, have thus been proposed. These different formats are grouped together under the appellation "Binary XML".
Among these mechanisms, the simplest consists of coding the structural data in a binary format instead of using a text format. Furthermore, the redundancy in the structural information in the XML format may be eliminated or at least reduced. Thus, for example, it is not necessarily useful to specify the name of the element in the start-tag and the end-tag. This type of mechanism is used by all the Binary XML formats.
Another mechanism consists of creating one or more index tables which are used, in particular, to replace the names of elements and attributes that are generally repeated in an XML document. Thus, at the first occurrence of an element name, it is coded normally in the file and an index is associated with it. Then, for the following occurrences of that element name, the index will be used instead of the complete string, reducing the size of the document generated, but also facilitating the reading. More particularly, there is no need to read the entire string in the file and, furthermore, determining the element read may be performed by a simple comparison of integers and not by a comparison of strings. This type of mechanism is implemented in several formats, in particular in the formats in accordance with the Fast Infoset and Efficient XML Interchange (EXI) specifications.
This mechanism may be extended to the text values and to the values of the attributes. In the same way, at the first occurrence of a text value or an attribute value, this is normally coded in the file and an index is associated with it. The following occurrences of that value are coded using the index. This type of mechanism is implemented in several formats, in particular the formats in accordance with the Fast Infoset and EXI specifications.
Still another mechanism consists of using index tables for describing the structure of certain categories of items of the document. Thus, for example, it is possible to use an index table for each element item having a given name. At the first occurrence of a child item in the content of that item, a new entry describing that child item type is added to the index table. At following occurrences of a similar item, that new child item is described using the associated index. This type of mechanism is implemented in the formats in accordance with the EXI specification.
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) data format is an XML language for describing vector graphics. SVG uses the XML format and defines a set of elements and attributes making it possible in particular to describe geometric shapes, transformations, colors and animations.
A much used tool in SVG is the path which represents the outline of a shape. A graphics path is a set of commands and associated coordinates, making it possible to describe a complex graphic shape using segments, Bezier curves and elliptical arcs.
Binary XML formats may be used to code SVG documents. However, most of these formats have limitations with regard to the coding of SVG documents. This is because, in numerous SVG documents, the proportion of structure is small relative to the proportion of content. However, Binary XML formats are mainly directed to compressing the structure of XML documents. In relation to content, Binary XML formats can index the values, in order not to code several times the same value that is repeated in the content. They may also code, in a specific way, certain contents of which the type is known and simple, for example an integer or a real number. But SVG contents satisfy none of these criteria: SVG contents which are large in size are rarely repeated and generally do not correspond to simple types. These contents of large size are for example paths, which mix simple graphics commands with coordinates, or lists of integer or real values.
For this reason, it is necessary to create new Binary XML formats that are specific to SVG documents or to adapt existing Binary XML formats to efficiently code SVG documents.
The patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,624,769 describes a Binary XML format adapted to code SVG documents. This patent describes in particular a specific way to code SVG paths consisting of first coding the commands used in the path and only attributing a code to the commands present in the path. Furthermore, these codes are Huffman type codes, of which the attribution is predefined for all the existing commands.
The command arguments are coded in binary manner, using the minimum number of bits enabling any argument present in the path to be coded. More precisely, the patent is limited to the coding of integer arguments, corresponding to the SVG profiles for mobile phones, and separates the arguments into two categories: the arguments corresponding to absolute commands and those corresponding to relative commands. In the case of an absolute command, the argument directly represents a position in the SVG coordinate system whereas in the case of a relative command, the argument represents the movement from the previous position. For each type of argument, calculation is made of the minimum number of bits enabling any argument of that type present in the path to be coded. Next, each argument is coded over a number of bits depending on its type.
The format described in this patent enables compact SVG documents to be obtained, but only applies to a restricted category of documents and is still of limited efficiency in the case of large paths.
U.S. Patent application No. 20080063114 describes the Lightweight Application Scene Representation (LASeR) binary XML format. This format is targeted at coding SVG documents and provides a specific way of coding an SVG path. According to this document, an SVG path is coded using one of two methods that provides the best results.
The first method consists in coding the first two arguments of the SVG path using a first fixed length coding scheme and coding all the remaining arguments as relative arguments using two other fixed length coding schemes. The first coding length of the first fixed length coding scheme is the minimum coding length that allows the first two arguments to be coded. The other two coding lengths are computed in a similar way: the first of these other coding lengths is the minimum coding length allowing all the abscissa coordinates to be coded while the second of these other coding lengths is the minimum coding length allowing all ordinate coordinates to be coded.
The second method consists in coding the first two arguments using a first fixed length coding scheme and coding all the further arguments as relative arguments using an exponential-Golomb coding scheme.

Determining optimal parameter for binary coding of a structured document


Exemplary embodiments for detecting electronic payment card fraud include receiving real-time payment card transaction data from ingress channels and an egress channels of at least one payment card system through a first application programming interface (API); generating transactional profiles for each of at least payment cards, the ingress channel, the egress channels, and funding sources of the payment cards; in response to receiving transaction data for a current payment card transaction, evaluating the transaction data using a predictive algorithm that compare the transaction data to the transactional profiles to calculate a probabilistic fraud score for the current transaction; evaluating the probabilistic fraud score and the current transaction data based on a set of rules to generate a recommendation to approve, decline or review the current transaction; and transmitting the recommendation back to the payment card system via a second API.

A stored-value card refers to monetary value stored on a card not in an externally recorded account, while with a prepaid card money is on deposit with an issuer similar to a debit card. That is, the term stored-value card means the funds and or data are physically stored on the card, while with a prepaid card the data is maintained on computers affiliated with the card issuer. Another difference between stored value (SV) cards and prepaid (PP), referred to collectively as SV/PP or electronic payment cards, is that prepaid debit cards are usually issued in the name of individual account holders, while stored value cards are usually anonymous.
Stored Value/Pre-Paid cards allow for anonymous loading of monetary value on these cards by fraudsters through stolen financial instruments and cash at multiple channels or entry points, namely web, mobile, agents and other point of sale mechanisms. Currently all of these channels operate independently and without knowledge of transactional activities on other channels. Electronic payment cards allow for multiple channels of disbursements or exit points, namely physical point of sale locations, web, ATM and mobile.
One problem with electronic payment cards is that fraud perpetrators can avoid detection by loading multiple smaller value stored value/pre-paid cards simultaneously on different channels for entry into the system. In addition, money movement from a compromised entry source to a fraudulent SV/PP card is very rapid. Further, money movement between countries is very easy and rapid, making recapture of fraudulent funds more difficult based on the plurality of regulations and jurisdictions that can apply.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved method for detecting electronic payment card fraud.

Multi-channel data driven, real-time fraud determination system for electronic payment cards


Methods and systems for coordinating operation of two or more transport refrigeration systems (TRSs) are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes a controller determining whether the first transport unit is stationary. The method also includes the controller identifying whether the first transport unit is in close proximity of a second transport unit when the controller determines that the transport unit is stationary. Also, the method includes the controller determining an executive control strategy for controlling the first TRS in coordination with a second TRS when the controller identifies that the first transport unit is in close proximity of the second transport unit. Further, the method includes the controller operating the first TRS based on the executive control strategy.

A transport refrigeration system (TRS) is generally used to control an environmental condition (e.g., temperature, humidity, air quality, and the like) within a transport unit (e.g., a container (such as a container on a flat car, an intermodal container, etc.), a truck, a box car, or other similar transport unit). A refrigerated tampon unit is commonly used to transport perishable items such as produce, frozen foods, and meat products. Generally, the refrigerated transport unit includes a transport unit and a TRS.
The TRS includes a transport refrigeration unit (TRU) that is attached to the transport unit to control one or more environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, atmosphere, etc.) of a particular space (e.g., a cargo space, a passenger space, etc.) (generally referred to as an "internal space"). The TRU can include, without limitation, a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, fans and/or blowers to control a heat exchange between air inside the internal space and the ambient air outside of the refrigerated transport unit.

Systems and methods for coordinated control of multiple transport refrigeration systems


A fire alarm spreading system includes a robot cleaner for generating fire alarm data when smoke is detected while patrolling a specific area and transmitting the fire alarm data; and a wireless communication base station for receiving the fire alarm data transmitted from the robot cleaner and transmitting the received fire alarm data to a pre-set fire center. When a fire breaks out in a specific space (e.g., in a house), the mobile robot such as the robot cleaner detects the fire (smoke) and generates a fire alarm tone. Thus, the fire can be quickly detected and people can evacuate from the fire-generated area, reducing casualty.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fire alarm spreading system and method, and more particularly, to a fire alarm spreading system and method using a mobile robot such as a robot cleaner.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
In general, a mobile robot is a device for automatically cleaning an area by sucking foreign substances such as dust from the floor while moving in a room (e.g., a living room or an inner room, etc.) of a house by itself without user's manipulation.
In cleaning, the robot cleaner discriminates a distance from itself to an obstacle such as furniture, office supplies or a wall in a cleaning area through a distance sensor and selectively controls a motor for rotating its left wheel and a motor for rotating its right wheel according to the discriminated distance to thereby change its direction and automatically clean the cleaning area. Herein, the robot cleaner performs the cleaning operation while traveling in the cleaning area through map information stored in an internal storage unit.
For example, the robot cleaner includes a gyro sensor for sensing a direction of the robot cleaner, an encoder for determining a traveling distance by sensing the number of times of rotation of the wheel of the robot cleaner; an ultrasonic sensor for sensing a distance between the robot cleaner, a target; and an infrared ray sensor for sensing an obstacle, and other numerous sensors.
However, the conventional robot cleaner has shortcomings in that because numerous high-priced sensors are installed to perform cleaning by precisely traveling along a pre-set cleaning path, its internal structure is complicated and fabrication cost increases.
In an effort to solve such a problem, a robot cleaner has been developed to perform cleaning by traveling along an arbitrary cleaning path in a random manner.
A traveling device of the robot cleaner in accordance with a conventional art will now be described.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of the traveling device of a robot cleaner in accordance with a conventional art.
As shown in FIG. 1, the traveling device of a conventional robot cleaner includes: an obstacle detecting unit 1 for detecting an obstacle based on an impact amount generated when a robot cleaner going straight ahead in a specific area collides with the obstacle and generating an obstacle detect signal; a controller for stopping traveling of the robot cleaner based on the obstacle detect signal generated by the obstacle detecting unit 1, generating a random angle randomly, and generating a control signal for rotating the robot cleaner according to the random angle; a left motor driving unit 3 for rotating a left motor (ML) 5 of the robot cleaner at a certain speed according to the control signal of the controller 2; and a right motor driving unit 4 for rotating a right motor (MR) 6 of the robot cleaner at a certain speed according to the control signal of the controller 2.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method for traveling a robot cleaner in accordance with the conventional art.
First, when a user inputs a cleaning command signal (step S1), the controller 2 generates a control signal to make the rotation speed of the left motor 5 and the right motor 6 equal in order to making the robot cleaner go straight ahead, and simultaneously outputs the control signal to the left motor driving unit 3 an the right motor driving unit 4 (step S2).
The left motor driving unit 3 rotates the left motor 5 according to the control signal of the controller. At this time, the right motor driving unit 4 rotates the right motor 6 according to the control signal of the controller 2. Namely, as the left and right motors 5 and 6 are simultaneously rotated, the robot cleaner goes straight ahead.
The obstacle detecting unit detects an obstacle based on an amount of impact generated when the robot cleaner collides with the obstacle, generates an obstacle detect signal, and applies the obstacle detect signal to the controller 2 (step S3). If the obstacle detect signal is not generated, the robot cleaner continuously performs cleaning operation.
The controller 2 stops traveling of the robot cleaner according to the obstacle detect signal, generates a random angle randomly (step S4), generates a control signal for rotating the robot cleaner according to the random angle, and then outputs the generated control signal to the left and right motor driving units 3 and 4.
The left motor driving unit 3 rotates the left motor 5 according to the control signal of the controller 2, and the right motor driving unit 4 rotates the right motor 6 according to the control signal of the controller. In other words, by controlling the rotation speed of the left motor 5 and the rotation speed of the right motor 6 differently, the direction of the robot cleaner can be changed to a random angle (step S5).
Thereafter, when the robot cleaner is rotated as much as the random angle, the controller allows the robot cleaner to go straight ahead (step S6). When the cleaning operation of the robot cleaner is completed, the controller terminates the cleaning operation (step S7). If the cleaning operation of the robot cleaner is not completed, the controller allows the robot cleaner to repeatedly perform the cleaning operation.
Meanwhile, recently, a robot cleaner having a multimedia function as well as the cleaning function has been developed. Namely, the robot cleaner can download various multimedia contents by connecting to an Internet network or to a wireless communication network and reproduces the downloaded contents. In addition, the robot cleaner also has a function of photographing a cleaning area with a camera and transmitting the photographed image to an external user terminal.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,440,216 and 5,646,494 also disclose a robot cleaner.


The application is directed to the accurate transfer of data. In various methods, systems, and devices of the present invention, a connectivity workbench may be employed to correct errors in data records transmitted between two systems. This workbench may enable real-time manual fixes as well as previously selected automatic fixes. A method that embodies the invention may include receiving a data record, verifying whether or not the data record is error free, correcting the data record and then buffering it until it is needed at a downstream system. In some embodiments, if the downstream system is busy when it receives the data record or if the target location is otherwise occupied, the data record may be returned to the upstream system and then resent at a later time once the error is resolved.

Sales organizations often gather large volumes of data to analyze and study the progress and operations of their businesses. The data that may be gathered can depend on the specific type of business (i.e., retail, wholesale, etc.), the industry that the business is operating in, and the location of the business.
The analysis that may be performed on the data may vary by business type, business industry, and business location as well. The study may include analyzing sales by product, price, and size; analyzing inventory levels, by product, price, and size; and, analyzing daily operating costs for specific operations, regions or entities.
The accuracy of the analysis being performed depends on the quality of the gathered data. When data is missing or otherwise incomplete, and when it is simply wrong, the subsequent analysis relying upon it can lead to incomplete or inaccurate conclusions.

Interface workbench for high volume data buffering and connectivity


A method controls a device for extracorporeal blood gas exchange. The device has a membrane as a gas-liquid barrier between a bloodstream and a gas stream. The membrane further makes possible a passing over of the carbon dioxide content from the bloodstream into the gas stream. The device has at least one actuator. A change in a value of an operating parameter of the actuator brings about a change in a value of the carbon dioxide content that passes over from the bloodstream into the gas stream. The method further includes providing breathing gas information that indicates a carbon dioxide concentration in breathing gas and providing a control signal, which indicates a request for setting a value of the operating parameter and changing of the value of the operating parameter as a function of the carbon dioxide concentration in the breathing gas.

Within the device, the bloodstream is fed through an area guiding the bloodstream along a membrane, which represents a gas-liquid barrier to a gas-guiding area. From the perspective of the bloodstream, a gas stream, which has the oxygen content, is located behind the membrane in the gas-guiding area. A blood gas exchange then takes place between the bloodstream and the gas stream by the carbon dioxide content of the bloodstream passing over through the membrane into the gas stream. Likewise, the oxygen content can pass over from the gas stream through the membrane into the bloodstream. As a result of this, two functions of the gas exchange are thus carried out, which functions shall be carried out in a human normally through normal breathing by means of the lung function. On the one hand, this is a removal of carbon dioxide from the blood and an enrichment of the blood with oxygen, on the other hand.
Such devices for extracorporeal blood gas exchange are especially used when a patient is not able to perform the blood gas exchange needed for his body alone via the lung or via breathing because of a reduced gas exchange via the lung.
If extracorporeal blood gas exchange is carried out by the respective access to the bloodstream via a vein taking place in both directions between the patient and the device, then typically only blood quantities of about 1-1.5 L/min can be treated.
However, if the blood is guided from an arterial access to the patient to the device and then from the device back to the patient via a venous access, then blood quantities on the magnitude of 3-4 L/min can be treated in an extracorporeal manner.
If both an arterial and a venous access are used, then the pressure difference between artery and vein can be used to let the bloodstream be delivered from the patient to the device and then back to the patient to the venous access independently, without having to provide an additional pumping capacity by means of an additional pump of the device. This is also known as a so-called pump-free extracorporeal lung assistance (pECLA).
However, if respective venous accesses at the patient are used both for feeding to and feeding back, then an additional pumping capacity by means of an additional pump of the device is always necessary to achieve the volume flow to be achieved.
A device for extracorporeal blood gas exchange usually has an oxygen source, wherein the value of the oxygen quantity that is present in the gas stream in the gas-guiding area can be changed via an actuator, for example, a valve at the oxygen source.
If the partial pressure of oxygen in the gas stream is higher than the partial pressure of oxygen in the bloodstream, then at least a certain percentage of the oxygen quantity of the gas stream passes over into the bloodstream. As a result of this, the extent of oxygen enrichment of the bloodstream can be controlled.
If the flow rate of the bloodstream along the membrane is increased, for example, by a pump for delivering the bloodstream, then removal of a larger quantity of carbon dioxide from the bloodstream into the gas stream takes place per unit of time. As a result, the extent of the removal of carbon dioxide from the bloodstream can thus be controlled.
Patients are frequently treated such that, in addition to using a device for extracorporeal blood gas exchange, the patient is also at the same time ventilated via a ventilator (also known as a respirator) or an anesthesia device in order not only to make possible a blood gas exchange via venous or arterial access, but also to make possible the blood gas exchange via the lung within the framework of breathing.
In principle, it is possible for clinicians to exert an influence on the extent to which the ventilator or the anesthesia device or else the device for extracorporeal blood gas exchange brings about a removal of carbon dioxide from the blood by performing settings at the ventilator and/or at the device for extracorporeal blood gas exchange. Such an interaction between the ventilator or anesthesia device and the device for extracorporeal blood gas exchange may also be called a so-called combined therapy.

Method for controlling a device for extracorporeal blood gas exchange, device for extracorporeal blood gas exchange, as well as control device for controlling a device for extracorporeal blood gas exchange


A process for determining the operating parameters of an injection device of a combustion engine includes the steps of: (a) selecting an injector to test; (b) calculating a mean velocity associated with a preceding injector arranged before the injector to test; c) applying to the injector to test an injection control signal including at least one test pulse having an adjustable parameter; (d) calculating a mean velocity associated with the injector to test; (e) calculating a difference between the mean velocity calculated in step d) and the mean velocity calculated in step b); (f) repeating steps b) to d) for at least another engine cycle, each time varying the parameter of the test pulse; (g) determining a value of the parameter of the test pulse for which the mean velocity difference exceeds a predetermined threshold; and storing the parameter value.

Conventionally, an injection device includes a plurality of injectors, each of the injectors being controlled to open and close by an electronic control means, by means of control signals permitting driving of one or more pilot injections and a main injection at each of the injectors. The injectors used may be of several types, for example of solenoid type or piezoelectric type.
The document EP 0 740 068 describes a solenoid injector. The injector includes an injector body. At its lower end, the injector body defines a seat in which the lower end of a needle is able to engage, the needle being able to slide between an open position in which it permits ejection of fuel from the injector and a closed position in which it sealedly closes the injector. The injector body is supplied with fuel by a high-pressure fuel source, such as a common rail, using a supply passage emerging in an annular gallery. The annular gallery surrounds the needle, in the proximity of its upper end, the form of the needle being suitable to allow circulation of fuel from the annular gallery between the bore and the needle. The high pressure supply line also communicates with a control chamber through a "restrictor". At its upper end, the control chamber is closed by a plate. The plate co-operates with a sliding valve member including a hollow rod, the inside of the hollow rod being able to communicate with the inside of the chamber when the valve member is disengaged from the plate. The inside of the hollow rod also communicates with a low-pressure return. An electronic control means controls, by means of control signals, a solenoid actuator. When the solenoid is supplied, the valve member is disengaged from the plate. At this moment, fuel in the control chamber can escape to the inside of the hollow rod and then into the low-pressure return. When the pressure inside the control chamber drops to a certain point, the force applied to the needle due to the pressure inside the control chamber is no longer sufficient to keep the needle in its closed position. At this moment, the needle adopts its open position and fuel is ejected from the injector. When the solenoid is no longer supplied, the valve member is re-engaged in the plate under the influence of a spring. This has the effect of closing communication between the inside of the hollow rod and the control chamber. At this moment, the pressure in the control chamber increases and pushes the needle into its closed position.
The document EP 0 937 891 describes a piezoelectric injector. The injector includes a piston which defines a control chamber in combination with the upper surface of the needle. The injector includes piezoelectric actuators. The actuators are electrically connected to a control circuit able to emit control signals. The pressurised fuel present in the control chamber applies a force to the upper part of the needle and allows it to be held in the closed position, in combination with a spring. To start the injection, the piezoelectric material is discharged, in order to reduce its size. The effect of this is a movement of the piston in the direction opposite to the needle and therefore a reduction in the pressure inside the control chamber. At this moment, the needle is in its open position. When the piezoelectric material is charged, this has the effect of pushing the piston downwardly. This movement increases the fuel pressure inside the control chamber, thus increasing the force applied to the upper surface of the needle, which has the effect of pushing it back into its closed position.
Even if the injectors used in the injection device are of the same type, each injector has specific parameters. In addition, mechanical wear can also affect the accuracy of the quantity of fuel injected. Learning processes must therefore be performed to adapt the control signals to the specific characteristics of each of the injectors, in order to balance the operation of the engine to the maximum extent, to optimise combustion noise and control gas emissions. In particular, these processes permit determination for each injector of the minimum drive pulse (MDP) causing opening of the injector.
A first solution consists of using an accelerometer. However, this solution is sensitive to vibrations and this causes accuracy problems, particularly with piezoelectric injectors.
A second solution consists of using a velocity sensor permitting continuous determination of the crankshaft velocity.
The document FR 2 720 787 describes a process for determination of the specific parameters of each of the injectors of an injection device of a combustion engine, in particular of a device with pilot injection and main injection. For this purpose, the curve is determined of the difference in instantaneous velocity of the drive shaft between the instant of passage through combustion top dead centre of the cylinder in question and a subsequent predetermined instant, for example offset by 60°, prior to passage through combustion top dead centre of the following cylinder, as a function of the duration of pilot injection, the other operating parameters being kept constant. This curve presents a minimum plateau. The gradient break point of this curve permits determination of the opening time of the injector from which the injector starts to deliver. This process is intended to be implemented for example at the end of assembly line check to tune the engine or to perform tests in case of malfunction of the engine within the context of after-sales service.
The process described in this document cannot be performed when the engine is outside the idling zone, i.e. when the injectors are being controlled by control signals corresponding to a demand of a gas control organ. This process, which was designed for use during engine idling uses an instantaneous velocity difference which is very sensitive to the shape of the instantaneous velocity curve of the engine at each injection cycle. The present inventors have found that this shape lost its uniformity at high revolutions, so that the difference in question depended as much on the rotational velocity of the engine as on the quantity injected. This resulted in the impossibility of using this process quantitatively other than during idling. Moreover, the difference in instantaneous velocity which is used in this process [is] very dependent on the engine velocity, and this results in a large margin of error if the engine velocity is not constant over the whole learning period.

Process for determining the operating parameters of an injection device


A controller and a control method for activating temperature control of a device of a vehicle, the controller configured to, in a first mode, activate temperature control of the device of the vehicle when a measured temperature of the device passes a first threshold temperature; determine when a condition dependent on a journey of the vehicle is satisfied, and switch from the first mode to a second mode; and, in the second mode, activate the temperature control of the device when the measured temperature of the device passes a second threshold temperature, different to the first threshold temperature, wherein in the second mode, the measured temperature of the device passes the first threshold temperature without activation of the temperature control of the device before passing the second threshold temperature activating the temperature control of the device.

There is a desire to reduce energy consumption in vehicles, particularly electric vehicles (EV) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), to increase range and reduce range anxiety experienced by vehicle users.
A prior temperature control strategy brings or maintains a temperature of a charge storage device of a vehicle within an optimum temperature range. For example, a temperature of a charge storage device may be brought within an optimum temperature range for charging of the charge storage device in advance of the vehicle reaching the charging point. The optimum temperature range for charging is narrower than an optimum temperature range for vehicle operation.
The prior strategy wastes energy because additional cooling or heating is required to bring or maintain the temperature of the charge storage device within the optimum temperature range for charging.
It is an aim of the present invention to address disadvantages associated with the prior art.

Controller and control method for activating temperature control of a device of a vehicle


A process for producing a master carrier contains steps of: forming a desired pattern on a support to form a resist pattern support; forming a first ferromagnetic thin film on the resist pattern support by a vacuum film forming method; forming a third ferromagnetic thick film on the first ferromagnetic thin film by an electroplating; and peeling the support from the resist pattern support provided with the first ferromagnetic thin film and the third ferromagnetic thick film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process of producing a master carrier for magnetic transfer having a projection pattern for bringing it into intimate contact with a slave medium to magnetically transfer a desired magnetic pattern onto the slave medium, especially a master carrier for magnetic transfer in which a deficiency is hardly generated in a magnetic layer thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In magnetic recording media, media capable of undergoing so-called high-speed access, which have a mass storage volume so as to record a large quantity of information following an increase of the information amount, are inexpensive, and preferably, are able to read out a necessary portion within a short period of time, are desired. As one example thereof, high-density magnetic disk media to be used in hard disk units or flexible disks (hereinafter referred to as "FD") are known. For the sake of realizing the mass storage volume, a so-called tracking servo technology in which a magnetic head accurately scans a narrow track width and reproduces a signal at a high S/N ratio bears a large role.
During one round of the disk, a servo signal for tracking, an address information signal, a reproduction clock signal, and the like are recorded at certain spacings as a so-called preformat. The magnetic head is set up in such a manner that it reads out such a signal of preformat and corrects its own position, whereby it can accurately run on the track.
At present, the foregoing preformat is prepared by writing the signals in every disk and in every track using a dedicated servo recording unit. The servo recording unit is provided with a magnetic head having, for example, a head width of about 75% of the track pitch. First, a disk is rotated in the state that the magnetic head is made closed to the disk, and signals of each track are written while moving the magnetic head every a half track pitch.
Since the foregoing servo recording unit is expensive and takes a lot of time for preparing a preformat, this step occupies the majority of the production costs. Thus, it is demanded to realize a low cost.
Then, a method of realizing this by magnetic transfer in place of writing of a preformat in every track is proposed (for example, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,016).
In this magnetic transfer, a master carrier having a projection pattern corresponding to information that is to be transferred onto a slave medium as a medium to be magnetically transferred, such as a magnetic disk medium, is prepared, and a transfer magnetic field is applied in the sate that the master carrier and the slave medium come into intimate contact with each other, thereby transferring a magnetic pattern corresponding to information (for example, servo signals) carried by the projection pattern of the master carrier onto the slave medium. According to this system, recording can be statically performed without changing the relative position between the master carrier and the slave medium, accurate preformat recording can be achieved, and the time required for recording is extremely short.
For the sake of enhancing the transfer quality in the foregoing magnetic transfer, how the master carrier is durable to the order of several thousands sheets in the good intimate contact state without causing breakage is important. That is, if the intimate contact fails, regions where the magnetic transfer does not take place are generated. If no magnetic transfer takes place, signal failure is generated in the magnetic information to be transferred onto the slave medium, leading to a lowering of the signal quality. In the case where the recorded signal is a servo signal, a sufficient tracking function is not obtained, resulting in a lowering of reliability.
FIG. 5 shows the production steps of a master carrier for magnetic transfer according to the related art.
According to this, a nickel (Ni) conductive layer is formed on a silicon support G1′ having formed thereon a pattern of a resist (R1) with projections, and a third ferromagnetic thick film F3 made of nickel as the major component is then formed by electroplating (see FIG. 5-(6)); and this is peeled from the resist pattern support G1′ to separate a resist R1 contact part of the third ferromagnetic thick film F3 side from a part (b) of the resist pattern support G1 (see FIG. 5-(7)).
After the separation, when the resist R1 of a part (a) of the third ferromagnetic thick film F3 side and dusts are cleaned up and removed by means of O2 ashing, etc., a nickel original plate F3 is obtained (see FIG. 5-(8)). A magnetic layer film F1 is laminated thereon by the sputtering method, whereby a master carrier M for magnetic transfer is obtained (see FIG. 5-(9)).
As the resist pattern support G1′, nickel, silicon, quartz plate, glass, aluminum, ceramics, synthetic resins, and the like are used. As magnetic materials of the magnetic layer film F1, Co, Co alloys (for example, CoNi, CoNiZr, and CoNbTaZr), Fe, Fe alloys (for example, FeCo, FeCoNi, FeNiMo, FeAlSi, FeAl, and FeTaN), Ni, and Ni alloys (for example, NiFe) are used.
As materials of the metal support F3, Ni or Ni alloys, etc. can be used. As the plating for preparing this support, a variety of metallic film formation methods including electroless plating, electroplating, sputtering, and ion plating were applied.
In the foregoing related art methods, the Ni conductive layer was provided on the resist support G1′ by film formation and subjected to electroplating to prepare the patterned Ni support F3; and the magnetic layer F1 was formed thereon by the sputtering method to form the master carrier M for magnetic transfer. When a number of sheets of slave media were subjected to magnetic transfer using the thus obtained master carrier M for magnetic transfer, transfer failure and breakage of the slave media occurred in the order of several thousands sheets.
Since it was thought that this is caused due to breakage of the master, the master was analyzed. As a result, it was ascertained that the magnetic layer formed on the patterned Ni support failed.
As a result of further investigations, it was noted from factorial separation experiments performed while taking the film thickness of the magnetic layer, etc. as a parameter that an internal stress in the magnetic layer was larger than the adhesive strength between the support and the magnetic layer, whereby peeling of the magnetic layer occurred therein.
It was noted that this phenomenon is liable to take place in the case of fine patterns of not more than 100 nm.
For the purpose of enhancing the adhesive strength, it was attempted to reduce the internal stress by changing the conditions of the Ni support surface treatment and the magnetic layer film formation. As a result, though a certain effect could be confirmed, a large enhancement was not achieved yet. In the light of the above, it was concluded that an improvement in the pattern coating property is necessary while ensuring an adhesive strength of a certain level or more between the magnetic layer and the Ni support.
In the foregoing related art methods, for example, if a soft magnetic layer made of FeCo is formed on the projection pattern formed by the Ni electroplating by the vacuum film forming method (for example, the spattering method), duration of FeCo piling (in the spattering process), it is rare that FeCo is piling on the projection while keeping the width of the projection, but FeCo is piling while also widening in the width direction. Therefore, in the projection pattern being finer than 100 nm, the piled FeCo films contact one another between adjacent projections, resulting in disordering of the pattern shape.

Process of producing master carrier for magnetic transfer