The invention provides a method of controlling LA-based update procedure in a mobile radio communications network, and including the step of determining the reason for the LA-based update request, and varying connection procedures upon receipt of such request and responsive to the determination, and so can also provide a mobile radio communications network device arranged for operation in the network including plural terminal devices, the network device being arranged to forward to a target network device an indication of reasoning for a LA-based update procedure (during CSFB to the legacy system for example). Further the invention can also be embodied in a mobile radio communications network target device arranged for operation in the network including plural terminal devices and further arranged to monitor for an indication from a network device for reasoning for a LA-based update procedure, and further arranged to vary a connection procedure responsive to the said monitoring.

Due to the very nature of a mobile radio communications network, such as a cellular network, there often arises a requirement for a mobile terminal device such as so-called User Equipment to change its manner of operation whether due to a handover between cells and/or a handover between networks and related communication systems.
In view of the wide variety of communication systems, and in particular legacy communication systems that are in existence, to optimise connectivity and to minimize limiting effects on handset terminal performance, functionality allowing movement between different systems can provide particular advantageous.

Network update procedure and related network devices


Embodiments of the invention provide for paper mill equipment that can better withstand the conditions of a paper mill. Embodiments encompass paper mill equipment that incorporate a polyurethane layer having a hysteresis value of less than 70% and a permanent set of less than 30%. The polyurethane layer includes a polyurethane produced by curing a mixed composition. The mixed composition includes at least a urethane prepolymer (A) and at least a curing agent (B) having an active hydrogen group (H). The urethane prepolymer (A) has at least one terminal isocyanate group and is obtained by reacting at least a polyisocyanate compound (a) with at least a polycarbonate diol compound (b) having a number average molecular weight of at least 1500 g/mol. The curing agent (B) includes at least an amine compound. The elastomer compositions are also useful to coat the acid pickling roller in the steel industry.

Polyurethane elastomers are known to have been employed in the construction of industrial rollers, such as paper machine press rolls and paper machine belts. The polyurethane elastomers are often the product of a reaction between a polyurethane prepolymer and a curing agent. The polyurethane prepolymer is typically made by combining a polyol, typically a Poly (tetra methylene) ether glycol (PTMEG) with an isocyanate. The curing agent is often either a diamine or a short chain diol. Polyurethane elastomers have been selected for use in paper machine press rolls and belts because they exhibit advantages in load bearing capability and abrasion resistance over natural and synthetic rubber materials; this is particularly important for paper mill rolls and belts, where they experience high dynamic loads. However, in some papermaking machines, the rolls and belts are also exposed to high moisture and elevated temperatures. PTMEG may be prone to thermo oxidative decomposition and may have low chemical resistance and low resistance to hydrolysis at high temperatures. Thus, these conditions can cause melting or debonding of the PTMEG based polyurethane, which reduces the part life and also limits working temperature.
Therefore, there is a need for paper mill equipment, such as paper machine press rolls and paper machine belts which can better withstand the conditions of a paper mill.


According to one embodiment, an RFID tag position detection apparatus includes a transmission antenna, at least four reception antennas, and a measurement unit. The transmission antenna transmits a command to an RFID tag. At least four reception antennas receive a response from the RFID tag and output a reception signal. The measurement unit measures time differences between timings at which the reception signals are output from the respective reception antennas and calculates relative coordinates of the RFID tag with respect to a position of the RFID tag position detection apparatus based on the respective measured time differences.

An RFID tag (which is also called a radio tag or a responsor, or the like) includes an antenna, a radio communication unit, and a storage unit. The storage unit of each RFID tag stores identification information which does not overlap each other between RFID tags. An interrogator (which is also called reader and writer) transmits an inquiry signal to the RFID tag, the RFID tag performs a process in response to the inquiry signal. For example, there is known an RFID tag that replies only when the identification information stored by the RFID tag and the identification information included in the inquiry signal from the reader and writer are identical with each other.
The RFID tag having such a function is used in various fields such as logistics for article management. In recent years, for example, there has been introduced a system for sales or stock management using the RFID tags at stores selling various articles.
Business treating articles in large quantity desires to easily recognize the places where the respective articles are located as well as management of the kinds of articles or the number of articles. In order to detect the positions of the RFID tags, it is possible to use a method of calculating the absolute positions of the RFID tags by performing a process of acquiring the absolute positions at which the reader and writer communicate with the RFID tags and the distances with the RFID tags at least at three locations.
However, when the above method is used, the reader and writer have to acquire the position of the reader and writer and the distances with the RFID tags at least at three locations. Therefore, it takes relatively long time to acquire the positions of the RFID tags. Further, the radio wave use efficiency becomes deteriorate since the reader and writer have to communicate with the same RFID tag at least three times.
In consideration of this circumstance, it is necessary to devise a method of detecting the positions of the RFID tags rapidly.

RFID tag position detection apparatus and RFID tag position detection method


A gas insulated switchgear includes: an enclosure; a stationary contact arm fixedly installed within the enclosure; a movable contact arm installed to be moved within the enclosure such that it is brought into contact with or separated from the stationary contact arm; a cam reciprocating between closing and opening positions to move the movable contact arm; and an actuator moving the cam, wherein the cam includes first and second cam surfaces, and when the cam moves to an opening position by the actuator, movement acceleration of the movable contact arm by the first cam surface is greater than movement acceleration by the second cam surface and a movement distance of the movable contact arm by the first cam surface is smaller than a movement distance by the second cam surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a gas insulated switchgear, and particularly, to a switchgear devised to open or close an electric power transmission line and extinguish an arc generated in performing an insulating or breaking operation by using a gas.
2. Background of the Invention
In general, a switchgear refers to a device that opens or closes an electric load or breaks a current when an accident or a fault such as ground fault, short-circuit, or the like, in a transmission and substation (or transformation) system or in an electrical circuit. In particular a gas insulated switchgear includes a breaking part disposed in a tank-type enclosure charged with SF6 insulating gas as a tasteless, odorless, nontoxic inert insulating gas having excellent insulating properties. In the gas insulated switchgear, an electrical line in use may be opened or closed manually or may be opened or closed by an actuator, or the like, installed outside of the enclosure remotely. In the event of an overload or short-circuit, the gas insulated switchgear automatically breaks a current to protect an electric power system and electric load devices.
As mentioned above, the gas insulated switchgear includes a stationary contact arm and a movable contact arm installed in a breaking part thereof. Normally, the stationary contact arm is in contact with the movable contact arm to allow a current to flow, and in a case in which a large current flows due to fault current on an electric power line, the movable contact arm and the stationary contact arm are separated quickly to break such a large current.
Here, the actuator moves a cylinder rod connected to a cylinder by actuating power generated from a spring, or the like, charged by hydraulic pressure, pneumatic pressure or a motor to a breaking position, and when insulating arc-extinguishing gas is compressed within a compression chamber according to the movement of the cylinder rod, the compressed arc-extinguishing gas having high pressure is jetted to an arc to cool and extinguish the arc to accomplish breaking the circuit. Thus, the breaking operation to break a fault current requires a high degree of actuating power, relative to a connection (in other words "closing") operation. In addition, in order to enhance breaking performance, the movable contact arm needs to be separated from the stationary contact arm as quickly as possible, and even after the separation of the movable contact arm, preferably, a distance between the movable contact arm and the stationary contact arm is maintained as large as possible.
Namely, at an initial stage of a breaking operation, the movable contact arm should overcome frictional force between the stationary contact arm and the movable contact arm and pressure of the arc-extinguishing gas to move, so resistance with respect to movement of the movable contact arm is increased, relative to a closing operation. In addition, in order to reduce a time during which a fault current flows as much as possible, the movable contact arm should be separated from the stationary contact arm at a very fast speed.
To this end, however, a large capacity actuator is required. In detail, in order to increase actuating power, a large capacity spring needs to be used, which, however, results in an increase in a volume of the actuator. In addition, in order to stably support the large capacity spring, strength of a structure fixedly supporting the spring needs to be increased, further increasing the volume of the actuator.
Thus, there is a need to quickly perform a breaking operation without greatly increasing the volume of the actuator, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,528,336 discloses an example. In the related art, high torque is allowed to be transmitted at an initial stage of a breaking operation by adjusting a configuration and a disposition angle of a link member connecting a lever of a actuator and a rod of a movable contact arm to thus quickly perform a breaking operation. In detail, in the related art, a breaking operation is quickly performed by applying maximum torque to the link member by actuating power at an initial stage of the breaking operation. In particular, in the related art, operational characteristics at the initial stage of the breaking operation are improved by making the use of the fact that a prompt operation is not necessary in case of a circuit closing operation, relative to the breaking operation.
However, even with the related art, a time during which maximum torque is transmitted is too short and the decrement of torque based on a movement of a movable contact arm is too large, so it is difficult to obtain a sufficient breaking speed. Namely, in order to perform a breaking operation with maximum acceleration force at the initiation of the breaking operation, maximum torque needs to last as long as possible or the decrement of torque needs to be small, but in the related art, it is impossible to adjust the duration or the decrement.
In addition, in order to maximize acceleration with which the movable contact arm is moved in a state in which the breaking operation is performed to a degree, the better a time interval during which maximum torque and minimum torque is applied is shorter, but with the related art, it is impossible to adjust the time interval.


A fluid flow tool's plate-like structure has a ring portion defining a flow hole, a support portion extending radially away from the ring portion and adapted to be coupled to conduit wall, and extensions extending radially away from the ring portion such that a periphery of the plate-like structure is defined by the extensions and trough regions between adjacent extensions. One or more ports formed in the ring portion are in fluid communication with the flow hole. A first manifold in the plate-like structure is in fluid communication with each port communicating with the flow hole. One or more ports are formed in the periphery of the plate-like structure. A second manifold in the plate-like structure is in fluid communication with each port formed in the periphery. The first and second manifolds extend through the plate-like structure to terminate and be accessible at the conduit wall.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to flow measurement tools. More specifically, the invention is a star-shaped device that, when placed in a conduit, can be used in making differential measurements in a flow.
2. Description of the Related Art
For a variety of reasons, devices are needed that can be adapted to an existing fluid conduit for the temporary or permanent provision of specific functions. One such function is the measurement of a parameter of a flowing fluid. Other functions include mixing the flowing fluid and/or injecting a second fluid into the (main) flowing fluid. With respect to parameter measurement, attributes of interest include pressure, velocity, density, temperature, etc. Currently, many flow "measurement" devices collect flow information that is then used in some approximation or modeling scheme to estimate flow attributes. In addition, current flow measurement devices are installed by cutting fully through existing conduits and then "splicing" the flow measurement devices into the conduit. This can be time consuming, tedious, and costly. This is especially problematic when making differential measurements (i.e., at two spaced apart locations along a conduit) as multiple devices must be spliced into a conduit with the entire installation then requiring calibration to account for installation irregularities. Still further, current differential flow measurement devices can create substantial pressure losses effecting pump efficiency. Flow measurement devices can also be the source of a blockage in a conduit when solids and/or foreign matter are present in a flowing fluid (e.g., man-made debris, natural debris such as hair, sticks, leaves, etc.). For example, a flow measurement device such as an orifice plate is readily clogged with debris thereby impacting flow measurements and the flow itself.

Star-shaped fluid flow tool for use in making differential measurements

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


A method and system for cyber security management of Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems is provided to enhance situational awareness and cyber security management for industrial control systems. A centralized System Security Manager (SSM) is integrated into a SCADA to collect security related data for the industrial control system and an integrated command and control user interface displays security related data, a system security level, and interfaces with a user to allows for changing of system security settings for the industrial control system based on the security related data collected and manages changes in operational state of the SCADA based on the security level to restrict use of system interfaces and system accesses.

A Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system generally refers to an industrial control system: a computer system monitoring and controlling a process. SCADA systems are used to control and monitor physical processes, examples of which are transmission of electricity, transportation of gas and oil in pipelines, water distribution, and the like. SCADA systems are also part of an Energy Management Systems (EMS) and Distribution Management System (DMS). A SCADA system usually comprises the following subsystems: A Human-Machine Interface—HMI (also known as User Interface—UI or Man Machine Interface—MMI) is the apparatus which presents process data to a human operator and through this, the human operator, monitors and controls the process (The HMI comprises a computer monitor or a custom display panel, which reports status information across the system being controlled); A supervisory (computer) system, gathering (acquiring) data on the process and sending commands (control) to the process; Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) connecting to sensors in the process, converting sensor signals to digital data and sending digital data to the supervisory system; Programmable Logic Controller (PLCs) are sometimes used as field devices because they are more economical, versatile, flexible, and configurable than special-purpose RTUs; Communication infrastructure connecting the supervisory system to the Remote Terminal Units.
The move from proprietary technologies to more standardized and open solutions together with the increased number of connections between SCADA systems and office networks and the Internet has made them more vulnerable to attacks. Consequently, the security of SCADA-based systems has come into question as they are increasingly seen as extremely vulnerable to cyber attacks. In the field of SCADA systems, cyber security solutions are typically separate or add-in solutions. This prevents a single integrated solution providing for full situational awareness with immediate workflow based access to all needed information and controls. Defining all the parameters relating to the various disparate security add-ons is also cumbersome and error prone. Finally, providing a fully integrated training simulator to allow SCADA operators to learn how to use the actual system with its security features has been lacking in the market. Therefore there is a need in the art to integrate these functions all into a single command and control solution.
Current product approaches include IBM Tivoli Netview and HP's Openview products. The above noted products do not provide an integrated solution with full access to internal SCADA functions, they do not provide a single source to enter configuration data, and they do not provide a full training simulation with the actual SCADA system included.
A number of patents exist which relate to cyber security including, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,188,003, 7,233,843, 7,246,156, and 7,483,972, and Publication Nos. 20080209033, 20080109889; all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
There is a need for systems that enhance situational awareness for industrial control systems. There is a further need for systems that enhance situational awareness for industrial control systems for improved cyber security. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an integrated solution to the problems in the art. The present invention is designed to address these needs.

Method and system for cyber security management of industrial control systems


Uncorrelated data from a variety of sources, such as consumer panels or retailer points of sale, are combined with maximal coverage of a universal data set for a population in a manner that permits useful inferences about behavioral propensities for the population at an individual or household level.

Data is stored at a variety of locations and in a variety of forms. Data can be commercially relevant when it can be used to answer commercial questions (e.g., how is a product or product line performing in the market vs. its competitors, to what extent is a product or product line being adopted by a particular market segment, etc.). In turn, insight into these and other commercial questions can help one make business decisions intelligently.


Disclosed are various embodiments for optimizing energy management. A quantity of renewable power that will be generated by renewable energy generation sources can be forecasted. The energy demand for a building or a cluster of buildings can be forecasted. A pricing model for buying energy from a grid can be determined. A quantity of energy to import from the grid or export to the grid can be scheduled based on the quantity of renewable energy forecasted and the state of charge or health of battery energy storage system, current and future operations of building HVAC, lighting and plug loads system, the forecasted energy demand for the building, and the pricing of the energy from the grid.

Buildings account for more than 40% of the total energy demand in the U.S., resulting in an annual national energy bill totaling more than $430 billion according to a Multiple Year Program Plan from Building Technologies Office in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). With the increasing penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs) or devices such as solar energy or photovoltaic (PV) systems, wind turbine energy generation, distributed fossil fuel powered generators, fuel cells, electric vehicles (EVs), and battery energy storage systems (BESS) at the individual building and microgrid level, electrical load patterns can become uncertain and variable. This uncertainty and variability can contribute to grid instability and energy waste. At the grid level, the introduction of renewable energy can also make the power system status more uncertain and variable, which requires more ancillary services to ensure system supply adequacy and reliability. Thus, the need for ancillary service provisions will increase substantially, and utility will require more flexible loads.

Building and building cluster energy management and optimization system and method

BOARDS OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM


A power distribution system is provided, including at least one capacitor bank with a capacitor bank controller, a transformer, at least one voltage regulating device with a voltage regulating device controller, and a controller. The capacitor bank is selectively connected to the feeder and a capacitor bank controller. The capacitor bank controller controls a switch for selectively connecting the capacitor bank to the feeder. The transformer delivers power to the power distribution system through the feeder. The transformer converts a transmission or a sub-transmission voltage into a distribution voltage. The controller is in communication with the capacitor bank controller, the voltage regulating device, and the transformer. The controller selectively switches the at least one capacitor bank to adjust voltage in the feeder. The controller selectively sends commands to the voltage regulating device to change a source voltage.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a power distribution system, and more specifically to a power distribution system having at least one capacitor bank and at least one voltage regulating device.
Power generation systems produce two power components. The first component is real power that is measured in watts, and the second component is reactive power that is measured in volt-ampere reactive (VAR). Both of these power components need to be generated by the system and transmitted to a service customer. This is because real power is used to drive loads such as incandescent lighting, while reactive power is used in the operation of magnetizing currents in devices such as motors or transformers.
In the US, the required voltage delivered to the service customer by the power distribution system typically ranges between about 114 and about 126 volts. Sometimes a utility provider might want to conserve energy, especially if incentives are provided for energy efficiency. In this example, voltage delivered to the service customer is typically maintained as closely to 114 volts as possible, while also having as little voltage deviation as possible. One approach for maintaining the voltage delivered to the service customer as closely to the required reduced value as possible is by employing a scheme that is commonly referred to in the art as a Voltage and VAR Optimization (VVO) scheme.
A VVO scheme typically employs a load tap changer (LTC) and/or a voltage regulator (VR) installed in the substation and infield voltage regulators and capacitor banks. For example, the amount of active and reactive power needed by the power distribution system can vary depending on the time of day as well as seasonal changes. As a result, sometimes using the VVO scheme may not always results in energy savings.


A supply voltage switching circuit for a computer includes a chipset, a first transistor, a second transistor, and a third transistor. The chipset includes a first MOSFET and a second MOSFET. A 5V system voltage and a 5V standby voltage are respectively inputted to sources of the first MOSFET and the second MOSFET. Gates of the first MOSFET and the second MOSFET are respectively coupled to collectors of the second transistor and the third transistor. A base of the first transistor is coupled to a terminal for receiving a control signal from the computer. The 5V standby voltage is inputted to a collector of the first transistor. Bases of the second transistor and the third transistor are coupled to the collector of the first transistor. A 12V system voltage and the 5V standby voltage are respectively inputted to collectors of the second transistor and the third transistor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a supply voltage switching circuit for a computer, and more particularly to a supply voltage switching circuit which can prevent the computer from being down when the computer is waken up.
2. General Background
In general, a user can make a computer go to a sleep mode through a user setting in Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI), in order to protect the computer and save energy. The user can also wake up the sleeping computer by peripheral equipments such as keyboard, mouse, Universal Serial Bus (USB) and etc.
A working voltage is provided by a supply voltage switching circuit. When the computer is at a work mode, the supply voltage switching circuit provides a 5V system voltage (5V_SYS). When the computer is at a sleep mode, the supply voltage switching circuit provides a 5V standby voltage (5V_SB).
Referring to FIG. 3, a typical supply voltage switching circuit for a computer includes a chipset 3′, a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) Q1′ and a MOSFET Q2′. The MOSFET Q1′ and the MOSFET Q2′ are N-channel-strengthen MOSFETS. A gate of the MOSFET Q1′ is connected to a terminal 2′. A source of the MOSFET Q1′ is grounded. A drain of the MOSFET Q1′ is coupled to a 5V_SB. A gate of the MOSFET Q2′ is connected to the drain of the MOSFET Q1′. A source of the MOSFET Q2′ is grounded. A drain of the MOSFET Q2′ is coupled to a 12V_SYS. The chipset 3′ includes a MOSFET Q3′ and a MOSFET Q4′. The MOSFET Q3′ is an N-channel-strengthen MOSFET and the MOSFET Q4′ is P-channel-strengthen MOSFET. A gate of the MOSFET Q3′ is coupled to a 12V_SYS. A source of the MOSFET Q3′ is coupled to a 5V_SYS. A drain of the MOSFET Q3′ is connected to a terminal 1′. A gate of the MOSFET Q4′ is coupled to the 12V_SYS. A source of the MOSFET Q4′ is coupled to the 5V_SB. A drain of the MOSFET Q4′ is connected to the terminal 1′.
A working process of the typical supply voltage switching circuit includes two stages. At the first stage, the computer is at a sleep mode, and a low level voltage from the computer is inputted to the gate of the MOSFET Q1′ via the terminal 2′. The MOSFET Q1′ is turned off and the MOSFET Q2′ is turned on. So an output voltage of the drain of the MOSFET Q2′ is at a low level. Because the MOSFET Q4′ is a P-channel-strengthen MOSFET and the MOSFET Q3′ is an N-channel-strengthen MOSFET, the MOSFET Q4′ is turned on and the MOSFET Q3′ is turned off. So the terminal 1′ outputs the 5V_SB at the first stage. At the second stage, the computer is at a work mode, and a power-ok (PWR-OK) signal from the computer is inputted to the gate of the MOSFET Q1′ via the terminal 2′. The MOSFET Q1′ is turned on and an input voltage of the gate of the MOSFET Q2′ is at a low level. So the MOSFET Q2′ is turned off and the 12V_SYS is outputted to the gates of the MOSFET Q3′ and the MOSFET Q4′. The MOSFET Q3′ is turned on and the MOSFET Q4′ is turned off. So the terminal 1′ outputs the 5V_SYS at the second stage. That is, when the PWR-OK signal is inputted to the typical supply voltage switching circuit, the terminal 1′ outputs the 5V_SYS.
However, the typical supply voltage switching has a disadvantage. Because the 12V_SYS is inputted to the gates of the MOSFET Q3′ and the MOSFET Q4′ at the same time, the MOSFET Q4′ is turned off quickly before the MOSFET Q3′ is turned on. So the output voltage of the terminal 1′ has a great voltage drop. When a computer is waken up at a sleep mode, the computer will be down because of the voltage drop.
What is needed is a supply voltage switching circuit for a computer which can prevent the computer from being down when the computer is waken up.

Bao-an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.


A wax applicator stick scraper according to the invention can be fitted onto the top edge of a disposable wax can received in a wax heater and can have a quarter-moon shape with a free edge with rectilinear segments of different lengths and different angles between them to accommodate different widths and shapes of the applicator stick.

In the application of wax to the skin to be treated, use is made of an applicator in the form of a stick. The latter can be inserted into a bath of hot wax in a wax heater, withdrawn from the bath with adherent molten wax and applied to the skin. The removal of excess wax from the applicator or stick is frequently important and sticks of various width may be used in the application process.
If the stick is wiped along the edge of a can containing the wax and inserted into a wax heater closely surrounding the can, both the edge of the can and the surrounding heater may become contaminated with the wax and have to be cleaned at the end of the process. Furthermore, the wiping or scraping of the stick along a rounded lip of the can may not remove all or as much of the wax from the stick as may be required or desired and cannot ensure a uniform thickness of the layer of wax across the width of the stick.
Indeed, problems of the removal of excess liquid from applicators for liquids, such as paint brushes, have been dealt with in the past by, for example, mounting a paint scraper or wiper on the lip of a paint can. The wiping edge may then lie inwardly of the lip of the can so that the excess paint or the paint wiped from the brush can fall directly back into the body of liquid in the can and will not contaminate the lip of the can.
While such wiping devices have proved to be effective for paint, they have not been found to be effective or sufficiently versatile as wax scrapers in the dipilatory field or for use of hot wax for treatment of a subject.


A reflection type photoelectric switch including a light emitting member for emitting a substantially single light beam having first and second different wavelengths, a reflector for reflecting the emitted light beam at different reflection rates with respect to the first and second and wavelengths, a light receiving member for sensing rays at the first and second wavelengths, and means for analyzing outputs generated from the light receiving member receiving the reflected light beam at the first and second wavelengths to generate an output representing the existence of an object to be detected by the photoelectric switch.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a reflection type photoelectric switch including a light projecting member for projecting a light beam to a retroreflector and a light receiving member for receiving a reflected light beam from the reflector to produce a light path, whereby an object is detected when it blocks the light path, and move particularly to an improved photoelectric switch which can precisely detect even the object having a mirror surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A reflection type photoelectric switch housing light projecting and receiving members is well known in which the light projecting member projects a light beam to a retroreflector and the receiving member receives a reflected light beam from the reflector whereby a detection signal is obtained when the projected light beam is blocked by an object to be detected. Such a conventional photoelectric switch, however, has a disadvantage that an object having a metallic or mirror surface cannot be detected thereby because the light beam projected from the projecting member is reflected on the mirror surface to be received by the receiving member.
In order to overcome such a disadvantage, there has been proposed heretofore a photoelectric switch in which a pair of light projecting members respectively project different wavelength lights to a retroreflector and only one of the projected lights is reflected by the reflector so that the discrimination of the reflector and an object to be detected by the switch is performed by the comparison between the levels of the respective reflected lights. This conventional switch needs two pairs of projecting and receiving members, so that the number of optical components is unnecessary increased. Moreover, the respective optical axes of the respective projecting members are slightly shifted, so that a detection signal is erroneously produced when only one of the pair of optical axes is blocked by the object.

Reflection type photoelectric switch for detecting the presence of an object


An execution system executes an update batch according to an update batch execution request from a terminal device and gives a batch execution command to each standby system. Each system stores the content of updated data in its update buffer; and subject to termination of the update batch by each system, the post-update data content is reflected in a database. While the above processing is performed, the execution system and the standby systems accept a reference request from the terminal device; and in a case of “batch not executed” or “batch in execution”, each system searches the database and then returns the pre-update data content to the terminal device; and in a case of “update content being reflected”, each system searches the database or the update buffer and then returns the post-update data content to the terminal device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for providing online services to users' terminal devices, using data managed by databases.
2. Description of Related Art
With the development of the information society, many companies provide online services, using databases. Examples of such online services include bank ATM systems and road and railroad navigation systems.
Recently, due to intensifying competition among companies, each company has been trying to differentiate themselves by expanding services, extending the amount of service providing time, and even providing online services continuously.
Also, with an increase in the number of terminals using online services, such as the Internet terminals and cell-phones, the amount of access to the online services has been increasing. Therefore, for example, with an online service, such as a road or railroad navigation service, for processing a large quantity of data reference requests from terminals, a database with the same content is placed in a plurality of apparatuses so that the reference requests from the terminals are distributed to and processed by the plurality of apparatuses.
A database management system sometimes executes daily routine tasks collectively by means of batch processing. Examples of such batch processing include processing to regularly update data to which an online service refers to. Since a large quantity of data is accessed in the batch processing, system load tends to increase. Accordingly, the batch processing is often executed at night outside online service hours when the load is comparatively low.
However, companies are providing online services continuously and are required to execute batch processing without stopping the online services. "Rolling upgrade" is an example of a technique of performing maintenance including batch processing without stopping online services where a database with the same content is placed in a plurality of apparatuses (see E. A. Brewer "Lessons from giant-scale services," Internet Computing, IEEE, Vol. 5, Issue 4, July-August, 2001, P. 54).
Rolling upgrade is performed so that the plurality of apparatuses stop the online service in turns to perform maintenance, thereby executing batch processing without stopping the online service provided by the system as a whole.
However, if the rolling upgrade is performed in order to execute batch processing requiring updates on the database in each apparatus, batch termination time will be different for each apparatus. So, even if the same reference request is executed at each apparatus at the same time, a reference result will be different for each apparatus.
For example, the same database is placed in three apparatuses and the following sequence of procedures is executed in turns in the order of a first apparatus, a second apparatus, and a third apparatus: stopping an online service; executing batch processing requiring updates; and then resuming the online service. If the same reference request is executed on the first and third apparatuses during execution of the batch processing requiring updates on the second apparatus, a reference result after the batch processing will be obtained from the first apparatus and a reference result before the batch processing will be obtained from the third apparatus, that is, the reference results from those apparatuses will be different.

System for judging an execution status of batch processing, and based on judgement result to send post-update data to terminal device


In a rail system and method for operating a rail system having a rail-guided mobile part and having a central control system, the mobile part includes a device for acquiring the position of the mobile part, the mobile part has a first drive, in particular a traction drive, the mobile part has a current acquisition device, the mobile part has a processor for evaluating the current-value profile acquired between a first position and a second position, the processor as a device for evaluating the current-value profile is configured such that the processor determines as an evaluation value tuples which include at least an item of position information and a value determined from the current-value profile, the processor is connected with the aid of a data transmission channel to the central control system for the transmission of the value tuples, the central control system is adapted to monitor the value tuples and monitors the respective value determined from the individual current profile for an exceeding of a permissible measure of a deviation from a predefined value, in particular a setpoint value.

It is generally conventional to acquire a current and to drive mobile parts with the aid of a first drive.
European Published Patent Application No. 2 765 053 describes a diagnostics system for a rail train.
A method for monitoring the state of railway vehicles is described in European Published Patent Application No. 0 917 979.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0178426 describes an abnormality diagnostics device.
German Published Patent Application No. 60 2004 000 115 describes a train control system.
German Published Patent Application No. 10 2005 045 603 describes a method for monitoring the interference behavior of a drive unit of a rail vehicle.
European Published Patent Application No. 2 858 937 describes a crane operating method.

Rail system and method for operating a rail system having a rail-guided mobile part and having a central control system


Systems and methods are disclosed for demographic prediction based on aggregated training data. The predictions are based on auditing aggregated data associated with identified properties of web requests. The audited information is based on a batch of prior web requests that have the same property and have been audited by a measurement company.

When a user visits a website, it is desirable for the website publisher to understand the demographics of the user in order to determine what content might be of greatest interest to them. Accurate demographic prediction can result in an improved experience for the user from an ability to better target content of interest for them.
Ad Servers also have a critical need to also be able to predict the demographics of the user, so as to deliver the right advertising content to them. There also are important financial reasons for being able to do this accurately. A standard method of calculating an advertiser's Cost Per Acquisition (the amount paid per valuable event) in online advertising is as follows:
  CPA  =            Cost      A        =                            (                      I            *            CPI                    )                          I          *                      Pr                                      (              a              )                                          =              CPI                  Pr                                (            a            )
where Cost=Spend by advertiser; A=acquisitions by advertiser; I=impressions; CPI=cost per impression; Pr(a)=probability of acquisition per impression. We will refer to ITR(i) or in-target-rate as the number of impressions which have the correct demographic, divided by total impressions. In general, if the advertiser has correctly identified their most responsive audience, then the probability of acquisition (acquisitions per impression) that they achieve by delivering their ad, should be proportional to the in-target rate.Pr(a)=c*ITR(i)
If we increase the ITR (i) by a factor of x then we have:CPI*=Pr(a)*x*CPA=x*CPI
Therefore, if TR(i) increases by x, then the advertiser could increase their budget and price paid per impression by x, the advertiser can acquire x times the acquisitions, and the ad server in turn could make approximately x times more revenue. To put it simply, the amount of money that an ad-server makes is proportional to the in-target-rate that they can achieve. If they can increase in-target rate from 10% to 20%, they should make twice as much money. Therefore, computational systems to allocate impressions so maximize in-target-rate are of great interest.
Better demographic targeting provides benefits for other parties in the ecosystem also. When ad servers achieve higher advertising revenues, they are able to provide higher payouts back to the publishers who host the ads. In addition, users—people visiting web pages—receive ads that are more relevant to their particular interests, age group, gender, and other characteristics. More relevant ads can make ads interesting, useful, and informative. There is evidence in paid search auctions that paid links are able to achieve high levels of ad relevance. Therefore, better matching of ad demographics to the user, can mean better advertiser ROI, ad server revenue, and publisher revenue, and a better user experience for ad supported web browsing.
Demographic targeting technology is used in the largest content delivery platforms in the world. Platforms the likes of Facebook, AOL, Google Adwords, Bing, Yahoo, and others, allow advertisers and other content providers to target based on demographics. Typically these platforms utilize what can be termed "first party data" to predict demographics. First party data comprises a set users with known demographics to predict the demographics of other users, and usually owned by the publisher or network. For example, a platform such as Facebook may have access to age and gender based on the profiles voluntarily created by users, along with content interests, and browsing behavior on facebook.com. Facebook can then use interests and browsing behavior for users with known age to predict age and gender of other users who haven't provided this information. First party demographic data can be effective, but it can also be subject to many limitations: (1) Users may not wish to disclose their demographic data, and on certain sites if there is little demographic data, that can make prediction difficult (2) Users may employ "do not track" features on browser to hide their browsing history, (3) Users may not want their information used in this way, (4) The population that makes available their demographics may be a biased population, and predictions based on those individuals may also be erroneous, (5) Often the publisher that is providing the demographic predictions, is also the same entity that is selling inventory—as a result there is a potential conflict-of-interest when the demographic estimates are being quoted for sale—the publisher may have a vested interest in what numbers are being reported, (6) There may be legal restrictions around the use of browsing histories if the users haven't opted into allowing their data to be used in this way
Third Party Demographic Verification or Ratings services are an alternative method for reporting on demographics, and until now they have tended to occupy a different niche in advertising. Examples of these Rating Companies include Nielsen and Comscore. Both companies maintain a panel of paid volunteers who enable their activity to be tracked. Using their panel, they then determine how many people were watching television or webpages at a given time. These companies are independent from publishers and advertisers both, and therefore are often favored because they have no obvious bias or incentives, and bring their own independent "measuring stick" to report on demographics on a website or television program. In the case of television ratings, Nielsen Corporation has become almost a de-facto standard or currency that is used and quoted by advertisers, publishers, and television networks alike. Nielsen and Comscore are currently trying to expand their panel-based methods to work in the growing space of online advertising.
Rating company panels comprise individuals who allow their personal information to be reported anonymously. Comscore's Validated Campaign Essentials (VCE) product comprises a 1 million sized panel of persons who allow their online behavior to be tracked and reported. Nielsen Corporation maintains a panel with 200,000 US persons, and offers reporting through their Digital Ad Ratings product. Because these Rating companies are not selling media, but instead sell "ratings measurement" services to both media sellers and buyers, they should have no vested interest in any particular outcomes—their only interest should be to provide the most accurate demographic numbers possible. They also have a direct first party relationship with their panelists, who agree for their data to be used anonymously in aggregate, thereby providing strong legal explicit opt-ins for their panelists which are not reliant upon third party cookie tracking, and are not subject to "do not track" opt-outs which many users currently use on browsers. These Rating services put much effort into ensuring that their panels are representative of the wider United States digital or television viewing population, and are often so trusted that they are used by advertisers for billing purposes, and as an agreed-upon method for measuring campaign performance.
Third party Oracle Ratings are often quite different in format from the "first party data" described earlier that Facebook or Yahoo or others might utilize. (1) Oracle data is generally aggregated, meaning that there is usually no information on the demographics of any particular web request or user (unlike the first party data). (2) Oracle data is generally provided after-the-fact—i.e. after advertising the exposures have occurred. Aggregating the data serves two useful purposes for ratings companies (a) it helps to keep individual panelist data private, so that the Oracle companies only report aggregated results, and (b) it helps to ensure that their panelist demographics can avoid being 're-identified' or cached by a subscriber. (For example, if the Oracle reported that user A had demographic B, then the subscribing publisher could simply then cache the fact that user A had demographic B. After encountering 1 million or so panelists, the publisher would effectively have a copy of the Oracle's database of panelists. At that point, the publisher could simply terminate their relationship with the Ratings company and then use the Oracle demographics. By aggregating, Ratings companies make it difficult to improperly save and use their expensive and highly curated panelist data, ensuring that publishers should continue to call to determine demographics).
It is common for Oracle data to be used for after-the-fact reporting, verification and billing purposes. For example, advertisers may set up contract terms that specify that a certain number of impressions, matching a particular demographic age-gender range, need to be delivered, at a certain cost per million impressions. However because Oracle data is aggregated, batched, and delayed, and panel-based (so a limited population sub-set) it is generally not used for real-time decisions about whether to buy or not buy impressions. This invention describes a method for taking a data source which is commonly used for reporting, is aggregated, batched, and after-the-fact, and uses this data source for improving real-time prediction. The resulting predictions system uses what we call "Oracle Models" to predict demographics. Oracle Models can carry significant advantages compared to the first party approach. Since these third party ratings companies are often the "score keepers" that advertisers use when they want independent ratings measurement, developing predictions based on Oracles may offer significant advantages. For example, by learning about demographics across different web request properties, it may be possible to plan campaigns and predict the demographics of incoming web requests, using the same units that are being used by the Oracles which are used for final after-the-fact demographic measurement. This may result in much more accurate demographic predictions, higher in-target rates, and happier advertisers and publishers.

Demographic prediction using aggregated labeled data


A mode selecting circuit for selecting a single operational mode in a semiconductor memory device having a plurality of operational modes. Instead of using an additional masking process, the present invention uses mode selecting pads, wherein a mode selecting pad is bonded to the terminal of the power source so as to select a mode in the final assemblying stage of the manufacturing process, so that the process is simplified and the yield rate is increased.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device and more particularly a mode selecting circuit for selecting mode of operation of the semiconductor memory device.
A semiconductor memory device is often manufactured so as to perform a special mode of operation to increase its performance. The Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) is manufactured so as to function optionally through one of the various special modes to improve its read/write performance such as fast page mode, static column mode and nibble mode. Conventionally, a particular operational mode is determined by connecting a metal line with the logic circuit for enabling a selected mode through adding a metal masking process during the manufacturing process. Consequently, the metal masking process requires a different masking process, for each operation mode each different masking process, which further requires each different masking layer. If the number of the masking processes and masking layers is increased, not only the production cost is increased, but also problems inherent in the process occur.

Mode selector for use in semiconductor memory device


The described apparatus and methods may include a receiver configured to receive a signal, the signal being a combination of physical channel signals that each correspond to a different one of a plurality of physical channels, and a controller configured to capture signal energy from at least two of the physical channel signals, and detect a cell based on the captured signal energy.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communication systems. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for facilitating cell detection using additional physical channels in a wireless communication system.
2. Introduction
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various communication services such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, etc. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., bandwidth and transmit power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) systems, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) systems, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) systems, 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) systems, and Single-Carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) systems.
In a wireless communication system, pilot signals are often broadcasted by base stations to serve as beacons for access terminals in search of a cell. In order to detect the pilot signals in a WCDMA system, access terminals may, for example, perform either a Three-Step search or a pseudorandom noise (PN) search to detect a pilot signal. Both of these searches may be carried out using a set of integration parameters, such as a coherent integration length Nc and a non-coherent integration length Nn. Typically, the values of the integration parameters depend in part on the configuration of the access terminal and may have a significant effect on the probability of detecting a cell. An increase in the probability of cell detection is desirable, as it may allow an access terminal to more quickly and effectively locate and access the best available cell, resulting in better signal transmission and reception, often at reduced transmission power levels by both the base station and the access terminal.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a method and apparatus for facilitating detection of cells in a wireless communication system by optimizing the search integration parameters and utilizing additional physical channels.

Method and apparatus for facilitating cell detection using additional physical channels in a wireless communication system


An assembly device is disclosed for attaching first and second hollow frame members together. The assembly device includes a hollow base member having a top wall, four sidewalls and an open bottom surface. The base member also has a hollow tube positioned therein. The assembly device also includes first and second hollow coupling members projecting outward from a top wall and a side wall of said hollow base member. Each of the first and second coupling members has four sidewalls and one or more cavities formed therein. The cavities allow an expandable adhesive that is placed therein to contact the inner periphery of one of the first and second hollow frame members once the first and second hollow frame members are slid onto one of the first or second coupling members. The expandable adhesive will hold the first and second hollow frame members secure to the assembly device.

Various kinds, types and sizes of assembly devices exist. Such assembly devices are referred to by various names including: connectors, connecting members, assembly systems, corner connectors, etc. The assembly deices are advantageous in constructing the frame of various structures or for securing wheels, footpads, etc. onto a structure. The structures can include, but are not limited to: aquariums, animal cages, travelling carriers for animals, machinery safety cages, industrial security cages, boxes, window frames, door frames, frame members for furniture, coffee tables, partitions, etc. The assembly devices can be constructed from different materials such as plastic, aluminum, metal, a metal alloy, a composite material, fiberglass, wood, etc. The assembly device can be used to secure two or more hollow frame members together. The hollow frame members can vary in cross-section. For example, the cross-section could be square, rectangular, round or be of some other geometrical configuration. Commonly, the hollow frame members have a square cross-section when used to form the frame of an aquarium. The frame of an aquarium can support one or more panes of glass, PLEXIGLAS®, transparent panels, etc. PLEXIGLAS® is a registered trademark of Rohm and Haas Company having an office at Independence Mall, West Philadelphia, Pa. 19105. PLEXIGLAS® is a light transparent, weather-resistant thermoplastic. The hollow frame members are fastened together by one or more assembly devices using friction, adhesive, screws, etc. It is important that the assembly device provide adequate structural strength, durability and integrity. It is also advantageous to design the assembly device so that it can be injection molded in an economical fashion and that it exhibits the appropriate amount of strength to form a secure frame structure.
Currently, many assembly devices cannot be injection molded and require the use of one or more screws to provide both a secure and durable attachment. If an assembly device cannot be injection molded, it is usually more expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, if an assembly device requires the use of one or more screws, the finished product can be unsightly and its overall aesthetic appearance can be compromised.
Now, an assembly device has been invented which can be injection molded and which does not require any screws to provide a secure attachment.


A smoking article includes a short, combustible, carbonaceous fuel element in a heat exchange relationship with a substrate carrying glycerin, tobacco extract, and a portion of an essential oil gland bearing plant. For example, fragments of cinnamon bark, lovage root, chamomile flowers or cardamon physically separate from the fuel element provide for a controlled release of a flavor profile during use of the smoking article. Heat provided by the burning fuel element acts to release essential oils from the glands to provide a complex flavor and aroma profile. The smoking article is capable of providing the user with many of the pleasures of smoking by heating but not necessarily burning tobacco.

The present invention relates to smoking articles such as cigarettes and, in particular, to those smoking articles having a fuel element, a physically separate aerosol generating means, and a mouthend piece. Smoking articles of the present invention include an aerosol generating means which is capable of producing substantial quantities of flavorful aerosol for delivery to the user. Preferred smoking articles of the present invention are capable of providing the user with the pleasures of smoking (e.g., smoking taste, feel, satisfaction, and the like), by heating but not burning tobacco.
Cigarettes, cigars and pipes are popular smoking articles which use tobacco in various forms. Many smoking products and smoking articles have been proposed through the years as improvements upon, or alternatives to, the various popular smoking articles.
Many tobacco substitute smoking materials have been proposed, and a substantial listing of such materials can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,742 to Rainer et al. Tobacco substitute smoking materials having the tradenames Cytrel and NSM were introduced in Europe during the 1970's as partial tobacco replacements, but did not realize any long-term commercial success.
Numerous references have proposed smoking articles which generate flavored vapor and/or visible aerosol. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,907,686 to Siegel; U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,258,015 and 3,356,094 to Ellis et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,516,417 to Moses; U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,072 to Bolt and U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,191 to Steiner. However, despite decades of interest and effort, no one had successfully developed a smoking article which provided the sensations associated with cigarette, cigar or pipe smoking, without delivering considerable quantities of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products.
Recently, however, in European Patent Publication Nos. 212,234 and 277,519; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,708,151; 4,714,082; 4,756,318 and 4,793,365; assigned to R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., there are described smoking articles which are capable of providing the sensations associated with cigarette and pipe smoking, without the necessity of burning tobacco and without delivering considerable quantities of incomplete combustion products. Such smoking articles employ an aerosol generating means, physically separate from and in a heat exchange relationship with a fuel element. The aerosol generating means normally includes tobacco in the form of tobacco extracts; tobacco flavor modifiers such as levulinic acid and glucose pentaacetate; and tobacco flavoring agents such as sugars, and cocoa and licorice powders and extracts; and other aerosol forming substances such as glycerin. It would be highly desirable to provide for such smoking articles unique natural flavor packages employing certain natural flavor materials.


A light extracting member for an organic electroluminescent element, to be provided on a side for extracting light emitted by the organic electroluminescent element, wherein a light extracting surface of the member has a concave-convex structure which is configured such that when comparing an intensity of light that enters the member and is output from the light extracting surface with an intensity of light that is output from a flat light extracting surface of a virtual member, a frontal intensity and an integrated intensity of the former are each greater by a factor of 1.3 or more.

An organic EL element is a light-emitting element using an organic substance as a light-emitting material, and is composed of a pair of electrodes (an anode and a cathode) and a light-emitting layer provided between the electrodes. When voltage is applied to the organic EL element, holes are injected from the anode and electrons are injected from the cathode, and then the holes and the electrons are recombined in the light-emitting layer to emit light.
The light generated in the organic EL element is output through the electrodes, and the light is used as a light source for display devices and illuminating devices. However, not all the light generated in the element is output, and a large part of the light is trapped in the element due to reflection and the like and thus is not effectively used.
In order to achieve a certain brightness that is required for a light source, there has been proposed a light-emitting device having an increased brightness in a normal direction in which a prism sheet having a structure for suppressing reflection and the like is arranged on a light extracting side of an organic EL element to increase the rate of the light output in the normal direction (for example, see JP 2007-5277 A).


A retail merchandise hanger with mounting clip is provided. The retail merchandise hanger is mounted to a retail structure. Retail merchandise is hung from the retail merchandise hanger. Various improvements are disclosed including a continuously curved mounting clip that may be efficiently manufactured at a low cost, a structurally rigid base plate that is thicker than an elastically and resiliently positionable mounting clip, and a retaining tab that prevents unintentional dislodgement of the retail merchandise hanger from the retail structure.

For many years retail merchandise has been shipped in a condition that allows for immediate sale when unpackaged by a retailer. The retail merchandise is, in many cases, placed on retail hangers that are installed on a retail structure. The retail hangers are often affixed to the retail structure via a variety of structural configurations at an end of the hanger. An example of one such configuration is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,967 to Valiulis and assigned to the instant assignee. Once the hangers are installed on the retail structure, retail merchandise may be hung from the hanger on a hook portion of the hanger. In many instances, the retail structure is preconfigured with the hangers to receive merchandise that is frequently depleted and subsequently replenished thereafter. Retail structures incorporating hangers, i.e. hanger type displays, therefore offer retailers the ability to very quickly restock depleted merchandise and present the same in a neat and aesthetically pleasing fashion.
In light of the above benefits of retail structures that incorporate hangers, there is a continuing desire to use them more routinely in a retail environment. Accordingly, there is a growing need to incorporate hangers in temporary retail structures, e.g. seasonal displays. Due to the temporal nature of certain retail display structures, some structures are often produced from corrugated cardboard or other light weight materials. As a result, the hangers are preferably light weight in order for the hangers to be incorporated in a structurally sound manner with the temporary retail structure. Also, due to the low cost of temporary retail structures, it is desirable to have a hanger that is also offered at a lower cost relative to other hanger designs in order to keep the overall cost of the hanger type display low. This lower cost can be achieved through rapid manufacture using cost efficient materials.
In view of the above, it is desirable to have a retail hanger that can be rapidly installed into temporary and permanent retail structures. It is further desirable that such a hanger be quickly and efficiently manufactured at a low cost. The present invention is directed toward meeting the needs described above, and is also directed toward improvements over the state of the art.

Retail merchandise hanger with mounting clip


3-D target systems for target practice relating to three-dimensional objects having accuracy markers for internal organs and normally non-visible targets.

This invention relates to providing a system for improved target systems. More particularly, this invention relates to providing systems and apparatus to assist three-dimensional weapons target training. In target practice, particularly for law enforcement and military personnel, two dimensional targets fail to give adequate training for targeting vital organs, which in real-life situations lie in a three-dimensional space and are hidden within a target (not visible externally). During training to assist a shooter with real-life angled targeting, alterations of a target's angle would be preferably taken into account, since such angle alters the position of the shot to vital organs or other targeted organs inside such target. In order to accurately train during target practice, a way of determining the strike of a weapon (such as, for example, a firearm bullet) at a specific location within at least a three-dimensional target is needed. Further, bullets are destructive and have a tendency to destroy targets and/or target portions. Therefore, a need exists for a target system that better withstands such destruction (lasts longer). Further, a need exists for a target that comprises easily replaceable target and/or target portions. Even further, bullets can ricochet, so a need exists for a target that reduces or eliminates bullet ricochet(s) upon hitting such target(s).


An inter-network method for distributing a path-vector routing protocol within a multi-processor router has steps of running an instance of a router-distributed Border Gateway Protocol (rdBGP) on each of a plurality of processors of the multi-processor router, establishing routing sessions between individual instances of rdBGP running on separate processors of the multi-processor router, and between individual ones of the instances of rdBGP and external protocol peers, exchanging routing information between instances of rdBGP and the external protocol peers, wherein the instances of rdBGP learn, from the external protocol peers, routes for a plurality of destinations, calculating independently, by each instance of rdBGP, a set of routes, including a best route, from each of the plurality of destinations learned from the external protocol peers, and sharing route information determined with the other instances of rdBGP running on separate processors in the multi-processor router, and updating route information according to information received from the other instances of rdBGP. Routing information is further shared with the external protocol peers, and fault tolerance is provided in some embodiments by establishing redundant communication sessions with external protocol peers.

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for providing computational scalability and fault-tolerance to path-vector routing protocols in a router. The invention also relates to distribution of a Border Gateway Protocol in a highly scalable, multiple processor router.
In the context of internetworking, routing is the coordinated transfer of information from a source to a destination via a router. Routers with the capability to forward data packets between subnetworks are referred to as intermediate systems (ISs). Intermediate systems may be classified as inter-domain ISs, i.e., those which can communicate within routing domains, and inter-domain ISs which can communicate both within and between routing domains. A routing domain, or autonomous system, can be considered to be a part of an inter-network that is regulated under common administrative authority.
A key component of routing is determination of optimal routing paths for data packets. Thereafter a second component, which may be referred to as xe2x80x9cswitchingxe2x80x9d, comprises transporting packets through the internetwork. Determination of optimal routing paths relies on one or more routing protocols to provide and update a routing database, or route table, for each router in a network. Depending on the particular routing protocol(s) used, various metrics are involved in building the routing database. Such metrics are well known in the art.
Dynamic routing protocols may be interior or exterior with respect, to a given autonomous system (AS). Conventionally, interior routing protocols are used for routing within a routing domain or AS (intra-AS). Exterior routing protocols exchange routing information between routing domains (inter-AS). Border Gateway protocol (BGP) is a path-vector routing protocol that is widely used in internetwork routing (see, for example, RFC 1771, A Border Gateway Protocol 4 (BGP-4), Y. Rekhter and T Li, 1995). BGP performs both intra-domain and inter-domain routing in networks. A primary function of BGP is to exchange routing information with other BGP systems (peers). BGP""s main functions include receiving routes from BGP peers, maintaining the routes in a routing table, applying routing policy specific to the router/AS, transmitting routing updates to other BGP systems, and computing optimal routing paths based on routing metrics. Other BGP functions like maintaining routing sessions (TCP/IP), route aggregation, route flap dampening, etc, are well known in the art.
Prior art routers typically run BGP on a single processor. The computation requirements of main BGP functions increase linearly with the number of peers. BGP doesn""t computationally scale well on a single CPU with an increasing number of peers. In prior art systems, accommodation of increasing numbers of peer routers relies on reconfiguring the network by the meshing of multiple separate routers. This approach has a number of drawbacks, including the requirement for considerable increases in network management. A truly scalable BGP should be able to distribute the computational load of the protocol on multiple CPUs.
Another disadvantage of running BGP on a single CPU is that it has a single point of failure. Any local failure results in peer routing sessions dying. Whenever routing sessions fail peers withdraw routes through the local router. When the routes through the local router get withdrawn from all peers, the local router essentially becomes xe2x80x9cinvisiblexe2x80x9d to the rest of the network. It no longer gets traffic directed to it for forwarding purposes. BGP running on a single CPU system is not fault-tolerant. In a fault tolerant implementation of BGP, the routing information on the local router and peer router is not lost due to a single point of failure on the local router. A single point of failure on the local router will not result in the router becoming xe2x80x9cinvisiblexe2x80x9d to the rest of the network.
As demand for Internet usage continues to expand, there is a need for highly scalable routers having the capacity to handle greatly increased data flow. Scalable routers such as those of the instant invention, are characterized as having a large number of interfaces and a large number of peers. In order to accommodate such large numbers of peers, it is necessary to provide a plurality of processors and to distribute the computational load associated with the large number of protocol peers over the plurality of processors. Running multiple instances of BGP on a multi-processor router not only allows for scalability of the router, but also provides fault-tolerance. Configuring a single router also eases network management.
In order to implement a router running a plurality of instances of BGP, the inventors of the instant application have developed a novel version of BGP, which is referred to herein as router-distributed BGP (rdBGP). Furthermore, in prior art systems and methods, BGP fault tolerance in a given router was not available, due to the fact that a single instance of BGP was running on that router. In contrast, a multi-processor, scalable router of the invention which runs a plurality of BGP instances concurrently, provides for fault tolerance of that router, as will be described herein below.
Scalable routers can also be logically partitioned into logical router entities also know as virtual routers that run independently, sharing the same physical router""s resources. We shall use the terms router and virtual router interchangeably herein.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in an internetwork, a method for operating a distributed path-vector routing protocol within a multi-processor router, comprising the steps of (a) running an instance of a router-distributed Border Gateway Protocol (rdBGP) on each of a plurality of processors of the multi-processor router; (b) establishing routing sessions between individual instances of rdBGP running on separate processors of the multi-processor router, and between individual ones of the instances of rdBGP and external protocol peers; (c) exchanging routing information between instances of rdBGP and the external protocol peers, wherein the instances of rdBGP learn, from the external protocol peers, routes for a plurality of destinations; (d) calculating independently, by each instance of rdBGP, a set of routes, including a best route, for each of the plurality of destinations learned from the locally handled external protocol peers; and (e) sharing route information determined with the other instances of rdBGP running on separate processors in the multi-processor router, and updating route information according to information received from the other instances of rdBGP.
In some preferred embodiments of the invention there is a further step (f) for sharing route information with the external protocol peers. Also in some preferred embodiments a routing session is established between every instance of rdBGP and every other instance of rdBGP. In still further preferred embodiments two instances of rdBGP maintain a routing session with each external protocol peer, providing fault-tolerance thereby.
In some embodiments each of the plurality of instances of rdBGP are in full-mesh communication with each other via a reliable communication mechanism. In some embodiments instances of rdBGP are dynamically assigned to the plurality of external protocol peers based on a metric selected from the group consisting of CPU usage and memory usage.
In another aspect of the present invention a multi-processor router is provided, comprising a plurality of instances of a router-distributed Border Gateway Protocol (rdBGP) executing on each of a plurality of processors, an internal fabric through which the plurality of processors may communicate, and ports through which the rdBGP instances may communicate with external routers. The router is characterized in that each instance of rdBGP establishes a routing session with an external router, learns routes from the external router, and determines a set of routes, including a best route, from the routes learned.
In some preferred embodiments each instance of rdBGP also establishes routing sessions with each instance of rdBGP, and shares route information thereby. In other embodiments each instance of rdBGP re-determines best route information after sharing with other instances of rdBGP, and shares route information with any external router with which it has a routing session. In still other embodiments a routing session is established between every instance of rdBGP and every other instance of rdBGP.
In some preferred embodiments at least two instances of rdBGP maintain a routing session with each external router, providing fault-tolerance thereby. Also in some preferred embodiments each of the plurality of instances of rdBGP are in full-mesh communication with each other via a reliable communication mechanism. In still other embodiments the instances of rdBGP may be dynamically assigned to the plurality of external protocol peers based on a metric selected from the group consisting of CPU usage and memory usage.
In embodiments of the present invention taught in enabling detail below, for the first time, path vector routing protocol is made operable on multi-processor routers in a manner that tasks may be shared and fault tolerance is provided.

Method and apparatus for distributing and providing fault tolerance to path-vector routing protocols within a multi-processor router


A reflective liquid crystal device comprises in sequence a linear polarizer, a retarder arrangement comprising two retarders, and a reflector. A first of the retarders provides a retardation of mxcex/2 and a second of the retarders provides a retardation of nxcex/4, where m is an integer and n is an odd integer, and wherein at least one of the first and second retarders comprises a Bistable Twisted Nematic (BTN) liquid crystal. This BTN retarder is switchable between a first state in which the retarder provides a retardation of mxcex/2 or nxcex/4 and a second state in which the retardation is zero.

The present invention relates to reflective liquid crystal devices and more particularly to reflective liquid crystal display device comprising a bistable twisted nematic (BTN) liquid crystal.
Reflective liquid crystal devices typically comprise a linear polariser and a mirror, with one or more retarders and a switchable liquid crystal element sandwiched between the polariser and the mirror. In a first state of the liquid crystal element, linearly polarised light passing through the polariser is reflected from the mirror and arrives back at the polariser with the same linear polarisation. Hence the reflected light is transmitted by the polariser and the device appears in the bright state. In a second state of the liquid crystal element, linearly polarised light is converted to have a circular polarisation such that upon reflection at the mirror the xe2x80x9chandednessxe2x80x9d of the circular polarisation is changed (i.e. from right to left or from left to right). Light arriving back at the polariser is arranged to have a polarisation angle 90xc2x0 shifted from the axis of the polariser (either the transmission or the absorption axis of the polariser may be considered and both give identical results). Hence, the reflected light to not transmitted by the polariser and the device appears in the dark state. Reflective liquid crystal devices are attractive particularly for low power consumption applications.
GB9622733.5 describes a reflective liquld crystal display device comprising a polariser and a mirror between which are disposed several retarders. One of the retarders is a liquid crystal element whose optic axis is switchable so as to switch the device between a reflective state and a non-reflective state.
EP0018180 describes a liquld crystal cell comprising a cholesteric liquid crystal. The liquid crystal is bistable and can exist in either one of its two metastable states until specific stops are taken to cause a transition to the other metastable state. Energy is expended only when a transition occurs.
The article xe2x80x9cBistable Twisted Nematic Mode with One Polariser for Reflective Liquid Crystal Displaysxe2x80x9d, Kim, Yu and Lee, IDRC Asia Display 98, Seoul, Korea, p 763, describes a device having in sequence an input linear polariser, a quarter wave retarder, a BTN element, and a mirror.
The article xe2x80x9cReflective Bistable Twisted Nematic Liquid Crystal Displayxe2x80x9d, Xie and Kwok, Jpn J. Appl. Phys. Vol37, part 1, No. 5a (1998), p 2572, describes a device having an input polariser, a BTN mode and a reflector. The proposed device does not include any additional retarders and states that the contrast ratio measured is about 6:1.
WO98/48320 describes a reflective liquid crystal display device comprising a polariser and a mirror between which are disposed a half wave retarder, a quarter wave retarder, and a liquid crystal element.
Abstract 39.3 (published in the SID 1999 International Symposium, Seminar and Exhibition-Advance program, in advance of a conference to be held in San Jose, Calif. USA, May 16-21, 1999) titled xe2x80x9cReflective Single-Polariser Bistable Nematic LCD with Optimum Twistxe2x80x9d, Y. J. Kim and J. S. Patel, describes a single-polariser reflective LCD having a bistable twisted nematic mode. The twist angles of the two bistable states are 63.6xc2x0 and 423.6xc2x0.
The article xe2x80x9cFast bistable nematic display using monostable surface switchingxe2x80x9d, I. Dozov, M. Nobili and G. Durand, Appl. Phys. Lett. 70 (9), 3 Mar. 1997, describes a device having a two bistable states, namely a metastable uniform (untwisted) state and a half-turn (180xc2x0) twist state.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a reflective liquid crystal device comprising in sequence a linear polariser, a retarder arrangement comprising two retarders, and a reflector, wherein, in at least one state of the device, a first of said retarders acts to rotate linearly polarised light of wavelength xcex, and a second of the retarders acts to convert linealy polarised light of wavelength yxcex (where 0.7 less than y less than 1.3) to substantially circular polarised light, and wherein at least one of the said first and second retarders comprises a Bistable Twisted Nematic (BTN) liquid crystal.
The wavelength xcex is an operating wavelength of the reflective liquid crystal device and lies in the visible spectrum and is preferably in the range 400-700 nm, more preferably 420-600 nm, and more preferably still in the region 440-550 nm. Most preferably xcex is approximately 550 nm.
Preferably, the retarder comprises a BTN liquid crystal providing a retardation of nxcex/4.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a reflective liquid crystal device comprising in sequence a linear polariser, a retarder arrangement comprising two retarders, and a reflector, wherein a first of said retarders provides a retardation of substantially mxcex/2 and a second of the retarders provides a retardation of substantially nxcex/4 where m is an integer and n is an odd integer, and wherein at least one of the said first and second retarders comprises a Bistable Twisted Nematic (BTN) liquid crystal and is switchable between a first state in which the retarder provides a retardation of substantially mxcex/2 or nxcex/4 and a second state in which the retardation is substantially zero.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a reflective liquld crystal device comprising in sequence a linear polariser, a retarder arrangement comprising at least three retarders, and a reflector, wherein at least one of said retarders comprises a Bistable Twisted Nematic (BTN) liquid crystal and is switchable between first and second retardation states.
The wavelength xcex is an operating wavelength of the reflective liquid crystal device and lies in the visible spectrum and is preferably in the range 400-700 nm, more preferably 420-600 nm, and more preferably still in the region 440-550 nm. Most preferably xcex is approximately 550 nm.
Preferably, the retarder comprising a BTN liquid crystal providing a retardation in said first state of substantially mxcex/2 or nxcex/4 where m is an integer and n is an odd integer, and a retardation in said second state of substantially zero. The others of said retarders may provide a retardation of substantially mxcex/2 or nxcex/4.
xe2x80x9cOptic axisxe2x80x9d means slow optic axis.


A hand-held spreader is provided having a base with a mechanism for spreading particulate material response to turning a hand crank. The base is universally attachable to hoppers of different types which provide particulate material to the base for spreading. Different types of hoppers when attached to the base can adapt the spreader to spread different particulate material, such as of seed or salt. Teeth may be provided along upper edge of the hopper for use in scooping up particulate material into the hopper. Another type of hopper which can be attached to the base has a closed top end to provide a sealed container of particulate material, and has a sealing member releasable from the hopper to allow flow of particulate material from the hopper to the attached base.

Conventional hand-held spreaders typically have an upper compartment, often called a hopper, having particulate material which falls onto a rotating impeller that discharges such particulate material away from the spreader, thereby distributing such particulate material onto a surface. The flow rate along the path onto the impeller is set so it can properly project particulate material from the spreader without clogging, while allowing particulate material to readily flow by gravity through opening(s) at the bottom of the hopper up to a desired maximum rate. Due to differences in particulate size, hand-held spreaders often cannot properly spread different types of particulate material. For example, a spreader designed for use in distributing seeds cannot be readily be used for spreading salt, and vice versa, since seeds are often much smaller than salt crystals used for melting snow and ice. Accordingly, manufacturers have had to design different hand-held spreaders for spreading different types of particulate material of seed or salt, or add additional complexity to make spreaders settable to internally adapt the spreader to use different types of particulate material. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a hand-held spreader of a universal base design that can be readily adapted to different spreading applications, of seed, salt, or other particulate materials with either open, or closable top ends.

Hand-held spreader having a base attachable to a plurality of different hoppers


A method and an apparatus for playout scheduling in a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system are provided. The method includes acquiring Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) samples by decoding a received packet; setting a first scale ratio according to a length of PCM samples stored in a playout buffer based on a preset scale ratio table; setting a second scale ratio by predicting a packet delay; setting a final scale ratio using the first scale ratio and the second scale ratio; and adjusting the length of the acquired PCM samples at the final scale ratio.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and a method for playout scheduling in a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and more particularly to an apparatus and a method for a receiver of the VoIP system to robustly handle influence of a jitter by adaptively adjusting a size of a playout buffer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, transmission of time-varying multimedia such as voice and audio over an Internet Protocol (IP) network is increasing. Yet, because the jitter caused by a network delay is considerable and it is difficult to predict the jitter, an IP network using a best effort service does not guarantee Quality of Service (QoS) of the voice, which requires the real-time service. In the packet delivery over the IP network, the network delay jitter occurs because the packets arrive at a destination node through different delays.
When the packets are received after an intended playout time because of the considerable delay jitter, a user suffers discontinuous voice signal. The playout time is a time taken to receive voice packets, to convert the voice packets to a voice signal, to amplify the voice signal, and to reproduce the audio.
To address the above-mentioned shortcoming, in the related art, the receiver, which includes a playout buffer for buffering, stores the decoded voice PCM samples to the buffer; and then outputs the audio, rather than restoring and outputting the corresponding packets as the voice signal upon the reception of the packet. However, using the playout buffer, the user experiences the delay that lasts as long as the first buffering time at the initial call setup, and the playout scheduling is not conducted for the jitter variation in the process of the call. As a result, to the related art cannot actively handle the delay varying according to the condition of the network.
To avoid this problem, a method has been suggested for adaptively adjusting the playout time by predicting the jitter caused by the network delay and adjusting a size of Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) samples. Herein, the method for adjusting the playout time is referred to as a playout scheduling, and a technique for increasing or decreasing the number of the PCM samples using the characteristic of the voice for the playout scheduling is referred to as a Time Scale Modification (TSM). The TSM determines a scale ratio to increase or decrease the number of the PCM samples. The audio quality greatly depends on a performance of an algorithm of determining the scale ratio.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional structure for playout scheduling at a receiver of a VoIP system.
Referring to FIG. 1, the receiver measures the delay in every reception of the packet, predicts a next packet arrival time by taking statistics on delay, i.e., predicts a next packet delay {circumflex over (d)}ni+1 in step 101, adjusts the number of voice PCM samples received in the current packet by determining the scale ratio Si based on the predicted delay in step 103, and adjusts the playout time so that the user cannot recognize the discontinuous voice signal. Herein, the scale ratio indicates the increase or the decrease of the length of the PCM samples.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a conventional method of a receiver for determining a playout time through delay prediction in a VoIP system.
Referring to FIG. 2, after a call is set up in step 201, the receiver checks if a packet is received in step 203. When a packet is received, the receiver checks if the packet is an i-th packet in step 205. When the packet is the i-th packet the receiver updates to wait for the (i+1)-th path in step 207, and decodes the current i-th packet in step 209 in order to acquire PCM samples of the i-th packet. The receiver predicts a reception time of die next (i+1)-th packet, i.e., predicts the (i+1)-th packet delay {circumflex over (d)}ni+1 in step 211, and defines the scale ratio Si of the PCM samples of the i-th packet according to the predicted delay in step 213. Herein, the scale ratio of the PCM samples of the i-th packet is determined using a ratio of the delay time of the (i+1)-th packet to the playout time of one packet.
Upon determining the scale ratio of the i-th packet, the receiver adjusts the size of the i-th packet at the determined scale ratio, i.e., adjusts the number of the PCM samples of the i-th packet in step 215, stores the adjusted PCM samples to the playout buffer in step 217, and then returns to step 203.
By contrast, when the packet is not the i-th packet in step 205, the receiver checks if the received packet is a packet after the i-th packet in step 219. When the packet is the packet after the i-th packet, the receiver stores the packet to a queuing buffer in step 221. When the packet is a packet prior to the i-th packet, the receiver discards the packet in step 223.
The receiver checks if the set call is released in step 225. When the call is not released, method returns to step 203. When the call is released, the receiver finishes this conventional process.
As discussed above, the TSM in the conventional playout scheduling method reproduces the voice signal by adjusting the playout time through the delay prediction on the next packet. However, because the delay in the IP network may abruptly change according to the condition and the jitter may increase unexpectedly, it is highly likely that the delay prediction is not conducted accurately. Consequently, it is difficult to robustly deal with the jitter variation of the IP network using the scheduling method that determines the playout time through the delay prediction.

Apparatus and method for playout scheduling in voice over internet protocol (VoIP) system


The object of the present invention is to provide a black marker composition capable of forming non-metal marker which sufficiently ensures the adhering strength and the contrast against the foundation; the electronic component comprising the marker made of said black marker composition, and further the communication device comprising said electronic component.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a black marker composition and an electronic component comprising a marker made of said black marker composition, and further relates to a communication device comprising said electronic component.
Background Art
A multilayered electronic component is provided, in some case, with a marker on the upper face of the multilayer body in order to avoid the mistake during the mounting or the production by specifying the direction of the mounting. Ba—Nd—Ti based ceramic having high ∈ or Q is well known as the material suitable for a high frequency component. As for the marker of the multilayered electronic component using this Ba—Nd—Ti based ceramic, the marker material consisting of a metal material is widely used (the patent document 1 and 2).
However, the marker consisting of such metal material needs to consider the short circuit with the terminal electrode, thus the shape or the position or so of the marker is limited. Also, when forming the marker on the upper face of the multilayered body, if the marker is directly formed on the foundation of the multilayered body, then the stray capacitance or the capacity coupling may occur between the marker consisting of the metal material and the dielectric material constituting the foundation of the multilayered body.
Especially recently, such problems have become prominent as the demands to make the product further compact and with higher characterization have become stronger. That is, in case the marker is consisting of metal, as the product is made smaller, the distance between the electrode and the marker becomes smaller, thus such spaces are easy to contact which then easily causes the short circuit.
In order to solve such problem, the technique to form the marker by the material other than the metal material has been proposed (the patent document 3). However, in case of forming the marker by the material other than the metal material, there may be problems as mentioned in below depending on the material.
For example, it is necessary to include the low temperature sintering agent when using Ba—Nd—Ti based foundation material as the foundation of the multilayered body for firing Ag electrode and the foundation material together. Such sintering agent component easily reacts with other substances, hence when a glass material is used as the marker material, the glass component crystallizes and causes the adhering strength between the foundation and the marker to become lower.
Also, when the pigment is used as the marker material, the color changes before and after the firing, and the contrast between the foundation and the marker is compromised.

Black marker composition and an electronic component using these

Abstract: The marker composition according to the present invention comprises a borosilicate glass, and a black oxide including Cr, Mn and one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Cu and Co.