In a hermaphroditic biconic connector (20), an optical fiber cable (24) extends through a cap (46) into a tapered passageway of a flanged bushing. Optical fibers extend from the cable through a bore in a wedge (65) having a truncated conical shape and being received in the bushing. Portions of a strength member system (28) of the cable in the form of non-metallic filamentary strand material are captured between a wall which defines the tapered passageway and an outer surface of the wedge. The surfaces between which the strength members become locked are substantially smooth to avoid damage to the strength members. Forces applied to the cable and hence to the strength members cause the wedge to be seated further in the bushing. Also, the included angle between diametrically opposite lines on the surface of the wedge that lie in a plane that passes through the longitudinal axis of the wedge enhances the locking features of the connector. The fibers also extend through a retention nut (70) which is turned threadably over a threaded portion of the bushing and each fiber is connected to a truncated, conically shaped plug (94). The plugs are mounted adjacent to an end of the connector with one plug being received in an alignment sleeve (130). A sleeve retainer (140) is disposed over the sleeve and the other plug and includes alignment posts (145--145) so that when another connector is assembled thereto, a plug of the other connector is received in the unused end of the sleeve and a sleeve extending from another plug of the other connector receives the other plug of this connector.

The use of optical fibers in communications is growing at an unprecedented rate. Low loss optical fibers which are produced by any one of several techniques may be assembled into ribbons which are then assembled into cables, or stranded into cables, or they may be enclosed singularly in a jacket and used in various ways in a central office, for example.
In order to assure that the low loss optical fibers which are produced today are not diminished in their effectiveness in systems, the fibers are connected through intermateable connectors which preserve those low losses. For optical fiber ribbons, connectors comprise grooved chips which hold a plurality of fibers of one ribbon in alignment with fibers of another ribbon. Such a connector is shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,018 which issued on Feb. 4, 1975 in the name of C. M. Miller.
For single fiber cables, connections may be made through a connector which is referred to as a biconic connector. See, for example, an article entitled "Interconnection for Lightguide Fibers" which was authored by T. L. Williford et al. and which appeared in the Winter 1980 issue of the Western Electric Engineer beginning at page 87.
The biconic connector includes a coupling having a housing in which is mounted a biconic alignment sleeve. The sleeve includes two conically shaped cavities which communicate with each other through a common plane which has the least diameter of each cavity. Each of two optical fibers to be connected is terminated with a plug comprising a truncated, conically shaped end portion which is adapted to be received in one of the cavities of the sleeve. Each fiber extends through the plug in which it is mounted and has an end which terminates in an end face of the plug. The plug is held in a cap having an externally threaded portion adapted to be turned into an internally threaded entrance portion of the housing. Portions of the conically shaped surfaces of the plug and of the sleeve are conformable and serve as alignment surfaces. Each plug is urged into seated engagement with the wall defining the cavity in which it is received while its associated cap is turned into the housing. Minimal loss between the connected fibers is achieved when the optical fibers which are terminated by the plugs are aligned coaxially and when the fiber end faces, each of which is planar, contact in the common plane.
In at least one optical fiber cable of the prior art which is to be terminated with a plug, a core comprising at least one optical fiber is enclosed in a jacket, non-metallic filamentary strength members such as polymeric yarn, for example, and an outer jacket. It becomes very important to prevent the transmittal of tensile forces to optical fibers at their terminations with the plugs. If this is not done, the fibers may be broken or microbending losses in the fiber may occur and degrade the quality of the transmission. Also, any forces which are not diverted to other portions of the connector may be imparted to a plug thereby disturbing its seating in the sleeve and its critical alignment with the other plug.
In order to avoid such losses at a connection, provisions must be made for avoiding the application of forces to the optical fibers after portions of a sheath system of the cable have been removed for termination. Instead, any pulling forces must be transferred to the connector housing. When a connection is to be made, the strength members must be coupled to a housing portion of the connector so that forces are transferred to the housing before the forces reach the optical fiber terminations.
This requirement becomes even more important in special environments. For example, a new optical fiber assembly has been developed to withstand stringent environmental and mechanical requirements which are imposed on tactical as well as on commercial communications equipment. One requirement is that there is no attenuation increase at an operating tensile load of about 1700 newtons.
The transfer of forces from the cable to the connector housing instead of to the plugs must be made simply and through a termination of the strength members. In one prior art device, polymeric yarn is held between cooperating surfaces of internal and external sleeves. The internal sleeve includes a bore through which the optical fibers extend and the external sleeve includes a conically shaped bore for receiving the internal sleeve. The polymeric yarn strands, for example, are passed through the bore of the internal sleeve and retroflexed about a peripheral end portion of the internal sleeve whereafter the external sleeve is caused to be disposed over the internal sleeve. This arrangement could lead to abrasion of the polymeric yarn where it engages the peripheral end portion of the internal sleeve. Also, the application of tensile forces to the cable may cause dislocation and an undoing of the terminations of the strength members.
It also is important that there be minimum contact of each plug with supporting surfaces when the plug is engaged with a plug of another connector within an alignment sleeve. In this way, misalignment of the plugs in the sleeve is minimized. Further, it becomes important to prevent the ingress of moisture into the connector while allowing for longitudinal and radial movement of the plugs so that they may become suitably disposed in alignment sleeves.
Seemingly, the prior art is devoid of a connector in which non-metallic filamentary strength members are secured to a housing of the connector and maintained as such during the application of forces to the cable while not compromising the integrity of the strength members. Desirably, connection of the strength members to the connector is accomplished in a manner which causes the secured terminations to be enhanced when the cable is subjected to tensile forces. Also, the sought-after connector should be one which facilitates alignment of plugs of connectors in sleeves and which prevents the ingress of moisture.


An integrated circuit includes an array of memory cells and a digital flag generator circuit configured to generate a data inversion flag based on whether a number of logical zero bits contained in a data word to be transmitted from the memory cells is greater than a threshold number. The digital flag generator circuit includes a first digital stage including a first plurality of binary logic circuits. Each of the binary logic circuits is configured to receive a subset of the data word.

Typically, an electronic system includes a number of integrated circuit chips that communicate with one another to perform system applications. Often, the electronic system includes a controller, such as a micro-processor, and one or more memory chips, such as random access memory (RAM) chips. The controller communicates with the memory to store data and to read the stored data.
The RAM chips can be any suitable type of RAM, such as dynamic RAM (DRAM) including single data rate synchronous DRAM (SDR-SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (DDR-SDRAM), graphics DDR-SDRAM (GDDR-SDRAM), low power SDR-SDRAM (LPSDR-SDRAM), and low power DDR-SDRAM (LPDDR-SDRAM). Also, the RAM chips can be any suitable generation of memory including fourth generation DDR-SDRAM (DDR4-SDRAM), fifth generation GDDR-SDRAM (GDDR5-SDRAM), and higher generations of memory. Usually, each new generation of memory operates at an increased clock speed and/or an increased data rate from the previous generation.
Some memories use data bit inversion (DBI), which is also referred to as data bus inversion, to reduce the number of zeros that are transmitted and to improve signal integrity. For example, an 8-bit data byte may be inverted if more than fifty percent of the data bits within the byte are zeros. A DBI flag is typically generated and transmitted with the data to indicate whether data bytes are inverted or not. For memories that have high level termination, using DBI to reduce the number of signal lines driving a low level (e.g., zero) results in reduced power dissipation in the termination resistors and output drivers. Also, DBI improves the signal quality by reducing the supply noise induced jitter on the data lines.

Digital data inversion flag generator circuit


In a high-gradient magnetic separator for the selective separation of magnetic particles from a suspension which is conducted through a matrix of plate-like separation structures of a magnetic material which are disposed in a magnetic field and through which the suspension is conducted, alternate plates of the separation structures are movable relative to the other plates which are stationary and are all mounted on a carrier by which they can be moved relative to the stationary plates at least during cleaning of the plates for the removal of magnetic particles collected on the plates.

The invention relates to a high-gradient magnetic separator for the selective separation of magnetic particles from a suspension.
The separation of ferro-, ferri- or para-magnetic particles from liquid or gaseous fluids by magnetic separators is a basic concept of chemical engineering used in numerous variants. A particular advantage of the principle of the magnetic separation resides in the possibility to selectively separate magnetic particles from a mixture with other, non-magnetic particles. The selection of the magnetic separator is based on the size and the magnetic properties of the particles.
Relatively large and highly magnetic particles such as magnetite ores with particle sizes >75 μm can be separated with simple drum or band separators. Finer, strongly magnetic particles up to a size of 10-20 μm can still be separated from an aqueous suspension by special drum separators. Yet finer particles in the micrometer range (about 0.1 to 20 μm) have been separated so far only by so-called high-gradient magnetic separation procedures.
The principle of high-gradient magnetic separation is based on the generation and the bundling of high magnetic field gradients by the introduction of a ferro-magnetic matrix in an outer magnetic field. The magnetic elements of the matrix consist generally of steel wool or respectively a wire mesh or profiled metal plates. They are magnetized by the outer field and develop magnetic poles which at certain locations strengthen or weaken the outer magnetic field. The high field strength gradients formed thereby provide for a strong magnetic force effective on para- or respectively, ferro-magnetic particles directed toward higher field strengths. The particles attach themselves to the induced magnetic poles of the matrix and are thereby removed from the suspension.
With the generation of very high field gradients and correspondingly high magnetic forces in connection with a fine-mesh matrix, the method of high gradient magnetic separation is very effective if the amount of magnetic contamination to be removed from a suspension is small. Typically the method is used in the processing of kaolinites or in the removal of corrosion products from condensate circuits.
After a certain period of operation however, the separators are charged with separated magnetic particles to such a degree that the storage capacity of the magnetic separator is exhausted and the magnetic particles collected on the matrix have to be removed. The matrix is generally cleaned after the magnetic field has been switched off by a strong water jet or by back-flushing with high fluid flow speeds. Based on the form and design of the matrix which may consist for example of steel wool or layered wire webs or nets and which consequently has numerous interstices in the matrix area locally dead volumes are present which are not or only insufficiently flushed by the cleaning fluid. In addition, the desire to keep the volume of the flushing fluid as small as possible, and to hold the required pumping power down the amount of the flushing fluid used and the flow speed of the fluid that can be obtained during flushing are limited. As a result, removal of the particles is only incomplete. Particularly particles with a high remnant magnetism are hard to remove. Consequently, these particles continue to strongly adhere to the matrix wires, which detrimentally affects the clean-up efficiency to a significant degree.
While there is a multitude of patents and publications concerning the particle separation, only few examinations exist concerning the filter back-flushing and matrix cleaning. However, an effective and complete matrix cleaning is important and even essential for many applications if only to satisfy technical economical and ecological conditions. Particularly if the magnetic separation of magnetic particles is an important partial step of a continuous overall process, an optimal filter operation requires minimization of the matrix cleaning duration and of the flushing volume required herefor.
With certain applications, for example, in connection with water purification, a complete cleaning of the matrix is not absolutely necessary, although it is desirable and economically advantageous in order to fully utilize the separation capacity. The matrix is cleaned by high speed flushing water in a counter-current flow. U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,272 discloses a high gradient magnetic separator with a filter housing including a matrix which is rotated while the matrix is subjected to the flux of a permanent magnet. The filter matrix is cleaned by a combination of a pulsed-flow cleaning liquid, centrifugal faces and an alternating magnetic field. The rotational movement however, in this case, is not provided as an energy input means for the cleaning but for the generation of an alternating magnetic field on the basis of permanent magnets.
Based on this state of the art, it is the object of the present invention to provide a high-gradient magnetic separator which comprises a mechanically simple, sturdy, flexible and relatively inexpensive arrangement for an efficient cleaning of the matrix.


A highly simulated electronic candle includes a simulated casing, a battery holder, a circuit board, a wick wire, and a flame front. A top of the simulated casing is depressed downwards to form a first groove, and an epoxy resin is injected into the first groove to form a simulated wax oil layer. The battery holder is arranged at an inner bottom end of the simulated casing. The circuit board is electrically connected to the battery holder. The wick wire is electrically connected to the circuit board and extending upwards through the simulated wax oil layer. The flame front is fixedly connected to a top end of the wick wire. The highly simulated electronic candle has a high simulation degree, simulates a wax oil dripping or a flame reflection of a real candle after burnt.

At present, in various occasions, traditional candles are gradually replaced with electronic candle lamps. The traditional candles are consumables and have open flames, which are extremely dangerous. The flames of the traditional candles are replaced with luminous bodies of the electronic candle lamps, which can not only avoid the dangers of the traditional candles, but also save resources.
The existing electronic candles have low simulation degree, mainly in the following three aspects:
1) When the candle is burning, a wick is black after carbonization due to incomplete burning. The patent application No. 2017102098436 discloses an electronic candle, which only uses a wire to simulate the wick, and does not consider the blackening of the wick caused by carbonization after burning. The electronic candle is large in degree of distortion and not suitable for promotion.
2) When the candle is burning, due to the higher temperature near the flame, wax oil at this place will melt to form a fluid. The place where the candle is used is generally relatively dim, so the flame will be reflected at the place where the wax oil accumulates. The Chinese application No. 201720951183.4 discloses an "electronic candle lamp housing and an electronic candle lamp". Although it is taken into consideration that a groove is formed in the upper end of the candle lamp housing, it does not simulate the dripping of wax oil for the groove.
3) When the candle is burning, the internal flame thereof will show a blue flame core due to the higher temperature. The existing electronic candles only use flame sheets or a single mono-color LED lamp to simulate flame combustion, which is poor in simulation effect and not high in simulation degree.
In addition, an electronic part of the electronic candle generally consists of a power supply, an electronic circuit that controls the functions including the flickering and timing of the electronic candle, remote control and the like, and one or more LED lamp beads. In the prior art, the electronic candle is driven by two 2XAA batteries, with a battery voltage of 1.5V, and a capacity of 1500 mA. The batteries are in a series structure, the voltage is 3V after the series connection, and the capacity is still 1500 mA. After a switch is turned on to energize the electronic candle circuit, the LEDs are controlled by the control circuit to realize the corresponding functions. However, the LEDs in this type of products need more than 2V-2.4V driving voltage to work and glow, and a main control chip in the electronic circuit also needs more than 2.2V working voltage, so the electronic candles on the market cannot work normally when the voltage of the battery is depleted to only about 2V. Therefore, the battery of the electronic candle in the prior art has a short service life, needs to be replaced frequently, wastes the battery capacity, and is high in use cost.


A wireless event status communication system, device and method are disclosed. In one form, a wireless enabled notification system includes a wireless informer operably associated with an environmental element having more than one operating state and operable to determine a current operating state of the environmental element and to communicate the current operating state via a wireless communication module. The system further includes a remote status notification device operable to receive the communication including the current operating state. The remote status notification device including a processor operable to determine a last current operating state when the remote status notification device is out of range of the wireless informer.

Individuals have used a variety of systems to assist themselves with remembering items. For example, one classic technique still being used today is to tie a ribbon to a finger to help an individual remember an item. Though very effective for remember a single item, using multiple ribbons to remember multiple items is not practical. Another simple, but effective, technique is to make a list of items to remember. However, some individuals may misplace the list leaving the individual with having to attempt to remember each item that was on the list. Several conventional electronic devices are currently being offered to manage remembering items. For example, some individuals create and update 'too-do' lists using handheld devices or personal digital assistants (PDAs) that may be updated and reviewed on a regular basis. However, these types of reminder devices can be difficult to maintain when life situations become too hectic. Moreover, such handheld devices lack the ability to obtain inputs from external sources other than a user inputting items. Additionally, PDAs further lack the ability to automatically update or notify users of current operating states or conditions of various environmental elements external to a PDA. For example, an individual may forget to perform various tasks prior to leaving a premises. Currently, PDAs and other electronic devices do not allow for 'real time' updates as to the current operating state of one or more environmental element associated with a residence. As such, what is needed is a method and system for actively determining a current operating state of one or more environmental element of a premises and notifying a user of an adverse operating state as an individual travels away from the premises.

Wireless event status communication system, device and method


An optical device for motor vehicles, designed to detect the condition of the road surface, comprises a unit for the emission of electromagnetic radiation in the direction of the road surface to be detected, a receiving unit coupled to an optical element for focusing the radiation back-diffused by the road surface and an electronic control and processing unit for receiving signals at output from said receiving unit and for processing them in order to determine the condition of the road surface, on the basis of a reference map. Appearing in said map are the values of the intensity of radiation Iref back-reflected at a reference wavelength and at least one second wavelength. The map is divided into subareas identified beforehand as corresponding to the different conditions of the road surface.

The present invention relates to optical devices that can be used on a motor vehicle for detection of the condition of the road surface, for example, for detecting whether the road surface is dry or wet and/or covered with snow and/or ice.
Devices of this type are already known in the art. For instance, the U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,100 describes a device that makes use of an emitter of electromagnetic radiation having frequencies comprised in the spectral band of microwaves and which analyses the components of the radiation reflected from the road surface, distinguishing whether said surface is dry, wet, or icy, on the basis of the different dielectric constants between these conditions, which affect the reflected radiation.
Other types of devices use the spectral band of the infrared, as described, for example, in the document DE-A-4008280. In this spectral range, in fact, there exist wavelengths that can be selectively absorbed by a wet or icy layer so that, by making the ratio between the signals reflected for the wavelengths of interest, it is possible to identify the road condition. However, with this methodology, even though it is relatively easy to distinguish between a condition of dry road and a condition of road that is not dry, the distinction between a wet condition and an icy condition proves to be more problematical. For this reason, for example in DE-A-4040842, two devices are combined that are able to detect the radiation reflected in the spectral bandwidths of the microwaves and of the infrared. Or else in US2004-204812 there has been proposed the use of temperature sensors, ultrasound sensors, and telecameras. The use of these methodologies is disadvantageous, above all for use on vehicles, on account of the high cost of the device.

Optical device for motor vehicles, for detecting the condition of the road surface


A fluid dispensing apparatus includes a fluid reservoir and a dispensing assembly. The dispensing assembly includes a housing and a deformable member that define a metering chamber that is configured to receive a predetermined volume of fluid from the fluid reservoir. The deformable member is deformed from a rest position to an eject position and the deformation causes the volume of the metering chamber to change which results in a change in fluid pressure within the metering chamber. An increase in the fluid pressure within metering chamber causes a predetermined volume of fluid within the metering chamber to be ejected and a decrease in the fluid pressure within the metering chamber causes fluid to be drawn into the metering chamber from the reservoir.

While conducting biological tests, it is often necessary to dispense liquids, such as reagents, onto test slides containing tissue specimens. When analyzing tumor tissue for example, a thinly sliced section of the tissue might be placed on a slide and processed through a variety of steps, including dispensing predetermined amounts of liquid reagents onto the tissue. Automated reagent fluid dispensing devices have been developed to precisely apply a sequence of preselected reagents to test slides.
One example of a known reagent dispensing system is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,664 to Krawzak et al. In that system, a reagent dispensing tray can receive plural reagent containers and may include a means for positioning selected reagent containers over slides to receive reagent. An air cylinder or equivalent actuator makes contact with an individual cartridge effecting movement of a spring loaded displacement member. The spring loaded displacement member slides within a cylinder thereby reducing the reagent volume in the cylinder, which in turn causes reagent fluid to be applied over the slides.
One disadvantage associated with such systems is that the dispensing systems often utilize a sliding plunger that is in sealing contact with an internal surface of a cylinder. As a result, the useful life of such systems is limited by wear between the plunger and the cylinder. Systems that include a sliding plunger and cylinder configuration also require precise fitting of the plunger seal so that a fluid seal is maintained between the sliding surfaces during changes in direction of the plunger displacement. In view of these disadvantages, there exists a need for a reagent dispensing system that does not rely upon a sliding seal between a plunger and a cylinder.
An additional disadvantage associated with conventional reagent dispensing systems is the potential misalignment of individual cartridges within mounting apertures of a mounting assembly. In view of this disadvantage, there exists a need for a reagent dispensing system including cartridges that are shaped so as to self-align within similarly-shaped mounting apertures.


A low-power implant system. The system includes an implant for implantation into a person, such as a cochlear implant or a middle ear implant. The implant is capable of communicating with a device via transmission of ultra wideband pulses. The device may be adapted to be worn external to the person, or may be a second implant. So as to conserve battery power, the transmitted ultra wideband pulses may have a low duty cycle of approximately 1/1000 or less. Power savings may also be realized by using time-gating amplifiers in the implant and/or device receiver.

With implanted devices it may be necessary to transmit information to the implant over a comparatively short distance during an extended period of time.
An example for such an application is the transmission of speech information to a fully implanted cochlear implant 101 from an external device 102, such as a microphone 103 and/or a processor 104 placed behind the ear or in the ear canal, as shown in FIG. 1. Since the transmitter 105, as well as the receiver 106, are powered from small batteries 107 and 108 contained in the external device 102 and in the implant 101, respectively, both the power consumption of the transmitter 105 as well as of the receiver 106 become limiting factors.
Another application could be the transfer of information between bilateral ear level microphones and/or processors used with hearing aid or cochlear implant applications. In these cases a comparison or a common processing of left and right speech signals may be necessary either for beamforming or for coordinated processing schemes in order not to distort direction information.
Referring to FIG. 1, a cochlear implant transmission system typically includes an Radio Frequency (RF) transmitter 105 that drives an external coil 109 with a modulated RF signal. This signal is picked up by a receiver's 106 implanted coil 110, which may be located at only a few mm or cm from the transmitter coil 109, and further processed by the receiver 106. With conventional narrow band RF transmission schemes using well known modulation methods for transmission of speech signals of considerable dynamic range (e.g. 70-90 dB) either as an analog signal or a coded signal (e.g. PCM or encoded in a ΣΔ-modulator-data stream, typical band width 1 . . . 2 MHz), the power consumed either by the transmitter 105 or by the receiver 106 (e.g. when using a very low power transmitter delivering a very faint signal making a large RF amplification necessary), or both, may turn out to be prohibitive. Note that the overwhelming percentage of the total power consumption results from the RF components at the transmitting and/or receiving end. The power consumption of processing in the baseband is negligible due to the low speed power product of modern CMOS technology and the comparative low frequencies of the baseband.
Very low power receivers may utilize, for example, diode rectifiers. However, the threshold voltage of the diode rectifier may be too large, even when using backward diodes for demodulation. Another very low power receiver is the superregenerative receiver, which does not have sufficient bandwidth for transmission of coded speech signals. Examples of still other receivers include superheterodyne or the homodyne receivers, or a straight amplifier chain preceding a demodulator. However, in each of these cases the power consumption of the RF amplification is non-negligible. Depending on the transmitter power selected, the relative proportion of transmitter power to receiver power may be adapted to the respective battery capacity available. For example, a strong transmitted signal may require small or even no amplification at the receiver. However, total power consumption may be too large in any event.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system which is capable of forming an image of a first pattern in a first exposure area and which is capable of forming an image of a second pattern in a second exposure area, the second pattern being different from the first pattern, and a first detecting system which obtains at least one of position information about the image of the first pattern and position information about the image of the second pattern. A positional relationship between the images of the first and second patterns and a predetermined area on a substrate is adjusted based on a detection result to perform multiple exposure for the predetermined area on the substrate with the images of the first and second patterns. The substrate can be subjected to the multiple exposure efficiently.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate, an exposure method, and a method for producing a device.
2. Description of the Related Art
An exposure apparatus, which performs the multiple exposure for the substrate, is known as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-214783 in relation to the exposure apparatus to be used in the photolithography steps.
In the multiple exposure, a plurality of masks are prepared to execute the exposure for each of the masks in some cases, and a plurality of illumination conditions are prepared to execute the exposure under the different illumination conditions for the respective masks in other cases. In such situations, it is necessary to take a period of time in which the mask is exchanged and/or a period of time in which the illumination condition or the like is changed. Therefore, there is such a possibility that the rate of operation of the exposure apparatus may be lowered, and the throughput may be lowered.
The microdevice (electronic device) such as the semiconductor device is formed by overlaying a plurality of patterns on a substrate. It is important to satisfactorily perform the positional adjustment for the respective patterns in the multiple exposure as well in order to produce a desired device.

Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device


The disclosure relates to a magnetic separating device for isolating magnetically labelled particles from a non-magnetic medium comprising a body portion (1) having a magnetising portion (3) for providing a magnetic field and a surface by means of which the body portion may stand on a supporting surface; and a sample vessel retaining portion (4) for retaining at least one sample vessel (5), wherein, the magnetising portion (3) is configured to conform at least approximately to at least a substantial portion of the longitudinal profile of at least one sample vessel (5); the sample vessel retaining portion (4) is configured to retain at least one sample vessel (5) such that at least a portion of the contents of the sample vessel (5) is visible to a user; and the sample vessel retaining portion (4) is configured to be mountable on the magnetising portion so that in use, the at least one sample vessel is subject to the magnetic field of the magnetising portion (3). The disclosure further relates to a kit of parts and a method for isolating magnetically labelled particles from a non-magnetic medium using the magnetic separation device.

The use of a high-gradient magnetic field to separate magnetically attractable particles from a fluid in which they are suspended is well known. Moreover, magnetic separation devices are used in a variety of industries including the pharmaceutical, medical agricultural, scientific and engineering fields. For example in biotechnology, a high-gradient magnetic field may be used to separate magnetically labelled bone marrow cells from a blood sample.
WO 90/14891 DYNAL A. S. discloses a conventional magnetic separation device wherein a test-tube, containing a fluid in which magnetically labelled particles are suspended, is arranged adjacent a strong magnet. The labelled particles are magnetically attracted to the side of the test-tube nearest the magnet. Thus, the supernatant is easily removable from the test-tube using a pipette whilst the magnetically labelled particles are left in the tube.
In order to save time, it is often desirable to process a large number of samples at once using a linear rack-like arrangement or tray-like arrangement. For example, the magnetic separating device disclosed in WO 90/14891 DYNAL A. S. comprises a rack for supporting a plurality of specimen containers. Unfortunately, a magnetic separating device having a linear rack or tray configuration takes up a significant amount of space. Moreover, it is difficult to see the sample when the specimen container is mounted in a rack or tray.
A fluid sample may require mixing prior to or during the magnetic separation process. The mixing of a fluid sample is typically achieved by using a mixing apparatus to agitate the fluid sample. Although, mixing apparatus may comprise a plurality of fluid sample vessel chambers to receive and retain a plurality of sample vessels such that a plurality of sample vessels may be agitated simultaneously, the efficiency of the mixing process is restricted. It often takes a significant amount of time to manually transfer and place each sample vessel with a chamber. It will be appreciated that safety is of paramount importance when mixing and handling the sample vessels because the sample vessels may contain dangerous chemicals, potentially infectious materials or radioactive substances. Unfortunately, it has been found that the sample vessels can crack when processed using this particular type of mixing apparatus. Despite every effort to ensure the sample vessels are securely retained within the chambers and also arranged in the chambers such that the load is evenly balanced, there is still the risk that the sample vessels may still crack during mixing.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a magnetic separation device that can alleviate and/or overcome at least some of the above-mentioned problems. More specifically, the disclosure seeks to provide a magnetic separation device that is suitable for processing a plurality of samples. The disclosure seeks to provide a magnetic separation device that is able to accurately and efficiently separate the magnetically labelled particles in a plurality of samples. The disclosure seeks to provide a magnetic separation device that has a more compact design than comparable devices of the prior art. The present disclosure also seeks to provide a magnetic separation device wherein a plurality of specimen containers mounted in the device are clearly visible so that the inspection of samples is easier than in comparable devices of the prior art. The present disclosure seeks to provide a magnetic separation device whereby a plurality of sample vessels may be simultaneously agitated by a mixing apparatus. The disclosure seeks to provide a magnetic separation device whereby a plurality of sample vessels may be simultaneously agitated by a mixing device whilst remaining in-situ within the device.


An air venting humidifer for breathing equipment which is installed in the duct draft of a ventilation air tube between a ventilation air source and a ventilation air connection piece comprises a multi-layered water-impermeable but steam permeable membrane. The membrane has a separation wall which is surrounded by a water-filled humidification chamber having a flexible outer wall. Pressure can be exerted on this outer wall by air pressure in a surrounding ventilation air chamber containing and conveying the ventilation air. The humidification output of the air becomes independent of the pressure in the interior of the hollow fiber air flow chambers and the humidification of the ventilation air is adjusted to the requirements of the user. For this purpose the outer wall of the humidification chamber is surrounded by an antechamber which can be filled with the ventilation air and which is connected with the ventilation air chamber by means of a throttle.

The present invention relates in general to breathing equipment and in particular to a new and useful ventable air humidifier for breathing equipment.
A similar ventilation air humidifier is known from German Patent DE-AS 29 00 484. A known ventilation air humidifier has a multilayered vaporization separation membrane in the shape of a hollow fiber bundle. The ventilation air can flow through the single hollow fiber. Each hollow fiber is surrounded by water as the humidifying liquid, which is held in a humidifying chamber whose flexible outer surface is biased by a pressure spring. Due to the pressure generated, an increased amount of steam is pressed in the ventilation air chamber through the semipermeable membrane so that the inhaled ventilation air is enriched with steam.
In the known ventilation air humidifier it is a disadvantage that the degree of humidification depends on the pressure in the ventilation air tube which again is a function of the breathing of the user. If, in the known ventilation air humidifier, the air path pressure increases in the interior of the hollow fiber, the pressure exerted on the humidifying chamber by means of the force of the spring decreases, and less steam from the water supply can be passed on to the ventilation air. Also, as the humidification chamber is permanently under pressure generated by the spring, steam penetrates into the interior of the hollow fibers even if the ventilation air stream is stagnant. As the humidity is not carried away by the ventilation air, condensation occurs on the inside of the hollow fibers. The result is an obstruction of single hollow fibers or even of all fibers. The resulting increase in flow resistance in the ventilation air tube is hindering for the user, and makes breathing entirely impossible.

Ventilatory air humidifier for a breathing equipment


The present invention provides a cartridge type double seal having a size small enough to be mounted on the outer surface of an apparatus without using a space in a stuffing box and without requiring any special design and modification. In a seal device (1), a seal case (44) is fixed and installed by the set screw (18), screwed in radially inside from the far end of the mounting groove (15) of the seal cover (10) through the screw groove (17), at the innermost end of the seal cover (10). The thickness of thickness direction can be reduced because the seal case (44) is not axially supported and fixed.

In a mechanical seal used as a shaft seal for a centrifugal pump, etc., burn-in or breakage of its sliding surfaces may be caused at the time of start-up, since there is no fluid between the sliding surfaces of the mechanical seal due to temporary negative pressure in a stuffing box where the mechanical seal is installed. To solve such a problem, for this type of the mechanical seal, a double mechanical seal (which may be simply referred to as a double seal) is conventionally mounted, and quenching liquid is flowed between two seals, by which the sliding surface is prevented from being dried. Note that the double seal is often used, for example, in the case of preventing inside fluid from leaking outside, or in the case that the inside fluid can be crystallized if it is dried.
As a way of applying the double seal into the shaft seal of the centrifugal pump, etc., a mechanical seal wherein a gland packing is conventionally used may be modified. In this case, the mechanical seal is mounted by using a space in the stuffing box (refer e.g. Japanese Utility Model Publication No. H07-3094 (Patent Document 1)).


A system for enabling successful use of HID lamps in aircraft, including in particular high power lamps for use as landing lights and taxi lights, utilizes a sealed beam HID lamp which during normal operation has an external temperature considerably lower than the external temperature of a quartz halogen or incandescent sealed beam lamp of equivalent light output. The lower external temperature arises in part from the use of a gas fill in the sealed beam. A detector is provided to monitor the seal integrity of the sealed beam HID lamp and further to provide a response to seal failure resulting in disablement of the lamp. Exemplary ways for accomplishing seal failure detection include radioactive detection, pressure monitoring, and chemical sensing, or other ways wherein detection of a failed seal is followed by an electrical output used to terminate or preclude lamp operation.

The present invention relates to aircraft lighting and, more particularly, to a sealed beam high intensity discharge lamp system for an aircraft.
High intensity discharge (HID) lamps offer significant advantages over other lamps conventionally used in aircraft applications, such as quartz halogen or incandescent sealed beam lamps used as utility/cargo bay lights, wing and engine scan lights, logo lights, landing lights and taxi lights. When compared with quartz halogen lamps, HID lamps provide (i) nearly twice the photometric performance at less than half the energy consumption, (ii) extended lamp life by a factor of about four, (iii) better shock resistance and (iv) less heat generation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,178 describes a high intensity reflector lamp intended for use in a commercial aircraft for landings at night. The lamp comprises an arc discharge tube mounted cross axially within a parabolic reflector. The parabolic reflector is sealed to a cover glass with the body of arc tube located at about the focus of the parabolic reflector. To minimize the possibility of high voltage arc-over, the envelope formed by the reflector and cover glass is filled with nitrogen at about one atmosphere of pressure.
While the aforesaid patent forecasts the use of a high intensity reflector lamp in commercial aircraft, no explanation is given to how this may be successfully accomplished. In fact, most if not all commercial aircraft today use quartz halogen or incandescent sealed beam lamps as utility/cargo bay lights, wing and engine scan lights, logo lights, landing lights and taxi lights. As an exception, low power (50 Watts or less) HID lamps are today manufactured for use in aircraft, but these lamps do not use a sealed beam.
The present invention provides a system for enabling successful use of HID lamps in aircraft, including in particular high power lamps for use as landing lights and taxi lights. To this end, the invention utilizes a sealed beam HID lamp which during normal operation has an external temperature considerably lower than the external temperature of a quartz halogen or incandescent sealed beam lamp of equivalent light output. This enables the HID lamp to be located in areas that are susceptible to potentially explosive fuel vapor concentrations without the need for explosion proof containment structure, with resultant benefits in weight and cost reduction. The lower external temperature also permits increased usage of advanced composite materials in-aircraft structure that cannot be used with conventional landing and taxi lights. In particular, some structural composite materials such as fiber reinforced epoxies or polyimides are susceptible to thermal damage at temperatures above 120xc2x0 C.-180xc2x0 C. Conventional landing and taxi lights operate at temperature that may damage these composites.
The lower external temperature arises in part from the use of a gas fill in the sealed beam. Among other things the gas fill provides for convective cooling of the lamp especially at high altitudes, and provides a constant internal pressure which prevents internal arcing from internal electrodes to any surrounding conductors such as the reflective surface of the reflector which may be conductive. According to the invention, a detector is provided to monitor the seal integrity of the sealed beam HID lamp, particularly a hermetically sealed lamp, and further to provide a response to seal failure resulting in disablement of the lamp. Exemplary means for accomplishing seal failure detection include radioactive detection, pressure monitoring, and chemical sensing, or other means wherein detection of a failed seal is followed by an electrical output used to inhibit lamp operation, as by terminating or precluding lamp operation.
Thus, according to the present invention, a high intensity discharge lamp system comprises a sealed beam HID lamp, lamp power control circuitry, and a seal integrity sensing device which monitors the seal integrity of the lamp and inhibits lamp operation upon detection of a loss of seal integrity.
In an embodiment, the sealed beam HID lamp includes an enclosure filled with a gas including radioactive elements, and the seal integrity sensing device includes a radiation sensor for sensing radiation emitted by the radioactive elements.
In another embodiment, the sealed beam HID lamp includes an enclosure filled with a gas, and the seal integrity sensing device includes a pressure transducer for sensing the pressure of the gas.
In a further embodiment, the sealed beam HID lamp includes an enclosure filled with a gas, and the seal integrity sensing device includes a sensor for sensing at least one component of the gas.
The present invention also provides a high intensity discharge lamp system comprising a shroud, a HID lamp ignitor housed within the shroud, and a sealed beam HID lamp removably mounted to the lamp ignitor within the shroud.
In one embodiment, the lamp has connecting pins protruding from the rear thereof, and the ignitor has receptacles for receiving the connecting pins. The connecting pins are surrounded by a rubber boot.
In an embodiment, the lamp ignitor is connected by a cable to a ballast separate from the shroud.
The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail one or more illustrative embodiments of the invention, such being indicative, however, of but one or a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

Sealed beam high intensity discharge lamp system for aircraft


An arrangement for cooling semiconductor light sources (5), wherein the semiconductor light sources (5) are arranged on a heat-conducting module (11), which is operatively connected to an evaporator zone (27) of a heat pipe (20), wherein a first condensation zone (23) of the heat pipe (20) is connected to a first heat sink (33), wherein the heat pipe (20) is connected to at least one second condensation zone (25) with at least one second heat sink (25), and a heat flow can be switched over between the condensation zones (23, 25) or the second condensation zone (25) can be switched in.

The term heat pipe hereinafter denotes a device in the form of a pipe which can transport large amounts of thermal energy between its two ends by means of evaporation/condensation of a working fluid.
US2004/213016 A1 discloses a cooling system for automotive light arrangements, which cools the semiconductor light sources by means of a heat pipe with a heat sink situated at a distance from the semiconductor light sources.
WO2006/52022 A1 discloses a motor vehicle headlight comprising semiconductor light sources that are cooled by means of a heat pipe. In this case, the heat sink is positioned above the semiconductor light sources at the rear side of the headlight. The problem arises, however, that the waste heat of the semiconductor light sources would often be needed elsewhere as heating heat. However, since the heating is usually intended to be regulated, the arrangement described above is not usable in such a case.

Arrangement for cooling semiconductor light sources and floodlight having this arrangement


A tablet PC has a body including a printed circuit board, a battery and pen holder. A first connector is fixed to the printed circuit board, and a second connector is fixed to the battery. The second connector is engageable with the first connector when the battery is mounted on the body. A stopper is provided on the printed circuit board to regulate the position of the battery when the battery is mounted on the body. The body has a battery-accommodating portion having an end wall having an opening. The first connector is exposed from that opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
A tablet PC as an information processing apparatus, has been developed. The tablet PC is a flat plate-like rectangular personal computer to which data can be input with a pen. A battery is mounted in one side of the body of the tablet PC. The body of the tablet PC includes a printed circuit board, and a first connector is fixed to the printed circuit board. A second connector provided on the battery is engageable with the first connector of the printed circuit board. Also, a stopper is provided to regulate the position of the battery when the battery is mounted on the body of the tablet PC.
Terminals of the first connector are connected to terminals of the printed circuit board by soldering. When the battery is mounted on the body of the tablet PC, the battery is pushed toward the body of the tablet PC. The second connector is pushed toward the first connector, and the second connector is finally fitted in/on the first connector. However, when the second connector is pushed toward the first connector, the second connector is fitted in/on the first connector, and the second connector impinges against the first connector, so that the first connector is subjected to a shock given by the second connector. In particular, the battery is heavy, and a strong force is applied when it is inserted, so that the second connector attached to the battery is likely to apply excessive force to the first connector. If the first connector is subjected to a shock, the solder connection between the terminals of the first connector and the terminals of the printed circuit board are subjected to an undesirable force and a problem, that the solder connection is impaired, may occur.
Conventionally, a stopper is provided on the body of the tablet PC so that the battery abuts against the stopper when the battery is inserted in the body of the tablet PC, to thereby prevent the second connector from applying a shock to the first connector, to thereby prevent the solder connection between the terminals of the first connector and the terminals of the printed circuit board from being impaired. However, the stopper must be so accurately disposed that the battery abuts against the stopper at a position at which the second connector is reliably fitted in/on the first connector. Therefore, it is necessary to set the positional relationship between the stopper and the first connector with high precision, and to set the positional relationship between the printed circuit board and the body of the tablet PC with high precision. Therefore, assembling of the tablet PC becomes difficult and the manufacturing cost is increased.

Information processing apparatus having battery and printed circuit board


A manual operating element for operating an electrically adjustable piece of furniture includes a handle body comprising a mounting body, a handle section connected to the mounting body and an elastic member operatively connected to the handle section. The mounting body is adapted to be attached to a component of the piece of furniture. The handle section is adapted for gripping by a user. A force sensor is operatively connected to the elastic member and serves to detect a directional force value corresponding to a force applied to the handle section. A touch sensor is used to detect a touch value as a function of the user touching the handle section. A communication unit is arranged to transmit the force value and the touch value or a signal derived from the force value and the touch value to a controller of the piece of furniture.

The present disclosure relates to a manual operating element for operating an electrically adjustable piece of furniture, to a control system with such manual operating element, to a piece of furniture with such a control system and to a method for operating an electrically adjustable piece of furniture.
Adjustable furniture is well known in both office and home furnishings. The most common designs in the office furniture sector are, for example, electrically adjustable tables or chairs, while electrically adjustable beds, seating furniture or loungers are known in the home sector.
To operate such adjustable furniture, an operating element is required in each case, via which a user of the piece of furniture can initiate a desired adjustment process. For this purpose, a kind of control panel is usually used, which has one, two or more control panels or control buttons, via which an adjustment is triggered. Such conventional operating elements, however, lack intuitive operation with the exception of basic functions. In addition, it is difficult to integrate the conventional operating elements into the overall appearance of the adjustable piece of furniture.

Manual operating element, control system, piece of furniture and method for operating an electrically adjustable piece of furniture

LOGICDATA ELECTRONIC & SOFTWARE ENTWICKLUNGS GMBH


A shredder includes a shredder box having first and second opposite end walls, and first and second opposite side walls that extend between the first and second end walls. The shredder further includes a shredder rotor positioned within an interior of the shredder box, an access door that is pivotally moveable, and a control system for monitoring various parameters to operate the shredder. A side access region is defined between the first and second end walls when the access door is in the open position. The side access region provides access to the shredder rotor and includes an open region defined between the first and second end walls at the second side of the shredder. The open region has an open top which is free of obstructions extending between the first and second end walls.

A slow-speed shredder can be used to reduce the particle size of certain waste products, such as large landfill waste. U.S. Pat. No. 9,573,137 and U.S. Patent Publication 2015/0217299 are examples of such shredders. These shredders are robust machines built with heavy components due to the high loads and forces exerted on the equipment during the shredding process. The waste is often fed from the top of the shredder, typically by dropping the material into a hopper with a front-end loader. The hopper contains the material as a rotor/drum, usually located below the hopper, rotates at a speed that may vary from zero to 40 RPM. The shredder rotor has multiple rigid teeth that engage the waste material and eventually force it through a comb with teeth, which results in a shearing and ripping of the material. The comminuted waste then drops to a conveyor for discharge. A screen may be used between the rotor and the conveyor to control the size of material that is discharged from the shredder. The screen allows smaller particles to pass through while also preventing large particles from passing through and discharging through the conveyor. Large particles that do not pass through the screen are recirculated to the hopper by the rotor for further reduction in size.
Due to the harsh equipment operating conditions, shredder components require periodic maintenance and cleaning. Accessibility to the shredder's rotor, screen, and comb is critical for efficient maintenance and optimizing the length of equipment service. It is generally difficult to design a shredder for efficient service and with adequate structural integrity. Thus, there is a need to ensure ease of access for any required maintenance activities of the shredder components, while also ensuring that the shredder has a robust design that will improve equipment life.


User equipments (UEs) and methods for hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) operation in a sidelink. A user equipment configured to receive a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) that includes a sidelink control information (SCI) format scheduling a reception of a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) that includes a transport block (TB) and to provide HARQ-ACK information for the TB decoding in a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH).

The present disclosure relates to a pre-5th-Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates beyond 4th-generation (4G) communication system such as long term evolution (LTE). The present disclosure relates to supporting hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information reporting in a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH). The present disclosure also relates to enabling or disabling reporting of HARQ-ACK information in response to decoding of a transport block in a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) reception. The present disclosure further relates to differentiating reporting of HARQ-ACK information according to a service type. The present disclosure additionally relates to determining a power for a PSFCH transmission. The present disclosure also relates to determining a power for a PSCCH transmission. The present disclosure further relates to determining a power for a PSCCH transmission. Finally, the present disclosure relates to determining a power for a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) transmission.

HARQ operation and power control in sidelink


A process is provided for preparing a coupled polymer by anionic polymerization wherein the coupled polymer is a conjugated diene polymer comprising the following reaction steps:                a) polymerizing a monomer or a mixture of monomers comprising at least one conjugated diene optionally one or more monoalkenyl arene compounds in the presence of an anionic initiator to form a living polymer arm or mixture of arms with an average apparent molecular weight greater than 2000;        b) reacting the living polymer arm or arms with a polyalkenyl coupling agent;        c) terminating the polymerization if any living polymers remain after step b); and        d) optionally functionalizing and/or hydrogenating the coupled polymer so produced,wherein the polyalkenyl coupling agent is an alpha,omega-bis(vinylphenyl)alkane. Also provided is the polymer so prepared and its use in concentrates, aqueous emulsions and products made from aqueous emulsions.

Coupling agents are commonly used in polymers prepared by anionic polymerization. Examples of suitable multifunctional coupling agents include silicon halides, polyepoxides, polyisocyanates, polyketones, polyanhydrides, dicarboxylic acid esters. Suitable polyalkenyl coupling agents may be aliphatic, aromatic or heterocyclic. Examples of aliphatic polyalkenyl coupling agents include the polyvinyl and polyalkyl acetylenes, diacetylenes, phosphates and phosphites, dimethacrylates such as ethylene dimethacrylate, and the like. Examples of suitable heterocyclic polyalkenyl coupling agents include divinyl pyridine, divinyl thiophene, and the like. Examples of suitable aromatic alkenyl coupling agents include polyvinyl benzene, polyvinyl toluene, polyvinyl xylene, polyvinyl anthracene, polyvinyl naphthalene, divinyl durene and the like. Suitable polyvinyl groups include divinyl, trivinyl and tetravinyl. Divinylbenzene (DVB) is the preferred coupling agent in U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,787, and may include o-divinylbenzene, m-divinylbenzene, p-divinylbenzene, and mixtures of the same.
Divinylbenzene is therefore a known polyalkenyl coupling agent. The coupling agent is used for the preparation of conjugated diene polymers, i.e., styrenic block copolymers as well as polymers of conjugated dienes. Divinylbenzene is highly reactive. Unfortunately, control of the reaction is difficult. This may lead to undesirable side reactions, gelation, occurrence of weak parts in the polymer structure that degrades in a subsequent reaction (e.g., hydrogenation) or upon use (oxidative stability). Moreover, DVB is only available as relatively impure monomer. It is commercial available as technical grade 80% or 55%. Some suppliers have 85% divinylbenzene for sale. The content of impurities in DVB is therefore high. As a consequence, polymers coupled with DVB as polyalkenyl coupling agent will contain impurities, which adversely affects the properties of the polymers so produced or its application, e.g., in food-contact and medical applications.
For this reason, there is a demand for a substitute for DVB in the production of conjugated diene polymers. A suitable coupling agent, however, not only needs to be pure, but it also needs to be sufficiently reactive to couple at least two living polymer arms (same or different) to form a coupled polymer. Additional arms may be a benefit, e.g., where the coupling agent forms a core onto which a large number of living polymer arms are attached. Moreover, the coupling agent should also be sufficiently robust to withstand a subsequent hydrogenation step without degradation. Now a suitable coupling agent has been found that is sufficiently pure, sufficiently active, and sufficiently robust.

Polyalkenyl coupling agent and conjugated diene polymers prepared therefrom


Provided are an electrode for a lithium battery that is capable of providing a lithium battery having both high stability and high battery properties; a process for producing an electrode for a lithium battery, in which a positive electrode plate and/or a negative electrode plate, even when coated with a thermal activation material dissolved in an organic solvent such as a pyrrolidone-based solvent, is prevented from swelling; and a lithium battery including said electrode for a lithium battery. The electrode for a lithium battery includes an electrode plate, a mix layer and a heat insulating layer in this order, wherein the mix layer includes at least an aqueous adhesive and an active material; the heat insulating layer includes at least a thermal activation material; and at least part of the mix layer is in contact with at least part of the heat insulating layer.

Lithium batteries, which are repeatedly useable by charging, have been attracting much attention with recent expectation for environment conservation and carbon reduction. The lithium batteries have many benefits such as having higher energy density, being more lightweight and having longer life span as compared with conventional secondary batteries including nickel hydrogen batteries and lead storage batteries. For these reasons, they are widely used as power sources for electric devices such as mobile phones and notebook computers and electric power tools, and moreover they are focused also as a power source for hybrid automobiles and electric automobiles.
However, automobiles having a lithium battery mounted therein present a significant problem in its safety. A technique for enhancing the safety of the lithium battery that has been reported is the use of maleimide-based polymers (Patent Document 1).

Electrode for lithium battery and production process thereof, and lithium battery

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE


This disclosure describes systems and methods for determining a voltage margin (or margin) of a serializer/deserializer (SerDes) receiver in mission mode using a SerDes receiver. This is done by time-division multiplexing a margin determination and a tap weight adaptation onto the same hardware (or software, or combination of hardware and software). In other words, some parts of a SerDes receiver (e.g., an error slicer and an adaptation module) can be used for two different tasks at different times without degrading the effectiveness or bandwidth of the receiver. Hence, the disclosed systems and methods allow a SerDes receiver to determine the SerDes margin in mission mode and without any additional hardware or circuitry on the receiver chip.

In many of today's integrated circuits (IC's), serializer/deserializer (SerDes) circuits are implemented to enable the IC's to exchange information with each other and with other components at very high data rates. The SerDes circuits generally include a transmitter and a receiver. Typically, information is sent from a transmitter on one IC to a receiver on another IC through a series of analog pulses. Specifically, to send a digital bit of information, a transmitter determines whether the bit that it wants to send is a digital 1 or a digital 0. If the bit is a digital 1, the transmitter generates an analog signal (which may be made up of a single signal or a pair of differential signals) having a positive voltage. If the bit is a digital 0, the transmitter generates an analog signal having a negative voltage. After generating the analog signal, the transmitter sends the analog signal as a pulse having a certain duration to the receiver along a communications link. Upon receiving the analog signal, the receiver determines whether the analog signal has a positive voltage or a negative voltage. If the voltage is positive, the receiver determines that the analog signal represents a digital 1. If the voltage is negative, the receiver determines that the analog signal represents a digital 0. In this manner, the transmitter is able to provide digital information to the receiver using analog signals.
Ideally, the receiver receives analog pulses that closely resemble the analog pulses that were sent by the transmitter. Unfortunately, due to a pulse response effect that is experienced at high data rates, called intersymbol interference (ISI), this ideal cannot be achieved. Instead, neighboring pulses 'smear' into neighboring pulses, and it is often difficult for the receiver to determine whether the received analog signal represents a digital 1 or a digital 0.
To elaborate upon the concept of a pulse response, reference will be made to the sample pulse response shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIG. 1A shows an example of what may be received by a receiver in response to a single positive-voltage pulse (representing a digital 1) sent by the transmitter. In the example shown in FIG. 1A, the pulse is sent by the transmitter in time interval t−4 and received by the receiver four time intervals later beginning with time interval t. Notice that even though the transmitter sent a pulse lasting only a single time interval, the receiver does not receive that pulse in just a single time interval. Instead, the receiver receives an analog signal that lasts for several time intervals. During time interval t, the received signal has a magnitude of h0. During the next time interval (interval t+1), the received signal magnitude drops to h1. During the next several time intervals, the received signal magnitude drops to h2, then to h3, then to h4, and so on. Thus, even though the transmitter sent a pulse lasting only one time interval, the receiver receives a signal that lasts for many time intervals.
Because of this pulse response effect, a pulse sent in one time interval has a tail that affects pulses sent in future time intervals. When pulses are sent in rapid succession, the tails of various pulses overlap and add together. Thus, the receiver rarely sees just the original pulse. Rather every pulse also arrives at the same time as the tails of various other pulses. Since each pulse is either positive or negative, and thus each tail either adds to or subtracts from the amplitude of an actual pulse, the received signals can vary greatly from the actual pulse height.
To illustrate, suppose that the transmitter sends another positive-voltage pulse in time interval t−3, and that this pulse is received by the receiver beginning in time interval t+1. During time interval t+1, the receiver would sense the h0 voltage of the pulse sent in time interval t−3. The receiver would also sense the h0 voltage of the pulse previously sent in time interval t−4. Suppose further that the transmitter sends another positive-voltage pulse in time interval t−2, and that this pulse is received by the receiver beginning in time interval t+2. During time interval t+2, the receiver would sense the h0 voltage of the pulse sent in time interval t−2. The receiver would also sense the h1 voltage of the pulse previously sent in time interval t−3. In addition, the receiver would sense the h2 voltage of the pulse previously sent in time interval t−4. Thus, the voltage sensed by the receiver at time interval x+2 is an accumulation of the effects of the pulses sent at time intervals t−4, t−3, and t−2 (and even pulses sent at time intervals before t−4). As this example shows, when the receiver senses a voltage during a time interval, it does not sense the effect of just one pulse but the accumulation of the effects of multiple pulses. This distortion may generally be referred to as "intersymbol interference" (ISI). Severe ISI may prevent receivers from distinguishing symbols (an electronic signal representing a digital bit) and consequently disrupt the integrity of received signals in a communications link.
FIG. 1A shows the pulse response for a single positive-voltage pulse. The pulse response for a single negative-voltage pulse (representing a digital 0) is shown in FIG. 1B. Notice that the pulse response of FIG. 1B is similar to the pulse response of FIG. 1A except that the voltages are negative instead of positive. Thus, as shown by FIGS. 1A and 1B, the effect that a pulse has on future pulses will depend on whether that pulse is a positive-voltage pulse (representing a digital 1) or a negative-voltage pulse (representing a digital 0). If a pulse is a positive-voltage pulse, it will add to the voltages of future pulses. Conversely, if the pulse is a negative-voltage pulse, it will subtract from the voltages of future pulses.
As can be seen from the above discussion, a pulse response can significantly affect the signals that are received by a receiver. Thus, it is highly desirable in many implementations to ascertain the pulse response effect that is experienced by a receiver. Armed with knowledge of the pulse response, it may be possible to compensate for its effects (e.g., via decision feedback equalization). It may also be possible to use the pulse response information to adjust the parameters of the transmitter and/or receiver and perhaps even other components to improve the overall performance of the transmission/reception process. These and other uses of the pulse response information are possible. A point to note is that a pulse response is a characterization of the link performance of the communications link to which a receiver is coupled. Because each receiver is coupled to a different communications link, each receiver may and most likely will experience a different pulse response effect. Thus, a pulse response is determined on a per receiver/communications link basis.
A pulse response for a particular receiver/communications link may be determined by sending a set of predetermined analog pulses (representing a predetermined bit pattern) from a transmitter to a receiver along that communications link, and capturing a waveform of the signals actually received by the receiver. Once the waveform is captured, it can be processed and compared with an ideal waveform to derive a pulse response for the receiver/communications link. The difficult part of this process, however, is capturing the waveform in a practical and feasible manner.
One possible approach to capturing the waveform is to implement sufficient sampling and storage components on each receiver to enable the receiver to capture an oversampled waveform for the signals received by the receiver. To illustrate how this may be done, suppose that a predetermined 128 bit pattern is sent by a transmitter to a receiver over 128 time intervals. Suppose further that it is desirable for the receiver to oversample the signals received by the receiver 48 times (i.e. take 48 samples of the incoming signals per time interval). To capture such a waveform, the receiver would need a sampling clock signal that is 48 times faster than the incoming data clock. During each time interval, the receiver would sample the analog signal received during that time interval 48 times. For each sample, the receiver would sense an analog signal and convert it into a corresponding x-bit (e.g. 4-bit) digital value. Each x-bit digital value would be stored in a register. At the end of the 128 time intervals, the receiver will have captured all of the sample values needed to form an oversampled waveform for the incoming signals.
A problem with this approach, however, is that it is quite resource intensive. In order to capture the entire oversampled waveform, the receiver would need 48×128 or 6,144 x-bit registers just to store all of the digital sample values. In addition, the receiver would need to have components for implementing the sampling and storage functions. These components and storage consume a significant amount of chip space. In a large scale IC (e.g. a microprocessor), which can comprise a very large number of receivers, chip space is precious, and in most implementations, it is not practical for each receiver to consume a large amount of chip space. Additionally, using excess chip space can have parasitic effects on the communications link (e.g., capacitive effects can act as a low pass filter). Because of these and other practical considerations, this approach to capturing an oversampled waveform cannot be feasibly implemented in most applications.
One technique for reducing the effect of ISI is to use an adaptive equalizer such as a decision feedback equalizer (DFE). A DFE may be operative to compensate for ISI by utilizing digital filtering techniques. For example, when a pulse response for a communication link is known, a DFE may include a plurality of taps (e.g., 2 taps, 5 taps, or the like) that are used to cancel the effects (e.g., reduce the effects from h1, h2, h3, etc.) of previously sent bits on a present bit. The taps or coefficients for a DFE may be generated using any number of adaptation processes, and may be implemented in any suitable manner.
The importance of accurate data reception motivates communication link designers to design systems that are able to tolerate ISI and other types of noise. One quality characteristic that may be used is referred to as voltage margin or simply "margin." Voltage margin characterizes the range of voltage and timing values for which a given receiver will properly determine input signals. That is, the degree to which the voltage and time can vary without introducing error is termed the "margin" for the communications link.

Serial link voltage margin determination in mission mode


A new variety of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Posh Pink’, having an upright growth habit and medium soft pink decorative flowers with a greenish center.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, and referred to by the cultivar name 'Posh Pink'.
'Posh Pink', identified as 14604-0 originated from a cross made in a controlled breeding program in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom. The female parent of the new variety is an unknown undistributed, unpatented seedling and the male parent is an unknown undistributed, unpatented seedling. The new variety 'Posh Pink' has been asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings, in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom and the distinguishing characteristics are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.


Methods and apparatus for a desiccant saturation monitoring system having a body with a first portion configured to hold a desiccant material and a second portion configured to position a sensor in relation to the desiccant material. A light source can irradiate the desiccant material and the sensor can detect irradiance from the desiccant material for at least one wavelength to determine saturation information for the desiccant material.

Embedded desiccant assemblies protect against moisture intrusion by adsorbing water from a partially or fully sealed enclosure. Some sensors, such as electro-optic sensors, are particularly sensitive to moisture intrusion. However, the function of the desiccant degrades as the desiccant material saturates with moisture.
Conventional techniques to detect saturation include relative humidity measurement of the desiccated volume. Other systems use desiccant that changes color to indicate when saturation occurs. The desiccant material is viewed and subjectively evaluated for saturation levels.


A charger converting electric power from an external power supply into charging power for a power storage device converts AC power on a power line into charging power for an auxiliary battery. A CHR connects or disconnects a path between the charger and the power storage device. A DC/DC converter converts DC power on a power line connected to a smoothing capacitor into charging power for the auxiliary battery and outputs the power onto a power line. An ECU discharges the smoothing capacitor even if the voltage on the power line is lower than a determination voltage by causing the DC/DC converter to operate to charge the auxiliary battery in a discharging mode where the CHR is set OFF.

For an electric powered vehicle such as an electric car or a hybrid vehicle that drives an electric motor for driving a vehicle by the electric power from a power storage device typically represented by a secondary battery, there is proposed a configuration of charging the power storage device by a power supply external to the vehicle (hereinafter, simply referred to as "external power supply". Hereinafter, charging of a power storage device by an external power supply will be also referred to as "external charging".
For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2009-225587 (PTL 1) discloses a configuration of achieving improvement in the charging efficiency at the time of external charging together with ensuring the operation of the auxiliary machine load system. Specifically, there is disclosed a configuration of providing a main battery charging path by external charging so as to allow external charging and the operation of the auxiliary machine load system even if the relay between the electric motor for driving a vehicle and the main battery is OFF.

Power supply system for electric powered vehicle, control method thereof, and electric powered vehicle


A wireless communication device integrated with a vehicle operates in a reduced-registration mode while the vehicle ignition is off. In the reduced-registration mode, the wireless communication device periodically determines, based at least on vehicle control system data such as odometer data or wheel-rotation data, whether the vehicle has moved at least a threshold extent, and if so the wireless communication device engages in air interface registration. The arrangement helps to conserve vehicle battery power while the ignition is off, while keeping a serving radio access network apprised when the vehicle has been moved sufficiently, so that the network can more readily route messages such as telematics commands to the vehicle.

In normal practice, when a cellular wireless communication device is in an idle state, the device may periodically engage in air interface registration with a serving radio access network. This periodic registration helps the network keep track of where the wireless device is located (e.g., in which cell sector of the network), so that the network can appropriately route page messages, text messages, control messages and the like to the wireless device.

Controlling wireless device registration based on vehicle movement


A conductive sleeve includes a central portion with a front, a rear, and sides; at least one flange mated with at the sides of the central portion; and capacitive section that extends from a portion of the central portion at the rear of the central portion. The central portion is adapted to be placed over an end of a cable and extend over at least one conductor of the cable. The at least one flange is adapted to connect with a mating conductor. The capacitive section has a width smaller than a width of the central portion and is adapted to be placed immediately adjacent to an insulator of the cable and another conductor of the cable to form substantially a capacitive shorting circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ground sleeve. More particularly, the present invention is for a reference ground sleeve that controls impedance at the termination area of wires in a twinax cable assembly and provides a signal return path.
2. Background of the Related Art
Electrical cables are used to transmit signals between electrical components and are often terminated to electrical connectors. One type of cable, which is referred to as a twinax cable, provides a balanced pair of signal wires within a conforming shield. A differential signal is transmitted between the two signal wires, and the uniform cross-section provides for a transmission line of controlled impedance. The twinax cable is shielded and "balanced" (i.e., "symmetric") to permit the differential signal to pass through. The twinax cable can also have a drain wire, which forms a ground reference in conjunction with the twinax foil or braid. The signal wires are each separately surrounded by an insulated protective coating. The insulated wire pairs and the non-insulated drain wire may be wrapped together in a conductive foil, such as an aluminized Mylar, which controls the impedance between the wires. A protective plastic jacket surrounds the conductive foil.
The twinax cable is shielded not only to influence the line characteristic impedance, but also to prevent crosstalk between discrete twinax cable pairs and form the cable ground reference. Impedance control is necessary to permit the differential signal to be transmitted efficiently and matched to the system characteristic impedance. The drain wire is used to connect the cable twinax ground shield reference to the ground reference conductors of a connector or electrical element. The signal wires are each separately surrounded by an insulating dielectric coating, while the drain wire usually is not. The conductive foil serves as the twinax ground reference. The spatial position of the wires in the cable, insulating material dielectric properties, and shape of the conductive foil control the characteristic impedance of the twinax cable transmission line. A protective plastic jacket surrounds the conductive foil.
However, in order to terminate the signal and ground wires of the cable to a connector or electrical element, the geometry of the transmission line must be disturbed in the termination region i.e., in the area where the cables terminate and connect to a connector or electrical element. That is, the conductive foil, which controls the cable impedance between the cable wires, has to be removed in order to connect the cable wires to the connector. In the region where the conductive foil is removed, which is generally referred to as the termination region, the impedance match is disturbed.

Ground sleeve having improved impedance control and high frequency performance


System and method for fine-tuning electromagnetic beams. One embodiment includes an array of electromagnetic radiators and beam-narrowing configuration. The array of electromagnetic radiators together generates an electromagnetic beam toward a configurable direction. The beam-narrowing configuration narrows the electromagnetic beam and consequently fine-tune the configurable direction. Optionally, the array of electromagnetic radiators is a phased-array that achieves the configurable direction electronically. Additionally or alternatively, the array of electromagnetic radiators is a millimeter-wave array, and the electromagnetic beam is a millimeter-wave beam.

In electromagnetic communication systems, a higher gain of an antenna is associated with greater distance, superior quality, and/or increased communication throughput. Various approaches are used to increase antenna gain, but the fundamental principle is to narrow the width of the beam of the transmission, such that relatively more energy is concentrated in a relatively smaller space. As the width of the beam narrows, directing the beam toward a desired target becomes increasingly difficult.


The invention provides a new method for the safe storage and drying of a helmet and related accessories (spare helmet face shield, sunglasses, goggles, primary gloves, secondary gloves, chin curtain, breath deflector/guard, helmet screws, neck brace, knee pads, elbow pads, chest protector, keys, and remote control gate/garage openers) employed in activities in which a helmet is utilized. The device is suspended utilizing various length interchangeable hanging straps possessing varied attachment methods to accommodate various hanging locations. The side connected hanging straps attach at an angle to the front opening so that the front opening is directed at an upward facing angle off of the vertical plane and a center angle adjustment and interlocking strap is utilized to set a preferred angle and interlink multiple devices hung vertically one under another. The angled orientation enables the device to be bumped or swung without concern that the helmet or other items stored therein will fall out. The shape and flexible nature of the device allows the sides to close in toward the helmet under the weight of a resting helmet. The device employs multiple attachment points and pockets to accommodate the related accessories and their related locations are such that they provide for the easy access to storage and removal based on frequency of use and order in which stored and removed.

The use of protective equipment and accessories utilized by riders of motorcycles, snowmobiles, motorized three-wheelers/four-wheelers, or bicycles has increased over the years as laws and public awareness have focused more on rider safety. With the increase in the use of protective equipment and accessories, the number of products utilized and the technologies employed in those products have increased resulting in much higher prices and total investments in the products. Riders can often spend over $1,000 on protective equipment and accessories, including; helmet, primary face shield, secondary tinted face shield, helmet chin curtain, helmet breath deflector/guard, warm weather riding gloves, cold weather riding gloves, glasses, goggles, neck brace, knee pads, elbow pads, chest protector, and riding safety jacket. This increase in number and types of equipment and accessories presents certain storage challenges, particularly for the varying frequency of use of the various pieces of equipment for different weather or other riding conditions.
Existing storage solutions have generally been designed for single pieces of equipment. For example, a protective helmet backpack disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,408 and helmet sack disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,784 accommodate a single helmet in transit. Such storage solutions are generally closed systems that may not suitably facilitate the drying of helmets, gloves, or other pieces of equipment.
Accordingly, improvements are sought in storing diverse rider equipment in a convenient form factor.

Storage and drying device for helmets and accessories (visor, gloves, shoulder pads, neck brace, knee pads, keys, etc.)


A method of controlling the system pressure in an automatic transmission having interlocking shifting elements in which, during shifts and gear engagement and gear disengagement processes involving interlocking shifting elements, as a function of the engagement and disengagement times of the interlocking shifting elements involved and the shift conditions of the frictional shifting elements involved, the system pressure is increased to an elevated pressure that enables rapid engagement or disengagement of the interlocking shifting elements, in such manner that the system pressure is increased in at least two phases whose timing depends on the shift conditions of at least one of the shifting elements involved.

From the prior art it is known to use interlocking or claw-type shifting elements in automatic transmissions, whereby drag torques are advantageously largely avoided. Furthermore, by virtue of their interlocking transfer mode, claw shifting elements need lower actuating forces and take up less structural space than disk shifting elements. As a rule, those shifting elements are made as interlocking shifting elements which are only disengaged during upshifts, or which are engaged as shifting elements only in the reversing gear.
In automatic transmissions with frictional shifting elements it is known from the prior art to control the system pressure separately from control systems for shifting elements and other, special control processes as a function of the transmission capacity of the shifting elements in the gear concerned, such that in the case of other control processes of shifting elements and components of the transmission the system pressure is controlled, as a function of the requirements during the other control processes, by the specification of a minimum or maximum pressure.
During shifts or gear engagement processes the system pressure is controlled as a function of the transmission capacity of the shifting elements in the condition before the shift or gear engagement and the transmission capacity of the shifting elements in the condition after a completed shift or after a completed gear engagement and as a function of a minimum pressure specification, in order to enable a sufficient pressure for filling the shifting elements. From these pressure fractions, by way of a maximum selection that pressure is calculated, which is produced during shifts or gear engagement processes.
Particularly in automatic transmissions with interlocking shifting elements, when disengaging or engaging the shifting elements it is necessary to enable a system pressure control which, while the lateral force on the interlock of the shifting elements has not been eliminated completely, provides an increased force in the respective engagement or disengagement direction.
DE 10 2008 001 196 A1 by the present applicant describes a hydraulically or pneumatically actuated interlocking shifting element comprising a hydraulically or pneumatically actuated piston having a piston space containing the hydraulic or pressure medium, a pressure medium inlet for the piston, a claw, and a counter-claw with which the claw engages in the engaged condition. In this known shifting element it is provided that the engagement speed of the claw in the event of a tooth-on-tooth position of the claws relative to one another is increased by decoupling the claws from the hydraulic or pneumatic volume flow and by prestressing the claw by means of a hydraulic or pneumatic pressure reservoir which is functionally connected to the piston and connected to the pressure medium inlet line.

Line pressure control method for a transmission having a dog clutch


An electrically short antenna for transmitting or receiving radiation has first and second electrode forming a capacitor radiator. The antenna is short in the sense that the gap distance between the electrodes and the dimension of the electrodes themselves sum to less than .lambda./4. An inductor has one end thereof coupled to one of the first and second electrodes via a first wire, and the other of the electrodes is connected to ground via a second wire. The antenna includes structure for inhibiting transmission or reception of electromagnetic energy of wavelength .lambda. from first and second wires so that transmission or reception of electromagnetic energy primarily emanates from said electrode surfaces.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved antenna for transmitting and receiving radiation, and more particularly to a simplified and highly efficient antenna having a physical length which is short relative to the wavelength of the radiation and which is broadband. It also relates to automotive and other mobile system use of a single short antenna which can be coupled (1) in one way as the transmitting-receiving antenna for a Citizens Band radio or (2) in another way as a electrically-short efficient antenna to receive signals on the bands from AM to and including FM.
In my previous patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,691, incorporated herein by reference, I described an arrangement of electrodes which showed how an electrically-short antenna can be constructed by using an electrostatic capacitor such a split-cylindrical capacitor, as the radiating member of a resonant circuit. In this patent, the conductors forming the capacitors are concave surfaces.
As described herein, a short length antenna is defined as one which has a length equal to or less than one quarter of a wavelength (.lambda./4) of its resonant frequency. Usually, such short antennas typically exhibited a high Q or a rather sharp tuning peak.
In the present invention, we describe how we have subsequently found the new forms of capacitors can be made to operate as broad-band, efficient antennas.
To understand the previous theoretical appraisals of these type of antennas we refer to the following references, incorporated herein by reference.
Kraus, John D., "Antennas" 2nd Ed., McGraw-Hill, N.Y., 1988, especially pp. 711-714.
Hansen, R. C., "Fundamental Limitations of Antennas," Proc. IEEE, 69, 170-182, February, 1981.
Wheeler, H. A., "Fundamental limitations of small antennas," Proc. IRE, vol 35 pp. 1479-1484, Dec. 1947.
Ramo, Simon, and J. R. Whinnery, "Fields and Waves in Modern Radio" John Wiley & Sons, Inc , New York, N.Y., 1944, pp 432 and 458-459.
Professor Kraus, widely recognized as one of the foremost authorities on antennas, devotes a section of his recent book to the properties of electrically-short antennas. He relies on the work of R. C. Hansen and Wheeler, to conclude that the radiation resistance decreases with increasing wavelength, and that therefore no electrically small, efficient antenna is possible. This result is understandable since the treatment of antenna radiation for short antenna structures have assumed that the radiation takes place by means of dipole radiation formed by wires connected to the antenna structures.

Capacitive-type, electrically short, broadband antenna and coupling systems