Smart metrology methods and apparatuses disclosed herein process images for automatic metrology of desired features. An example method at least includes extracting a region of interest from an image, the region including one or more boundaries between different sections, enhancing at least the extracted region of interest based on one or more filters, generating a multi-scale data set of the region of interest based on the enhanced region of interest, initializing a model of the region of interest; optimizing a plurality of active contours within the enhanced region of interest based on the model of the region of interest and further based on the multi-scale data set, the optimized plurality of active contours identifying the one or more boundaries within the region of interest, and performing metrology on the region of interest based on the identified boundaries.

Metrology of features in images can be a difficult and lengthy process, especially on images obtained by a charged particle microscope. The difficulty and lengthy process may be due in part to noisy images that automatic imaging processing algorithms have difficulty processing, which leads to user manipulation and multiple steps. This may not be an issue when there are only a few images to analyze. However, in a manufacturing environment, such as the semiconductor industry, where large numbers of samples are imaged and require analysis, this process truly slows down needed analysis.
While some improvements to image processing have occurred over the years leading to improved metrology accuracy and efficiency, these improvements are not enough in today's semiconductor manufacturing climate, e.g., node size and throughput. As such, improvements to image process and metrology automation are desired across an industry.


A headrest assembly for vehicle seats includes a first stationary link and a second link connected to the first link and side walls of a bracket for padded member. A rod is rotatably connected to the first link and received in slots on the bracket. When a motor mounted on the bracket is actuated, a screw member engaged with a nut member which is fixed on the rod causes the bracket to be swiveled.

The present invention relates to a headrest assembly for vehicle seats capable of supporting a neck of vehicle occupant.
To obtain a comfortable attitude of vehicle occupants or passengers during vehicle operation, a neck supporting member is used with a headrest assembly secured to a seat backrest of the vehicle as shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. 253012/1986. The neck supporting member is actuated by operation of a handle located so near to the headrest assembly to support the neck of the passenger.
Due to the installation of the neck supporting member, a forward and rearward movement or swiveling movement of the headrest assembly becomes impossible and hence the comfortable attitude of the passenger can not be provided.


A switched reluctance drive is supplied from a power source and has a DC link, across which is a DC link capacitor. The phases of the machine are controlled by a controller which controls the switches connecting each phase winding to the DC link. The controller switches off the switches of each phase in a sequence which minimizes the peak voltage appearing on the DC link capacitor, thereby allowing a reduction in the voltage rating of the capacitor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of reducing transient voltages in switched reluctance drive systems.
2. Description of Related Art
The characteristics and operation of switched reluctance systems are well known in the art and are described in, for example, xe2x80x9cThe characteristics, design and application of switched reluctance motors and drivesxe2x80x9d by Stephenson and Blake, PCIM""93, Nxc3xcrnberg, Jun. 21-24, 1993, incorporated herein by reference. FIG. 1 shows a typical switched reluctance drive in schematic form, where the switched reluctance motor 12 drives a load 19. The input DC power supply 11 can be either a battery or rectified and filtered AC mains. The DC voltage provided by the power supply 11 is switched across the phase windings 16 of the motor 12 by a power converter 13 under the control of the electronic control unit 14. The switching must be correctly synchronized to the angle of rotation of the rotor for proper operation of the drive. A rotor position detector 15 is typically employed to supply signals corresponding to the angular position of the rotor. The rotor position detector 15 may take many forms, including that of a software algorithm. Its output may also be used to generate a speed feedback signal. Current feedback is provided by a current transducer 17 for the or each phase winding. As discussed in the Stephenson paper cited above, reluctance machines can be operated in either a motoring or a generating mode. The input demand 18 can be torque or speed demand for motoring or a current or voltage demand for generating.
Many different power converter topologies are known, several of which are discussed in the Stephenson paper cited above. One of the most common configurations is shown for a single phase of a polyphase system in FIG. 2, in which the phase winding 16 of the machine is connected in series with two switching devices 21 and 22 across the busbars 26 and 27. Busbars 26 and 27 are collectively described as the xe2x80x9cDC linkxe2x80x9d of the converter. Energy recovery diodes 23 and 24 are connected to the winding to allow the winding current to flow back to the DC link when the switches 21 and 22 are opened. A capacitor 25, known as the xe2x80x9cDC link capacitorxe2x80x9d, is connected across the DC link to source or sink any alternating component of the DC link current (i.e. the so-called xe2x80x9cripple currentxe2x80x9d) which cannot be drawn from or returned to the supply. In practical terms, the capacitor 25 may comprise several capacitors connected in series and/or parallel and, where parallel connection is used, some of the elements may be distributed throughout the converter. The cost and/or size of this capacitor is important in installations which are sensitive to drive cost and/or the space occupied by the drive, for example in aerospace or automotive applications.
The switched reluctance drive is essentially a variable speed system and is characterized by voltages and currents in the phase windings of the machine which are quite different from those found in traditional types of machines fed with an alternating current. As is well known, there are two basic modes of operation of switched reluctance systems: single-pulse mode and chopping mode, both of which are described in the Stephenson paper cited above. These are briefly described here as follows.
At a predetermined rotor angle, voltage is applied to the phase winding by switching on the switches in the power converter 13 and applying constant voltage for a given angle xcex8c, the conduction angle. When xcex8c, has been traversed, the switches are opened and the action of energy return diodes places a negative voltage across the winding, causing the flux in the machine, and hence the current, to decay to zero. There is then typically a period of zero current until the cycle is repeated. It will be clear that the phase is drawing energy from the supply during xcex8c and returning a smaller amount to the supply thereafter. This is shown in FIG. 3(a). This mode is generally known as the single-pulse mode because there is only one pulse of voltage applied to the phase in a phase period. Single-pulse mode is normally used for the medium and high speeds in the speed range of a typical drive. Instead of opening both switches simultaneously, there are circumstances in which it is advantageous to open the second switch an angle xcex8f later than the first, allowing the current to circulate around the loop formed by the closed switch, the phase winding and a diode. This technique is known as xe2x80x9cfreewheelingxe2x80x9d and is used for various reasons, including peak current limitation and acoustic noise reduction. The inclusion of freewheeling is shown in FIG. 3(b). Freewheeling can be used over a broad speed range. The timing of the initiation of freewheeling and its period are speed dependent.
At zero and low speeds, however, the single-pulse mode is not suitable, due to the high peak currents which would be experienced, and the chopping mode is used, in which the peak current is limited to some predetermined value during the overall period of conduction. As for single-pulse control, there are two principal variants of the chopping mode. The simplest method is to open simultaneously the two switches associated with a phase winding, e.g. switches 21 and 22 in FIG. 2. This causes energy to be returned from the machine to the DC link and is sometimes known as xe2x80x9chard choppingxe2x80x9d. With any chopping scheme, there is a choice of strategy for determining the current levels to be used. Many such strategies are known in the art. One scheme uses a hysteresis controller which enables chopping between upper and lower current levels. A typical scheme is shown in FIG. 4(a) for hard chopping. At a chosen switch-on angle xcex8on (which is often the position at which the phase has minimum inductance, but may be some other position), the voltage is applied to the phase winding and the phase current is allowed to rise until it reaches the upper hysteresis current Iu. At this point both switches are opened and the current falls until it reaches the lower current I1 and the switches are closed again, repeating the chopping cycle. An alternative method is to open only one of the switches and allow freewheeling to occur and is known as xe2x80x9cfreewheel choppingxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9csoft choppingxe2x80x9d. FIG. 4(b) shows the phase current waveform for a hysteresis controller using freewheeling or soft chopping.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,621 (MacMinn), incorporated herein by reference, proposes the use of freewheeling chopping to reduce the switching device losses by reducing the switching frequency, and to reduce the ripple current rating of the capacitor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,942,865 (Kim), incorporated herein by reference, describes a system for freewheeling at the end of a series of PWM pulses, the delay time being selected to reduce the radial forces on the stator and hence reduce the emitted acoustic noise. A similar approach is described in EP 700945 (Wu), incorporated herein by reference, where the freewheeling period is selected in relation to the resonant frequency of the stator, the intention being to actively cancel the vibration of the stator with a counteracting pulse of equal magnitude. Use of much longer periods of freewheeling has been proposed by WO 90/16111 (Hedlund) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,565 (Randall), both incorporated herein by reference, in order to reduce the peak flux and hence reduce the associated iron loss at high speeds.
None of the prior art discusses the use of freewheeling to reduce the voltage rating of the DC link capacitor. The cost of the capacitor is influenced by a number of requirements, e.g., operating temperature, life requirement, ripple current rating, internal impedance, etc., but one of the most important is the voltage rating. This rating is determined not by the nominal value of the DC link, but by the transient voltages appearing on that link and the requirement to have a safety margin above the highest expected transient. Particularly in low-voltage systems operating from 24V or 48V batteries, the cost of the capacitor is very dependent on the transient voltage specification.
According to embodiments of the invention, there is provided a method of reducing the magnitude of transient voltages in a switched reluctance drive system which comprises a reluctance machine having a stator with at least one phase winding and a moving part which is movable in relation to the stator, switch means connected across the or each phase winding which are configurable into an energizing mode in which the phase winding is energized through the switch means from a supply for a phase conduction period, a freewheeling mode in which there is no applied voltage and current in the winding recirculates, and a de-energizing mode in which the voltage across the at least one phase winding is reversed, and a DC link capacitor connected across the supply side of the switch means, the method comprising: initiating the energizing mode at the beginning of the phase conduction period of the at least one phase winding; initiating the freewheeling mode, causing a first transient voltage spike across the capacitor; and initiating the de-energizing mode a predetermined period after initiating the freewheeling mode, causing a second transient voltage spike across the capacitor.
It is generally conventional thinking that the switching times in a switched reluctance drive should be as short as possible. This is clearly particularly acute at high speeds. To introduce a freewheeling step to reduce the transient voltage is essentially in conflict with this understanding. The choice of predetermined time between initiating the freewheeling and the de-energizing modes is preferably traded off against the time taken for the overall switching operation. It will be appreciated that the time available for the switching operation decreases as machine speed increases. Up to now the opportunity to use a freewheeling step in order to ease the transient voltage burden on the DC link capacitor has not been recognized.
The magnitude of the second transient voltage spike will depend, in part, on the extent of decay of the voltage across the DC link capacitor. According to a preferred form of the invention, the point at which de-energizing mode is entered is chosen not to be above or to coincide with the point in the DC link voltage decay at which the addition of the second voltage spike will not exceed the first spike. This represents a trade-off between the magnitude of the spikes and the time between switching from freewheeling to de-energizing.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the predetermined period is fixed according to the decay of the first transient voltage spike.
According to a particular form of the invention there is provided a method of reducing the magnitude of transient voltages in a switched reluctance drive system which comprises a reluctance machine having a stator with at least one phase winding and a moving part which is movable in relation to the stator, switch means connected across the or each phase winding which are configurable into an energizing mode in which the phase winding is energized through the switch means from a supply for a phase conduction period, a freewheeling mode in which there is no applied voltage and the current in the winding recirculates as the voltage across the winding decays, and a de-energizing mode in which the voltage across the at least one phase winding is reversed, and a DC link capacitor connected across the supply side of the switch means, the method comprising: initiating the energizing mode at the beginning of the phase conduction period of the at least one phase winding; initiating the freewheeling mode, causing a first transient voltage spike across the capacitor; initiating the de-energizing mode after initiating the freewheeling mode, causing a second transient voltage spike across the capacitor, and adjusting the period between the first and second transient voltage spikes to balance the magnitude of the second transient voltage spike against the time taken to de-energize the winding.

Control strategy for switched reluctance drive systems


Cosmetic formulations and compositions customized and/or personalized for rejuvenation of skin and/or hair are described. The cosmetic formulations are customized and/or personalized to include an extract and/or one or more molecular components in amounts and ratios naturally produced by rejuvenated cells or by cells modified toward rejuvenation. These cells are of skin and/or hair origin that have been reprogrammed, in which the skin and/or hair cells, having been rejuvenated and/or modified from the original cell, are initially obtained from a subject for which a customized cosmetic composition is for, or from a subject representative of a person for which a customized cosmetic composition is for. Reprogramming of the skin and/or hair cells provide rejuvenated cells, embryonic stem cell-like pluripotent cells, and/or transdifferentiated or differentiated young or younger cells that have been transdifferentiated from the rejuvenated or modified cells or differentiated from the embryonic stem cell-like pluripotent cells. Methods of selecting, preparing, and formulating the customized cosmetic products are also described.

Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with providing one or more improved cosmetic compositions for skin and/or hair, in which each of the cosmetic compositions include novel formulations for rejuvenating the skin and/or hair that is characterized by having or having had, or experiencing or having experienced, one or more hair and/or skin cosmetic, morphological, functional, molecular, cellular, extracellular, or tissue changes commonly associated with aging.
Heretofore, while certain products for skin and/or hair profess to be suitable for use on the skin and/or hair, respectively, there remains little evidence that most of such products are capable of providing individualized needs of the skin and/or hair, or that such products provide rejuvenation based on individual needs of the skin and/or hair. These and other needs are addressed by the rejuvenating cosmetic compositions and formulations described below.

Customized cosmetic compositions, and methods of rejuvenating and utilizing conditioned media and/or components thereof


The secondary cover of a molded case power switch housing is removably secured in place to enclose cavities in the insulative resin of a primary cover by an attachment assembly which includes metal attachment members or inserts seated in recesses in the primary cover. These inserts have tapped apertures aligned with mounting holes in the secondary cover through which screw fasteners are inserted and threaded into the tapped apertures. Such metal to metal connections can be repeatedly coupled and decoupled without significant wear as the secondary cover is removed and reinstalled to gain access to auxiliary devices mounted in the cavities in the primary cover. The inserts have second mounting apertures through which self tapping screws extend into the primary cover or through mounting holes in the primary cover and into the resin of the base to mount the inserts on the primary cover and to secure the primary cover to the base.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to power switches for interrupting current in electric power circuits. More particularly, it relates to a molded housing for such switches having a removable secondary cover which encloses recesses for auxiliary devices in a primary cover, and an attachment arrangement for repeatedly removing and replacing the secondary cover over the primary cover.

Moulded case power switch housing with removably secured secondary cover


Disaster Recovery (DR) and High-Availability (HA) are a critical features required by many information technology systems. DR and HA may be accomplished with a remote secondary site that is kept synchronized with a primary site. To reduce the cost of maintaining a secondary site, the data may be split into two subsets wherein only a first subset of data is kept synchronized at the secondary site using a small bandwidth communication link. The second set of data, which is generally much larger, is periodically backed up at a network accessible back-up location. When a disaster occurs, the secondary site may access the most recent back-up of the second set of data. In a maintenance or limited failure situation, the secondary site can directly access the second data set at the primary site.

Computer systems have become an indispensable tool used in modern life. Nearly every business and government agency is now dependent upon computer systems for digital communication, project planning, document creation, information storage, transaction processing, inventory management, financial operations, and a large number of other mission critical services.
Although individual pieces of computer hardware and computer software can easily be replaced by an entity using computer systems by purchasing new computer equipment or computer software, the entity's accumulated stores of data cannot easily be replaced. The accumulated store of data is critical for allowing a business and government agency to continue operating. Thus, maintaining access to the accumulated data and protecting that accumulated data is one of the most critical parts of any modern information technology infrastructure for a business, government agency, or any other entity.
Two important features in providing data storage within an information technology infrastructure are high-availability (HA) data services and disaster recovery (DR) services. High-availability encompasses the task of ensuring that the stored data is available almost all of the time. Thus, even when system maintenance is being performed or when there are minor hardware, software, or network problems, a high availability data storage system will continue to provide access to stored data. Disaster recovery refers to the ability to restore a data storage system even when a major disaster strikes an information technology site such as a data center burning down.
An ideal data storage system will be able to provide both high availability and disaster recovery services. Products and services for providing both high availability and disaster recovery data service exist but such products tend to be expensive and complex. Small and medium sized entities can have difficulties in deploying data storage systems that provide both high availability and disaster recovery services. Thus, it would be desirable to provide systems that provide high availability and disaster recovery data storage service with lower costs and less complexity.

System and method for creating and maintaining secondary server sites


A converter controller for discharge of a coil used in a DC/DC converter including a voltage detector connected to monitor a state of a diode connected between the coil and ground and an offset comparator, having an adjustable offset, for causing a coil discharge path to be interrupted. The comparator is provided with an initial high offset so that for at least a first converter switching period, the coil will have sufficient charge when the coil discharge path is interrupted to cause the diode to become forward biased as determined by the voltage detector. The offset is periodically reduced until the coil is sufficiently discharged so that the diode is not forward biased, with that value of offset being optimum and thus used in subsequent switching periods.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to DC/DC converters and in particular to circuitry for accurately detecting the point at which a current in the converter coil (inductor) is zero.
2. Related Art
Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of a prior art DC/DC converter capable of both buck and boost DCM (Discontinuous Conduction Mode) operation and PFM (Pulse Frequency Modulation) operation. Buck operation is used when the input voltage Vin is greater than the regulated output voltage Vout and boost operation is used when the input voltage Vin is less than the regulated output voltage Vout. In a typical application, the input voltage Vin is provided by a battery source, with the battery having a relatively high output voltage compared to Vout when fully charged (hence buck operation) and having a relatively low output voltage compared to Vout when partially discharged (hence boost operation). The regulator is capable of switching from PWM to PFM at low load currents to enhance operating efficiency.
The FIG. 1 regulator utilizes a pair of MOS transistors M1 and M2 primarily for buck operation and another pair of MOS transistors M3 and M4 primarily for boost operation. (All Four Transistors are Used to Some Minor Extent in Both Buck and Boost Operation.) Blocks 18 represent the various well known control circuitry for, among other things, controlling the states of the switches so as to provide the regulated output voltage Vout. The comparator 20 output connected to blocks 18 and is used to control a point at which the coil discharge transistors (M2 or M3 depending upon buck or boost operation) are turned OFF, with the objective being to turn OFF the transistors at zero inductor current. M1 and M3 are P type devices while M2 and M4 are N type devices. In some applications, M2 and M3 are simply diodes but, in order to increase efficiency, transistors M2 and M3 are provided which have a lower voltage drop than a forward biased diode. Thus, M2 and M3 are controlled to emulate diode operation and are often referred to as synchronous rectifiers.
During either buck or boost operation, the coil L is charged during one portion of a switching period and is discharged during a subsequent portion of that switching period. In buck operation, boost transistor M3 is generally maintained ON and boost transistor M4 is maintained OFF. During a first portion of a switching period, transistor M1 is turned ON and M2 is held OFF. This operation causes inductor L (the terms inductor and coil are used interchangeably herein) to begin charging with current IL, with the current linearly increasing at a rate determined by the voltage drop across the inductor (Vin applied to first terminal of the inductor and Vout applied to the second terminal). Once current IL has reached some predetermine peak value in accordance with well known PWM (or PFM) techniques, switches M1 is turned OFF and M2 is turned ON. This will cause the first inductor terminal to switch from Vin to near ground potential and the second terminal to remain at Vout. The inductor L will then begin to discharge in a generally linear manner with the current waveform having a negative slope, with a slope magnitude that again depends upon the voltage difference across the inductor.
In Discontinuous Current Mode (DCM) operation, the inductor current is completely discharged once each switching period. That discharge will be through M2 so as to reduce the inductor current to some value ideally near zero. If switch M2 is turned OFF before the inductor is fully discharged, the inductor will continue to discharge through the now forward biased body diode D1, with D1 being an integral part of the M2 transistor structure. Since the forward voltage drop across D1 is greater the voltage that would have been dropped across the conductive M2, power is wasted in discharging the inductor. This and other factors will result in reduced efficiency. On the other hand, if M2 is switched OFF after the inductor is fully discharged, the direction of inductor current flow will reverse and may actually draw current out of the load by way of M2. This and other factors will again have an adverse effect on efficiency.
One prior art approach (FIG. 1) to increase efficiency is to monitor the output current and attempt to switch M2 OFF exactly when the inductor reaches a full discharge state. A comparator 20 is connected across M3 to provide a control signal to the switch control blocks so as to turn M2 OFF at the appropriate time. In order for this approach to work reasonably well, comparator 20 must be capable of operating at high speed, a requirement which invariably requires large current consumption. In addition, precise control requires that variable system delays be taken into account, with such delays often being a function of variables such as external components and the output voltage magnitude. Note that in boost mode operation, comparator 20 operates to turn OFF discharge transistor M3 for a similar purpose. Once again, there is an issue regarding the accurate turn off of M3.
Thus, there is a need for control circuitry used in a DC/DC converter capable of controlling the turn OFF of the discharging transistor(s) just when inductor is fully discharged, notwithstanding changes is the converter operating conditions, by way of example such as load current, input voltage and output voltage.

Control circuitry in a DC/DC converter for zero inductor current detection


The present disclosure describes method and structure of a three-dimensional memory device. The memory device includes a substrate and a plurality of wordlines extending along a first direction over the substrate. The first direction is along the x direction. The plurality of wordlines form a staircase structure in a first region. A plurality of channels are formed in a second region and through the plurality of wordlines. The second region abuts the first region at a region boundary. The memory device also includes an insulating slit formed in the first and second regions and along the first direction. A first width of the insulating slit in the first region measured in a second direction is greater than a second width of the insulating slit in the second region measured in the second direction.

Flash memory devices have undergone rapid development. Flash memory devices can store data for a considerably long time without powering, and have the advantages such as high integration level, fast access, easy erasing and rewriting. Flash memory devices have thus been widely used in different fields such as automation and control. To further improve the bit density and reduce cost, three-dimensional NAND flash memory devices have been developed.
A three-dimensional NAND flash memory device often includes a stack of gate electrodes arranged over a substrate, with a plurality of semiconductor channels through and intersecting the wordlines, into the substrate. The bottom gate electrodes function as bottom select gates. The top gate electrodes function as top select gates. The word lines/gate electrodes between the top select gate electrodes and the bottom gate electrodes function as wordlines. The intersection of a wordline and a semiconductor channel forms a memory cell. The top select gates are connected to wordlines for row selection, and the bottom select gates are connected to bitlines for column selection.

Trench structures for three-dimensional memory devices


A dispensing package which automatically relieves residual pressure on a cream product and dispenses this product in incremental doses is disclosed. The package uses a feed screw to drive an elevator which impels the cream product in a unidirectional manner. The drive of the feed screw is superimposed with reciprocatory motion caused by internal cams which retract the elevator. By intermittently retracting the elevator a suitable distance, discrete amounts of the product are dispensed for each cycle and the residual pressure on the product is relieved, preventing it from weeping onto the applicating surface of the dispenser. The dispensing package is well suited to contain and dispense cream deodorants and antiperspirants.

Swivel-up dispensing packages have been used to dispense cosmetic cream products to the axillae of the user. Typically, the product is moved to the outer end by manually turning a hand wheel, which drives a feed screw and, in turn, an elevator. Moving the elevator into the product pressurizes it, causing the product to be extruded through the orifice onto the applicating surface.
An undesirable side effect of this type of dispensing package which occurs when cream products are used, is that after the product has been dispensed, residual pressure within the product in the dispenser causes the product to weep onto the applicating surface for a period of time after the user has ceased dispensing. Depending upon the material properties of the cream product contained in the dispensing package, separation may occur and individual components of the cream product could spread onto the applicating surface. Either occurrence results in a soiled and undesirable appearance of the applicating surface. Furthermore, after the product, or its components, has weeped onto the applicating surface, the product, or its components, may spread to the container body and soil the hands of the user.
One approach to relieving the residual pressure on the product is to use a spring which urges the elevator away from the product. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,938 issued to Kayser on Nov. 2, 1982, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,407, issued to Finnegan on July 24, 1984 show caulking guns where a spring is used to push the ratchet bar away from the dispensed product. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,730 issued to Spatz on Sept. 4, 1973, this concept is applied to a dispenser having a feed screw, where a spring retracts the follower by reversing the rotation of the o feed screw. One problem inherent with this approach is the unpredictability of the amount of retraction which will occur. Variations in the amount of product dispensed, system friction, extension of the spring, etc. will cause the variations in the amount of residual pressure remaining on the product. This dispensing package provides no assurance as to how much the driven member will be retracted, or whether the amount of retraction which does occur will be enough, or too much, for a given cream product.
Furthermore, dispensers presently used normally extrude cosmetic cream products at a uniform rate as the consumer turns the hand wheel to advance the elevator. When the product is dispensed at a uniform rate, the user may not be able to visually judge the proper amount of deodorant or antiperspirant which should be applied to each underarm, much less dispense this amount on an ephemeral basis with any degree of precision. Applying too much deodorant results in product waste and staining of clothes, while applying too little deodorant prevents efficacious results from being obtained. Furthermore, when too much product is used at one time, excess product will remain on the applicating surface creating a soiled and messy appearance


A method and system for using call drop and re-origination data to trigger handoff of wireless communication devices. Handoff trigger data is established in response to detecting that at least one mobile station experienced a call drop and then quickly re-originated on a sector that was not included in the mobile station's active set at the time of the call drop. The handoff trigger data correlates a location where the call drop occurred with the sector on which re-origination occurred. When another mobile station is thereafter engaged in a call at or near that location and does not have the sector in its active set, a serving radio access network may direct the mobile station to handoff to the sector, in an effort to prevent a call drop.

Cellular wireless is an increasingly popular means of personal communication in the modern world. People are using cellular wireless networks for the exchange of voice and data over cellular telephones, Personal Digital Assistants ("PDAs"), cellular modems, and other devices. In principle, a user can seek information over the Internet or call anyone over a Public Switched Telephone Network ("PSTN") from any place inside the coverage area of the cellular wireless network.
In a typical cellular wireless system, an area is divided geographically into a number of cell sites provided by a radio access network (RAN). The RAN typically comprises one or more base transceiver stations (BTSs), each of which has one or more antennas that radiate to define a radio frequency (RF) radiation pattern. The BTS(s) of the RAN may then be coupled with a base station controller (BSC) or radio network controller (RNC), which may in turn be coupled with a telecommunications switch or gateway, such as a mobile switching center (MSC) or packet data serving node (PDSN) for instance. The switch or gateway may then provide connectivity with a transport network, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or the Internet for instance.
When a mobile station (such as a cellular telephone, a wirelessly equipped PDA or personal computer, or another suitably equipped device) is positioned in a cell, the mobile station communicates via an RF air interface with the BTS of the cell. Consequently, a communication can be established between the mobile station and another entity, via the air interface and the RAN. Such a communication may be referred to as a "call," whether the communication is a traditional voice "call" or a more advanced data session, generally regardless of its content.
With the explosive growth in demand for wireless communications, the level of call traffic in most cell sites has increased drastically over recent years. To help manage the call traffic, most cells in a wireless network are usually further divided geographically into a number of sectors (which can be visualized ideally as pie pieces), each defined respectively by radiation patterns from directional antenna components of the respective BTS, or by respective BTS antennae.
In a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) wireless network and perhaps in other types of networks, each cell employs one or more carrier frequencies, and each sector is distinguished from adjacent sectors by a pseudo-random number offset (PN offset). Further, each sector may concurrently communicate on multiple different channels, distinguished by "Walsh codes". When a mobile station operates in a given sector, communications between the mobile station and the BTS of the sector are carried on a given frequency and are encoded by the sector's PN offset and, perhaps, a given Walsh code.
According to well known industry standards, a mobile station can communicate with a number of "active" sectors at a time. Depending on the system, the number of active sectors may be up to three or six, for instance. The mobile station receives largely the same signal from each of the active sectors and, on a frame-by-frame basis, may select the best signal to use.
A mobile station maintains in its memory a list of the sectors in its "active" set. In addition, it maintains in its memory a list of "candidate" sectors (e.g., up to six), which are those sectors that are not yet in the active set but that have sufficient signal strength that the mobile station could demodulate signals from those sectors. Further, the mobile station maintains a list of "neighbor" sectors, which are those sectors not in the active set or candidate set but are in close vicinity to the mobile station. All other possible sectors are members of a "remaining" set.
In existing systems, to facilitate a determination of which sectors should be in the mobile station's active set, all base stations emit a pilot channel signal, typically at a power level higher than other downlink signals. A mobile station then constantly measures the strength (Ec/Io, i.e., energy versus spectral density) of each pilot that it receives and notifies a primary base station (a base station currently serving the mobile station) when pilot strength falls above or below designated thresholds. The base station, in turn, provides the mobile station with an updated list of active pilots.
In one arrangement, for instance, the base station may initially transmit to the mobile station (e.g., over a downlink control channel or traffic channel) a Handoff Direction Message (HDM), containing parameters such as (i) the PN offsets of the sectors in the active set and (ii) the following handoff parameters that relate to pilot signal strength:                T_ADD: Threshold pilot strength for addition to the active set (e.g., −14 dB)        T_COMP: Difference in signal strength from an active set pilot (e.g., 2 dB)        T_DROP: Threshold pilot strength for removal from the active set (e.g., −16 dB)        T_TDROP: Time for which an active set pilot falls below T_DROP to justify removal from the active set (e.g., 2 seconds)Additionally, the base station may initially provide the mobile station with a Neighbor List Update Message (NLUM), which identifies the "neighbor" sectors for the current active set.
The mobile station may then monitor all of the pilot signals that it receives, and the mobile station may determine if any neighbor pilot exceeds T_ADD by T_. If so, the mobile station may add the pilot to its "candidate" set and send a Pilot Strength Measurement Message (PSMM) to the base station, indicating the estimated Ec/Io for the pilot. Depending on current capacity and other issues, the base station may then send an HDM to the mobile station, listing the pilot as a new member of the active set, or directing the mobile station to add the pilot to the active set. Upon receipt of the HDM, the mobile station would then add the pilot to its active set as instructed, and the mobile station would send a Handoff Completion Message (HCM) to the base station, acknowledging the instruction, and providing a list of the pilots (PN offsets) in its active set.
Similarly, if the mobile station detects that the signal strength of a pilot in its active set drops below T_DROP, the mobile station may start a handoff drop timer. If T_TDROP passes, the mobile station may then send a PSMM to the base station, indicating the Ec/Io and drop timer. The base station may then respond by sending an HDM to the mobile station, without the pilot in the active set, or directing the mobile station to remove the pilot from the active set. The mobile station would then receive the HDM and responsively move the pilot to its neighbor set and send an HCM to the base station.
When a mobile station is actively engaged in a call, if RF signal strength received by the mobile station on each on each sector of its active set becomes too low and the mobile station does not have a chance to add a sufficiently strong sector to its active set, the RF link between the mobile station and RAN will be effectively cut off, which will thereby disconnect or "drop" the call.
This can happen for a number of reasons. For example, one or more sectors may be missing from the neighbor list associated with the mobile station's current active set sectors. In certain systems, a RAN may preclude handoff to a sector not in the mobile station's neighbor list. Thus, if the mobile station that is actively engaged in a call moves into an area where the mobile station loses contact with its active set sectors and seeks to hand off to a sector that is not in its neighbor list, the mobile station may experience a call drop. As another example, if the mobile station is moving quickly or traveling through RF obstructions, the mobile station may detect a strong pilot on a sector in its neighbor list but may not have time to send a PSMM for that pilot and receive an HDM directing handoff to that pilot before the mobile station loses contact with its current active set sectors. In that case as well, the mobile station may experience a call drop. Other situations may give rise to call drops as well.

Use of call drop and re-origination data to trigger handoff


In a saddle type vehicle having a swing type power unit swingably supported on the vehicle wherein the vehicle length can be made shorter. A motorcycle includes a link mechanism extending to the rear from a body frame through a link pivot. The swing type power unit includes an engine. A rear wheel is supported rotatably and swingably on the link mechanism. A cross frame extends between a pair of left and right lower frames with a link restriction section for restricting the turning amount of the link mechanism hanging downwardly from the cross frame. The link pivot is disposed under the lower frames.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in a saddle type vehicle in which a swing type power unit having an engine and a rear wheel is swingably provided on a body frame.
2. Description of Background Art
A saddle type vehicle in which a swing type power unit is swingably provided on a body frame is known. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-341575, FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 7 of Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-341575, in a rear end portion of a main frame section (27) (a parenthesized numeral indicates a reference symbol used in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-341575, here and hereafter) a tubular rubber support section (31), and an arm (52) is inserted in the rubber support section (31) through a stopper rubber (53). A link member (46) is mounted to the arm (52) through an outer tube (47), and a link shaft (45) is swingably supported on a rearward end portion of the link member (46) through a turning tube (44). An inner tube (48) is coaxially provided inside the outer tube (47), with a rubber bush therebetween, and a pivot (51) is inserted in the inner tube (48).
In the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-341575, the pivot (51) is disposed rearwardly of the main frame section (27).
When the pivot (51) is thus disposed rearwardly of the main frame section (27), the vehicle length is increased by the distance by which the pivot (51) is displaced rearwardly from the main frame section (27).
It is desirable, in saddle type vehicles in which a swing type power unit is swingably supported, to provide a technology by which the vehicle length can be shortened.


A process for formatting rivalrous fusible images having similarly shaped stimuli of similar binocular luminance and having other similarly shaped stimuli of different binocular luminance, which metamorphose during perception into identifiable shapes that distinguish fusion from suppression. The preferred embodiment is an invertible stereoscope for viewing rivalrous images, non-rivalrous images, and stereograms, having adjustable eyepieces, lighting control of front and rear chambers, and lighting control of right and left sides. In a further preferred embodiment, rivalrous stimuli in a complementary color scheme are viewed on printed material or on a computer screen through lenses of complementary colors. Neutral density filter placement that asymmetrically attenuates light to the eyes for detection of sub-threshold afferent defects is disclosed.

This invention relates generally to the field of binocular vision testing and more specifically to a process for detecting disease by viewing rival contour elements.
During natural viewing, the two eyes send similar information to the brain concerning the images in the visual space. Images of different colors that occupy the same visual space can only be presented to the eyes by using artificial means such as a stereoscope, polarized images viewed through polarizing glasses, or complementary colored images viewed through lenses of complementary colors. When dissimilar but fusible images occupy the same visual space, rivalry ensues and the two dissimilar images compete for recognition. The two images may fuse to form a composite image or one rival image will be suppressed while the other image is seen. Images of different shapes will not fuse when their shapes differ too greatly.
Binocular rivalry has the potential usefulness of identifying conditions affecting the visual system, particularly if opposing rival endpoints are easily identifiable. Normally, nerve impulses traveling along the two optic nerves travel at the same velocity. When a disease affects neural transmission, the impulses from the defective eye travel at a slower velocity than the impulses from the healthy eye. When nerve impulses from one eye are conducted at a slower velocity than impulses from the opposite eye, a relative (one eye compared to the other eye) afferent (towards the brain or sensory) defect occurs. Due to slowing of the nerve conduction by the disease process, the nerve impulses on the side of the afferent defect will be delayed reaching the brain. The brain perceives the earlier arriving impulses (data of one rival component) from the healthy eye and suppresses the later arriving impulses (data of the opposing rival component) from the defective eye. A relative afferent defect can result from injury or disease of the eye, optic nerve, or brain. In amblyopia, the dysfunction responsible for the relative afferent defect is thought to be a dysfunction in processing of information by the brain.
Dimming the light to one of the two eyes can simulate a relative afferent defect. Similar to a disease process, dimming the light delays the nerve impulses traveling from that eye compared to the opposite brighter illuminated eye. Conversely, a simulated relative afferent defect can be measured by reducing the light to the brighter illuminated eye until the relative afferent defect is reversed. When disease affects one eye more than the other eye, the relative afferent defect can be counterbalanced and measured by dimming the light on the side of the healthy eye. This slows the nerve impulses originating from the healthy eye and allowing impulses from the defective (suppressed) eye to reach the brain first and be perceived.
Rivalry of black and white identically shaped images has been shown to produce a lustrous "gun metal" phenomenon by H. von Helmholtz (Handbuch der Physiologischen Optik, 1910). Greene (U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,258) demonstrated that by framing one image of an image pair of differing colors with a black border along two contiguous sides of the image or by circling the image with a black ring or border, the binocular perception would be a bright lustrous image. According to Greene, the perception of the dark border controls and determines the synthesis of information from the two eyes, and causes the stimulus material lying inside the boundary to dominate perception. Greene's invention is limited to the production of rival conditions by means of a dark border to produce the visual perception of luster. Hofeldt (U.S. Pat. No. 5,764,340) demonstrated that by using different colors as rival images without regard to borders, rivalry of colors could be used to measures visual function with the endpoint being the perception of one color over the complementary color without regard to the perception of luster.
Current techniques for distinguishing suppression from fusion of rival images require the subject to recognize the presence of luster (Greene) or identify different colors (Hofeldt). Both these endpoints are difficult concepts for children and some adults to comprehend. Luster is a subtle unnatural and dazzling phenomenon which requires education before it can be recognized. A rival test with easily identifiable images that distinguishes fusion from suppression would improve the usefulness of rivalry testing.
Current stereoscopes, for example the View-Master®, have a fixed interpupillary distance that fit either adults or children, but not both. These stereoscopes have one illuminated chamber and the illumination of the image pair is equal and uniform. There is no means for presenting scenes having areas differing in brightness. For example, in the modified View-Master® described by Hofeldt (U.S. Pat. No. 5,764,340), the reel contains neutral density filters and when engaged the entire scene dims which includes rival, binocularity, and stereoscopic stimuli. This global dimming on one side is an obvious clue to the subject of which eye is being suppressed.
Current stereoscopes are not used for viewing in both the upright and the inverted positions. Images for these stereoscopes are legible in only the upright position.

Machine for binocular testing and a process of formatting rival and non-rival stimuli


A gas spring comprises a housing, in which a piston that is mounted on a piston rod is disposed for displacement, dividing the interior of the housing into two partial volumes filled with fluid. A valve is provided, by means of which to interconnect the partial volumes. The valve is designed such that, when a force that acts in the piston-rod push-in direction exceeds a given threshold, a valve pin, which serves to open and close the valve, is displaceable from a closing position against a spring unit into a position of opening by overload.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an adjustable-length gas spring comprising a housing, which has a central longitudinal axis and is filled with a free-flowing fluid; a guide and seal unit, which closes a first end of the housing; a piston rod, which has an outer end and is extended from, and sealed towards, the first end of the housing by the guide and seal unit; a piston, which is connected with the piston rod and sealingly guided in the housing; a first partial volume, which is formed between the piston and the guide and seal unit; a second partial volume, which is defined by the piston and turned away from the first partial volume; and a valve for interconnection of the partial volumes, which has a valve pin which can be actuated from outside the housing and which, when pushed in a valve opening direction in the sense of the central longitudinal axis, is moved into an opening position of the valve and into a closing position by pressure of the fluid counter to the valve opening direction.
2. Background Art
Great numbers of gas springs of the generic type have been described. For instance, so-called double-tube gas springs are known, in which two tubes are arranged concentrically one within the other, defining an annular channel between them. Partial volumes are formed on both sides of the piston, which are interconnected by way of the annular channel and the valve that is disposed on one end of the housing. Adjustable-length gas spring of this type have been known for example from U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,593.
Furthermore, adjustable-length gas springs have been described, in which the valve is disposed in the piston and which are operated by a valve-actuating rod that is disposed inside the hollow piston rod. Gas springs of this type are known for instance from U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,941. In gas springs of that type, hydraulic fluid may fill the partial volumes of the housing; the pressure gas filling is then only located in a pressure gas chamber which is allocated to the closed end of the housing and which is divided from the neighboring partial volume by a slide piston which is guided on, and sealed towards, the inside wall of the housing.
All these familiar gas springs have in common that damages to, or destruction of, the gas spring may occur in the case of excess pressure between the housing and the piston rod i.e., when a force that exceeds given reasonable dimensions tends to pushing the piston rod into the housing. This problem is rather pronounced in the above-mentioned hydraulically lockable single-tube gas springs, for example when used in hospital beds.
EP 1 101 972 A2 teaches an extension gas spring which has a housing with a piston rod concentrically guided therein. Arranged on the piston rod is a piston which is sealingly guided in the housing, dividing an oil chamber into two partial volumes. A valve is available, interconnecting the two partial volumes and having a valve pin, which is actuated from outside the housing and which, when pushed in a valve opening direction in the sense of a central longitudinal axis, is moved into a position in which the valve opens and, by the action of a restoring spring counter to the valve opening direction, into a position in which the valve closes. Integrated into the housing subsequently to the oil chamber is an extension gas spring which the piston rod is led into.
Inside the piston that divides the oil chamber into partial volumes, provision is additionally made for a pressure relief valve of the type of a check valve which includes a channel that passes through the piston and interconnects the partial volumes and that is closed on one side by a spring-loaded packing disk. This pressure relief valve opens when a force that exceeds an admissible force acts between the piston rod and the housing.
It is an object of the invention, to embody a gas spring of the generic type such that damages to, or destruction of, the gas spring are avoided even in the case of high forces of pressure that exceed given admissible thresholds.
According to the invention, this object is attained in a gas spring of the generic type by the features which consist in that, when a force that acts between the piston rod and the housing in a push-in direction of the piston rod exceeds a given threshold, the valve pin is displaceable from the closing position counter to the valve opening direction and against a spring unit into a position of opening by overload. The gist of the invention resides in that the valve pin, upon excess pressure, may deviate counter to the direction of opening, releasing a junction between the partial volumes for pressure balance to take place within the gas spring.
Further features, advantages and details of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description of an exemplary embodiment, taken in conjunction with the drawing.


A sensing device with lower power consumption by controlling a rate for generating output data is to be provided. A sensing device includes: a sensor module including a group of sensors, at least one of which is set as a motion sensor; and a data generating unit that generates output data on the basis of outputs from the group of sensors. The data generating unit switches, on the basis of an output from the motion sensor, a rate for generating the output data.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a sensing device, an electronic apparatus, and the like.
2. Related Art
Some sensor module includes a sensor that detects the motion of a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, or the like (hereinafter, a motion sensor). For example, a sensor module disclosed in JP-A-2009-134071 (Patent Document 1) includes an analog front end (AFE) and an AD converter (ADC). The sensor module converts a signal from the motion sensor and outputs the signal at a fixed rate. The rate of the output is fixed high in order to display the performance of the sensor module. Therefore, power consumption increases.


A shoulder holster assembly is used to support and to carry an implement in a holster. The shoulder holster assembly includes a base or an implement carrier removably coupled to a harness. The harness includes a plurality of length-adjustable straps with strap clips at the ends, configured to engage receivers in the base or the implement carrier.

Implements, such as tools, weapons, and the like, may be temporarily encased in a carrier (such as a holster, for instance) for protection of the implement and/or the user, while providing access to the implement. For example, a carrier may allow a user to conveniently carry the implement, safely retaining the implement until needed. When the implement is to be used, the user may withdraw the implement from the carrier, and then return it to the carrier when finished. In some cases, such as with a handgun for example, the holster may allow the user to conceal the implement, or to conceal the fact that the user is carrying the implement.
In the case of a handgun, the holster should reasonably protect the handgun and the user, and should be convenient to the user for ready use. However, the holster should also be versatile enough to be comfortably carried by the user, such as when it is worn on the person of the user for an extended length of time. The holster should also be rigid and stable enough to allow the handgun to be repeatedly drawn and re-holstered, usually with the same hand.
At times it can be desirable to carry an implement such as a handgun in various locations on the user, for instance on a shoulder rig over or underneath a layer of the user's clothing. However, when doing so, it is desirable that the holster provides versatility in accessing the handgun, as well as a high level of protection to the user and also to the handgun. For example, a holster that provides adequate protection but does not allow for a user's preferred draw position may not be acceptable.


A relatively simple but highly effective circuit for producing ultrasonic signals which are utilized to repel pests and vermin. The frequency of the signals is sufficiently high to be undetected by humans and most domestic animals and pets.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to pest repelling devices, in general, and to an electronically controlled, ultrasonic signal generating device, in particular, for repelling pests such as insects, rodents and the like.
2. Prior Art
There are many known types of pests and vermin which annoy, pester and/or adversely affect mankind. Many types of devices, processes, chemicals and the like have been used in the past in order to exterminate and/or repel such pests.
One problem, generally found in extermination, of pests is the use of toxic chemicals or similar components. These materials are, frequently, toxic not only to the undesired pests or vermin but also to mankind, domestic animals, pets and the like. Consequently, these types of products must be used with extreme caution. Moreover, these products are precluded from use in some areas. For example, it is highly undesirable to use these kinds of products around food and the like. Also, use of these materials is undesirable in that the pest can ingest or absorb the material and carry it away. Thus, the pest can expire in an inaccessible location causing the problem associated therewith in terms of attracting other pests or vermin and/or creating an unpleasant odor.
Other mechanical or electrical devices can be used such as applying force to physically eradicate or exterminate the pest. In other cases, the pest can be "zapped" by electronic means. As a result, the devices and related methods have difficulty that the unwanted pest or vermin is still exterminated on the premises which are to be controlled.
A much more desirable approach is to use a "perimeter defense" or the like which keeps the pests and vermin off the protected premises altogether. This has the advantage that no unwanted carcasses are discovered. Perhaps, most importantly, the initial invasion of the premises by the undesired pest or vermin is avoided or inhibited.


Low cariogenic and low-laxation chewy confections comprising a non-cariogenic sweetener comprising erythritol and a doctoring agent comprising at least one of sucromalt, linear inulin, branched inulin, brown rice syrup, indigestible dextrin, polydextrose, isomaltooligosaccharide, and soluble corn fiber are provided. Methods for preparing low cariogenic and low-laxation chewy confections are also provided.

The field of the invention relates generally to chewy confections having reduced sugar.
Chewy confections typically comprise sucrose sweetener, corn syrup doctoring agent, a gelling agent, fat, color and flavor. Chewy confections are characterized by an elastic and somewhat firm texture during chewing. Typically, corn syrup and sucrose in a solids weight ratio of from about 1:1 to about 1.2:1 provides a stable balance that provides for a chewy confection having consumer acceptable texture, chewability, stability, sweetness, and flavor delivery. During chewing, the chewy confection generally maintains a coherent mass without breakage into smaller pieces that is characteristic of gelled confections and hard candies.
Problematically, sugar-based confections containing one or more sugars such as sucrose, maltose, fructose and dextrose promote dental caries (i.e., are cariogenic). Further, sugar-based confections may not be tolerated by consumers having type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Efforts have been made to improve the healthiness of sugar-based confections by reducing the sugar content. One method of reducing sugar content is to shift the proportion of corn syrup doctoring agent to sugar in a confection formula, so that the gelled confection would contain less sugar. However, this option has limited usefulness because (i) corn syrup also contains various sugars, and (ii) a certain balance of doctoring agent to sugar may be necessary to produce a chewy confection that has a consumer acceptable texture, flavor delivery, sweetness and stability to cold flow.
Polyols such as sorbitol, maltitol, and isomalt have been used in an attempt to make healthier confections that are less cariogenic than traditional confections made with corn syrup and sucrose at a typical 1:1 to 1.2:1 solids weight ratio. Because those polyols are hygroscopic and are quick to crystallize from a concentrated solution state, a doctoring agent is required to make commercially acceptable textured confections that are at least as stable to cold flow and stickiness formation as gelled confections made with corn syrup and sucrose at a 1:1 to 1.2:1 solids weight ratio. A common doctoring agent is hydrogenated starch hydrolysate (HSH), which is a sugar-free syrup containing polyols of various sizes (mostly sorbitol and/or maltitol). Although, sorbitol, maltitol and isomalt sweeteners and doctoring agents are non-cariogenic and are less caloric than corn syrup combined with sucrose, problematically they may cause gastrointestinal disturbance (e.g., laxation).
Erythritol has been used as a sweetener in the preparation of hard confections and gelled confections. Due to the unique set of chewy confection characteristics and associated compositional and processing features, to-date erythritol has not been used as a sweetener in chewy confections. Chewy confections are characterized by a unique set of characteristics including adequate firmness for chewability, essential absence of stickiness, maintenance of a coherent mass without breaking into small pieces during chewing, smooth texture with the essential absence of graininess resulting from crystallized sweetener, and the essential absence of cold flow. Hard confections and gelled confections fundamentally differ from chewy confections in terms of at least hardness, texture, ratios of doctoring agent to sweetener, gelling agent, the absence of fat (which is present in chewy confections), and method of preparation. Gelled confections are characterized by a firm, but tender, sticky and pasty chew, where the gelled confection breaks into small pieces when chewing. Hard confections are friable and break into pieces when chewed.
A need therefore exists for chewy confections having reduced sugar content and that are less cariogenic than chewy confections known in the art.


Technologies are provided herein for executing SMASH CLP commands through a Web-based GUI. A baseboard management controller (“BMC”) includes a Web server program and a SMASH CLP engine. The SMASH CLP engine is configured to execute SMASH CLP commands with respect to managed entities or targets within a host computer system. A software interface is also provided between the Web server program and the SMASH CLP engine. Through the interface, the Web server can transmit SMASH CLP commands to the SMASH CLP engine for execution and receive the results of the execution of the SMASH CLP commands. The BMC stores a Web page which, when rendered by a Web browser, provides a GUI for the creation and execution of SMASH CLP commands by the SMASH CLP engine.

The Systems Management Architecture for Server Hardware ("SMASH") is a suite of specifications that deliver industry-standard protocols to increase productivity of the management of a data center. The SMASH command line protocol ("SMASH CLP") specification defines an intuitive command line interface to server computers independent of machine state, operating system ("OS"), OS state, system topology, or access method. In this way, SMASH CLP provides a common grammar and syntax for cross-platform management of server hardware using out-of-band communications.
SMASH CLP is specified for use via a serial console, such as a Secure Shell ("SSH") or Telecommunication Network ("TELNET") protocol connection. Because SMASH CLP requires access via a serial console, however, a system administrator may be unable to administer a computer system if no SSH or TELNET client application is available. This is common because many types of computing devices do not provide these clients. Moreover, because SMASH CLP is a command line protocol, it can be very difficult for a user to remember all of the SMASH CLP commands and their syntax. As a result, using SMASH CLP via a serial console, as required in current implementations, can be a difficult and frustrating experience for system administrators.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the disclosure presented herein has been made.

Web-based systems management architecture for server hardware (SMASH) command line protocol (CLP)


Provided is a radar system which calculates a track of a detected object and can determine whether or not the track is accurate. The radar system includes: a radar section for emitting an electromagnetic wave to an object and receiving a reflected wave reflected from the object to detect position information of the object; a track calculation section for calculating, periodically at a first cycle, a track along which the object moves, on the basis of the position information obtained from the radar section; a first speed calculation section for calculating a first speed at which the object moves, on the basis of pieces of the position information at two different time points having a time interval which is longer than the first cycle; and a track determination section for determining whether or not the track is accurate, on the basis of at least the first speed.

Conventionally, a radar apparatus which detects an obstacle around a vehicle and calculates a track of movement of the obstacle relative to the vehicle, and a system which controls the vehicle on the basis of information of the track, have been developed.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses one example of the radar apparatus as described above. An obstacle recognition apparatus for a vehicle, which is disclosed in Patent Literature 1, irradiates the vicinity of the vehicle with a transmission wave such as laser light and receives a reflected wave of the transmission wave from an object, thereby detecting the object. Next, the obstacle recognition apparatus for the vehicle recognizes the detected object around the vehicle by a set of multiple points. Then, the obstacle recognition apparatus for the vehicle recognizes adjacent points out of the multiple points, as one segment. Then, the obstacle recognition apparatus for the vehicle recognizes the segment as a line segment having only a length in a width direction of the vehicle. In other words, the obstacle recognition apparatus for the vehicle recognizes the detected object as the line segment corresponding to the length of the object in a width direction of the object.
Here, the obstacle recognition apparatus for the vehicle, which is disclosed Patent Literature 1, can track the detected object. The obstacle recognition apparatus for the vehicle respectively compares the length and the position of a previously detected line segment to the length and the position of a currently detected line segment. Then, when the difference between the length of the previously detected line segment and the length of the currently detected line segment is within a predetermined range and the distance between the position of the previously detected line segment and the position of the currently detected line segment is within a predetermined range, the obstacle recognition apparatus for the vehicle determines that the previously detected object is identical to the currently detected object. By detecting the position of the object at each time in such processing, the obstacle recognition apparatus for the vehicle can track the detected object.
In a driving support system for a vehicle, which has been developed recently, a track obtained by tracking an object detected by a radar apparatus is calculated. Then, the driving support system infers a risk of collision of the vehicle with the object on the basis of the track and the like. In addition, the driving support system performs vehicle control in accordance with a result of the inference concerning the risk of collision. For example, when there is a risk of collision of the vehicle with the object, the driving support system performs a process of outputting an alarm which notifies a driver of the risk, or the like.    [Patent Literature 1] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H7-318652


An SZ laying machine for umbilical/power umbilical is described. Starting from an input end the machine includes: a first die receiving and collecting a first set of elongate elements substantially rectilinear from respective supplies of elongate elements, a second static die which receives and collects a second set of elongate elements substantially rectilinear from respective supplies of elongate elements and this second set is closed together with the first set into an assembled bundle, at least one supporting means which keeps the assembled bundle radially in place; a revolving device able to torsional rotate the bundle back and forth in an oscillating SZ manner, and a tape or band winding apparatus which in immediate proximity to the revolving device applies band or tape circumferentially onto the SZ laid bundle of elongate elements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machine for SZ closing/laying of an umbilical/power umbilical comprising a plurality of elongated elements, which elongated elements are different regarding transversal cross section, material, function and in number.
2. History of the Related Art
Typically such elongated elements constitute one or more among the following traditional components of an umbilical/power umbilical: power cables for transfer of vast amounts of electric power, fluid pipes of same or different transversal cross sectional dimensions, electric wires for control purposes etc, optical conductors, filler material in the form of stiff or rigid elongated elements which are laying at least partly around and between the other elongated elements, such as the fluid pipes, the power cables and the wires/conductors, and possibly one or more load carrying elements predetermined located within the transversal cross section of the umbilical, or power umbilical, such as steel wire or carbon rods, individually or gathered into bundles. However, several of the elements may be similar to each other. Thus it is to be understood that it is not that important which type of elements that are closed together, but the way this is performed and how the machine which is able to perform this is constructed, which is the new and inventive.
Accordingly the present invention also relates to a method for SZ closing/laying of an umbilical/power umbilical by means of a machine as defined above. As disclosed in WO Publication No. 2008/075965, the term "SZ" refers to a winding method wherein elongated elements are wound with alternating winding directions.
A well proven closing machine which over a long period of time is used for production of classic umbilicals, i.e. of the type which are helically twisted about its longitudinal axis, is briefly described and illustrated in FIG. 1-5 in WO 93/17176 (NO174 940). Another type of closing machine, in particular used for SZ closing of cables, is schematically illustrated in FIG. 7 of WO publication 2008/075965. As far as we know this represents the state of the art. One object with the present invention is to design a closing/laying machine which is substantially simplified relative to the voluminous and kind of complicated laying machines available today. Besides, it is a desire to be able to design such a machine to be mobile, i.e. be able to move the machine from place to place without too comprehensive and complicated operations.
This is achieved with a machine of the introductory said kind which is distinguished in that the laying machine is arranged in the following component sequence when viewed in the pulling direction starting at an entry end: a first die which receives and gathers a first set of elongated elements substantially rectilinear from respective supplies of elongated elements, a static second die which receives and gathers a second set of elongated elements substantially rectilinear from respective supplies of elongated elements and close these together with the first set into a gathered bundle, at least one supporting means which keeps the gathered bundle radially in place; a revolving device able to revolve the bundle torsional back and forth in an SZ oscillating way, and a tape or band wrapping apparatus which immediate after the revolving device applies band or tape circumferentially onto the SZ laid bundle of elongated elements.
Thus the enormous revolving carousels carrying a plurality of bobbins which in turn revolves about their bobbin axis, is avoided. See FIG. 1-5 of WO 93/17176. These conditions are substantially improved with the machine shown in FIG. 7 of WO 2008/075965. However, such a machine is primarily designed for manufacture of existing cables during common cable production, but the principle was proposed used to manufacture the SZ closed umbilical according to WO 2008/075965. However, one has still not arrived there, other than that this umbilical is manufactured in shorter test lengths. The now suggested closing/laying machine is indeed constructed for full scale production of continuous lengths of umbilicals of very different transversal cross section profiles, which also includes power umbilicals of the nature shown in WO 2008/075964.
Normally the elongated elements will be one or more among the following traditional components in an umbilical/power umbilical: power cables for transfer of vast amounts of electric power, fluid pipes, electric wires, optical conductors, filler material in the form of stiff elongated plastic elements (PVC) which are laying at least partly around and between the power cables and the wires/conductors, and one or more load carrying elements predetermined located in the transversal cross section of the umbilical or power umbilical.
One type of load carrying elements is carbon rods having embedded strength fibres. They have equally large axial strength as steel, but 10% of the weight only. The actual force that each carbon rod transfers is approximately 3% of its load capacity only. It is the axial stiffness that is created within the umbilical that is crucial. The umbilical is close to be without elongation when it is SZ closed and external strength band is wrapped around.
Conveniently, the means that provides for the pulling action of the umbilical through the machine can be one or more sets of caterpillar tracks.
Preferably the machine includes turning mechanisms which is able to alter the direction of the advanced elongated elements.
Preferably the machine includes means that applies a protective sheath which envelops the respective elongated elements that may be included in a dedicated umbilical/power umbilical.
In a preferable embodiment the revolving means that performs the closing action, may revolve one revolution per approximately 10 meters of umbilical length.
Further, a method of the introductory said kind is provided, which is distinguished in that the method includes introduction of a first set of elongated elements into the entry end of the closing/laying machine and into a first die which receives and gathers the respective elongated elements substantially rectilinear from respective supplies of elongated elements, that a second set of elongated elements is advanced to a second, static die and is merged with the first set of elongated elements advanced from the first die, that all the elongated elements are introduced into the static, second die and are closed into a bundle of elongated elements, that the bundle after the closing thereof, is further advanced to one or more supporting means which keeps the bundle radially in place, that the bundle is further advanced to a revolving device which revolves the bundle torsional back and forth in an SZ oscillating way, and that a tape or band is circumferentially applied onto the SZ closed/laid bundle of elongated elements.
Conveniently the umbilical is pulled through the machine by one or more set of caterpillar track means.
Preferably, a protective sheath that envelops the respective elongated elements that may be included in a dedicated umbilical/power umbilical, is applied subsequent to the wrapping of a band or tape.


The present invention provides an apparatus and method for locking self-expanding modular stent components together using an eversible extension on the male component. The male component is deployed partially within the female component, and with the eversible extension eversed over the male component.

Modular stents are used to treat luminal defects in a human body. For example, a modular stent comprising an aortic bifurcate component and an iliac limb component may be used to bypass an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). In this exemplary modular stent, the aortic bifurcate component is a bifurcated female covered stent or stent-graft (sometimes referred to as a long leg-short leg) configured for placement in the aorta proximate the aortic bifurcation with a long leg extending into one of the iliac arteries and a short leg or stump extending into the other iliac artery. The iliac limb component is a male covered stent configured for placement in the iliac artery in which the short leg extends with its proximal end deployed within the short leg or stump. The stent in such combinations typically comprises an open framework or mesh of structural elements such as wires or thin metallic members, which may cross or intersect one another in various ways. In one such stent graft configuration, a braided stent is provided where opposing helical stent members overlap one another to form crossing intersections. Exemplary braided stents 10 are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,771 to Hans I. Wallsten, incorporated herein by reference. The braided stent is designed to be contracted radially for endoluminal placement into a patient and to self-expand radially into a configuration in which it urges the graft or covering against the wall of the body lumen in which it is disposed providing an open lumen. Using shape memory material for the braided stent members may provide this self-expansion. The graft in a stent-graft may be a covering or liner, disposed inside or outside of the stent and covering the stent to define a fluid passageway through the lumen of the stent.
It is important for the components of a modular stent to form a secure connection with each other to prevent relative movement of the components with respect to each other due to force exerted by blood flow, morphology of the lumen in which the modular stent is placed, or other factors. Also, with covered stents, if the connection is not sufficiently secure, these factors may cause leakage of bodily fluid between the modular components.

Eversible locking mechanism for modular stents


A data processing system comprises a processor operating according to a first clock signal and a memory operating according to a second clock signal. The data processing system causes the processor to read data from the memory at least in part in response to a signal from first synchronizing circuitry and a signal from second synchronizing circuitry. The first synchronizing circuitry comprises a first storage element that samples a signal synchronized to the second clock signal in combination with a second storage element that samples an output of the first storage element. The first and second storage elements are triggered by inverse transitions in the first clock signal. The second synchronizing circuitry comprises third and fourth storage elements configured in a similar manner, except that they sample a signal synchronized to the first clock signal and are triggered by inverse transitions in the second clock signal.

In many modern integrated circuits such as system-on-chips (SOCs), multiple clocks have become the norm. As a result, arbitration circuitry for handling clock domain crossings (CDCs) has become an integral part of many designs. Such arbitration circuitry may, for example, allow two processors operating in asynchronous clock domains to access a common single-ported memory. However, because the arbitration circuitry ultimately affects memory access latencies of both masters, its switching speed tends to be a critical design parameter.

Arbitration circuitry for asynchronous memory accesses


A moving image analysis apparatus includes at least one of a processor and a circuitry configured to perform operations including acquiring first data and second data used in processing, in which a moving image is compressed and encoded, for a first frame and a second frame, respectively, included in the moving image, detecting first feature data indicating a first feature of the moving image on the basis of the first frame and the first data and detecting second feature data indicating a second feature of the moving image on the basis of the second frame and the second data, and detecting an object included in the first frame on the basis of the first feature data and the second feature data.

Conventionally, a technique for detecting an object inappropriate for distribution from a moving image (video) taken by a surveillance camera, a camera for television broadcasting, a camera of a smartphone, and the like is known as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2009-049949 and International Publication Pamphlet No. WO2016/088583.

Moving image analysis apparatus, system, and method


A filter includes a plurality of primary resonators connected to a serial arm, a plurality of secondary resonators connected to a parallel arm, a primary inductor connected to at least one of the plurality of primary resonators and a secondary inductor connected to at least one of the plurality of secondary resonators. The primary inductor is arranged so as not to be connected to a path between the secondary resonator to which the secondary inductor is connected in parallel and the primary resonator that is connected to the secondary resonator to which the secondary inductor is connected in parallel.

In recent years, the development has been underway of filter elements for high-frequency communications characterized in allowing only electronic signals in a certain frequency band to pass therethrough, which characteristic being achieved by the combination of a plurality of resonators using surface acoustic waves (SAWs) by using a piezoelectric material or resonators using thickness vibration waves of a piezoelectric film (FBARs). Because filter components utilizing SAW resonators or FBARs are smaller in outer size than other dielectric and ceramics filters and have steep roll-off properties, they are suitable for components of mobile communication devices such as mobile phones whose components need to be small and have a narrow fractional bandwidth. Duplexers are components to which SAW or FBAR ladder filters are applied. Duplexers have been used in wireless devices that have transmission and reception capabilities and transmit and receive signals of different frequencies. Insertion losses resulting from filters and duplexers can have a huge impact on device properties.
Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose that an inductor is added to a ladder filter to improve the filter properties.
Patent Document 1: JP 2004-135322 A
Patent Document 2: JP 2009-514275 A
However, inventors found that it is difficult to increase the bandwidth of the ladder filters disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, and losses occur in the passband of these filters.

Filter, duplexer, communication module and communication device


A data processing system, method and computer program product are provided. In use, data on a network is identified. In addition, a policy is identified. Further, the data is processed based on the policy for maintaining a confidentiality of the data.

Due to the widespread use of networked computers, data transfer has become easily accessible. For example, electronic mail (e-mail), instant messaging, etc. is widely utilized for transmitting data from one location on a network to another. Often, maintaining a confidentiality of data is desired, for example, within a particular subset of computers (e.g. an organization such as a corporation, etc.). However, it has traditionally been difficult to control the transmission of data based on the confidentiality thereof.
There is thus a need for overcoming these and/or other issues associated with the prior art.

System, method and computer program product for maintaining a confidentiality of data on a network


A test system is provided. The system includes a first test apparatus and a second test apparatus. A device power supply of the first test apparatus (ATE) is electrically connected with a device under test (DUT) through a driving branch (F) and a detecting branch (S), the driving branch (F) being configured to provide an original driving current to the DUT b the device power supply during testing, and the detecting branch (S) being configured to detect an effective driving current reaching the DUT. The second test apparatus includes a first voltage drop branch, the first voltage drop branch is connected to the detecting branch (S), and a voltage drop detected by the driving branch (F) is used to determine an effectiveness of an electrical connection formed between the driving branch and the device under test, and an electrical connection formed between the detecting branch (S) and the DUT.

When using automated test equipment (ATE) to test an integrated circuit (IC), the device power supply of the automated test equipment (ATE) is often electrically connected to a device under test (DUT). In order to realize the electrical connection with the device under test (DUT), the device power supply is usually configured with a driving line (also referred to as FORCE line, hereinafter referred to as F line) and a detection line (also referred to as SENSE line, hereinafter referred to as S line). The F line is mainly used to transmit a driving current to the device under test (DUT), and the S line is mainly used to detect whether an actual driving voltage reaching the device under test (DUT) meets the voltage required for the normal operation of the device under test (DUT).
As can be seen from the above, in order to ensure that during the test, the driving current is transmitted to the device under test (DUT) through the F line, and whether the actual driving voltage reaching the device under test (DUT) meets the voltage required for the normal operation of the device under test (DUT) is detected through the S line, once the S line does not form an effective electrical connection with the device under test (DUT), it may not be able to detect whether the actual driving voltage reaching the device under test (DUT) meets the voltage required for the normal operation of the device under test (DUT). Therefore, it is necessary to provide a technical solution to test whether an effective electrical connection is formed between the F line, the S line and the device under test (DUT).


A saddle window air conditioner includes an interior casing and an exterior casing. A chaseway extends between the interior casing and the exterior casing. A first sleeve of the chaseway is slidably received within a second sleeve of the chaseway such that a length of the chaseway between the interior casing and the exterior casing is adjustable by sliding the first sleeve within the second sleeve. A mounting bracket is mountable at a window. The mounting bracket includes a support leg, a lift foot slidably mounted to the support leg, and a spring coupled to the lift foot. The lift foot is connectable to the exterior casing. The spring urges the lift foot and the exterior casing upwardly on the support leg when the mounting bracket is positioned in the window and the lift foot is connected to the exterior casing.

Saddle window air conditioners allow a window to be freely opened and closed when the saddle window air conditioner is installed in the window. Thus, such air conditioners may be used to cool air within a home while also allowing the window to be opened to allow in fresh air. Saddle window air conditioners may also be quieter than other window air conditioners due to the placement of a fan and compressor outside of the cooled room. However, variations in a wall or window thickness that must be spanned by the saddle can make installation of saddle window air conditioners difficult. In addition, the weight of such air conditioners can also make installation difficult.

Saddle window air conditioner with an adjustable chaseway


The present invention relates to a trap apparatus for condensate water and the drain apparatus for condensate water installed on the same. In particular, the present invention relates to a trap apparatus for condensate water, constructed such that acidic condensate water is passed through a neutralizing agent and trapped in the apparatus, and the drain apparatus for condensate water installed on it.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a trap apparatus for condensate water and the drain apparatus for condensate water installed on the same. In particular, the present invention relates to a trap apparatus for condensate water, constructed such that acidic condensate water is passed through a neutralizing agent and trapped in the apparatus, and the drain apparatus for condensate water installed on it.
Also, the present invention relates to a trap apparatus for condensate water, which adapts an all-in-one drain apparatus to efficiently drain condensate water through drain pipes even at high altitudes, and the drain apparatus for condensate water installed on it.
Furthermore, if a drain apparatus is not used in the present invention, it may easily be disassembled to allow natural draining of condensate water. Thus, the invention relates to a trap apparatus for condensate water and the drain apparatus for condensate water installed on it, which can be used at various locations, regardless of the height the boiler is installed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a condensing boiler (heat recovery type boiler) is a boiler that is designed to facilitate condensate heat exchange, by keeping the temperature below dew point temperature, and installs a burner on the top or side of the heat exchanger so that combustion gas flows downward.
Said condensing boiler adopts a porous premix method and installs a heat exchanger immediately after the flame surface to control production of nitrogen compounds and emission of carbon monoxide, thus eco-friendly.
Also, by primarily absorbing sensible heat and secondarily absorbing latent heat emitted from exhaust gas, a condensing boiler achieves a high heat recovery rate up to 95% with its exhaust gas at 50° C.˜120° C., compared to 150° C.˜260° C. for that of general boilers.
However, in a condensing boiler, water vapor in the exhaust gas is emitted after being condensed to below dew point temperature, and because this condensate water is acidic with pH2.8-pH3.5, in case of any contact, it may decay components of the boiler, and will cause pollution if directly drained.
Accordingly, as in FIG. 1, Korean Registered Patent No. 10-426051 disclosed apparatus including a condensate water storage container 20 consisting of a condensate water storage room 21 and condensate water drain 22, a neutralizing case 30 in which a receiver 31, outlet 32, and mesh network 80 is installed, and a tea bag 70 that stores natural materials 50 and a neutralizing agent 40 for basic natural materials 50 which neutralize condensate water.
Yet, in said conventional technology, a condensate water storage room 21 exists, but in the center there is a passageway open to the outlet 32, and around it is the condensate water storage room 21.
Therefore, instead of filling the condensate water storage room 21, most of the condensate water is emitted, thus having poor condensate water trap quality, and accordingly there is high possibility that exhaust gas leaks through the outlet 32 and flows into the room.
Also, when the boiler is installed lower than the surface with a drain pipe, a sump pump (not shown) is used to bring up and release condensate water to the surface. A conventional sump pump, separately attached on the exterior of the boiler, failed to consider the status of the condensate water handling apparatus installed within the boiler, thereby emission lacked efficiency.

Trap apparatus for condensate water and drain apparatus for condensate water installed on the same