An article of clothing for protection against liquids and/or micro-organisms. The article includes a portion or portions each of which includes at least three layers, an inner, outer and intermediate layer, for example. The outer layer is formed of a tightly woven hydrophobic fabric which forms a liquid barrier and a micro-organism barrier. The inner layer also is formed of a material which likewise forms a liquid barrier and a micro-organism barrier and also is preferably hydrophobic. The intermediate layer separates the outer layer and the inner layer in a region of a portion of the article and prevents direct contact between the inner and outer layers in that region.

The invention relates to an article of clothing, in particular for the medical or chemical field for protection against liquids and/or micro-organisms at least a portion of the article of clothing comprises at least three layers.
Articles of clothing which consist of at least three layers are known, for example from the field of sport. Such articles of clothing are entirely suitable for the intended uses and, for example, offer protection against rain and wind, but are nevertheless able to breath actively so that a requisite degree of comfort for the user is achieved. They are not, however, straightforwardly usable for some important specific applications in the medical and chemical fields, for example, because of restrictions on their ability to be sterilized.

Article of clothing, in particular for the medical or chemical field


An apparatus including a saddle arrangement, including a flexible top surface of a generally kidney shaped configuration, with an arcuate side wall depending downwardly therefrom mounted to a rigid floor. Captured therebetween is a relatively thick cushion, with a matrix of spaced springs mounted within a spring chamber underlying the cushion. Modifications of the invention include coil springs defining the matrix of springs, each including a fluid filled shock dampening bag mounted within each spring. A further modification includes a fluid chamber mounted within the cushion, as well as an optionally utilized pneumatic chamber mounted adjacent the fluid cushion to effect relative rigidity and height of the cushion to accommodate variations and comfort requirements by individual riders utilizing the saddle.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to bicycle seats and more particularly pertains to a new and improved bicycle seat, for particular use upon an exercycle and the like to accommodate continuous seating of extended duration during repetitive cycling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During continuous exercycling, various groups of individuals such as elderly people and individuals of riders possessed of skeletal maladies need to employ a bicycle seat of enhanced comfort and cushion during a repetitive cycling and exercising procedure. Prior art bicycle seats have failed to accommodate a particular problem related to individuals as noted above, wherein examples of such prior art structure may be found in Young U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,611 setting forth a bicycle seat, including a relatively thin padded captured member within a flexible housing.
Bird U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,348 utilizes a seating arrangement with a cushioned covering mounting generally "U" shaped framework, wherein the framework is pivoted at its forward end and resiliently biased at its rear end by coil springs.
Lamkemuyer U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,643 sets forth a bicycle seat utilizing a relatiVely rigid support, with springs at a rear end and pivoted at a forward end in a normal configuration for bicycles, wherein the present invention attempts to overcome such deficiencies by providing a completely cushioned surface to accommodate an individual not requiring an individual to utilize a particular physical attitude in riding in an exercycle arrangement, as taught by the instant invention.
Mesinger U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,775 sets forth a unitary molded seat for accommodating an individual thereon.
Svehla U.S. Pat. No. 3,712,670, et al. sets forth an accessory seat attachment for various cycles utilizing a dish-shaped member formed with a padded layer to accommodate an individual thereon.
As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new and improved bicycle seat as set forth by the instant invention which addresses both the problems of ease of use, as well as effectiveness in construction and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A hitch (10) with a lock indicator system (16) interacts with a rotor (18) to provide an indication that a kingpin (14) is properly inserted into the hitch. The rotor rotates in response to proper insertion of the kingpin to align a rotor slot (20) with a plunger (24). Once the rotor slot and the plunger are aligned, an indicator (28) moves from a first position, indicating an unlocked kingpin, to a second position, indicating a locked kingpin. A control pin (74, 174) prevents rotation of the rotor from improper insertion of the kingpin. The control pin is controlled by a control lever (70, 170).

This invention relates in general to trailer hitch systems and, more particularly, to a system and apparatus for hitch rotor control.
Most loading of highway trailers onto intermodal railcars is done from overhead. Specifically, a crane picks the trailer up, moves it over the intermodal railcar, and lowers it onto a hitch. During this process, a trailer kingpin is inserted a the locking rotor. Rotor lock indicators may show a locked condition when the locking pin is secured in the locking rotor.
During the process of loading a trailer onto an international railcar, it is possible for the trailer kingpin to be improperly inserted into the locking rotor. If this occurs, the rotor lock indicators may show a locked condition when, in fact, the kingpin is not actually secured. An incorrect indication of a locked condition may result in the failure to ensure that the trailer is properly secured on the railcar. In this situation, the trailer may become detached from a railcar during movement of the railcar. In particular, rotation of a rotor in a hitch on the railcar in response to a torque moment from an improperly inserted kingpin may cause a locked kingpin indication to be reported by a kingpin lock indication system. From the foregoing, it may be appreciated that there is a need for a hitch rotor control system for preventing rotation of the rotor in response to an improperly inserted kingpin.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a system and apparatus are provided to address the shortcomings of prior hitches. A hitch rotor control apparatus has a control lever with a first end and a second end. The first end is pivotally coupled to a pivot pin. The control lever is engageable with a kingpin. The apparatus also has a control pin coupled to the lever which is insertable into a slot in a rotor.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a hitch rotor control apparatus includes a rotor coupled to a hitch and operable to rotate from a first position to a second position. The hitch has a recess disposed therein. The apparatus also includes a control pin coupled to the rotor and disposed within the recess. The apparatus further comprises a control lever having a first end and a second end. The first end is pivotally coupled to a first pivot pin. The control lever is engageable with a kingpin. The apparatus further comprises a control arm pivotally coupled to a second pivot pin and engageable with the control lever. The control arm is operable to pivot between a first position and a second position. The control arm is disposed within the recess in the first position and the control arm is remote from the recess in the second position.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a hitch system for securing semi-trailers to railroad cars comprises a plate disposed within a hitch. The system further comprises a rotor rotationally coupled to the plate and having a slot disposed along an outer edge thereof. The system further comprises a lever having a first end pivotally coupled to the plate and a second end. The lever is engageable with a kingpin. The system further comprises a rotor control pin coupled to the lever and engageable with the slot. The system further comprises a tension element coupled to the plate and the second end.
The present invention provides a number of technical advantages. One such technical advantage is that improper insertion of the kingpin will not cause kingpin lock indication system to incorrectly report a locked kingpin. A further advantage is that rotation of the rotor is prevented unless the kingpin has been properly inserted. Yet another advantage is that a status indicator indicates the operational status of a control pin used to control rotation of the rotor.

Hitch rotor control system and apparatus


A propulsion system for a transport aircraft employs a gas turbine core coupled to a wing. A ducted fan is coupled to the core gas turbine extending downstream from and integrated in a trailing edge of the airplane wing.

Field
Embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to power plants for transport aircraft and more particularly to a two stage pusher turbofan arrangement wherein the propulsor and associated shroud are mounted integrally aft of the trailing edge of the wing.
Background
High bypass ratio propulsor systems for large transport aircraft provide significant fuel efficiency and thrust increase over conventional turbojet power plants. Ducted fans enhance the qualities of high bypass aerodynamics by allowing aircraft operation at higher speeds and reduction of noise over unducted propulsors. Integration of ultra-high bypass ratio turbo-fan engines into a low-wing airplane with conventional landing gear in order to deliver reduced emissions and improved fuel efficiency, while avoiding the high noise traditionally associated with ultra-high bypass ratio unducted engines (often described as open-fan, open-rotor, or propfan engines) has not been accomplished.
It is therefore desirable to provide a structural design for integration of an ultra-high bypass ratio turbofan engine into a low-wing airplane.


A hydraulic control device for an automatic transmission, wherein when the first switching valve is switched to the first state while the second switching valve is in the third state, the reverse range pressure applied from the reverse range pressure input port of the second switching valve can be supplied from the first output port to the hydraulic servo for the first friction engagement element via the fourth output port of the second switching valve and the first input port of the first switching valve, and when a shift range is shifted from a neutral range to a reverse range, the second switching valve is in the fourth state, and the first switching valve is switched from the first state to the second state, so that the reverse range pressure applied to the reverse range pressure input port is cut off by the second switching valve.

The present disclosure relates to hydraulic control devices for automatic transmissions that are mounted on, e.g., vehicles such as an automobile.
Conventionally, a hydraulic control device for an automatic transmission is proposed which uses two valves to supply an oil pressure to hydraulic servos for a clutch C-3 and a brake B-2 forming a reverse speed and which can form the reverse speed even in case of a failure in which one of the valves is fixed to a reverse inhibiting state (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-214644).
More specifically, in this hydraulic control device, even if a B2 apply control valve cannot be changed from the reverse inhibiting state, a reverse range pressure can be supplied to the hydraulic servos for the clutch C-3 and the brake B-2 by switching a distribution valve to a position shown in the right half thereof in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-214644.

Hydraulic control device for automatic transmission


A transliteration interface that allows active personalization by a user is described. The personalized transliteration interface receives an input word in one language from a user and provides candidate words in a second language that are homophones of the input word. The interface is configured to receive a user annotation associated with a candidate word. The annotations may be stored in a memory. The personalized transliteration interface provides the annotations with the candidate words when the candidate words are provided thereafter. The personalized transliteration interface is also configured to receive a user reordering, which specifies where in a list of candidates the associated candidate word is to be displayed. The personalized transliteration interface is also configured to receive a user omit parameter, which causes the associated candidate word to be omitted from a list of candidate words.

There are thousands of languages in the world today. Each of those languages is written and spoken in ways different from the others. Not all languages are mapped onto an input device, such a keyboard. Indeed, in many languages, there are far too many ideographic characters (i.e., the way a character is written) to map on an input device. In some languages, multiple ideographic characters can be pronounced the same way, even though the different characters mean different things.


Continuous time sigma delta (ΣΔ) analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) circuitry and method in which current mode ΣΔ ADC circuitry is driven directly by current mode mixing circuitry, thereby avoiding a need for a current-to-voltage driver between the input signal mixing circuitry and ΣΔ ADC circuitry.

The present invention relates to analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) circuitry, and in particular, to continuous time sigma delta ADC circuitry.
As signal conversion and processing rates have increased dramatically within today's digital systems, conversion rates for analog signals to digital signals have increased dramatically. To achieve the necessary conversion rates, sigma delta ADC circuits are often used, with one example being a continuous time sigma delta ADC circuit.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional continuous time sigma delta ADC circuit 10 includes mixer circuitry 12, and the continuous time sigma delta ADC circuit 16, between which a voltage-to-current conversion circuit 14 (e.g., buffer and/or filter circuitry) is used. As is well known in the art, the mixer circuitry 12 mixes the incoming analog signal 11i with a local oscillator, or clock, signal 11c (e.g., as part of a quadrature signal conversion). The mixer circuitry 12 is generally operated in such a manner as to convert the input current signals 11i, 11c to a voltage mode signal as the resulting mixed, or product, signal 13.
However, conventional continuous time sigma delta ADC circuits 16 operate with A current mode input stage. Accordingly, the voltage mode mixed signal 13 must be converted to a current mode signal 15. This is achieved by the voltage-to-current conversion circuit 14, in accordance with principles well known in the art.
A problem associated with this type of implementation is the overhead, e.g., in terms of circuit elements and power requirement/dissipation, associated with the current-to-voltage conversion of the mixer circuitry 12 and the voltage-to-current conversion circuitry 14 necessary to ultimately provide a current mode signal 15 for the sigma delta ADC circuitry 16, even though the original input signals 11i, 11c were already current mode signals. Accordingly, it would be desirable to minimize or even avoid such overhead.

Sigma delta ADC with current mode mixer input


A system for removing an electronic wallet application from a mobile electronic device is provided. The system comprises a first server executing an authentication, authorization, and accounting application and a second server executing a trusted service manager application. The first server grants data network access to the mobile electronic device when a special pass has been provisioned to the first server, wherein the special pass is associated with the mobile electronic device. The second server sends the special pass associated with the mobile electronic device to the first server in response to a triggering event, establishes a data communication session with the mobile electronic device, and sends instructions to the mobile electronic device to remove the electronic wallet application from the mobile electronic device, wherein the establishment of the data communication session is mediated by the authentication, authorization, and accounting application.

Communication services are typically provided by a common carrier operating company to subscribers on a payment basis. When a mobile electronic device seeks to establish a data communication link with another communication terminal, an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server in the network of the operating company may verify that the subject mobile electronic device has a current account and is authorized to initiate data communications links through the network of the operating company. The identity of the mobile electronic device may be provisioned into the authentication, authorization, and accounting server in connection with the initialization of a communication services account. The identity may comprise an electronic serial number (ESN) or other unique identifying information, e.g., media access control identification (MAC ID), associated with the mobile electronic device. The authentication, authorization, and accounting server may verify the subject mobile electronic device is authorized to initiate data communications links by comparing the electronic serial number or other identifying information provided by the mobile electronic device in an origination request message to a list of electronic serial numbers or other identification information accessible to the authentication, authorization, and accounting server, for example in a subscriber database. When a subscriber fails to pay the account bill timely or if the subscriber replaces their mobile electronic device with a different mobile electronic device, the mobile electronic device may be deprovisioned and/or removed from the list of electronic serial numbers or other identification information. If a subsequent data communication origination request message is received containing the deprovisioned electronic serial number or other identification information, the origination request may be rejected by the authentication, authorization, and accounting server.

Electronic wallet removal from mobile electronic devices


In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method of drilling a wellbore, which method, in one embodiment, includes the features of drilling the wellbore with a drill string that includes a bypass device having a fluid passage therethrough by supplying a fluid through the bypass device, wherein the drilling fluid circulates to the surface via an annulus between the drill string and the wellbore; defining a time period (locking time); initiating a selected drilling parameter; detecting downhole the selected drilling parameter and one of the second flow rate and a differential pressure; and activating the bypass device when the selected drilling parameter and one of the second flow rate and the differential pressure are present during the defined time period to divert a portion of the drilling fluid from the bypass device to the annuls. In one aspect, the selected drilling parameter is rotation of a member associated with the bypass device.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for diverting fluid in downhole tool applications.
2. Background
Wellbores are drilled in earth's formations using a drill string to produce hydrocarbons (oil and gas) from underground reservoirs. The wells are generally completed by placing a casing (also referred to herein as a "liner" or "drilling tubular") in the wellbore. The spacing between the liner and the wellbore inside (referred to as the "annulus") is then filled with cement. The liner is perforated to allow the hydrocarbons to flow from the reservoirs to the surface via production equipment installed inside the liner. Some wells are drilled with drill strings that also include a liner. Such drill strings include an outer string that is made with the liner. The inner string is typically a drill string that includes a drill bit, a bottomhole assembly and a steering device. The inner string is placed inside the outer string and securely attached therein at a suitable location. The pilot bit, bottomhole assembly and steering device extend past the liner to drill a deviated well. To drill a wellbore with such a drill string, a drilling fluid (also referred to as "mud") is supplied to the inner string. The drilling fluid discharges at the bottom of the pilot bit and returns via the annulus to the surface. During drilling, both the pilot bit and the reamer disintegrate the rock formation into small pieces referred to as the cuttings, which flow with the circulating fluid to the surface via the annulus between the liner and the wellbore wall. In certain case and particularly in highly deviated wells, the cuttings tend to settle at the low side of the wellbore and the flow rate of the circulating fluid is not adequate to cause the cuttings to efficiently flow to the surface. In other cases, it is desired to reduce pressure at the bottom of the wellbore, referred to as equivalent circulation density ("ECD").
The disclosure herein provides apparatus and methods for drilling wellbore while hole cleaning and for controlling the ECD.

Drilling apparatus including a fluid bypass device and methods of using same


An electrical stepper motor system is provided in which a microcomputer controlled driver monitors the real time operating parameters of the stepper motor. The driver is controlled by the microcomputer to keep the real time operating parameters of the motor in a range that is governed by limiting parameters. The limiting parameters are determined by the microcomputer on a moment by moment basis in response to changes in certain conditions occurring within the stepper motor, as well as in the outside operating environment. The microcomputer compares the microcomputer determined safe operating parameters with any user stipulated operating parameters, stored in the storage means of the microcomputer, to determine limiting parameters on a moment by moment basis. An encoder senses the position and velocity of the motor and provides appropriate status signals to enable the driver to compensate for position and velocity errors of the stepper motor. An indexer is also provided which provides the driver with pulses that determine the distance, speed and direction of a move. In the illustrative embodiment, the driver, microcomputer, indexer, power supply and encoder circuitry are hybridized on at least one hybrid circuit, each circuit being attached to a heat sinking system, potted in a series of thermally conductive and EMI/RF insulating compounds, and are enclosed in a metallic enclosure that is shielded from outside electrical noise, with the enclosure being directly coupled to the back of the stepper motor to form a compact, unitary device.

In a conventional stepper motor system, the driver circuitry and the indexer circuitry is in the form of printed circuit boards (PCB) with integrated circuits and other discrete components soldered to copper traces that are photochemically etched on the board. The driver and indexer circuitry in a stepper motor is typically complex in comparison to the driver and indexer circuitry in non-stepper motor systems. In a PCB configuration, a stepper motor driver is typically large and bulky, thereby requiring a separate enclosure that is unattached to the motor and connected to the motor by a lengthy cable. Connected to the driver is an indexer which tells the driver how far, and at what speed, to advance the stepper motor. In addition, a separate power supply is connected to the driver and indexer.
There are inherent disadvantages in a conventional stepper motor system, however.
1. Size--Conventional driver circuits in a stepper motor system are comparatively large. A high power 1/2 step or micro step drive circuit is bulky and can not be reduced to a small enough size to be placed in a restrictive area or attached directly to a motor. The addition of an indexer or external power supply can significantly add to the size of the system.
2. Weight--When populated with components, the weight of the driver and indexer circuits can significantly reduce the benefits of using a conventional stepper motor system in weight sensitive industries such as the aerospace and aviation industries.
3. Heat Dissipation--The substantial heat dissipation requirements of a conventional stepper motor driver circuit prevents the driver from being mounted in restrictive areas or enclosures without ventilation. Conventional driver circuitry is complex and has many individual components populating a driver circuit, each having its own heat dissipation requirements. Because of the need to dissipate the heat of the individual components through the use of bulky heat sinks, a conventional driver circuit must be large by nature. Even with substantial heat sinking, a conventional driver can only be mounted in low temperature environments.
4. EMI/RF Emissions--Because of the large area on a PCB in which traces and components are exposed, a power switching circuit, such as a driver, will emit EMI/RF that can damage or interfere with EMI/RF sensitive devices located near the PCB. Many industries, such as the health care and semiconductor manufacturing industries, cannot use conventional stepper motor systems because of the EMI/RF noise they emit. In addition, as in the case of a driver located near a stepper motor, EMI/RF produced by an electrical motor may damage or interfere with the exposed EMI/RF sensitive devices located on the driver.
5. High-Frequency Performance--Because of variances in trace width, length and exposure, a PCB circuit is limited in its ability to handle high speed transmission of signals. As in the case when a stepper motor microsteps, a driver with limited high speed signal transmission capabilities would restrict a motor's speed, as well as limit the resolution a motor could possibly achieve. (Example: 50,000 steps per revolution verses 125,000 steps per revolution.) An additional problem occurs when the motor is not in very close proximity with the microsteps driver. The greater the distance that the signal must travel to the motor, the lower the possible speed and resolution a motor can achieve.
6. Circuit Performance--The performance of a PCB driver circuit is limited by the tolerances of the discrete resistors, capacitors, inductors, and traces used in the design, as well as the trace width, length and exposure variances on the PCB. The inability to fine tune the resistors, capacitors, inductors, and traces results in a circuit that is less efficient, less predictable, less reliable, less stable and with broad absolute specifications.
7. Fixed Operating Parameters--In conventional stepper motor systems, the distance between the motor, driver and indexer makes it difficult to monitor small, significant changes in the real time operating parameters, such as temperature and current, occurring at the motor. The inability to monitor these parameters has resulted in the inability to safely optimize a stepper motor's operating efficiency as determined by certain changes in its operating environment.
8. Assembly--Assembling a conventional stepper motor system in a product is time consuming, requiring manual placement and wiring. Errors can frequently occur when placement and wiring is done manually. These errors will often damage the system, and in some cases can cause personal injury.
9. Environment--Conventional driver and indexer circuits are not hermetically sealed. Exposure to humid environments will damage the circuits. In flammable environments, a short in the circuit could cause an explosion.
10. Safety--Damage done to a PCB drive circuit as a result of a hostile environment, or severing the external connecting wires, or inadequate heat dissipation can result in life threatening safety hazards, such as electrocution.
11. Mechanical Stability--In a conventional stepper motor system, the individual components on a driver circuit are not permanently potted in place, and say be become loose as a result of vibration.
In a conventional stepper motor system, the driver circuitry contains a switching means and a translating means. The indexer which is connected to the driver sends pulses to the translator. The pulses and the rate at which the translator receives the pulses determines the distance, speed and direction of a move. The translator then turns on and off the transistors in the switching circuit, thereby controlling the flow of current into the windings of the motor. In some sophisticated configurations, the indexer also contains circuitry for communicating with outside controls, thereby allowing a computer to send variable move commands to the indexer.
In certain "closed loop" applications, an encoder is connected to the stepper motor. The encoder provides feedback to the encoder interface circuitry, which translates the information to a means understandable by the indexer. The information can then be transmitted to the indexer enabling the indexer to correct for errors in the stepper motor's move. Typically the encoder is limited to final position sensing and adjustment.
There appears to be a trend to miniaturize. For example, in a prior art stepper motor system manufactured by Compumotor Corporation of Petaluma, Calif., a combination driver-indexer is combined in a single unit. However, the Compumotor system maintains the limitations of a conventional stepper motor system. Compumotor's driver-indexer combination remains large and heavy, and must remain separated from the motor itself. The combined unit still requires relatively lengthy wires between the driver means and motor. Faulty connections and wiring errors can still occur, possibly damaging the components in the circuit or causing electrocution. The unit still requires an external power supply, which must be manually wired to the unit. In addition, the unit and its associated wiring radiates electromagnetic interference that should be reduced, if possible. Finally, the unit and power supply still requires a relatively large amount of space, as well as the adaptability of the space to handle a significant amount of weight and heat dissipation.
Some companies, such as SGS--Semiconductor Corporation of Phoenix, Ariz.--have developed integrated circuit (IC) semiconductors which contain a number of components necessary to operate a small stepper motor. The ICs, however, are all low voltage, low current devices, which still require a separate power supply and indexer, thereby maintaining many of the problems associated with a conventional stepper motor system.
Semix, Incorporated of Fremont, Calif. offers a low voltage, low current driver for use with small stepper motors. The driver, which is in printed circuit board form, is potted in a metal enclosure that allows for better heat dissipation of the components, while decreasing EMI/RF noise radiated by the driver circuitry. The unit, however, has many limiting features. For example, the unit requires an external power supply. The step resolution that the unit can provide is limited to the number of full steps that can be achieved with a particular stepper motor. The unit requires external wiring between the driver and motor. These are only a few of the limiting aspects of Semix's driver.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel motor drive system that alleviates many of the problems concomitant with the motor drive systems of the prior art.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a stepper motor system that monitors the operating parameters of the stepper motor system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stepper motor system that is significantly reduced in size and weight from the stepper motor systems of the prior art.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a stepper motor system that has less heat generated than the heat generation of prior art stepper motor systems.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a stepper motor system that enables significantly reduced EMI/RF emissions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stepper motor system in which assembly and connecting operations of the components are relatively easy to perform.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a stepper motor system that is compact in size and is effectively mounted within a small space.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stepper motor system that is relatively simple in construction and easy to manufacture.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a stepper motor system that has significant mechanical stability.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stepper motor system that dissipates heat more efficiently than the prior art.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a drive package that can be easily adapted to stepper motors of various shapes and sizes.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a stepper motor, drive circuit and control circuit in a unitary device.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.


An electric toothbrush has a reciprocating connecting rod in a brush member. The brush member is constructed as a brush head at its front end and has there two rows of rotatable bristle holders which each engage with a cam in a transversely running groove in the connecting rod. Rectilinear movement of the connecting rod leads to an alternating rotating movement of the bristle holders.

The invention relates to an electric toothbrush with a handle which is to be manually guided and comprises a motor and gearing, and with a brush member which has a brush head with several cylindrical bristle holders rotating separately next to one another. Such a toothbrush is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,620.
In this known toothbrush, the brush member is not movable. The teeth are cleaned exclusively by the rotating movement of the bristle holders.
In the toothbrush known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,620 there is a connecting rod which is constructed as a toothed rack in the region of the brush head. The bristle holders each carry a gearwheel inside the brush head, all gearwheels in a row of bristle holders intermeshing and each second gearwheel in a row engaging in teeth in the toothed rack. Therefore, the adjacent bristle holders rotate in opposite directions when the connecting rod moves to and fro, and this is advantageous for cleaning teeth.
The known toothbrush is relatively complicated in construction owing to the plurality of gearwheels and the connecting rod constructed as a toothed rack. To prevent the gearwheels from jamming, the toothbrush must be produced with very close production tolerances. This entails high production costs and is accompanied by the risk of even slight inaccuracies in production leading to an interruption in operation.


Means for maintaining level complementary electrolytes inflow battery tanks has first and second interconnected tanks 2, 3. The first tank 2 contains positive electrolyte, 2b, and the second tank containing negative electrolyte 3b. Both tanks have a void 2a and 3 a respectively, for air or other noble gases. The tanks themselves are connected by pipes; a lower tank connecting pipe 4, an upper tank connection pipe 5 with an inter-pipe connecting pipe 6 therebetween. The peak of the lower tank connection pipe 4a is designed to remain below the normal liquid level 7 of both tanks, in contrast to the upper tank connection pipe 5 which remains above the desired liquid level 7.

A vanadium redox battery generally comprises a pair of tanks, one filled with a positive electrolyte, the other with a negative electrolyte. Between the tanks is a cell stack to which the electrolyte from each tank is pumped. A partially-permeable membrane separates the two electrolytes in the cell stack. In passing charge through the cells, most of the current is in the form of a net transfer of hydrogen ions across the membrane. Water, vanadium ions, sulphate and bi-sulphate ions may also cross the membrane. This net diffusion results in the electrolyte levels of one tank increasing and the other decreasing.
The problem is known, and there are existing methods intended to address the issue. For example, it is common practice to pump the excess electrolyte from the relatively full tank to the other, relatively empty tank. This is an active means to address the issue, there are other, more passive means known, including the following:                1. Utilising a communicating pipe between the electrolyte tanks with a valve placed therebetween. The valve is opened periodically under control of a battery management system.        2. The use of an overflow pipe connecting the electrolyte tanks—although this necessarily requires a difference between the fluid levels in the tanks to operate (and is understood to operate with an imbalance in electrolyte volume within a given range). This has also been disclosed as a vanadium redox flow battery with "an anti-syphoning balance pipe incorporated in the tanks to allow any solution passing the fill limit of one tank to flow back into its place of origin in the adjacent tank."        3. The use of a singular open pipe which maintains fluid communication between the electrolytes in the positive and negative tanks, such a pipe maintains essentially the same level of fluids in both tanks, is simple and inexpensive.
The first method in the above list is not truly passive as it requires sensors to determine appropriate times to open the valves.
The second generally necessitate a loss of capacity as there is inherently an imbalance in fluid levels. This arises because of the uncertainties in the amount of electrolyte pumped into the tanks, and the amount initially displaced by air in the cell stacks.
The third method is preferable amongst the above discussed methods as it is truly passive and maintains fluid capacity almost exactly. However, there are two major drawbacks:                If one of the tanks ruptures, electrolyte will be syphoned from the other tank, through the connecting pipe until the liquid level is below the connecting pipe—thereby increasing the volume to be spilt as well as the heat resultant from mixing of the electrolytes, and        The pipe is liable to suffer from airlocks, especially when initially filling and during operation as dissolved gases are released.

Means for maintaining desired liquid level between inter-connected tanks

INVINITY ENERGY SYSTEMS (IRELAND) LIMITED


In some embodiments, a network system includes an access point to wirelessly associate with a client that provides signals with traffic specification attributes to the access point. The system also includes circuitry detect if at least one of the signals violates a traffic rule through considering at least one of the traffic specification attributes and to instruct the access point to disassociate the client in response to a particular number of violations. Other embodiments are described.

Various communication networks have been created to allow access to various network resources. To improve efficiency and to support mobility, many wireless access enhancements have been added to local, personal, and wide area networks. Based on these enhancements, Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), Personal Area Networks (PANs) and Wide Area Networks (WANs) have been and continue to be utilized by more and more users. For many of these networks, clients associate and communicate wirelessly with access points (APs), which operate as gateways for the wired network. Herein, examples of clients include, but are not limited or restricted to computers, printers, barcode scanners, and phones.
Blacklisting is used in networks to temporarily or permanently prevent a particular client from having access to the network. In some systems, blacklisting is accomplished by blocking access to the network for any wireless client having a particular Media Access Control (MAC) address. Access can be blocked at least temporarily until it is determined that the client is not a threat to the network.
The purpose behind blacklisting is to halt threats imposed by unauthorized clients to the network. However, current techniques to identify clients to be blacklisted are not as effective as they might be in identifying wireless clients that are trying to misuse the network.

Blacklisting based on a traffic rule violation

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A third generation (3G) mobile communication system supports an over-the-air activation scheme utilizing a wireless packet data protocol. A subscriber identity module (SIM) is preloaded with temporary operating parameters such as a temporary international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) that is used for initial access to a network. Once a packet data protocol communication link is established between the mobile device and a network support node, the user may remotely subscribe to a number of service terms using the mobile device. In addition, an activation procedure is carried out to assign permanent operating parameters, e.g., a permanent IMSI, to the SIM. After activation, the user can remotely modify existing terms or remotely enroll in additional service features via a wireless IP link between the mobile device and a network support node.

FIG. 1a illustrates a second generation (2G) telecommunications environment 100, including a mobile or wireless device 102, a number of base stations 104 and 106, a home location register (HLR) 108, a mobile switching center (MSC) 110, a voice mail server (VMS) 112, a billing system 114, a provisioning system, e.g., a provisioning manager (PM) 116, a database 118, a point of sale (POS) office 120, and a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 122. A 2G network facilitates digital voice and data communication that enable features such as message waiting indication and short message services.
Mobile device 102, base stations 104 and 106, HLR 108, and MSC 110 provide cellular communication services to users. The cellular concept is well known and is generally described in a number of readily available books and articles. Generally, FIG. 1a depicts provisioning interfaces between nodes within the service environment. Accordingly, PM 116, which is the provisioning system maintained by a service provider, is adapted to interconnect various telecommunications service points, such as HLR 108, and VMS 112. PM 116 also provides usage information to billing system 114.
Typically, a user wishing to enroll in a telecommunications service, such as cellular service with a voice mailbox, contacts a POS office 120, either by visiting in person, by writing a letter, or by telephone. The service provider personnel enter the appropriate information into a database 118 to make available the services to the user.
As subscribers use the telecommunication services, PM 116 forwards usage information to the billing system 114, which prepares bills and sends them to the user. In view of the proliferation of telecommunications services and billing plans, the user has very little control over his or her service and billing customization over time. It is desirable that users have more control over the services and billing plans for which they are registered, preferably in a manner which does not impose an enormous burden on telecommunications service provider personnel.
As wireless communication use increases, users are demanding more services through their wireless phones or devices. New features becoming available include, for example, intelligent roaming, Internet browsing, and broadcast short message services. To respond to these demands, currently proposed third generation (3G) networks facilitate data communication using digital packet transmission techniques. The 3G systems will be a total communications solution combining cellular, fixed, and satellite services to fill any communication need. The 3G revolution enables a much broader use of "non-voice" or data communication for these additional services. For backward compatibility with legacy systems, 3G networks may employ conventional digital techniques. A 3G telecommunications environment (not shown in FIG. 1a) may include a number of "nodes" or other functional elements that are substantially equivalent to the functional components shown in FIG. 1a.
Existing wireless systems are increasing their capabilities to provide 3G services or similar services to those offered in the 3G standard. Approval of additional spectrum by the International Telecommunication Union is further enabling the expansion of 3G opportunities. Two wireless systems that will incorporate 3G features are TIA/EIA-136 (TDMA) and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), which is widely used in Europe and Asia. GSM offers voice and data services to users on a world-wide basis. Both the TDMA and GSM systems are evolving to accommodate high-speed data capabilities and 3G features. New and efficient data delivery technologies that are making 3G features possible include the High-Speed Circuit Switched Data (HSCSD) and the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). The GPRS is a value-added service that allows information to be sent and received across the mobile telephone network. The GPRS supplements the Circuit Switched Data (speeds of 9.6 kbps) and Short Message Service (160 characters) to provide a theoretical maximum speed of 384 kbps. In practice, the GPRS will offer up to 115 kbps and mobile Internet access. The GPRS achieves this result by using all eight of the time-slots at the same time. This added bandwidth will facilitate new applications not previously available over the network.
GPRS involves overlaying a packet-based air interface on the existing circuit-switched GSM network. This gives the user an option to use the packet-based data service, which can provide greater bandwidth than using the teleservice delivery mechanism. In order to enable the GPRS capability, network operators need to add several new infrastructure nodes and make software upgrades to the existing network elements. These nodes include the Gateway GPRS Service Node (GGSN) and the Serving GPRS Service Node (SGSN). The GGSN acts as a gateway between the GPRS network and the Public Data Networks such as Internet Protocol (IP) or X.25. GGSNs also connect to other GPRS networks to facilitate GPRS roaming. The Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) provides packet routing to and from the SGSN service area for all the users in that service area. Other technical changes to the GSM or TDMA network include the addition of Packet Control Units, mobility management to locate the GPRS mobile station, a new air interface for packet traffic, and securities features.
HSCSD will concatenate or combine any number of the eight timeslots to offer data speeds up to ISDN rates (64 kbps). HSCSD will be implemented in the network mainly through software to allow operators to offer premium high-speed data services with very little investment.
An advantage of the GSM system for security and upgrading features is the use of its subscriber identity module (SIM). The SIM is a removable thumbnail or credit card-sized module that stores specific subscription, identification data, security management and personal telephone books for the respective user. The SIM allows the user to change handsets to get a GSM phone with the latest design or one with additional features while retaining all the personal information. For 3G services in both TDMA and GSM, the SIM cards are invaluable because special protocols and tool kits offer possibilities to download and run applications and/or features on the handset or card with embedded personal data for management and security. In addition, operators and service providers can easily and cost-effectively upgrade feature-sets or capabilities by issuing new cards to users without affecting handsets.
Activation of a typical service account requires the participation of service personnel (similar to activation for a 2G network account). In a conventional GSM environment, a customer purchases a SIM that has already been assigned an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), which, in the context of current standards, is a 15 digit number that uniquely identifies the customer. At the time the SIM is purchased, the user must select the wireless services (e.g., the wireless calling features, rate plans, coverage areas, voice mail capabilities, messaging capabilities, or the like) so that the wireless service provider can activate the selected service features for the given IMSI (and, consequently, the SIM).
FIG. 1b illustrates the general system involving a service provider customer service center (CSC) involvement in the activation process for a system using the TIA/EIA-41 standards for inter-node communication. The over-the-air activation process is enabled by teleservices. Teleservices are applications that use the air interface and network interface as bearers for transportation between teleservice servers and mobiles to provide end-to-end service to users. One teleservice is over-the-air activation teleservice (OATS). This service provides over-the-air activation and enables the mobile user to call the service provider without needing to be in the same location to activate the service.
The network architecture for providing OATS messages is shown in FIG. 1b. The mobile station 102 communicates with the base station 104 via a standard protocol such as TIA/EIA 136, for example. The mobile switching center/visitor location register (MSC/NVLR) 110 will communicate OATS messages from the teleservices server 152, via a network interface such as the TIA/EIA-41 network interface using the Short Message Delivery Point-to-Point (SMDPP) protocol. The MSC 110 translates the teleservice information from the SMDPP to the Relay Data (R-DATA) message format and transmits the message over the air interface to the mobile device 102. The teleservice server 152 must also communicate with the home location register (HLR) 156 to obtain routing information for teleservices. In addition to these elements, the customer service center (CSC) 158 launches the activation process and enters the subscriber information into the HLR and billing system 114.
An over-the-air-activation function (OTAF) 154 is a functional part of the teleservice that handles OATS messages and serves as a temporary HLR for an unactivated mobile. Throughout the activation process shown in FIG. 1b, the customer service center representative must be physically involved to obtain and input information. Initially, the user is only able to make a call to the CSC 158 before service is generally activated. At this point, the programming or activation process is initiated. A reauthentication procedure insures that the mobile has stored appropriate authentication-related variables that are used to generate the voice privacy mask and signaling message encryption key. With successful reauthentication, the voice privacy and signaling message encryption are activated and the conversation between the user and the CSC 158 is secure. At this point, billing information may be provided to the service provider's representative.
There are many deficiencies in the approach to wireless device activation. Assigning IMSIs to SIMs prior to the activation of services can place an unnecessary burden on IMSI resources. This burden is caused by unused or obsolete SIMs being discarded before activation, resulting in a waste of assigned IMSIs. Furthermore, activation schemes that require assistance from service technicians are susceptible to human error and inefficiencies, and such activation schemes can be very inconvenient for customers.

Activation and remote modification of wireless services in a packet network context


A vehicle lighting apparatus includes lamp deflection angle controlling means for controlling the change of a deflection angle of a lamp. The vehicle lighting apparatus further includes a reference angular position setting means for setting the deflection angle of the lamp to a predetermined reference angular position when a deflection angle detecting means for detecting the deflection angle of the lamp is broken down. When the deflection angle of the lamp cannot be detected in an adaptive front-lighting system (AFS), and thus the AFS lapsed into malfunction, the deflection angle of the lamp is fixed to a reference position obtained by rotating a motor for deflecting the lamp in one direction to the locked state, and from this locked state, rotating by the given amount in the reverse direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lighting apparatus for vehicles such as motor vehicles, and more specifically, to a vehicle lighting apparatus comprising lamp deflection angle controlling means for controlling the changes in direction of beam of the lamp corresponding to the traveling conditions, for example, an adaptive front-lighting system (hereinafter referred to as AFS) for ensuring driving safety against a disorder occurred in the AFS.
2. Description of the Related Art
The AFS proposed for enhancing driving safety of motor vehicles detects information on the steering angle of the steering wheel SW of the motor vehicles, the vehicle speed, and other traveling conditions of the motor vehicles by the sensor 1, and outputs the detected output to the electronic control unit 2 (hereinafter referred to as ECU) as shown in FIG. 1. The ECU 2 controls the swivel type lights 3R, 3L provided respectively on the left and right of the front portion of the motor vehicle, that is, the headlamps 3 that the direction of radiation can be deflected in the lateral direction based on the supplied sensor outputs. Such swivel type lights 3R, 3L may include, as a structure that can turn the reflector provided in the headlamp in the horizontal direction, a structure that can turn the reflector by the driving source such as a motor or the like, which is referred to as an actuator in this specification. According to the AFS in this type, when the motor vehicle travels on the curved road, the portion of the road ahead of the curve may be illuminated corresponding to the traveling speed of the motor vehicle, thereby effective in improving driving safety.
However, when a failure occurred in the AFS, especially when it became uncontrollable in a state in which the direction of radiation of the headlamp is deflected either to the left or the right with respect to the straight ahead direction of the motor vehicle, the forward of the motor vehicle cannot be illuminated when motor vehicle is driving straight ahead or turning along the curve in the opposite direction and thus deteriorate driving safety. Failures in the AFS includes, in the AFS shown in FIG. 1 for example, a case where the sensor 1 is broken down and thus the sensor outputs is not supplied from the sensor 1 to the ECU2, a case where the ECU 2 is broken down, and a case where the actuator in the headlamp 3 is broken down, and in any cases, the AFS cannot function normally. Therefore, the AFS is required to have a capability that prevents deteriorating of safety even when a failure occurred, that is, failsafe capability.
The object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle lighting apparatus having failsafe capability ensuring driving safety even when a disorder occurred in the AFS.
The present invention is a vehicle lighting apparatus including lamp deflection angle controlling means for controlling the changes in deflection angle of the direction of radiation of the lamp corresponding to the traveling conditions of the vehicle, wherein the lamp deflection angle controlling means comprises abnormality detecting means for detecting abnormality of the deflection angle detecting means for detecting the deflection angle of the lamp, and a reference angular position setting means for setting the deflection angle of the lamp to the predetermined reference angular position when abnormality occurred in the deflection angle detecting means. The reference angular position setting means comprises a motor for changing the deflection angle of the lamp, rotational position detecting means for detecting the rotational position of the motor, and motor controlling means for driving and controlling the motor, and the motor controlling means is adapted to be capable of controlling the motor to rotate in one direction to the locked state when abnormality occurred in the lamp deflecting angle detecting means and of controlling the motor to rotate in the reverse direction by a prescribed rotational angle after the motor is brought into the locked state. The motor of the reference angular position setting means includes a hall element for supplying pulse signal in accordance with the rotational operation of the motor, and the controlling means is preferably adapted to perform control to count the number of pulses of the pulse signal supplied from the hall element as control to rotate the motor means in the reverse direction by a prescribed rotational angle. Further, the lamp deflection angle controlling means may comprise a sensor for detecting the steering direction of the vehicle, a control unit for supplying the lamp defection angle signal based on the sensor outputs, and an actuator for deflecting the lamp based on the lamp deflection angle signal, wherein the abnormality detecting means are provided in the control unit and the actuator respectively, so that the reference angular position setting means is actuated without the control unit along the path when abnormality is detected by the abnormality detecting means in the latter.
According to the present invention, when the deflection angle of the lamp in the AFS cannot be detected and thus the system lapsed into malfunction, the reference angular position setting means is actuated to fix the deflection angle of the lamp to the reference position so that the condition in which the lamp is fixed to the abnormal deflection angle with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle can be prevented before happens, and thus failsafe that is favorable in terms of traffic safety may be realized. As reference angular position setting means, such a construction that the motor for deflecting the lamp is rotated in one direction to the locked state, and from this locked state, the motor that is rotated by a given amount is rotated by the given amount in the reverse direction may be employed, and by utilizing pulse signal supplied from the hall element attached on the motor in this case, additional components aside from the existing motor is not necessary, thereby preventing increase in complexity of construction and in the cost.


An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes: a developing section which includes a developer bearing member which bears toner to be supplied to an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; and a developer regulating section which regulates a layer thickness of the toner borne by the developer bearing member, the developer regulating section being electrically connected to the charger case, the developer regulating section being at least partially electroconductive.

An image forming apparatus which employs an electrophotographic printing method is arranged as below. Toner, which is a component of a developer, is supplied from a developing device to an electrostatic latent image which is formed on a surface of a photoreceptor, so that a toner image which is an visible image is formed. The toner image is transferred to recording paper or the like which serves as a transfer medium. Then, a solid recording image is formed by fixing the toner image transferred to the recording paper.
The recent spread of color ink-jet image forming apparatuses requires smaller and lower-priced image forming apparatuses each employing an electrophotographic printing method.
In view of the circumstances, a nonmagnetic monocomponent developing method, which has a simple structure and can be smaller, is frequently used for a developing device to be provided in an image forming apparatus which employs an electrophotographic printing method.
For example, Patent Literature 1 describes a color electrophotographic video apparatus which forms a full color image by single-step development. A developing unit of the color electrophotographic video apparatus described in Patent Literature 1 is arranged such that a transportation device which carries toner contained in the developing unit and is a meshed belt is sandwiched between two plates of a friction device. This brings the toner which has been carried by the transportation device into contact with the two plates of the friction device. Friction between the toner and each of the two plates charges the toner.

Electrophotographic image forming apparatus with electroconductive developer regulating section


An apparatus and method for customizing the sound emitted from an automotive vehicle during operation. Specifically, the vehicle operator uses a controller to vary the sound emitted from the engine exhaust and intake or engine compartment sounds during vehicle operation. In addition, the operator can control the sound level, sound type and sound aspect in the vehicle interior or passenger compartment and the vehicle exterior. Further, the apparatus uses an active sound control system, such as those using microphones and speakers, to customize and/or tune the sound emanating from the vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing a vehicle operator with an opportunity to tune or customize the sound emanating from a vehicle during operation.
2. Description of Related Art
Individuals expect vehicles to sound a particular way and often associate the perceived sound of a vehicle with vehicle quality. For example, sports cars are expected to have a loud, aggressive powerful sound while luxury vehicles are expected to have a quiet, rich powerful sound. In addition, sound quality provides a customer or vehicle operator with a distinctive image of a vehicle. For example, an individual often bases their perception of a vehicle as responsive and sporty or tough and capable on the sound emanating from the vehicle. Thus, sound gives an individual a sense of the vehicle's powerfulness, effortlessness or refinement. In addition, an individual often associates vehicle sounds with particular vehicles or vehicle types. Accordingly, the sound should work in harmony to support and provide brand and nameplate association.
In many instances, an individual may wish to modify and thus personalize or customize the sound emanating from their vehicle. For example, different individuals may wish the same vehicle to sound different. One may want a more powerful sound and one may want a quieter sound. In addition, an individual may wish to further customize or vary sound depending on the particular use and driving location of the vehicle. For example, there may be sound restrictions in urban or different geographic areas such as those located around hospitals, schools and residential neighborhoods.

Method and apparatus for selectively varying motor vehicle sounds


An apparatus for coating glass articles includes a housing structure defining a chamber for receiving air or other fluid from a source of pressurized air that is in fluid communication with the chamber. The housing structure has an open end and a surface defined along at least a portion of the open end. A hot-swappable insert is removably positioned on the surface. The hot-swappable insert has a series of apertures for distributing the air or other fluid from the chamber and onto a surface of the glass articles that are positioned adjacent the insert. The insert can be replaced with another insert to adjust the flow path of the air or other fluid onto the glass articles.

In the process of manufacturing a glass container, the exterior surface of the glass container is typically coated with a metal-oxide coating, for example, to improve its structural integrity.
The coating process is traditionally performed in a coating hood. Coating hoods are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2015/0101537; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,389,234, 5,081,953, 5,140,940, 5,454,873, 5,599,369, 5,584,903; and PCT Patent App. Pub. No. WO1996020142, for example, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In an assembly line style operation, coating vapor is sprayed onto the exterior surface of a glass container as the glass container passes either below or under a center section of the coating hood. The coating is typically prevented from being applied to the closure region of the container, known in the art as the "finish," by an air stream that is delivered through the center section of the coating hood and onto the closure of the container. The air stream creates a buffer zone that substantially prevents the coating material from settling on the finish.
To accommodate different glass containers having their own unique size and shape (e.g., tall neck beer bottle, baby food jar, wide-mouth jar, etc.), it is often necessary to disassemble the coating hood and replace the entire center section of the coating hood with a different center section that will accommodate glass containers having a different shape and/or size. Taking the coating hood off-line for disassembly and replacement of the center section results in costly downtime.
In view of the foregoing, there exists a need in the glass coating industry to provide an interchangeable and hot-swappable center section for a coating hood.

Interchangable center section for glass coating hood


The invention is an antifreeze reclamation system that is designed for low volume processing over extended time periods. The system makes use of a tank that is preferably fabricated from a standard fifty-five gallon drum. Attached to the top of one end of the tank is a standpipe used for inputting used antifreeze into the system. A second standpipe is located at the top of the opposite end of the tank. The system functions by allowing gravity, buoyancy and time to separate the used antifreeze from entrained and dissolved impurities. The outputted liquid is mixed with new materials to restore it to its original, unused condition.

Most internal combustion engines make use of a circulating liquid to partially remove the heat generated by the combustion process. This liquid is predominantly water that is mixed with glycol-based and/or alcohol-based materials and assorted other compounds. The alcohol and/or glycol-based materials primarily function to raise the water's boiling point and to lower its freezing point. The other added compounds perform ancillary functions such as stabilizing the mixture, inhibiting corrosion and making the fluid easily discernable from water.
A typical antifreeze/water mixture designed for use in an internal combustion engine makes use of an approximately 50--50 mixture of ethylene glycol and water. The resultant mixture will have a boiling point of approximately 235 degrees Fahrenheit and a freezing point of approximately minus 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
The freezing and boiling point temperatures listed in the above example are typical for a relatively unused, freshly mixed quantity of coolant fluid. However, the characteristics of the liquid change significantly over time and with usage in the engine. The alcohols/glycols break down and are converted into related acids such as glycolic acid, oxalic acid and formic acid. This causes a lowering of the fluid's boiling point and a raising of its freezing point. In addition, the acids created by the breakdown of the glycols/alcohols change the ph level of the coolant from approximately 10 (for fresh coolant) down to approximately 7 for old, used coolant.
As the ph level of the coolant decreases, the coolant becomes increasingly corrosive to the exposed metal parts of the engine. Over time, the metal parts become weakened and begin to disintegrate. Also over time, particles of dirt, salt, metal oxides and other metallic and non-metallic particles become entrained or dissolved in the coolant fluid. As an added consequence, some of the particles in the fluid settle on or adhere to the exposed metal surfaces of the engine and effectively reduce the cooling efficiency of the system. In addition, these particles tend to clog small passages in the engine and radiator and thereby cause reduced cooling capacity and create hot spots in the engine. These particles can also build up in the water pump and cause it to fail.
To avoid the above noted problems, replacement of a vehicle's coolant is a routine maintenance procedure that is performed at regular intervals. The old coolant is drained from the engine and replaced with new, fresh coolant. The old coolant is then either disposed of or recycled.
Used engine coolant normally cannot be disposed of by pouring it into a municipality's sewage system. The coolant is toxic and contains dissolved or entrained metals that are not easily broken down. In addition, the glycol and/or alcohol components remaining in solution are still usable and are valuable materials. For these reasons, a concerted effort is being made to recycle the large quantities of used engine coolant that are removed during vehicle maintenance.
The recycling of used engine coolant is normally a complex and expensive process. Miller (U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,595) teaches a typical system for recycling used coolant. He shows a sophisticated apparatus that employs multiple filters and a central tank. A high pressure pump is employed as well as a plurality of valves to control the liquid flow.
All of the recycling equipment presently used for antifreeze is similar to Miller in that the equipment is complex, requires a significant of space, and is extremely expensive to acquire and to operate. It is economically unfeasible for a typical vehicle servicing facility to own such equipment. As a result, antifreeze collected by these facilities is often disposed of and is not recycled. In some cases, the used antifreeze is collected over time until it can be transported to a recycling plant that specializes in the recycling of such fluids. In this latter situation, recycling of the used coolant is extremely inconvenient and is still expensive.

Antifreeze reclamation system and process


The last successful device update can be recovered on a computing system. An update tool can be employed to detect whether an update package is installed successfully. When an update package is successfully installed, the update tool can define a last successful device update that associates the update package with the device that the update package targets. In contrast, when the update package does not install successfully, the update tool can access the last successful device update for the targeted device and use it to obtain and install the previous update package that the last successful device update represents. In this way, the related components for a device can be rolled back to a common state to prevent incompatibilities that may otherwise exist due to the failed installation.

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc. oftentimes provide device updates in the form of update packages. An update package is usually in the form of a self-extracting executable file (e.g. an .exe file) that includes multiple related components. For example, an update package for a display device may include a graphics driver, an audio driver and a control application. A primary reason for bundling the multiple related components into a single update package is to ensure that all of the related components will be installed/updated to the latest versions so that no incompatibilities will exist.
Even with the bundling of related components into a single update package, incompatibilities will inevitably occur. For example, during the installation process, some failure may occur after some of the components have installed correctly while others have not (e.g., when one driver's INF file(s) are installed and another driver's INF file(s) are not). In such cases, the device may end up relying on both old and new components for its functionality—components that may not be compatible. Regardless of the reason, any partial installation of an update package will likely degrade the end user experience and lead to support calls.

Recovering the last successful device update on a computing system


An endoscope including a light source for generating light beams having difference wavelengths to an object in an internal organ such as the stomach and the intestines of a subject, in which picture signals are picked up by a pickup device such as an optoelectronic device from the object radiated with the light beams, in which correction signals such as reference picture signals for correcting sensitivities of the light source and the pickup device depending on the different wavelengths of the light beams are picked up by the pickup device from a reference member such as a reference white plate radiated with the same light beams, and in which a bloodstream amount and an oxygen saturation rate are operated from the picture signals and the correction signals. The bloodstream amount and the oxygen saturation rate may be displayed on a display. The correction signals may be picked up outside the body of the subject.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope and, more particularly, to an endoscope which is capable of obtaining functional information such as a bloodstream amount and an oxygen saturation rate by using picture data picked up by an optoelectronic device using light beams having different narrow-band wavelengths.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, a variety of researches of a relation between a bloodstream state of a mucosa of an internal organ such as the stomach and the intestines of a subject and a disease thereof has been carried out in order to make clear the same, and a trial for utilizing measurements of functional information such as a bloodstream amount or a hemoglobin amount and an oxygen saturation rate by using a picture to conduct a diagnosis of a disease has been also carried out.
In the report titled to "SPECTRUM ANALYZER FOR MEDICAL TISSUE" of the literature "LASER RESEARCH", the 2nd number of the 13th volume, 1985, by Junichi HIRAMOTO and Masahiko KANDA, it is reported that a reflective spectrum of the mucosa of the stomach was measured to find certain relations between the bloodstream amount or the hemoglobin amount and the absorbance and between the oxygen saturation rate and the absorbance. In the report, there is shown in FIG. 1 an absorption spectrum of the hemoglobin in the blood of the human being, and in the drawing, at two points of wavelengths .lambda..sub.1 of 569 nm and .lambda..sub.3 of 586 nm, the spectrum values are not varied regardless of the variation of a ratio (SO.sub.2) of the oxidized hemoglobin amount with reference to the whole hemoglobin amount, and thus the two points of the wavelengths .lambda..sub.1 and .lambda..sub.3 are fixed points. However, when the ratio SO.sub.2 increases at a point of a wavelength .lambda..sub.2 of 577 nm, the spectrum value increases, and, in turn, when the ratio SO.sub.2 increases at a point of a wavelength .lambda..sub.4 of 650 nm, the spectrum value decreases. Hence, taking advantage of these characteristics of the hemoglobin, by measuring values indicated by segments a, b and c of the absorption spectrum of FIG. 1, the bloodstream amount or the hemoglobin amount (I.sub.HB) and the oxygen saturation rate (.sup.I SO.sub.2) can be obtained in accordance with the following formulas: EQU I.sub.HB =200.c
and
I.sub.SO.sub.2 =0.673.a/b
In the conventional method, when the measurement of the spectrum described above is carried out from one point to another point over the surface of the mucosa, it takes a long time to examine the entire wide surface. In an endoscopic detection, in particular, such an examination method will give a subject person considerable pain, and the object such as the stomach and the intestines to be examined is always in motion by peristalsis or a heart pulsation. Therefore, this method is not practical. Accordingly, it has been desired to measure the distributions of the bloodstream amount and the oxygen saturation rate as two-dimensional picture information in a short time. However, the conventional endoscope has no such a device for measuring the bloodstream amount and the oxygen saturation rate in the short time.


An implantable electrode device includes a carrier made of a polymer material, at least one measurement electrode formed by an electrically conducting pad located on the carrier, wherein the electrically conducting pad has a contact surface, a barrier layer enclosing the carrier by covering all surfaces of the carrier, wherein the contact surface of the electrically conducting pad is exposed to an outside environment, at least one electrically conducting trace, and at least one electrically conducting terminal. The electrically conducting trace can electrically connect the measurement electrode to the electrically conducting terminal. A surface of the implantable electrode device on a side on which the measurement electrode is located can have a maximum valley depth or a maximum peak height between the contact surface of the measurement electrode and a meanline of a surface of the implantable electrode device, excluding measurement electrodes, being equal to or smaller than 100 micrometres.

The present invention relates to an implantable electrode device.
Neurological disorders like epilepsy are affecting millions of people worldwide. Costs spent on prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders, in particular brain disorders contribute to a significant amount of the total health care costs.
A major technical obstacle regarding research and innovation in the areas of prevention, early diagnostics and treatment of brain diseases such as epilepsy is based on the fact that reliable, long-term, and continuous monitoring still relies on a manually-maintained seizure diary kept by the patient. These diaries tend to be incomplete due to a variety of reasons.

Implantable electrode device and a method for manufacturing thereof


A method of manufacturing a flash memory device, wherein according to one embodiment, when a high dielectric material is formed by a remote plasma atomic layer deposition method, first and second dielectric layers are formed by one process at the same time using silicate as the first dielectric layer and the high dielectric layer formed on the silicate as the second dielectric layer. Accordingly, cost can be saved since the process is shortened, a film quality better than that of the existing dielectric layer structure can be obtained, and a film with improved step coverage can be formed. Furthermore, capacitance and insulating breakdown voltage can be increased by using silicate having a high dielectric constant and a high dielectric layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a method of manufacturing semiconductor memory devices and, ore particularly, to a method of forming a dielectric layer of a flash memory device using a remote plasma atomic layer deposition method.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A flash memory device of semiconductor devices is a nonvolatile memory device in which information stored in memory cells can be maintained although power is not supplied and high-speed electrical erase is possible with it being mounted in a circuit board. Much research has been done into the flash memory device due to its structure advantageous for high-integration.
A cell gate of the flash memory device has a lamination structure of a tunnel oxide film, a floating gate, a dielectric layer, and a control gate. The dielectric layer has a lamination structure of a lower oxide film, a nitride film, and an upper oxide film, and has a great effect on the program, erase, and read of the cell.
In the related art dielectric layer, the lower oxide film and the upper oxide film are formed using dichlorosilane (SiH2Cl2) (DCS) or monosilane (SiH4) (MS)—based chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The oxide film formed by such chemical vapor reaction is problematic in that it has a film quality lower than that of an oxide film formed by typical and wet oxidization and has a low step coverage of 85% or less.
Furthermore, as semiconductor devices have become more highly integrated, a thickness of the lower oxide film, the nitride film, and the upper oxide film (i.e., the general structure of the dielectric layer) is reduced. Accordingly, a problem arises because the leakage current and/or the reliability characteristic are degraded.
As a solution for solving these problems, research has been done into metal oxide having a dielectric constant higher than that of the oxide film or the nitride film as substitution materials of the next-generation devices. In other words, if the dielectric constant is high, the physical thickness required to produce the same capacitance can be increased. Accordingly, in the effective oxide thickness (EOT), the leakage current characteristic and the charge retention characteristic can be improved compared with the oxide film.
A method of depositing the high-k material may include a physical deposition method (PVD), CVD, and so on. In the case where a floating gate is formed of an amorphous silicon film when a high dielectric material is deposited by the related art PVD or CVD, a thick silicate film is formed during annealing after a thin silicate interface is formed between the high dielectric material and the amorphous silicon film. However, there are problems in that the silicate film formed as described above is not uniform and has a low film quality since a thickness cannot be controlled.

Method of forming dielectric layer of flash memory device


An example of a method for assigning storage includes receiving a request for storage, wherein the request includes a requested amount of storage space and connectivity information. This example of the method also includes identifying storage that is accessible by a requesting device based on the connectivity information, and identifying all LUNs that are masked from all hosts, in the identified storage. This example of the method further includes selecting at least one identified LUN, and assigning the at least one selected LUN to the requesting device.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to management and control of resources in a computing system. More particularly, the invention concerns assigning a resource, such as storage, to a device, such as a host computer.
2. Description of Related Art
Modern computing systems frequently utilize a large number of computing devices, storage devices, and other components. In a common implementation, a Storage Area Network (SAN) is used to connect computing devices with a large number of storage devices. Management and modeling programs may be used to manage these complex computing environments.
Storage Management Initiative Specification (SMI-S)/Bluefin, and Common Information Model (CIM) technologies, are widely used for managing storage devices and storage environments. The SMI-S is a standard management interface that allows different classes of hardware and software products to interoperate for monitoring and controlling resources. For example, the SMI-S permits storage management systems to identify, classify, monitor, and control physical and logical resources in a SAN. The SMI-S is based on CIM, and Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM) architecture. CIM is a model for describing management information, and WBEM is an architecture for using Internet technologies to manage systems and networks. The SMI-S uses CIM to define objects that represent storage entities such as Logical Unit Numbers (LUNs), Disks, Storage Subsystems, Switches, and host Computer Systems. (In many, but not all cases, the term "volume" is interchangeable with the term "LUN".) CIM also defines the associations that may or may not exist between these objects, such as a Disk being associated to a Storage Subsystem because it physically resides in the Storage Subsystem.
The CIM Objects mentioned above may be managed by a CIM Object Manager (CIMOM). A storage management software application, such as IBM Tivoli Storage Resource Manager (ITSRM), can use a CIM Client to connect to a CIMOM, to retrieve information about the storage entities that the CIMOM manages, and also to perform active configuration of the storage entities. Storage management software that uses a CIM Client may be called a CIM Client Application.
The SMI-S/Bluefin describes how a current storage LUN is mapped. However, the Logical Unit Number (LUN) Masking and Mapping Profile evolved rapidly from the time that the Bluefin Specification was developed to the present version, which is defined in the SMI-S Public Review Draft SMI-S Version 1.0. As a consequence of the rapid evolution, ITSRM 1.2 and the IBM ESS CIM Server for the IBM Enterprise Storage Server (ESS) support a version of the LUN Masking and Mapping Profile that was "captured" between the Profile's Bluefin definition and the Profile's SMI-S definition. (A CIM Server is a CIMOM and a set of CIM Providers.) Consequently, the IBM ESS CIM Server uses a different masking algorithm than described in the latest SMI-S/Bluefin specification, and different associations are made to map a storage LUN to a particular host. These differences can result in complexity and difficulties, as illustrated in the following paragraph.
It is often important for a CIM Client Application to be able to locate available, masked, or unassigned storage LUNs in a disk storage system. However, the complexity of the CIM object model makes it difficult for a CIM Client Application to simply locate the available, masked, or unassigned storage LUNs. The following steps must be taken to determine the Hosts that have read/write access to a specific LUN, and to determine the target Fibre Channel Ports (FCPorts) that are mapped to allow this access, when using the LUN Masking Mapping Model defined in the Bluefin Specification and it's supplemental Whitepapers. These steps exemplify the complexity of the SMI-S/Bluefin LUN Masking and Mapping Model:    1. Get the Controllers that are associated to the LUN through the ControlledBy association.    2. Filter the list of Controllers to only contain Controllers whose AuthorizationView property is equal to "true".    3. For each Controller in the filtered list, obtain the FCPorts that are mapped to the Controller by using the ConcreteIdentity association.    4. For each Controller in the filtered list, get the AccessControllnformation object that is associated to the Controller by the AuthorizationTarget association.    5. Check that the AccessControlInformation allows 'Read/write' access.    6. For each read/write AccessControlInformation, get the HardwareAccount objects using the AuthorizationSubject association. Each HardwareAccount object represents a host or HBA on a host that has read/write access to the LUN through the FCPorts found in step 3.
Thus, a large number of complex and time consuming steps must be performed, and consequently, known techniques for using a CIM Client Application to locate available, masked, or unassigned storage LUNs in a disk storage system are inadequate.

Method and system for assigning a resource

International Business Machines Corporation


A system onboard a vehicle may include a vehicle management system (VMS) and a mission management system (MMS). The VMS may include a plurality of VMS nodes for controlling operation of the vehicle. The MMS may include a plurality of MMS nodes for controlling equipment associated with a mission of the vehicle. The system may also include a flexible deterministic communications network. The flexible deterministic communication network may be configurable for communications between each of the VMS nodes, between each of the MMS nodes and between the VMS nodes and the MMS nodes. The VMS nodes communicate using static, deterministic messages and the MMS nodes communicate using dynamic, non-deterministic messages.

Current aircraft or other vehicles may use separate networks for vehicle management system communications (VMS) and mission management system (MMS) communications. Examples of VMS systems may include systems, subsystems or components for controlling operation of the aircraft or vehicle. MMS systems may include systems, subsystems or components for performing a mission of the aircraft or vehicle. Examples of systems, subsystems or components for performing a mission of an aircraft or vehicle may include but is not necessarily limited to surveillance systems, such as integrated surveillance radar (ISR) systems, optical surveillance systems or other type surveillance systems, weapons systems, electronic countermeasures or communications jamming systems and other systems for performing a specific mission. In an aircraft or spacecraft, VMS nodes communicate with one another over a deterministic network using Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated (ARINC) 664 or A 664 message protocol or some other static, deterministic protocol. MMS nodes may communicate with one another using a non-deterministic network, such as an Ethernet. A bridging node must be provided for VMS nodes and MMS nodes to communicate with one another. The two separate communications networks add additional weight and expense to the vehicle. This can be particularly important in vehicles such as aircraft and spacecraft where additional weight results in higher fuel and operating costs. The two separate communications networks also include more components that can fail and require additional time and expense to maintain. Accordingly, there is a need for a simplistic solution that can support communications of both VMS and MMS systems and provide communications between the two systems when needed.

Flexible deterministic communications network


The present invention relates to a process for producing protein microparticles in dilute organic acid solutions and in the absence of an alcohol such as ethanol. The microparticles are formed by dissolving a cereal prolamin protein in a concentrated organic acid solution with agitation and then diluting the solution with an aqueous solution. Protein microparticles having vacuoles are thus formed. The protein microparticles may be used to form powders, films, coatings, matrices, scaffolds and the like. Complete films can be formed from the protein microparticles of the invention.

The invention provides a process for producing protein microparticles that can be used for micro-encapsulation, matrix or scaffold formation or formed into films or coatings.
A number of processes are known for making microspheres or microparticles from proteins for a variety of applications, such as food coatings, drug delivery and delayed release of pesticides, fertilizers and agents for environmental cleanup. However, non acidic organic solvents such as ethanol or acetone are often used to dissolve the protein. These solvents are often incompatible with and difficult to remove from food, and there has therefore been a reluctance by the food and pharmaceutical industries to use protein film or microparticle systems. Moreover, the use of non acidic organic solvents poses safety issues with the emission of vapours, the fire hazard that they pose, and the possible residuals that they may leave in the food or pharmaceuticals. Many processes also require the use of elevated temperatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,178 teaches that film forming colloidal dispersions can be made from dilute aqueous acid solutions of gluten-derived protein by causing the protein to precipitate as microparticles. However, the protein has first to be dissolved in an alcohol such as ethanol, which leads to the disadvantages listed above.
The applicant has therefore identified a need for a process for producing protein microparticles in the absence of non acidic organic solvents such as ethanol.

Process for producing protein microparticles


An IC includes a substrate having a semiconductor top surface, a plurality of metal interconnect levels having inter-level dielectric (ILD) layers therebetween on the top surface, and a bottom surface. A plurality of through substrate vias (TSVs) extend from a TSV terminating metal interconnect level downward to the bottom surface. The plurality of TSVs include an electrically conductive filler material surrounded by a dielectric liner that define a projected volume. The projected volume includes a projected area over the electrically conductive filler material and a projected height extending upwards from the TSV terminating metal interconnect level to a metal interconnect level above, and a projected sidewall surface along sidewalls of the projected volume. A crack suppression structure (CSS) protects TSVs and includes a lateral CSS portion that is positioned lateral to the projected volume and encloses at least 80% of the projected sidewall surface.

Vias are routinely used in forming ICs. Vias may be formed that extend from the bottom of an IC die to one of the metal interconnect layers on the active or semiconductor top surface of the IC die. Such structures are often referred to as "through-silicon vias," and are referred to more generally herein as through-substrate vias (TSVs).
TSVs are generally framed by a dielectric liner and are then filled with copper or another electrically conductive TSV filler material to provide a low resistance vertical electrical connection between the bottom of the IC die and the active circuitry on the semiconductor top surface of the IC die. The active circuitry formed on the semiconductor top surface comprises circuit elements that generally include transistors, diodes, capacitors, and resistors, as well as signal lines and other conductors that interconnect these various circuit elements.
A diffusion barrier metal formed on the dielectric liner frames the TSV and protects against escape of the TSV filler material to the semiconductor in the case of highly mobile metal TSV filler materials such as copper. Copper, as well as some other TSV filler metals, have a significantly higher coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) as compared to silicon. For example, copper has a CTE of approximately 17 ppm/° C., whereas silicon has a CTE of approximately 2 to 3 ppm/° C. This CTE mismatch can result in significant thermally induced stress in the silicon and copper (or other conductive material filling the TSV via) during certain fab processing (e.g., 360 to 410° C. sinters) subsequent to the fabrication of the TSV, as well as during assembly and test/operation induced temperature stress, as may occur during solder reflow (e.g., up to about 260° C.), during certain temperature cycle (e.g., −55° C. to 125° C.) reliability testing, or even during long-term field operation of the IC.
In addition, when the TSVs are spaced relatively close together such that their stress fields interact, these stresses may be further magnified. The stresses that may result from the above-described CTE mismatch can lead to numerous problems, including interfacial delamination, cracking of the semiconductor material (e.g., silicon) or the dielectric above or lateral to the TSV, and/or degraded transistor performance.
To reach advanced processed nodes, lower dielectric constant (k) materials as compared to silica (k=3.9) have been used to reduce parasitic capacitance, enabling ICs to provide better performance, such as faster switching speeds and lower heat dissipation. As used herein a "low-k" dielectric has a k-value<3.4. "Ultra low-k" dielectrics are a subset of low-k materials. As used herein, ultra low-k dielectrics have a dielectric constant of less than 2.5. As known in the art, ultra low-k dielectrics tend to be significantly more brittle than conventional silica. Used in conjunction with TSVs, ultra low-k dielectrics (e.g. for inter-level dielectrics (ILDs)) are prone to cracking, particularly when the TSV filler metal (e.g., copper) has a CTE that is significantly different (and generally higher) as compared to the semiconductor (e.g., silicon). In the case of assembly based on thermo-compression bonding, mechanical stresses on the IC side of the TSV can be induced by thermo-compression bonding of the TSV tip, thus creating an opportunity for crack formation in the surrounding brittle low-k dielectric.
A number of solutions have been proposed to reduce problems caused by CTE mismatches for ICs having TSVs. Some solutions rely on TSV geometry or spacing. For example, one solution reduces the diameter of TSVs in order to reduce the stress from each TSV. This solution raises the TSV resistance. Another solution is to position the TSVs far apart from one another to limit the interaction of the stress fields between adjacent TSVs. A further solution is to position the TSVs far from any active circuitry to ensure stress fields do not penetrate the area proximate the active circuitry. Spacing solutions reduce packing density and can add resistance.
Some solutions rely on material substitutions. For example, tungsten (W) can be substituted for copper (Cu) to reduce the CTE mismatch with silicon. However, switching the TSV metal to W adds significant resistance (W has about 5× the resistance as compared to Cu) and can complicate processing since W does not generally allow direct electroplating.
Some other solutions rely on process changes. For example, the TSVs can be formed later in the process by etching through the entire back end of the line (BEOL) stack (multi-level metals and inter-level dielectrics (ILDs)) after BEOL processing thus avoiding putting the TSVs through the significant thermal cycling (e.g., 360 to 410° C. sinters) associated with BEOL processing. However, this approach blocks the ability to place routing channels (e.g., signal carrying) over the top of the TSVs since the TSVs in this process pass through all BEOL layers (i.e. including all metal interconnect levels). Moreover, as noted above, significant CTE induced stress can still occur from post BEOL processing, such as solder reflow during assembly.

Integrated circuit (IC) having TSVS with dielectric crack suppression structures