A method of assembling a wing tip device to a wing of a powered aircraft including: providing a wing tip, providing a wing tip device, pivotably attaching the wing tip device to the wing at a first position, pivoting the wing tip device about the first position, and attaching the wing tip device to the wing at a second position spaced from the first position.

The present invention is concerned with wing tip device attachment apparatus and method. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with an apparatus and method for attaching a wing tip device such as a winglet to the tip of a passenger aircraft wing.
Wing tip devices are well known in the art. Devices such as winglets, raked wing tips and fences are collectively known as aerodynamic wing tip devices and are used to reduce the effects of lift induced drag.
Lift induced drag is caused by the generation of vortices at the wing tip. Such drag is mitigated by an increase in wing span. Increases in wing span in the plane of the wing are not always possible due to space requirements at, e.g. airports. As such out-of-plane extensions to the wing are commonly used to increase the effective wing span without increasing the geometric span of the aircraft. These take the form of aerodynamic wing tip devices.
There is an ever increasing drive to increase the efficiency of passenger aircraft. One way to achieve increased efficiency is to increase the size of the aerodynamic wing tip device. Typical ratios of winglet span to the thickness of the wing tip at the attachment point (wingbox thickness) are commonly above 10 and may be as high as 12 to 15 in modern passenger aircraft. Because the thickness of the wing is low at the tip, the vertical moment arm available to react to the loads generated by the wing tip device under both its own weight and under aerodynamic forces is low. Therefore, the forces and stresses generated in this area are high.
Other wing tip devices include external tanks, refuelling pods etc whose primary purpose is not to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the wing, but nerveless are attached to, and produce a force on, the wing tip.
Known wing tip devices are generally attached in one of two manners. The first is to use a series of splice plates or butt straps which span the upper and lower skins of the wing tip device and the wingbox at the point at which they join.
The second method is to use abutting plates joined by tension bolts.
Disadvantageously, both of these methods only utilise a very small moment arm to react the loads. The splice plates transfer load through the wing skin, which is primarily designed to absorb the bending load across the wing span, and less well suited to absorb local, concentrated, loads. As such, the large local load introduced into the wing skin requires structural reinforcement. The additional weight this causes is undesirable.
Further, because the wing skin is not particularly strong, many joining locations are required to spread the applied load. Although this has the desired effect of reducing the load per joining location, it creates a statically indeterminate system making the loads at each point difficult to predict. Therefore each joint is typically over-engineered adding weight and cost to the aircraft.
Cyclic loading is common in aircraft. This introduces additional structural requirements, in particular to the tension bolt design. In order to mitigate the effects of fatigue, the bolts have to be pre-tensioned with an interference fit. This is undesirable as it adds complexity to the manufacturing process, and makes maintenance and replacement more difficult
A still further problem with the above two methods is that because of the heavy bolting and large surface area of contact between the various components in both methods, the interface between the parts is quite sensitive to differences in geometry at the interface. As such, any mis-match between the two components needs to be addressed with fettling upon assembly. This increases the cost of assembly and makes it more difficult to replace the wing tip devices in service.
Further, temperature effects and loading in use can cause differential expansion/contraction of the wing tip device and the wing tip, which can cause high stresses at the mounting points.

Wing tip device attachment apparatus and method


A pyroelectric light detector has a base unit, a support member, and a plurality of pyroelectric capacitors containing pyroelectric bodies. The support member includes a first surface and a second surface facing opposite the first surface, and has a hollow space section formed between the second surface and the base unit. The plurality of pyroelectric capacitors are supported by the support member. The plurality of pyroelectric capacitors supported by the support member are electrically connected in series in a direction matching the polarization direction. The position of the projection point for which the center of gravity of the light absorption region corresponding to the pyroelectric capacitor is projected two dimensionally with a plan view can be made to exist inside the region in which the contour line of the pyroelectric body of the pyroelectric capacitor is projected two dimensionally.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a pyroelectric light detector, a pyroelectric light detecting device, an electronic device and the like.
2. Background Technology
Thermal type light detectors are known as light sensors. Thermal type light detectors absorb light radiated from an object using a light absorption layer, convert the light to heat, and measure changes in temperature using a heat detecting element. As thermal type light detectors, for example, there are thermopiles that directly detect rises in temperature accompanying light absorption as thermoelectric power, pyroelectric elements for detecting electric polarity changes, bolomoters that detect rises in temperature as resistance changes and the like. The thermal type light detectors have a feature of having a broad band of wavelengths that can be detected.
With the pyroelectric light detector which is an example of a thermal type light detector, infrared light which is one example of light radiated from an object is absorbed and converted to heat by an infrared light absorption layer, for example. By giving that heat to a pyroelectric body, a change occurs in the pyroelectric body's spontaneous polarization volume. The infrared light volume is detected by pyroelectric current based on the change volume.
In recent years, using semiconductor manufacturing technology (MEMS technology or the like), attempts have been made at manufacturing more compact thermal type light detectors. In Unexamined Patent Publication H08-271344, noted is a monolithic heat sensitive sensor equipped with a pyroelectric layer. With this pyroelectric light detector, a pyroelectric light detecting element is formed using semiconductor manufacturing technology on an integrated circuit substrate. In FIG. 6 of Unexamined Patent Publication H08-271344, disclosed is a constitution for which two pyroelectric elements, constituted with a pyroelectric material thin film consisting of a dielectric sandwiched by electrodes, are connected by a common plate.
Also, in FIG. 2 of Unexamined Patent Publication 1405-187917, noted is an infrared sensor equipped with a pyroelectric film. With the sensor equipped with this pyroelectric film, a lower electrode, pyroelectric film, and upper electrode are formed in that order on an insulating film supported on the substrate, and a light absorbing film is formed on the upper electrode and the pyroelectric film.

Pyroelectric light detector, pyroelectric light detecting device, and electronic device


Compositions and methods for the detection and identification of Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever Borrelia sp. antibodies.

Borreliosis is caused by two groups of Borrelia, the B. borgdorferi group and the Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever (TBRF) Borrelia group. It was believed that the B. borgdorferi group was the only group that caused Lyme-like symptoms in infected subjects. However, it has been learned that TBRF Borrelia also causes Lyme-like symptoms. TBRF Borrelia is transmitted by hard (Ixodes) and soft (Ornithodorus) ticks.
Borrelia bacteria that cause TBRF are typically transmitted to humans through the bite of infected "soft ticks" of the genus Ornithodorus. Soft ticks differ in two important ways from the more familiar "hard ticks" (e.g., the dog tick and the deer tick). First, the bite of soft ticks is brief, usually lasting less than half an hour. Second, soft ticks do not search for prey in tall grass or brush. Instead, they live within rodent burrows, feeding as needed on the rodent (for example, squirrels, chipmunks and prairie dogs) as it sleeps.
The main symptoms of TBRF are high fever (e.g., 103° F.), headache, muscle and joint aches. Symptoms can reoccur, producing a telltale pattern of fever lasting roughly 3 days, followed by 7 days without fever, followed by another 3 days of fever. Without antibiotic treatment, this process can repeat several times.
Humans typically come into contact with soft ticks when they sleep in rodent-infested cabins. The ticks emerge at night and feed briefly while the person is sleeping. The bites are painless, and most people are unaware that they have been bitten. Between meals, the ticks may return to the nesting materials in their host burrows.
There are several Borrelia species that cause TBRF, and these are usually associated with specific species of ticks. For instance, B. hermsii is transmitted by O. hermsi ticks, B. parkerii by O. parkeri ticks, and B. turicatae by O. turicata ticks. Each tick species has a preferred habitat and preferred set of hosts.
Soft ticks can live up to 10 years. Individual ticks will take many blood meals during each stage of their life cycle, and some species can pass the infection along through their eggs to their offspring. The long life span of soft ticks means that once a cabin or homestead is infested, it may remain infested unless steps are taken to find and remove the rodent nest.
Since TBRF can be caused by several species of Borrelia, tests need to be comprehensive by including all known species. Also, identification of the Borrelia species can aid in identifying the host rodent for eradication. Currently, the standard for identification is by identification of TBRF spirochetes in blood smears of a subject presenting symptoms consistent with TBRF. After obtaining the blood draw the sample must be cultured for at least 24 hours to facilitate identification. However, even early in the disease when spirochetes are highest, positive identification is only made about 70% of the time. (See, www.cdc.gov/relapsing-fever/clinicians/index.html). Thus, prior art materials and methods result in a delay in diagnosis and provide a relatively low level of sensitivity and specificity.
Therefore, what is needed are new materials and methods suitable for the identification of TBRF causative agents with decreased assay time and increased sensitivity and specificity.

Species specific antigen sequences for tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) and methods of use


A vacuum-driven gas gauge proximity sensor for sensing a difference between a reference surface standoff and a measurement surface standoff is disclosed. Unlike existing proximity sensors, the vacuum-driven gas gauge proximity sensor uses a vacuum to reverse the traditional flow of gas through a proximity sensor, such that gas flows inward across measurement and reference standoffs through measurement and reference nozzles. The conditioned ambient gas that is vacuumed into the reference and measurement nozzles flows through reference and measurement channels that are coupled at a junction into a single channel. The single channel is coupled to the vacuum that is used to evacuate the conditioned ambient gas through the proximity sensor. A bridge channel couples the reference and measurement channels. A mass flow sensor along the bridge channel monitors flow rates to detect measurement standoffs that can be used to initiate a control action. A pump-driven liquid flow proximity sensor is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pressure sensor comprising a sensor channel system having at least one measurement opening and comprising at least one detector arranged to perform a measurement indicative of the pressure at the at least one measurement openings.
2. Background Information
Many automated manufacturing processes require the sensing of the distance between a manufacturing tool and the product or material surface being worked. In some situations, such as semiconductor lithography, the distance must be measured with accuracy approaching a nanometer.
The challenges associated with creating a proximity sensor of such accuracy are significant, particularly in the context of photolithography systems. In the photolithography context, in addition to being non-intrusive and having the ability to precisely detect very small distances, the proximity sensor can not introduce contaminants or come in contact with the work surface, typically a semiconductor wafer. Occurrence of either situation may significantly degrade or ruin the semiconductor quality.
Different types of proximity sensors are available to measure very small distances. Examples of proximity sensors include capacitance and optical gauges. These proximity sensors have serious shortcomings when used in photolithography systems because physical properties of materials deposited on wafers may impact the precision of these devices. For example, capacitance gauges, being dependent on the concentration of electric charges, can yield spurious proximity readings in locations where one type of material (e.g., metal) is concentrated. Another class of problems occurs when exotic wafers made of non-conductive and/or photosensitive materials, such as Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and Indium Phosphide (InP), are used. In these cases, capacitance and optical gauges may provide spurious results.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,388, entitled Air Gauge Sensor, issued Sep. 4, 1990 to Andrew Barada ("'388 Patent"), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,592, entitled Pneumatic Gauging Circuit, issued Nov. 5, 1985 to Michel Deschape ("'592 Patent"), disclose an alternative approach to proximity sensing that uses an air gauge sensor. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,953,388 and 4,550,592 are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. These sensors use reference and measurement nozzles to emit an air flow onto reference and measurement surfaces and measure back pressure differences within the sensors to measure the distance between the measurement nozzle and the measurement surface.
Furthermore, principles of pneumatic gauging are discussed in Burrows, V. R., The Principles and Applications of Pneumatic Gauging, FWP Journal, October 1976, pp. 31-42, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. An air gauge sensor is not vulnerable to concentrations of electric charges or electrical, optical and other physical properties of a wafer surface. Current semiconductor manufacturing, however, requires that proximity is gauged with high precision on the order of nanometers. Earlier versions of air gauge sensors, however, often do not meet today's lithography requirements for precision.
Air gauges proximity sensors operate on the principle that changes in back pressure of a nozzle close to a surface can be set up to be proportional to changes in the distance to the surface. This process involves supplying pressurized air to the device, and then blowing that air out a nozzle and against the surface to be measured.
The resist used in microlithography are sensitive to the atmospheric environment. Often, the air needs to be specially conditioned in order to keep the resist in the proper chemical state. Additionally, the sensing systems (often interferometers) used to control the stages the wafers ride on can also be very sensitive to the content and temperature of the air they work in. Complex air conditioned supplies are developed to meet these needs inside microlithography equipment. Different wavelengths also require different chemical criteria, which can require altering a sensor's infrastructure.
The gas used within a gas gauge proximity sensor must be carefully conditioned so as not to interfere with the chemical or sensing systems. Maintaining the chemical and thermal properties of the gas can be difficult. Similar considerations and operational challenges impact proximity sensors used within immersion lithography systems.
What are needed are systems and methods for diminishing the challenges associated with maintaining the chemical and thermal properties of the gas or liquid used within a gas gauge or liquid flow proximity sensor.


A user equipment (UE) includes one or more non-transitory computer-readable media containing computer-executable instructions embodied therein, and at least one processor coupled to the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media. The at least one processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to receive a dynamic grant for scheduling a first uplink (UL) resource, determine whether to obtain a first Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol data unit (PDU) for transmission using the first UL resource or to transmit a second MAC PDU before obtaining the first MAC PDU, and transmit the second MAC PDU using the first UL resource when the first UL resource is suitable for transmitting the second MAC PDU.

New Radio (NR)-based access to unlicensed spectrum has been agreed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as one of the Work Items (WIs) for Release-16. This WI specifies NR enhancements for a single global solution framework for access to unlicensed spectrum which enables operations of NR in the unlicensed bands (e.g., 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands) taking into account of regional regulatory requirements. The NR-Unlicensed (NR-U) design should enable fair coexistence between already deployed Wireless-Fidelity (Wi-Fi) generations and NR-U, between NR-U and Long Term Evolution-License-Assisted Access (LTE-LAA), between different NR-U systems, etc.
The NR-U system is to enable the network to allocate, via a single dynamic uplink (UL) grant, multiple PUSCH resources to individual UEs. Since the UEs may need to perform Listen Before Talk (LBT) before each UL transmission, LBT failures and unsuccessful transmission (e.g., due to busy channel condition) may affect the transmission of packets using the multiple UL resources scheduled by the single dynamic grant. Thus, there exists a need for further improvements in the art.

Methods and apparatuses for handling uplink (re)transmission in NR-U


A visor for use in a vehicle is disclosed. The visor comprises a pivot rod and a carrier arranged over the pivot rod. The visor also comprises a first and second shell being engagable to form a visor body and a vanity arranged therein. The visor also comprises a light base secured to the second shell and a circuit board engaging the light base. The visor also comprises a light emitting diode secured to a surface of the circuit board.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a sun visor for interior use in a vehicle, and more particularly relates to a sun visor, having a visor body that includes a vanity having a light emitting diode (LED) to provide light therefore.
2. Description of Related Art
Sun visors are well known and widely used in the prior art. Many different types and designs have been successfully employed in vehicles over the years. Many of these prior art visors have been developed in a variety of ways through which visor bodies and other interior components may be constructed and mounted within a vehicle. Advances in design may often add complexities to the manufacturing processes for interior components. There has been and continues to be a premium in the automotive industry on cost savings, weight reduction, and improvements in the efficiency and speed in the manufacturing processes for such components therein. One area of particular focus in the automobile technology field has been reducing the number and the complexity of steps required to assemble interior components such as sun visors or visors for use in a vehicle.
Generally, in the prior art, manufacturing simplicity continues to drive innovations in the automotive industry, loss of quality and performance in manufactured interior components for the sake of facilitating production is seldom, if ever acceptable. There is a substantial body of prior art relating to the specific structure of the visor to provide a strong, lightweight construction that matches or compliments the vehicle interior trim in a cost effective manner. Of particular interest has been the "clamshell" type construction, which involves the molding of two shell pieces or clamshell halves, which are joined to form the visor. In one typical clamshell design, the visor halves are formed as a single piece attached along a longitudinal edge, and then folded to form the visor body. The exterior surface can be molded to provide a suitable visor surface, or a desired outer covering may be added in a variety of ways known in the prior art.
The clamshell design allows the visor body to be constructed relatively quickly and easily, however, the various components that are attached to the visor clamshell halves must in some cases be incorporated with several assembly steps prior to securing the clamshell halves together. For example, several known designs require insertion of additional mounting or journaling pieces for retention of the visor pivot rod within the visor body. The construction of visors having such a design is relatively time-intensive. Moreover, the various slides, journals, retainers, etc., utilized in the construction may add significant expense and weight to the overall visor, along with unwanted noise, and increase the number of components necessary to build one therein. Many of these prior art visors use standard light bulbs, such as incandescent bulbs to provide light for either a vanity which includes a mirror arranged within the visor, or for a map light that is sometimes arranged within the visor. The use of the incandescent bulb draws more current and power than that of newer technologies, such as a LED bulb.
In come cases, eliminating parts may reduce the expense of manufacturing and constructing the visor. Decreasing size and weight, however, can be accompanied by decreases in strength. Furthermore, the visors that attempt to change well accepted technology, like incandescent light bulbs with new technology, such as a LED, may run into problems with consumers and users of the vehicle not accepting the look and feel of the light emitted by an LED versus that of a light emitted by an incandescent prior art light bulb. The use of new technology, such as a LED over a prior art light bulb, may increase the efficiency and reduce manufacturing assembly times for visors in the automotive and other vehicular art. Hence, it is desirable in the art to provide a visor that is light weight, easy to manufacture and uses relatively few components, yet utilizes a design imparting significant durability to withstand heavy and repeated use and to provide a solid construction with tight tolerances throughout the entire system. Furthermore, there is a need in the art for an improved visor that has a LED lighted vanity and/or map light arranged therein. There also is a need in the art for a sun visor that uses a variety of methods of aligning a LED with a lens for use in the vanity or a LED used in conjunction with a light guide in a vanity to provide a more even appearance and distribute the light in a more aesthetic pleasing fashion than prior art light bulbs. There also is a need in the art for a vanity that may use one light to light both sides of a vanity mirror through the use of a light guide system arranged therein.


A suspension device for a springy suspension of a mass body relative to an understructure, for instance suspension of a driver cabin of a truck relative to a vehicle chassis. The suspension device comprises a spring-/damping configuration, located between the mass body and the understructure, for the damping shock and/or vibration and comprising a Watt linkage configuration with two parallel positioned Watt linkages. A length of at least one of the linkage arms, of the Watt linkage, is adjustable by an actuator. The suspension device is low-maintenance, free of play, and is suitable for determining of the levels of freedom of motion, for instance of a driver cabin, as well as for damping or eliminating unwanted movement of the driver cabin. At the same time, roll motions of the driver cabin, with respect to the understructure or the chassis, can be actively prevented.

Suspension devices as referred to in the beginning are applied, for instance but not exclusively, in trucks or similar heavy-duty vehicles to decouple the driver cabin, in regard to vibrations and movements, from the vehicle chassis. Due to the fact that the spring constant and damping constant of the spring/damping devices of the chassis in heavy-duty trucks are unavoidably high because of the high vehicle loads and because of high springless masses in the chassis, bumps in the road or also vibrations from axles and the drive train are still transferred in a significant proportion via the axle suspension to the chassis and from there to the driver cabin.
To minimize the transfer of such shocks and vibrations, in accordance with the ergonomics and work safety of the driver, to the driver cabin and thus to the workplace of the driver, suspensions for driver cabins have been developed, were the driver cab, or driver cabin, respectively, is supported at the vehicle chassis through its own suspension system. Such suspension systems for the driver cabin can be designed, due to the lower mass of the driver cabin in comparison to the vehicle, with significantly lower spring constants than the axle suspension, a reason why road bumps, or vibrations of the drive train and axles of the vehicle, respectively, are kept away or isolated significantly better from the workplace of the driver due to such cabin suspension systems.
To limit the side roll motion of the driver cabin in such elastic cabin suspension systems, relative to the vehicle chassis, for instance when driving on slopes and curves, but also for instance in the case of bumps on just one side, suspension devices have been designed where a Watt linkage is positioned between the driver cabin and the chassis. The Watt linkage device achieves hereby that spring deflections between cabin and chassis are essentially linear, so that the degrees of freedom of motion between the cabin and the chassis are reduced to vertical spring deflections by means of the Watt linkage device.
Such a suspension device is known, for instance, through DE 10 2005 043 998 A1. This known suspension device comprises in one embodiment two parallel positioned Watt linkages which make sure that the cabin and the chassis of the truck, in regard to roll motions of the truck around the longitudinal axis, are coupled with each other, while a linear spring deflection motion between cabin and chassis, along the vertical axis in the spring deflection, are unrestrictedly possible.
The largely fixed coupling in regard to the roll motions between the cabin and chassis in this known suspension device, however, offers the advantage that self-contained roll motions of the cabin, relative to the chassis, can be eliminated. However, it is inevitable that the driver cab follows every roll motion which is initiated by the chassis. Hereby, the roll angle of the driver cab is equal in size and often—due to the elasticity in the driver cab mounting and the Watt linkages—also larger than the angle of the roll induction which is initiated by the chassis.
Driving on a curve, driving on a slope, or road bumps on just one side, might cause that the driver cab rolls at least equally, if not even more, than the vehicle chassis. Due to comfort and safety reasons it is, however, desirable to at least reduce or eliminate the sideway roll motion of the driver cab in all drive conditions.

Suspension device having active watt linkage


An apparatus and method for forming an engine component for a turbine engine, the engine component comprising a wall bounding an interior; a panel portion defining a portion of the wall, the panel portion comprising: an outer wall; an inner wall spaced from the outer wall to define a wall gap; and a structural segment formed within the wall gap comprising at least one structural element. The method including calculating a factor and adjusting a variable until the factor is between a given range.

Turbine engines, and particularly gas or combustion turbine engines, are rotary engines that extract energy from a flow of combusted gases passing through the engine onto a multitude of rotating turbine blades, which can be arranged in multiple turbine blade assemblies including disks, blades, and roots.
Turbine speeds are limited by the centrifugal stress that can be applied to the disks, blades, and roots. A high horsepower does not necessary equate to a high output speed. Higher horsepower and speeds can be obtained in special turbines and are frequently specified for large centrifugal compressors. These turbines need very careful checking for lateral critical speeds, torsional critical speeds, radial bearing stabilities, thrust bearings, balance, and permissible flange loadings.
A Campbell diagram is frequently used to determine the effect of multiple excitation frequencies in turbines. Excitation frequencies occur at various speeds which can equate to severe blade vibration.

Engine component with structural segment


A brewing unit 1 for a coffee machine comprises a brewing cylinder 2 and a piston 5, 13, wherein the brewing cylinder 2 and the piston 5, 13 are movable relative to one another in the axial direction. An activatable seal 12, 18 or seal assembly is provided to seal the piston 5, 13 against the inner wall 3, 15 of the brewing cylinder 2. The seal 12, 18 is activated by an axial movement of piston 5, 13 with respect to the brewing cylinder 2. Under compression when activated, to form a seal between piston 5, 13 and brewing cylinder inner wall 3, 15, and which seal 12, 18 or seal assembly. When not activated, the seal 12, 19 is either not at all, only under low compression contact with the element.

The invention relates to a brewing unit for a coffee machine comprising a brewing cylinder and a piston, the brewing cylinder and the piston being movable in the axial direction relative to one another.
In fully automatic coffee machines the preparation of coffee is done in portions. This requires a brewing unit in which the ground coffee powder is compressed and subsequently brewed. Such brewing units have a brewing chamber formed by a brewing cylinder which is sealed by two pistons at its open ends. At least one of the two pistons and the brewing cylinder are movable relative to one another. The movement of these elements toward one another compresses the coffee powder introduced via a duct into the brewing chamber between the two pistons, and subsequently ejects the leached-out coffee powder. One of the two pistons, has a conduit to supply the hot water required for the brewing process, while an outlet conduit is connected to the other piston. The outlet conduit, in turn, is connected to a coffee delivery conduit to fill the brewed coffee into a drinking vessel, for example a cup. Different methods are known for conceptualizing the necessary movement with respect to one another of the individual elements of a brewing unit.
For example, EP 0 659 377 A1 describes a driving system which moves the brewing chamber with respect to the two pistons. To compress the coffee power, one piston is entrained by the brewing chamber, while the other piston serves as an abutment. Consequently in this brewing unit only two elements are movable with respect to one another, namely the brewing cylinder and one of the two pistons. Also known are brewing units where both pistons and the brewing cylinder are all movable relative to one another and are moved with one another or also toward one another in the course of a brewing cycle.
In all previously known brewing units, each of the pistons includes an encircling sealing ring for sealing off the piston against the inner wall of the brewing cylinder. The sealing rings are in contact with inner wall of the brewing cylinder with sufficient compression such that the necessary seal of the brewing chamber is ensured, even at the higher pressures of the brewing chamber when brewing espresso. In brewing units where coffee is prepared under increased pressure, the piston seal must be in contact with the inner wall of the brewing cylinder under a correspondingly high compression. However, with increased compression the frictional resistance naturally increases during movement of the piston with respect to the brewing cylinder. Consequently, when such sealing rings are employed the motor drive of the movable elements of the brewing unit must be correspondingly strong.
The brewing cylinder comprises a filling duct or a filling opening to allow ground coffee powder to be introduced into the brewing chamber formed by a section of the brewing cylinder and the two pistons. The coffee is brewed in a section of the brewing cylinder spaced apart from the filling opening. The section is formed by the two pistons in the brewing position of the brewing unit. In order to transport the coffee powder into this section of the brewing cylinder, at least one of the two pistons is moved with respect to the brewing cylinder. During this movement the sealing ring of the piston is also guided past the filling opening, so that the section of the sealing ring extending over the opening relaxes in it due to its material elasticity and, upon reaching the edge of the filling opening, in turn, is compressed by the inner wall of the brewing cylinder. Therefore, the sealing ring is exposed to wear at this site. To counteract such wear, EP 0 484 277 B1 proposes to dispose the piston which is moved with respect to the brewing cylinder in a sleeve. The sleeve is transported past the filling opening together with the piston and only after the transport is the piston extended out of the sleeve to compress the coffee powder. While this measure counteracts the one-sided wear of the sealing ring when guiding it past the filling opening, the sealing ring is subjected to uniform wear and tear with respect to its circumference in the process of the retracting and extending from the sleeve since the piston with the sealing ring must be extended out of the sleeve and retracted again.
The foregoing example of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.
Building on this discussed prior art, the invention therefore has as its aim to propose a brewing unit for a coffee machine, in which the problems discussed in connection with the addressed prior art with respect to the necessary tightness of the brewing chamber during the brewing, on the one hand, and the wear of the piston seal, on the other hand, is solved.


A frequency hopping spread spectrum receiver that does not require an independent synchronization source to receive and track a frequency hopping transmitter signal. In a search mode, the receiver of this invention hops in a reverse direction and at a faster rate than the transmitter hopping pattern. This results in faster signal acquisition time. The receiver uses the audio data tones of the transmit signal to detect and synchronize to the transmitter signal. Once in track mode of operation, a frequency hopping hysteresis ensures against erroneous detection of signal loss by tracking the transmitter hopping pattern for several consecutive hops before switching back to search mode.

This invention relates to digital spread spectrum communication in a variable propagation environment where there is radio frequency (RF) interference, such as in mobile communications in the high UHF bands. More particularly, the invention relates to a frequency hopping spread spectrum mobile receiver in the 900 MHz industrial band.
According to FCC regulations, the 900 MHz band is available under certain circumstances for industrial communications without special licensing. One mode of communications is spread spectrum, wherein a transmitted signal is spread over a frequency band that is much wider than the minimum bandwidth required to transmit particular information. This makes spread spectrum signals difficult to intercept and therefore suitable for private radio communication. There are two main spread spectrum techniques, direct sequence spectrum spreading and frequency hopping. Secure communication is provided by "tagging" the signal with a direct sequence or frequency hopping pattern that only the user's receiver recognizes.
In frequency hopping spread spectrum communication, the transmitter remains at a selected frequency for a few milliseconds dwell time, transmits useful information during a fraction of the dwell time, and then changes frequency to other frequencies in a predetermined pseudo-random pattern. The transmitter can be tracked by receivers having knowledge of the pseudo-random hopping pattern.
Spread spectrum communication is used in mobile communication systems which are often subject to poor RF environments. The poor RF environment arises because the receiver is located in a moving vehicle, subject to high ambient RF background noise, and blockage or interference from natural or man-made structures. Sporadic interferences may cause temporary loss of signal that may in turn cause the receiver to switch out of its signal tracking mode. The receiver is then required to restart the signal search and synchronization process. Moreover, existing synchronization methods typically employ an independent synchronization source such as a broad-band spectrum analyzer which increase the total signal acquisition time, as well as the cost and complexity of the receiver.
There is, therefore, a need for a low cost receiver capable of quick acquisition and reliable tracking of a frequency hopping digital signal transmitted in a poor RF environment.

Frequency hopping spread spectrum receiver


A micromechanical variable/tunable inductor is disclosed. The present inductor comprises at least two elements capable of supporting spatial electromagnetic coupling and means for varying a geometrical relationship thereof. Varying the geometrical relationship between such elements varies the inductance of the inductor. In some embodiments, the geometrical relationship that is varied is the spacing between the two elements. The spacing is varied by creating a differential movement between such elements. In further embodiments, the present invention comprises resonant circuits incorporating such variable inductors, and oscillators including such resonant circuits.

Inductors and variable inductors are useful and/or required circuit elements in a variety of important applications and products. For example, inductors and variable inductors are necessary elements of many RF-wireless products. In particular, they are used for matching and loading low noise amplifiers, power amplifiers and mixers, as well as for providing frequency- selective resonant circuits in variable-frequency oscillators in such RF-wireless products.
In a typical cellular telephone, inductors, and other "passive" components (e.g., capacitors and resistors) may occupy over 90 percent of the circuit-board space, and outnumber active devices by more than ten-to-one. As the functionality of such a telephone continues to be integrated into progressively fewer chips, the passive components that are not easily integrated have come to dominate the board-level design. Thus, it would be desirable to fabricate semiconductor-integrable passive components.
Several difficulties have impeded the development of such semiconductor-integrable passive components. Regarding inductors, important performance parameters for RF applications include the "quality factor," Q, (i. e., the relative absence of resistive losses) and obtaining a suitably high self-resonant frequency. Unfortunately, a performance improvement in one of such parameters is typically obtained at the expense of the other parameter. For example, increasing the size of an inductor will typically reduce resistive losses, but it will also lower its resonant frequency.
In the prior art, active circuits are typically used to "tune" or vary inductance in integrated circuits. Such an approach has several disadvantages, including degraded phase noise, relatively high power requirements and limited dynamic range.
A prior-art implementation of variable inductor that is described to be useful for silicon-based RF integrated circuit applications has been disclosed by Pehlke, et al in "Extremely High-Q Tunable Inductor for Si-Based RF Integrated Circuit Applications," 1997 IEEE Int'l Electron Devices Meeting, at 3.4.1-3.4.4., Washington, D.C., Dec. 7-10, 1997. That tunable inductor uses a variable-phase shifter to vary Q and inductance. While reported performance was good, the presence of the phase shifter is undesirable.


A position encoder for monitoring the position of a robot arm includes an incremental encoder section which can be initialized locally by an initialization section. The initialization section comprises three engaged encoder gears with relative prime number of teeth, e.g., 23, 24 and 25, so that respective index apertures of the gears precess with successive revolutions of the gears. Upon startup, the robot arm can be moved sufficiently for all three apertures to be detected so that their relative phase positions can be determined. The relative phases can be used to determine an absolute initialization position. Once this initialization position is determined, robot motions can be tracked using the incremental encoder section.

The present invention relates to position encoders and, more particularly, to position encoders used to track position in robotic systems and the like. A major objective of the present invention is to provide an improved incremental position encoder which provides for local initialization.
Robots and robotic systems are becoming increasingly important in a wide variety of fields, being well suited for tasks requiring many repetitions, high-precision, and/or other capabilities, as well as providing for performance in hazardous environments. Robot joints and other positioning servomechanisms require position encoders so that a present position can be compared with a target position to determine the change of position required for a particular operation.
Position encoders can be classified as incremental, absolute and quasi-absolute. Typically, an incremental encoder includes a wheel with tally marks arranged in a circular array about the wheel. A sensor detects the passage of tally marks as the orientation of the wheel is changed. Generally, two sensors are arranged in quadrature so that the direction as well as the magnitude of the orientation change can be determined. The direction determination can be used to select the sign of a bidirectional counter which tracks motion as a function of the passage of tally marks.
An incremental encoder must be initialized relative to an origin to provide information as to absolute position. A method used in some plotters and printers is to slowly traverse the mechanism to one end and trip a micro-switch or opto-sensor. However, in many robotics a return to an origin can be unaesthetic, wasteful, and even dangerous since the position of the joint being initialized may be unknown. This is especially true for multi-axis robots where the position of one joint is dependent on the, also unknown, positions of other joints.
Absolute position encoders provide a readout of absolute position, thereby avoiding the problem with initialization movements that plagues incremental encoders. Gray encoders provide absolute position reading using multiple tracks of marks and a respective sensor for each track. The marks are designed so that each absolute position is represented by a unique combination of sensor outputs. The number of absolute positions that can be differentiated is limited to 2.sup.n, where n is the number of tracks. A typical 10-sensor Gray encoder can distinguish 1024 positions. A larger number of positions can be distinguished by using more tracks and sensors. However, the increased number of tracks adds to the manufacturing precision of the encoder since all of the tracks must align with each other, thus making the encoder uneconomical. The large number of sensors required also increases the cost of Gray encoders.
Quasi-absolute encoders require fewer sensors and tracks to provide equivalent position differentiations at the expense of requiring up to one revolution of motion for initialization. In effect, a quasi-absolute encoder distinguishes a certain number of absolute positions and provides additional resolution by interpolating between these positions in a manner similar to an incremental encoder. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,483 to Groff discloses a quasi-absolute "Groff" encoder which uses six sensors to read two gears, each with two tracks to distinguish 1024 positions. One track of each gear includes an index mark subtending a predetermined angle to indicate the orientation of that gear. The other track of each gear provides incremental interpolation of position for that gear. The gears have different numbers of teeth so that the index marks process relative to each other during successive revolutions. The spatial phase angle between index marks provides a gross representation of absolute position. Distance from one of the (32) absolute positions is measured incrementally by counting (up to 32) tally marks.
The primary disadvantages of the absolute and quasi-absolute encoders is the limitated number of states that can be distinguished. An incremental encoder can distinguish as many states as can be counted by the incorporated counter using a pair of sensors and a single wheel. The encoder wheel can turn as many times as required to cover a full range of motion. With proper gearing, any level of precision can be accommodated.
Theoretically, absolute and quasi-absolute encoders can be scaled and/or used in tandem to distinguish any number of states. However, the bulk, complexity and cost of providing an absolute encoder which distinguishes 1,000,000 states preclude its use in many applications. A comparable limitation applies to the quasi-absolute encoders even though fewer sensors and tracks are required. For example, the Groff encoder requires marks which subtend very precisely defined angles. Providing a Groff encoder which could distinguish 1,000,000 positions by increasing the differentiation provided by the incremental tracks would require very strict manufacturing tolerances to be met. These strict manufacturing tolerances would require high costs and quality control problems. The complexity of the logic and track patterning required for a 1,000,000+ state Groff encoder could present significant design challenges.
What is needed is a position encoder which combines the range and precision available using incremental encoders with the convenience of absolute and quasi-absolute encoders. In other words, an encoder is needed which avoids the bulk, expense and complexity of absolute encoders, and also avoids the need for a blind return to an initialization position required of incremental encoders. Preferably, these needs are met in a system which utilizes relative few sensors and requires only moderate manufacturing tolerances.

Local initialization for incremental encoder


Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems for performing operations that include: receiving a first media object, such as a digital representation of a logo (e.g., JPEG, TIFF, PNG, BMP, etc.), wherein the first media object comprises at least color data that defines a set of colors of the media object; detecting the set of colors of the first media object responsive to receiving the first media object; selecting a portion of the set of colors of the first media object; and generating an interface to configure a second media object, the interface comprising a display of one or more configuration options that include a color selection, the color selection comprising a presentation of the portion of the set of colors.

Media content is typically created with the goal of having the content viewed or otherwise received by a target audience. The target audience could for example be a specific subset of people, defined by a particular attribute, or could include be all people at a specific location. Various systems currently exist to enable advertisers to create and distribute such content. While these systems do provide the functionality necessary to create such media content, the amount of user interaction required varies greatly. For example, some systems may provide advanced graphic design interfaces that require a significant amount of user skill and training, while others are simplified for ease of use at the compromise of functionality.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a head tank, a main tank, a liquid feed device, and a controller. When the main tank is in an ink end state, the controller causes the feed device to feed the liquid in reverse from the head tank to the main tank. When air is unlikely to be mixed with the liquid or the liquid is unlikely to be bubbled in the head tank before installation of a new main tank, the controller causes the feed device to feed the liquid from the main tank to the head tank with an air release unit opened after the installation. When air is likely to be mixed with the liquid or the liquid is likely to be bubbled in the head tank before the installation, the controller causes the feed device to feed the liquid with the release unit closed after the installation.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus, and more specifically to an image forming apparatus including a recording head for ejecting liquid droplets and a head tank for supplying liquid to the recording head.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses are used as printers, facsimile machines, copiers, plotters, or multi-functional devices having two or more of the foregoing capabilities. As one type of image forming apparatus employing a liquid-ejection recording method, inkjet recording apparatuses are known that use a recording head (liquid ejection head or liquid-droplet ejection head) for ejecting droplets of ink or other liquid.
Such inkjet-type image forming apparatuses may have a head tank (also referred to as sub tank) on a recording head to supply ink from an ink cartridge serving as a main tank replaceably mounted on an apparatus body.
For an image forming apparatus having such an ink supply system, when the ink cartridge in an ink end state is replaced, the interior of the ink cartridge is in a negative pressure. Hence, for example, JP-2010-155446-A proposes to feed a desired amount of ink in reverse from the head tank to the ink cartridge and release the negative pressure in the ink cartridge in the ink end state to prevent air from intruding into a liquid feed passage when the ink cartridge is removed for replacement.
However, if ink is fed in reverse from the head tank to the ink cartridge when an ink level of the head tank is low, bubbles may be fed into the liquid feed passage. Even when the ink level of the head tank is not low, bubbles may be fed into the liquid feed passage if bubbles are already included in the head tank.
If bubbles intrude into the liquid feed passage as described above, bubbles may be fed to the head tank when ink is fed from a new ink cartridge to the head tank with art air release valve of the head tank opened. For example, when the ink level of the head tank is detected with electrode pins, bubbles may hamper detection of the ink level. As a result, ink is oversupplied and bubbled ink may intrude into the air release valve, thus causing a failure.
Hence, as described above, when the ink level of the head tank is low or bubbles are likely to intrude into the liquid feed passage, the image forming apparatus does not feed ink in reverse from the head tank to the ink cartridge.
As a result, since the negative pressure in the ink cartridge in the end state cannot be released, the image forming apparatus needs to feed ink based on the assumption that air intrudes into the liquid feed passage after replacement of ink cartridges, thus increasing the liquid feed time and the ink consumption amount.

Image forming apparatus including recording head and head tank


An assembly is provided that includes a front end support frame and radiator support beam. The front end support frame has an end that defines an opening that extends between two facing walls across an inside wall of the tubular structure. The radiator support beam is assembled into the opening in the end of the front end support frame and is attached to the two facing walls. The front end support frame is a hydro-formed tube and the radiator support beam is an extruded part. The radiator support beam includes at least one internal reinforcement wall and an outside wall of the front end support frame is fastened with flow drilling screws to the internal reinforcement wall.

Joining two closed structures such as a hydro-formed tube and an extruded part together may create problems especially in the case of parts that are formed of aluminum. In a previous design disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,550,545 assigned to applicant's assignee, an end of the hydro-formed tube is joined to an extruded part by abutting the tube against a side surface of the extruded part. Bridging plates are attached by fasteners to oppositely oriented surfaces of the hydro-formed tube and the extruded part.
One problem that may be encountered when joining closed hollow aluminum parts like hydro-formed parts and extruded tubular parts is that the strength of joints connecting the parts together may be limited. Another problem associated with the above prior art patent is that at least four parts in addition to the fasteners are necessary to join the parts. The use of four parts increases the number of manufacturing operations and the number of assembly fixtures required to hold the parts together during assembly.
This disclosure is directed to solving the above problems and other problems as summarized below.

Method for joining a hydro-formed tube to an extrusion


Device (10) for retractable needles, which comprises an outer container (20) within which a needle-holder body (14-114) together with a needle (11) can move axially, the outer container (20) containing disarming means (23-123), guide and retention means (17-117-18-19) and spring means (12) cooperating with momentarily inactive diaphragm means (13).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a device for single-use retractable needles normally employed to give injections or to take samples on persons and animals with known methods.
The device according to the invention is fitted correctly to single-use syringes and all the needle-holder means employed in transfusions, phleboclysis and like processes.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
The device of this invention is employed mainly in the field of hospitals, doctors' surgeries, household use, etc.
The use of this type of syringe makes possible the prevention of the spread of infectious illnesses which use as their carrier of contagion blood or other liquids easily left in the used needles; in this connection we should bear in mind the methods of the spreading of various types of hepatitis and the acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome better known as AIDS.
In this case the spreading of AIDS among drug addicts should mainly be blamed on the re-use of syringes and needles still containing infected substances.
The normal syringes of the "use and throw away" type are generally employed in hospitals, doctors' surgeries, households and, above all, by drug addicts.
The advantages provided by employing single-use syringes which, when once used, cannot be re-used seem to admit of no doubt. The single-use syringes should prevent dangerous transfers of infected substances from one individual to another.
So as to prevent re-use and to ensure their non-offensive nature the single-use syringes generally comprise devices which require the willingness and care of a person who uses these devices.
The single-use syringes of the state of the art contain a device which acts when the plunger is thrust to the end of its travel with a given pressure and is held there.
Other devices require the manual clamping of a retention tooth, while others again require the screwing of protective caps, etc.
Unfortunately in many cases these devices do not work perfectly and therefore allow the syringe to be re-used.
Moreover, certain known devices do not enable the needle to be retracted and are therefore still dangerous.


A display device, in at least one embodiment, includes: a gate driver including a plurality of shift register stages each provided so as to correspond to each row, the gate driver outputting a gate signal for turning on switching elements in the each row; and a source driver outputting a data signal in accordance with an image to be displayed. For a row (first row) located at an outermost position from which scanning by use of the gate signal starts, a dummy line is provided. The dummy line is driven by a gate start pulse inputted into a shift register in the first row.

Commonly known matrix display devices are, for example, a liquid crystal display device including an active matrix substrate, on which TFTs (Thin Film Transistors) are formed, and driver ICs (Integrated Circuits) for driving the TFTs.
FIG. 6 illustrates a TFT active matrix liquid crystal display device 101. The liquid crystal display device 101 is provided with a gate driver 102 and a source driver 103. The gate driver 102 is a circuit for driving rows of a matrix, and the source driver 103 is, a circuit for driving columns of the matrix.
On a transparent substrate, a plurality of gate lines Gn, Gn+1, . . . (hereinafter denoted by a reference sign G, when collectively termed) and a plurality of source lines Sn, Sn+1, . . . (hereinafter denoted by a reference sign S, when collectively termed) are formed so as to orthogonally intersect with each other. The plurality of gate lines G are driven by the gate driver 102 and the plurality of source lines S are driven by the source driver 103. In a position at each of intersections of the gate lines G and the source lines S, a pixel PIX is provided. The pixel PIX includes a TFT 104, a liquid crystal 105, and a storage capacitor 106. In each of areas surrounded by the gate lines G and the source lines S, a pixel electrode 107 (FIG. 7) is formed. The pixel electrode 107 serves as one electrode of the liquid crystal 105 and one electrode of the storage capacitor 106, and is connected to a drain electrode of the TFT 104. In a pixel PIX in an n-th row and in an n-th column, a source electrode of the TFT 104 is connected to a source line Sn in the n-th column, and a gate electrode of the TFT 104 is connected to a gate line Gn in the n-th row.
When a relationship between the gate lines and the pixel electrodes 107 is spotlighted in the liquid crystal display device 101 in which the pixels PIX are thus formed, it is recognized that the liquid crystal display device 101 in FIG. 6 is a so-called below-pixel-electrode gate type liquid crystal display device in which the gate line Gn in the n-th row is provided below the pixel electrode 107 in the n-th row. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 7, between the pixel electrode 107 and the gate line Gn and between the pixel electrode 107 and the gate line Gn−1, parasitic capacitances Cgd1 and Cgd2 are generated, respectively. In regard to the pixels in the first row, a gate line G0, which corresponds to the foregoing gate line Gn−1 for the pixels PIX in the n-th row, is not provided, so that a parasitic capacitance corresponding to the foregoing parasitic capacitance Cgd2 is not generated. FIG. 6 illustrates a difference between an equivalent circuit of a pixel in the first row (line G1) in which the parasitic capacitance Cgd2 is not generated and an equivalent circuit of a pixel in each of the second and subsequent rows (Gn (n≠1)) in which both the parasitic capacitances Cgd1 and Cgd2 are generated.
In the meantime, as illustrated in FIG. 8, a gate signal having an amplitude of Vgpp is sequentially applied to each gate line G. This gate signal varies a drain level of the TFT 104. That is, in each of the pixels PIX in the n-th row, via the parasitic capacitance Cgd2, the gate signal of the gate line Gn−1 varies the drain level of the TFT 104 by ΔV2, and via the parasitic capacitance Cgd1, the gate signal of the gate line Gn varies the drain level of the TFT 104 by ΔV1. Here, provided that the capacitance of the liquid crystal of the pixel PIX is denoted by Clc and the storage capacitance is denoted by Ccs, the above-mentioned ΔV2 and ΔV1 can be expressed as follows:ΔV1=Vgpp×{Cgd1/(Clc+Ccs+Cgd1+Cgd2)}ΔV2=Vgpp×{Cgd2/(Clc+Ccs+Cgd1+Cgd2)}
The ΔV1 produced by the gate signal of the gate line Gn of the n-th stage causes a center value Vcom of an amplitude of the drain level of the TFT 104 to be lower than a center value Vsc of an amplitude of a source signal by ΔV1. The ΔV2 produced by the gate signal of the gate line Gn−1 of the preceding stage raises an effective value of a voltage applied to the liquid crystal 105.
As described above, each of the pixels PIX in the first row is not provided with the gate line G0 that is a preceding stage which forms the parasitic capacitance. Cgd2. For this reason, the ΔV2 does not occur. Consequently, the effective value of the voltage applied to the liquid crystal 105 only in the pixels PIX in the first row becomes lower than the effective values supplied to the respective pixels PIX of the remaining rows. Due to this difference of the effective values, brightness of the pixels PIX only in the first row appears different in display from brightness of the remaining pixels PIX in a case where a driving condition of the display device deteriorates, for example, in a case where the value ΔV2 is large or in a case where a temperature becomes too high or low. For instance, when normally white liquid crystal is adopted, the first line appears a bright line.
In order to solve the above problem, various techniques have been conventionally proposed. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a liquid crystal display device in which a below-pixel-electrode gate type panel is provided with a dummy gate line (dummy line G0) in the vicinity of pixels of the first row. This dummy gate line is not involved in displaying but compensates the aforementioned asymmetry between the pixels of the first row and the remaining pixels. FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram illustrating a configuration of the liquid crystal display device according to Patent Literature 1. FIG. 10 is a timing chart of signals inputted into the dummy line and the gate lines of the liquid crystal display device of Patent Literature 1.
As shown in FIG. 9, in the liquid crystal display device of Patent Literature 1, the dummy line G0 for producing capacitances is arranged on an outer side of a gate line (i.e., in the example shown in FIG. 9, a top gate line) G1 located at an outermost position from which scanning by use of a scanning signal starts. The dummy line G0 is arranged to be parallel to the gate line G1, and to face the gate line G1 so that a pixel electrode 6 connected to a TFT 5 connected to the gate line G1 is between the dummy line G0 and the gate line G1.
With this configuration, the pixel electrode 6 connected to the TFT 5 connected to the top gate line G1 is located between the dummy line G0 above and the gate line G1 below. Consequently, all of the pixels are geometrically symmetrical in a vertical direction. Therefore, the pixels driven by the top gate line G1 have completely the same conditions as the pixels driven by the other gate lines G2, G3, . . . . Consequently, in a case of a normally white liquid crystal, for example, it is possible to restrain such a conventional phenomenon that a line of pixels in the top row appears a bright line or the like.
However, the above conventional technique 1 has a problem in that it is necessary to provide a dummy line. This results in an increase in the number of wirings and accordingly an increase in the circuit area. This is against a recent trend of decreasing cost, weight and thickness of liquid crystal displays.
In the meantime, Patent Literature 2 discloses a method according to which a dummy line G0 driving signal is generated in a mode in which display timing is controlled by a data enable signal in a liquid crystal display device. FIG. 11 is a plane view schematically illustrating a configuration of a gate driver of the liquid crystal display device according to Patent Literature 2. FIG. 12 is a timing chart of signals that are involved in timing control.
As illustrated in FIG. 11, a liquid crystal display panel 3 of the liquid crystal display device includes 768 gate lines G1, G2, . . . , and G768 connected to respective effective pixels. Furthermore, a dummy line G0, which serves as a dummy gate line, is provided in a stage preceding the gate line G1. In order to drive these 769 gate lines, a gate driver 2 includes cascade-connected three driver ICs each of which has 258 output terminals.
In the above configuration, a control IC generates a gate start pulse signal GSP and a gate clock signal GCK based on a data enable signal ENAB and a clock signal CK, respectively, with reference to timing of inputting the data enable signal ENAB. Then, the control IC supplies these generated signals to the gate driver 2 so that, before a source driver starts to output a write signal corresponding to display data of the first horizontal period in one vertical period, the gate driver 2 outputs a gate signal to a top output terminal OG0. Thus, on the occasion of performing display in the data enable mode, it is possible to drive the dummy line G0 before the write signal of the first horizontal period is outputted to a source line S.
In this way, the liquid crystal display device of Patent Literature 2 uses only the data enable signal but does not use horizontal and vertical synchronization signals, for generating liquid crystal driving signals. In consequence, it is possible to reduce the number of wirings for input signals.

Display device for reducing parasitic capacitance with a dummy scan line


Server computers may include one or more input/output (I/O) adapter devices for communicating with a network and/or direct-attached device. The I/O adapter device may have limited physical resources, such as memory. Large I/O transactions may occupy all available memory on the I/O adapter device, thus causing other I/O transactions to experience intermittent and excessive delays. The I/O adapter device can be configured to issue one or more transactions for a large I/O request. Each transaction transfers a portion of the data requested by the large I/O request. When all the transactions have completed, the client that requested the large I/O request is informed that the I/O request has completed.

Server computers often include one or more input/output (I/O) devices. For example, a server computer may include one or more I/O adapter devices for communicating with a network and/or direct-attached storage device. Each I/O device may communicate over multiple, possibly asynchronous interfaces, such as PCI Express (PCIe) and/or Ethernet. For example, a host server computer may send I/O transactions over a PCIe bus to the I/O adapter device, and the I/O adapter device may send those I/O transactions over an Ethernet cable for processing by another server.
The physical resources of the I/O adapter device, however, may be limited. For example, the I/O device may have a limited amount of fast memory for storing an I/O transaction being processed by the I/O device. Thus several or even as few as one I/O transaction may occupy all available memory on the I/O adapter device, causing congestion and delay in the processing of the I/O transactions.
Moreover, congestion and delay, due to limited physical resources on the I/O adapter device, may be further exacerbated in I/O devices implementing virtualized interfaces. An I/O adapter device may implement a virtualized interface, such as for example Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV). A virtualized interface allows the I/O adapter device to present itself as multiple virtual devices to the host server computer. Virtual machines running on the host server computer may then use a virtual device on the I/O adapter device as if the virtual device were a physical device. When multiple virtual machines attempt to use the I/O adapter device, they may experience intermittent and excessive delays.

Servicing I/O requests in an I/O adapter device


Managing user access to data of a social media account, by providing a first user with access to data of a social media account of a second user based on determining that a first data access request by the first user conforms to an expected data access pattern.

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to electronic social media platforms and more particularly to managing user access to social media data.
Social media platforms generally allow their users to create, view, and share digital content with other users. Users typically have the option to create accounts that have associated profiles, and to connect to other users' accounts; for example, by sending or receiving "friend" or "connection" requests. Security and privacy features provide users some control over how others view or share the users' content, or how others communicate with the users. However, these functions are limited and have drawbacks.

International Business Machines Corporation


A video on demand server includes a video pump an ad management system interface to disable fast forwarding during commercials and allow fast forwarding during play of content. A playlist generator configures the disabling and allowing of fast forwarding and compiles the playlist from (a) separately provided breakpoints for the commercials during presentation of the content, and (b) an ad map including trick mode instructions that define commands for enabling and disabling trickmode during presentation of the commercials.

This relates generally to the dynamic insertion of advertisements into entertainment content.
An asset is video, rich media, audio, or graphic information that can be an advertisement or entertainment content. Content refers to any entertainment asset created by a content provider. Content is not used to refer to advertising assets. Content generally refers to an episode or a program, such as a group of episodes. A content provider is an organization responsible for the creation of content.
In connection with professionally produced content, such as content produced for television, content providers cannot reach audiences without distributors. Distributors are organizations responsible for distributing content to a viewing audience. A distributor is also known as an operator. A distributor includes a cable television supplier, a satellite distribution supplier, a web portal, a local affiliate broadcaster, double communication systems, fixed and mobile WiMAX systems, telephone systems, Internet service providers, wireless carriers, and a provider of video information, such as a video on demand supplier, to mention a few examples. Content providers reach audiences through distribution platforms. Distribution platforms include cable television, cable video on demand, cable digital video recorders, cable network video recorders, broadband video sites (e.g., mtv.com), broadband video portals (e.g., Hulu.com), local affiliate broadcasters, double communication systems, fixed and mobile WiMAX systems, and telephone systems, to mention a few examples.
In some instances, a content provider owns and operates their own distribution platform (e.g., ABC.com). However in other instances, the distribution platform is owned and operated by a separate company or organization (e.g., Comcast Cable).
Generally, as used herein, the pre-roll is that time period before the content starts, the mid-roll is that time period during content presentation, and the post-roll follows the end of the program content. As used herein, video on demand or VOD is one continuous stream of content.
In dynamic advertising insertion, ads are played for a given ad opportunity or ad avail based on a client context. For example, any time certain user operations occur, an advertisement may be inserted. Examples of this include when the user begins to play a content, the user hits a pause icon, or when a period of time has passed, an advertisement may be inserted. Thus, the frequency of ad insertion, the number of ads that may be inserted, and the time when the ad is inserted may not always be known in advance. In other words, the timing and number of advertising opportunities may not be known in advance with dynamic advertising insertion.

Method and apparatus for inserting advertisements in content


Disclosed herein is an adaptive head light assembly, comprising a parabolic reflector for housing a filament assembly; a lever arm having one end pivotably affixed to a bearing point of the parabolic reflector; an actuator in operative communication with the other end of the lever arm to actuate motion of the lever arm, wherein the actuator comprises a shape memory material adapted to change a shape orientation or modulus property upon receipt of an activation signal; and a spring in operative communication with the other end of the lever arm and adapted to provide a restoring force.

This disclosure relates to lighting, and more particularly, to active head light and/or lens assemblies.
Current adaptive head light assemblies utilize motors and gear reductions to effect movement. The size, weight, and cost of these actuation components are prohibitive. Failure of any of the components may cause gross misalignment such that the light pattern is of little benefit to the occupant.
Reductions in weight, cost, and size are desired attributes for these types of assemblies. In addition, it is desirable to have greater functionality than can be provided by current motors and gear reductions employed for adaptive lighting assemblies.


A spinnerbait has deviations on its upper arm. The deviations project in directions other than that in which the lure moves through the water, thus providing enhanced shimmer and vibration at minimal cost.

A notable advance in the fishing lure art was the introduction of the V-shaped spinner arm to support a spinner connected near the main body of the lure. The basic spinnerbait is well described by Stanley in U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,041. Much effort has been devoted to improvements in spinner attachments—typically in the form of blades—for the V-shaped spinner arms. Although Stanley suggested that the portion of the V nearest the blade (sometimes called the "upper arm") should be tapered to assume a diameter somewhat smaller than that of the portion (the lower arm) connected to the head, hook, or jig, little attention has been paid to the upper arm itself except for the occasional introduction of a clevis or swivel for additional blades, which tends to add considerably to the cost. The upper arm is usually made of straight wire, a unitary part of the V-shaped or L-shaped spinner arm as a whole.
Spinnerbait lures are generally designed to utilize the flow and motion forces—the drag—generated when the lure is moved through the water. The effects of water flowing around spinner blades have been described as shimmer, flutter, vibration, and other similar phenomena known to attract fish. The drag effects are complex, depending on numerous factors in addition to the speed at which the lure is moved through the water. Spinnerbait lures are typically weighted so they will remain oriented with the weighted head and hook on the lower portion of the V while the line is pulled at the apex and the spinner blade trails from the upper segment of the V; hence the term "upper arm.". The shimmer and vibration obtained by structures of the prior art are primarily functions of the design and placement of spinner blades and other attachments. But see Johnson U.S. Pat. 4,011,681, showing a helical spring formed in the upper arm.
Many attempts to improve shimmer and vibration in the past have not provided results commensurate with their elaborate or costly design. There is a need for a simple, inexpensive improvement in spinnerbait design.


A hand-held, electric-powered cleaning device used to wash elevated or difficult-to-reach surfaces. The device includes a length adjustable elongated pole with a rotating brush assembly attached at its distal end. Attached to the proximal end of the elongated pole is a handle assembly that includes a battery housing and a hand grip assembly with a brush control switch and a hose connector fitting. Disposed inside the elongated pole is a coiled water conduit that connects to a standard hose fitting located in the end of the handle assembly and terminates in the brush assembly to deliver water to the brush assembly. Also disposed inside the handle assembly is a soap delivery system to deliver soap to the water conduit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hand-held cleaning devices, and more particularly, to such devices that use an electric-powered brush.
2. Description of the Related Art
Soap and water are commonly used to wash motor vehicles. Often the brushes used to clean a surface of the motor vehicle are attached to a short or long pole. When washing a motor vehicle with a brush attached to a long pole, the pole and brush must be sufficiently lightweight and balanced so that the brush may be moved back and forth over the surface to remove dirt and grime. The brush must remain in constant contact with the surface. Unfortunately, when moving the brush in this manner and when the desired surface is difficult to reach, the brush may turn thereby reducing its cleaning action and possibly scratching the surface.
What is needed is a lightweight, electric-powered cleaning device that uses a length adjustable, elongated pole with a rotating brush attached at one end that reduces the need for the device to be moved manually back and forth across the surface, and that can be easily extended with one or two hands to reach hard-to-reach surfaces. What is also needed is a cleaning device which runs on D.C. current produced by rechargeable batteries. What is also needed is such a cleaning device that easily connects to a standard hose and includes a soap delivery system so that soap may be selectively added to the water and dispensed from the rotary brush. What is also needed is such a cleaning device that can be easily stored in a wall mount where the rechargeable batteries can be recharged.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a lightweight, balanced, hand-held cleaning device that is used to clean surfaces on a motor vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a device that includes a length adjustable elongated pole with an adjustable brush assembly attached at one end and a fixed handle assembly attached to the opposite end of the elongated pole.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a device that includes a battery-operated motor, a water delivery conduit that attaches to a standard hose, and a soap delivery system.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a cleaning device that can be easily attached to a wall mount used for storage of the device.
These and other objects of the invention which will become apparent are met by the hand-held, battery-operated cleaning device disclosed herein. The device includes a length adjustable elongated pole with an adjustable brush assembly pivotally attached at its distal end. The brush assembly includes an upper shroud with fixed bristles located on its outer edge used to clean the surface and prevent overspraying. The brush assembly houses an electric motor and a replaceable brush that is balanced in weight with a handle assembly attached at the opposite, proximal end of the elongated pole. Disposed inside the elongated pole is a coiled water conduit that delivers water from a standard hose fixing located in the handle assembly to the brush assembly. Disposed around the elongated pole is a sliding hand grip which allows the elongated pole to be rotated by one hand and supported by the other. The coil water conduit is coiled up inside the elongated pole and is able to accommodate different lengths of the elongated pole. The handle assembly includes a battery housing with a rechargeable battery and a hand grip housing with an electric motor control switch. Located above the handle assembly is an optional soap delivery system which is connected to the water conduit to automatically and selectively add soap to the water as it flows through the water conduit and is delivered to the brush assembly. Provided with the cleaning device is a battery charger that plugs into a standard 115 volt electrical receptacle. An ancillary power cord is also provided that connects at one end to the battery charger and at an opposite end to the plug receptacle formed on the end of the rechargeable button. Also included is an optional wall mount that conveniently holds the device on a wall. The wall mount includes at least one replacement brush receiver for holding replacement brushes to be used with the device.


Systems and methods compute dysfunctions via amplitude envelopes that deviate from a mean (normal) state behavior. The envelope function is constructed from a recursive application of the maximum signal value within a given window size. The aforementioned operations are causal and computationally affordable as relative short moving windows are required to trail the current point. Therefore, the proposed envelope and dysfunction calculations are amenable for any source of data streams measured at high sample rates. The effectiveness of the computing is validated as representing multiple physics in real time field drilling operations.

Signal dysfunction, also known as outlier, anomaly, novelty or event detection, represents one of the most challenging subjects in real time data mining due to the difficulties in achieving computational efficiency, causality, and minimum information drift (i.e., time shifting). In the particular case of real time well drilling operation, it is critical to develop mechanisms that are capable of detecting dysfunctions that would eventually lead to costly drill system failures.

System and method for event detection using streaming signals


A method for selecting an SVC operation point is provided, which includes: receiving an SDP message, where the SDP message includes a unique ID of each operation point and characteristic parameters of at least one operation point of multiple operation points, where the unique ID includes a layer-ID; selecting an operation point from the multiple operation points; and sending a session setup request that includes the unique ID of the selected operation point. A server device and a client device are also provided. Through the method and the device, each operation point may be uniquely identified, and the mapping relationship between each operation point and characteristic parameters is clarified.

An SVC file format is extended on the basis of an H.264/advanced video coding (AVC) file format, and keeps backward compatibility with the AVC file format. The SVC file format is very flexible, and streams may be stored in various forms. For example, a whole stream is stored as a media track or as multiple media tracks according to multiple operation points or by layers; and a subset of required streams may be extracted simply and quickly according to information provided by an extractor track, sample grouping, or a meta data track.
SVC has scalability capabilities in three dimensions: time, space, and quality. The layers in these three dimensions may be identified by temporal_id, dependency_id, and quality_id respectively, which are briefly referred to as (T, D, Q). A group of (T, D, Q) values may uniquely identify a layer or video description corresponding to the layer. A piece of content may generate a stream including multiple layers after being encoded, where the layers include a basic layer and one or more enhanced layers. Through different combinations of the basic layer and enhanced layers, video descriptions of different bit rates, different frame rates, different resolutions, and different quality can be provided.
A Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) for SVC provides a concept of an SVC operation point. One operation point is identified by a group of (T, D, Q). A bit stream corresponding to an operation point consists of a layer identified by the (T, D, Q) and all network abstraction units (NALs) of the layer. To describe the characteristics of the operation point, a Session Description Protocol (SDP) parameter sprop-operation-point-info is defined, and forms of the parameter are, for example, sprop-operation-point-info=<1,0,0,0,4d400a,3200,176,144,128,256>, <2,1,1,0,53000c,6400,352,288,256,512>, where each pair of angle brackets includes parameters for describing one operation point and the ten parameters included in each angle brackets are respectively as follows: layer-ID, temporal-ID, dependency-ID, quality-ID, profile-level-ID, avg-framerate, Width, Height, avg-bitrate, and max-bitrate. These parameters correspond to different parameters of operation points. In addition, another SDP parameter sprop-scalability-info is defined. The sprop-scalability-info parameter directly provides content of the NAL corresponding to a Scalability Information SEI Message, and includes available layers (operation points) in the SVC stream and specific parameters of each layer (operation point). Each parameter in sprop-operation-point-info is extracted from the sprop-scalability-info parameter.
Packet-switched Streaming Service (PSS) is a protocol that is implemented over the Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) and for providing streaming services, and can provide video-on-demand (VOD) and live content for mobile terminals.
The 3GPP file format (abbreviated to 3GP) is the main form of the content source of a PSS streaming server. The PSS specification defines a stream ID for the control URL in the attribute "a=control" of each media layer according to the 3GPP file format, where the stream ID is placed at the end of the control URL path. This stream ID is defined by the track-ID of a corresponding media track in the 3GPP file. The server finds this stream ID in the URL of a SETUP request sent from the client, and maps the stream ID to a matched media track in the 3GPP file. That is, when the 3GPP file has multiple media streams, for example, multiple audio streams and video streams, the track-ID may uniquely identify each different media stream.
In addition, the PSS protocol further defines an alt attribute to provide multiple options for an SDP attribute, for example, multiple options of bandwidths and languages.
In the selection of an operation point, the RTP protocol for SVC defines the operation point information parameter of the SDP.
If each operation point provided by the content source in the SVC format on the server is stored as a media track or an extraction track in the SVC file, each operation point in the SVC file may be uniquely identified by a track-ID. In this case, multiple SVC operation points may be provided directly through prior art of the PSS. Meanwhile, the mapping relationship among the control URL, alt attribute, application bandwidth and track-ID in the PSS SDP description and the RTSP SETUP request, and the operation point information parameter of SVC may be used. For live streaming applications, the video signals may be packetized directly for transmission after being encoded, and do not use the file format. In this case, the foregoing track-ID does not need to be used, but the layer-ID is directly used to describe the media control URL of SDP or RTSP.
Although the selection mechanism of streams in the PSS and the operation point information parameter of SVC are fully used, during the implementation of the present invention, the inventor discovers that the prior art has at least the following weaknesses:
1. The prior art is applicable to a specific file storage mode only, which limits the flexibility of SVC streams and file formats. When each operation point has a corresponding media track, or an extraction track, each operation point may be uniquely identified by the track-ID. However, in other cases, for example, if the whole SVC stream has only one media track, the track-ID cannot uniquely identify each operation point, and therefore, the prior art is not applicable.
2. Although the alt attribute may provide multiple options for an attribute, for example, bandwidth, video buffer parameter, and track-ID in a corresponding file, the mapping relationship between each operation point and multi-option parameters cannot be determined.
3. When the SVC content source provides a lot of operation points, the SDP description information is too long, which affects SETUP time of the streaming and increases the initial delay.
4. For live streaming applications not using the file format, an ID is also required to identify each SVC operation uniquely, and for describing the media control URL of the SDP or the RTSP. This mechanism is not supported in the prior art.

Method and device for selecting an SVC operation point, and method and device for providing information of SVC operation points