An umbrella comprises a collapsible cover portion and a flexible loop member attached to the cover portion. A linkage mechanism attached to the flexible loop member at first, second and third equidistantly spaced points moves the first, second and third points together such that the loop member is folded onto itself to form a plurality of smaller overlapping loops when the umbrella is in a closed position, and moves the first, second and third points away from each other such that the overlapping loops expand when the umbrella is in an opened position.

The present invention relates generally to an umbrella, and more particularly, to an umbrella which uses spherical mechanisms for opening and closing.
The umbrella or parasol dates back to at least 1350 B.C. and was originally designed for protection against the sun rather than rain. Today, although there is no structural or operational difference between the two, the term "umbrella" is used to designate an apparatus which provides protection from rain and snow, while the term "parasol" is used to designate an apparatus which provides sun protection. Several design characteristics of the umbrella have not changed since its creation. The umbrella has always maintained a dome shape with a pole in the middle which operates as a handle and actuator. Also, through most of its history, the umbrella has utilized a plurality of equidistantly spaced, identical four-bar planar mechanisms operated simultaneously by a single slider on the central handle for opening and closing the umbrella. In recent decades, more complex six and eight-bar planar mechanisms have replaced the historic four-bar mechanisms, allowing for more compact folding, though still folding by activation of a single slider on the central handle.
In general, the umbrella's planar mechanisms have complex mechanical linkages including ribs which extend along a plurality of equidistantly spaced radii from the central pole to the rim of the umbrella dome in the form a "spider-web" to support the umbrella dome. The use of planar mechanisms for opening and closing the umbrella has several disadvantages. One disadvantage is that since maximum protection from the elements is clearly beneath the center of the umbrella dome and since this space is occupied by the central pole, the umbrella user must always stand to one side of this pole and therefore never receives optimal protection. Another disadvantage is that since the four-bar planar linkages or mechanisms are designed to be small and compact near the umbrella's apex in order to maximize the head room under the umbrella, there must be long extensions to the umbrella rim for supporting the umbrella dome. These long extensions are weak and flexible and often permit the umbrella dome to flip inside-out when a gust of wind comes from up underneath the umbrella. A further disadvantage is that the stitching between ends of the individual ribs and the cover often becomes undone since the edges of the umbrella are held in place at eight stress points corresponding to ends of the ribs of each four, six or eight-bar planar mechanism.


A computer implemented method for creating a depth range buffer for supporting clipping geometries for ray-casting includes inputting image data, establishing a depth range buffer for specifying a start and an end point of each ray, computing a near depth of the image data corresponding to the start point of each ray, computing a far depth of the image data corresponding to the end point of each ray, clipping the volume by restricting ray-casting within the start and end points of the depth range buffer, and rendering a portion of the image data corresponding to the visible depth range.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to image processing, and more particularly to a system and method for supporting clipping geometries for graphics processing unit (GPU) based ray-casting.
2. Description of Related Art
As GPUs become more powerful and programmable, implementing ray-casting directly on a GPU has become possible. For example, for volume rendering, GPU-based ray-casting has shown better performance and more flexibility in achieving various shading effects in comparison with slice-based approaches.
As compared to a GPU ray-caster, a slice-based volume renderer (also referred to as a slicer) renders a set of parallel slices, wherein each slice is defined by a proxy polygon. The vertices of the polygon specify the 3D locations of the slice in 3D space and texture coordinates of these vertices describe how volume samples are mapped onto the polygon. A GPU fragment within a slice can be considered as a single 3D point. In contract, the GPU ray-caster renders the front faces of a volume (or sub-volume) and each GPU fragment represents a ray segment with significant length. The output corresponding to a fragment is obtained by accumulating multiple volume samples along the ray. When there are clipping geometries such as cut-planes or crop-box, the fragments in a slicer are clipped individually, while the ray-segment in ray-caster could be partially clipped.
Typically, the clipping of fragments in a slicer is done outside the GPU shader either through hardware clip-planes or software clip-planes that adjust proxy polygons. For GPU ray-caster, a fragment cannot be clipped as a whole. One proposed solution moves the clip testing into the shader and applies clipping for each volume sample. This requires passing all the clip-plane information as parameters into the GPU shader program. The per-sample-cost inside the shader is incremented and affects the overall frame rate. Further, the number of clip-planes for a scene is a variable which makes it is difficult to pass plane parameters efficiently to the GPU shader.
In ray-casting, for each pixel of an image, a ray is shot from a camera passing through the center of the pixel and accumulating lighting contributions along the ray. For a polygonal model, intersections of the ray with surfaces of the model, and visible color and lighting effects at the intersection point are determined. For volumetric model, the image data is sampled at discrete positions along the ray. Each color-mapped sample plus shading effects are composited. The accumulated color is then used as the value of the pixel. When all pixel values are obtained, the image is rendered.
A traditional volume rendering method that has been widely used on graphics hardware is the slicing approach, also referred to as a slicer. Instead of accumulating sample colors along the rays, a set of parallel planes are defined. By intersecting those parallel planes with the bounding box of the volume, a set of polygons are generated. Mapping the volume as a texture onto the polygons is equivalent to extracting parallel slices from the dataset. These slices are then rendered as texture-mapped polygons in sequence. In other words, a slicer renders slice-by-slice, while a ray-caster renders ray-by-ray. In some sense, a slicer renders a volume as a set of polygons.
Both the slicer and ray-caster can be accelerated by a GPU. A typical GPU pipeline takes polygons and associated attributes, such as texture, as input. The polygons and their attributes are rasterized to generate fragments. Fragments are aligned with the pixels in the resulting image. The value of every pixel is then determined according to the fragments falling on to it.
One difference between a slicer (as well as a surface renderer) and a ray-caster is that, in a slicer, each fragment represents a point in 3D space, while in a ray-caster a fragment corresponds to a ray segment of non-ignorable length. As a result, the implementation of clipping geometries, such as cut-planes and crop-boxes is different for slicer and ray-caster. A cut-plane, also called a clip-plane, is an infinite plane that excludes all the voxels falling on one side of the plane while keep the others. A crop-box could be replaced by six volume-aligned cut-planes. For slicer, each fragment is clipped as a single element, that is, a fragment is either completely clipped or completely unclipped. Therefore, cut-planes in slicer can be achieved either through hardware clip-planes or through software cut-planes. In the latter case, the polygons are intersected with cut-planes in CPU to create clipped and smaller polygons before rendering. This however won't work for ray-caster, since each fragment includes multiple samples distributed along a ray segment. These ray samples need to be clipped individually.
One proposed solution to supporting cut-planes in ray-caster is to pass all cut-plane equations as parameters to fragment program and to modify the GPU fragment shader program, so that the clipping condition is tested before fetching each sample. If a sample is clipped, it is then excluded from contributing to the pixel color. This requires inserting additional code statements into the ray-cast fragment program, and the clipping test is applied to all samples, which may be expensive. In addition, the number of cut-planes in a scene is a variable; hence it is difficult to pass all plane equations efficiently.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method for supporting clipping geometries for GPU-based ray-casting.


A frictionally-retained detachable dental attachment assembly or anchor device is designed to attach a dental appliance with a tooth root or implant. The assembly includes a denture attachment housing for securing in the dental appliance, an abutment attached with a tooth root or implant, and a compressible retention member with a first end in fixed attachment with the cap and a second end in snap engagement with the abutment via a frictionally-retained ball secured within a cavity of the abutment. The retention member is formed using a compressible material to allow the ball to compress and the retention member to flex while inserting the ball into the cavity. Additional friction-retained and fixed attachment configurations of the dental anchor device are provided, along with methods of securing a dental appliance in a subject's mouth by means of the friction-retained and fixed attachment dental anchor devices.

Field of the Invention
Devices and methods provided herein relate to a dental attachment assembly for anchoring a dental appliance with a base structure such as a tooth root or dental implant.
Related Art
Dental anchoring or attachment assemblies are utilized to anchor a dental appliance with a dental implant or tooth root, typically by fitting two or more partially-movable components together to provide an improved fit and comfort. In some assemblies, male and female parts have mating, snap engageable formations for releasably securing the male part to the female part. For example, the female part has a socket and the male part has a head for snap engagement in the socket. However, as repeated impacts of the socket and head may damage the retentive head of the male and cause wearing due to friction of the components as they move, a compressible annular ring may be provided to absorb the frictional forces and act as a cushion between the socket and the head. However, even the ring may wear out over a period of time and need to be replaced, requiring regular maintenance of the dental anchoring assembly that is uncomfortable and inconvenient for the patient. Furthermore, to allow the compressible annular ring to be easily removed and replaced, the ring may be provided with a securing mechanism on a mating surface with the socket (such as a threaded portion), which further adds to the cost and complexity of the dental anchor assembly.
It is therefore desirable to avoid the need for continued maintenance and simplify the design of the dental anchoring assembly.

Fixed hybrid dental attachment assembly and methods of use


An interlayer film for laminated glass comprising laminated layers of at least one layer (A) which comprises a plasticizer and polyvinyl acetal resin for which the number of carbon atoms in the acetal group is 4, 5 or 6 and the mole ratio of the average amount of the ethylene groups bonded to acetyl groups is 8-30 mole % of the total amount of the main chain ethylene groups, and at least one layer (B) which comprises a plasticizer and polyvinyl acetal resin for which the number of carbon atoms in the acetal group is 3 or 4 and the mole ratio of the amount of the average ethylene groups bonded to acetyl groups is 4 mole % or less of the total amount of the main chain ethylene groups.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an interlayer film for laminated glass which has a superior sound insulation quality.
2. The Prior Art
In general, laminated glass comprising two sheets of glass sandwiching a resin film is superior in terms of safety because fragments do not fly about even if the glass is broken, and therefore, for example, it is widely used as windshield glass for transportation vehicles such as automobiles and window glass for buildings.
Of these interlayer films for laminated film, the polyvinyl butyral resin film plasticized by the addition of a plasticizer has superior adhesiveness to glass, high tensile strength, and high transparency, and therefore the laminated glass using this film is particularly suitable as windshield glass for vehicles.
In general, sound insulation performance is indicated as the transmission loss at varying frequencies. Sound insulation is prescribed in JIS A4708 as a constant value at 500 Hz or above, depending on the sound insulation grade, as shown in FIG. i with a solid line. The sound insulation of glass plates substantially decreases in the frequency range centered around 2000 Hz because of the coincidence effect (the dotted-line valley shown in FIG. 1 corresponds to the reduction of the sound insulation performance caused by the coincidence effect, where the prescribed sound insulation performance is not maintained)- The "coincidence effect" mentioned here stands for the phenomenon wherein, when the sound wave hits the glass plate, the rigidity and the inertia of the glass plate cause propagation of transverse waves on the glass surface, and these transverse waves resonate with the incident sound, resulting in sound transmission.
Although conventional laminated glass is superior in terms of the prevention of scattered fragments, it cannot avoid the reduction in sound insulation performance caused by the coincidence effect in the frequency range centered around 2000 Hz, and thus improvements are called for in this respect.
On the other hand, based on the loudness-level contour, it is known that human hearing is much more sensitive to sound in the range of 1000-6000 Hz compared with other frequency ranges, indicating that it is very important for purposes of sound control to eliminate the drop in sound insulation performance caused by the coincidence effect.
In order to improve the sound insulation performance of laminated glass, it is necessary to mitigate the coincidence effect described above to prevent the decrease in the minimum transmission loss caused by the coincidence effect (hereafter, this minimum is referred to as the "TL value", as shown in FIG. 1).
There have been various countermeasures proposed as means to prevent the decrease in the TL value, such as an increase in the mass of the laminated glass, multi-layered glass, segmentation of the glass area and improvement of the means to support the glass plate. However, none of these have produced sufficiently satisfactory effects, and their cost is not sufficiently low for practical use.
Recently, the requirement for sound insulation performance has increased more and more, and, for example, superior sound insulation performance around room temperature is required for building window glass. That is, what is required as superior sound insulation performance is that the temperature at which the sound insulation performance is the highest, determined by plotting the transmission loss (TL value) against the temperature (temperature of the maximum sound insulation performance=TLmax temperature), is around room temperature, and that the maximum value of the sound insulation performance (maximum value of the sound insulation performance=TLmax value) itself is high.
However, conventional laminated glass for automobile windshield glass using plasticized polyvinyl butyral resin films has a problem in that the temperature of the maximum sound insulation performance is higher than room temperature and that the sound insulation performance is not good around room temperature.
As for prior arts which attempted to improve the sound insulation performance of laminated glass, for example, Tokko (Japanese examined patent publication) Sho-46-5830 describes an interlayer film comprising a resin, such as polyvinyl butyral, which has an approximately 3 times higher fluidity than the fluidity of normal interlayer films in the flow stage in the molding. However, this has a serious problem in that the absolute value of the sound insulation performance of the laminated glass is low.
Tokkai (Japanese unexamined patent publication) Hei-2-229742 describes an interlayer film comprising laminated layers of polymer films with a glass transition temperature of 15.degree. C. or lower, such as a vinyl chloride-ethylene-glycidyl methacrylate co-polymer film, and a plasticized polyvinyl acetal film, for example. However, this does not show a sound insulation performance higher than grade Ts-35 in the sound insulation grade system according to JIS A4706, and furthermore, the temperature range in which it insulates against sound is limited, thus it cannot have a good sound insulation performance over a wide temperature range.
Tokkai Sho-62-37148 proposes, for the purpose of preventing a decrease in the sound insulation performance in the coincidence range of the rigid plate (glass plate), an interlayer film comprising laminated layers of two or more viscoelastic materials with different acoustic resistances, such as a polymethyl methacrylate film and a vinyl chloride-ethylene-glycidyl methacrylate co-polymer film, for example. However, this does not have a satisfactory sound insulation performance in the initial stage, and furthermore, it has a durability problem in that the performance deteriorates over long term use. The cause of this is that these resins undergo mass transfers because of the diffusion action at the interface, resulting in a diminished effectiveness as a constraint layer at the interface.
Tokkai Sho-60-27630 proposes an interlayer film comprising a poly vinyl chloride resin containing a plasticizer as a means to increase the sound insulation in the initial stage. Although this interlayer film has somewhat better initial sound insulation, the lamination process conditions have to be changed from the conditions for polyvinyl butyral interlayer films. Currently, polyvinyl butyral interlayer films are still the mainstream as the materials for laminated glass interlayer films, and, in the present situation, the preliminary bonding conditions of the lamination process are set at the conditions for polyvinyl butyral interlayer films.
Tokkai Sho-62-278148 proposes an interlayer film for laminated glass with low self-adhesion comprising a polyvinyl acetal resin whose acetal groups have a carbon number of 6-10 and a plasticizer. However, this interlayer film does not quite have sufficient sound insulation.
Tokkai Sho-51-106190 proposes to obtain a structure which has a damping effect in a wide temperature range by laminating two or more resins with different glass transition temperatures. This structure is found to have an improved damping effect over a wide temperature range. However, this Tokkai does not have descriptions about sound insulation and transparency necessary for laminated glass, and this structure does not satisfy the requirements for safety glass, such as high shock energy absorbion, and the prevention of scattering of fragments when the glass breaks.
Tokkai Sho-62-10106 proposes polyvinyl butyral with moderate cross-links by means of inter-molecular bonding. However, the laminated glass which comprises this resin and an added plasticizer has a sound insulation of only about 30 dB around room temperature.
Tokkai Hei-3-124441 describes an interlayer film comprising two or more laminated layers of polyvinyl butyral containing a plasticizer and with different degrees of polymerizations. However, the desired sound insulation performance cannot possibly be obtained by just laminating two or more layers of polyvinyl butyral with different degrees of polymerization.
Tokkai Sho-62-9928 describes extruded sheets comprising polyvinyl butyral resin with moderate cross-links by means of stable inter-molecular bonding and a plasticizer. However, this does not even qualify as grade JIS 30 around room temperature, and therefore the sound insulation performance is too poor.
Tokkai Hei-4-254444 proposes an interlayer film comprising laminated layers of a film of polyvinyl acetal resin whose acetal groups have a carbon number of 6-10 and a plasticizer, and a film of polyvinyl acetal resin whose acetal groups have a carbon number of 1-4 and a plasticizer. This interlayer film is found to have improved sound insulation, and its sound insulation performance does not vary significantly with varying temperatures. However, these effects are still not sufficient.
Of the interlayer films disclosed in Tokkai Hei-4-254444 described above, the interlayer film comprising films of polyvinyl butyral and a plasticizer laminated on both sides of a film of polyvinyl acetal whose acetal groups have a carbon number of 6-8 and a plasticizer qualifies as grade JIS 35, showing an improvement in the sound insulation performance. However, this does not show good sound insulation over a wide temperature range, which is an important requirement for a sound insulating interlayer film.
Tokko-Sho 40-3267 discloses the interlayer for safety laminated glass having 2 polyvinyl butyral films. However, this patent does not discuss a sound insulation quality. As we have shown so far, laminated glass which shows a superior sound insulation performance over a particularly wide temperature range and for a long period of time cannot be configured using the interlayer films of the prior arts described above.
Considering the points described above, the object of this invention is to provide a sound insulating interlayer film for laminated glass which does not hamper the basic properties necessary for laminated glass, such as transparency, weather resistance, shock energy absorption and adhesion to glass, prevents a decrease in the TL value by mitigating the coincidence effect, and maintains a superior sound insulation performance over a wide temperature range for a long period of time.


Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media configured to generate enhanced three-dimensional information. Three-dimensional information of a scene may be obtained. The three-dimensional information may define a three-dimensional point cloud model of the scene. The three-dimensional information may be determined based on distances of the scene from a location. Image information may be obtained. The image information may define one or more images of an object. The object may be identified based on the image information. A three-dimensional point cloud model of the object may be obtained. Enhanced three-dimensional information of the scene may be generated by inserting the three-dimensional point cloud model of the object into the three-dimensional point cloud model of the scene.

Under conventional approaches, three-dimensional training data may be generated based on observations of distances to objects (e.g., measurements of a scene using LIDAR). Three-dimensional training data may be used to train tools to identify objects and/or behavior of objects. For example, LIDAR data may be used by a detection software to identify objects. However, observations of distances to objects may be imprecise and/or inaccurate. For instance, LIDAR data for a scene may include errors due to faulty LIDAR readings. Additionally, physical observations of objects within scenes may not include observations of particular objects/scenes. Training of tools using such data may lead to inaccurate detection of objects by the tools.

Enhanced three-dimensional training data generation


An apparatus implementable on a firearm may include a takedown pin and a pivot pin. The takedown pin holds together a rear portion of lower and upper receivers of the firearm. The pivot pin holds together a front portion of lower and upper receivers of the firearm. Each of the takedown pin and pivot pin respectively includes a head and a generally cylindrical shank extending from the head toward a distal end thereof opposite the head. The shank is configured with: (1) a first groove track extending along a longitudinal axis of the shank, (2) a second groove track parallel to the first groove track and extending along the longitudinal axis of the shank, and (3) a linking groove track extending around the longitudinal axis of the shank and linking the first groove track and the second groove track.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims listed below and are not admitted as prior art by inclusion in this section.
Firearms such as AR15 rifles include an upper receiver and a lower receiver, which are typically engaged near a barrel location upon assembly with pivot and takedown pins. The pivot pin and takedown pin mainly provide the function of securing the upper and lower receivers together for normal use of the firearm. For purposes of maintenance such as cleaning, lubricating, or customizing parts of such a firearm, however, a user is typically required to disassemble the upper and lower receivers from each other by removing at least the takedown pin or both the takedown pin and pivot pin.
The pivot pin and the takedown pin need to be inserted into apertures in the upper and lower receivers of the firearm to assemble the lower receiver and upper receiver to each other. For the pivot pin, typically a corresponding detent pin needs to be inserted inside a chamber of the lower receiver, wherein the pivot pin depresses an associated spring underneath the detent pin as the pivot pin laterally slides into a pivot pin aperture on the lower receiver. For the takedown pin, the takedown pin is typically inserted into a takedown pin aperture first. Then, a corresponding detent pin and an associated spring are inserted inside another chamber of the lower receiver, whereby an end plate (or a receiver) depresses the spring and the detent pin as a castle nut tightens the end plate onto a buffer tube of the firearm. However, for both pivot pin and takedown pin, assembly and disassembly tend to be difficult for a user due to the opposing force that each spring associated with the pivot pin and takedown pin exerts. This is due to the protruding force exerted by the spring often impedes assembly and disassembly processes and causes problems for many users such as losing springs or pins if such small parts are not properly aligned.
Moreover, traditionally, many users follow tedious steps and require special tools such as Clevis pins in order to handle pins during assembly and disassembly of the upper receiver and the lower receiver of a firearm. Even with fancy tools that are solely dedicated to deal with the pivot and takedown pins, it is still tedious and time consuming for the user. Besides, traditional pivot and takedown pins have a single track where all three small parts of the spring, the detent pin, and either the pivot pin or the takedown pin need to be carefully guided and aligned simultaneously at one point during assembly and disassembly. Otherwise, inconvenience and frustration may result (e.g., the detent pin could take into the air due to spring compression).
There are pins that simplify disassembly and assembly processes using a magnet, but such pins in the market still do not solve issues such as inconvenience in disassembly that requires a tool to depress the detent pin each time. With existing and current configurations of pivot pins and takedown pins, it tends to be difficult for a user to switch the pins from a locking position to a release position easily and quickly in order to separate the upper and lower receivers that are joined together by the pivot pin and takedown pin.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Firearm receiver pins for quick disassembly and assembly


A transfer material and method of use for transferring monochrome and full colour images produced by a xerographic process or dry toner printing onto a substrate. The process requires the use of film form polymethylpentene material as the transfer material which is used to transfer the xerographic or dry toner image onto the substrate with the application of heat and pressure.

This invention is concerned with transfer materials and is specifically concerned with transfer materials which can be used to carry toner images for transfer onto a substrate.
More specifically, the invention relates to materials for use in or with the transfer of full colour and monochrome toner images produced by a xerographic photocopier or a dry toner printer, such as a laser printer, onto a substrate, including paper, card, cardboard, leathers, glass, ceramics, wood, metal, metallised materials, plastics materials, and film form materials and closely woven and closely knitted materials whether or not the surfaces of those materials are plain or have existing artwork thereon, or have been coated with any typical proprietary coating.
Attempts to transfer and so print images have been made previously but until now there has not been a successful attempt to provide a single xe2x80x98universalxe2x80x99 material which can be used both in xerographic photocopiers, laser printers and the like and also permit transfer of full colour images from one surface to another without the use of intermediate means such as adhesive materials and without loss of definition or colour tones or image quality.
Previously, it has been normal practice to use paper and other materials for carrying images which are copied from a photocopier or dry-ink or toner printer, but these images have, until recently, been fixed on the paper or other material as permanent images, the term xe2x80x9cpermanentxe2x80x9d meaning that the image so formed cannot be removed from the carrier without damaging it. In addition, it is also known to transfer images onto self-supporting films for use as overhead projection slides.
In some applications, it has been possible to transfer monochrome images from such paper or the like onto another surface by using special transfer materials but not to the extent that 100% of the image can be transferred, or more importantly that 100% of a full colour image can be transferred.
In the specification of UK patent application no. 9325904.2, there is disclosed a method and material for printing monochrome and full colour images onto a surface, the method comprising the steps of
(a) copying the image onto a carrier to provide a toner image on the carrier,
(b) placing the carrier against film form polyethylene ester material with the toner image between the carrier and the material,
(c) passing the carrier and the material through a heating station whereat, under pressure, the carrier and the material, with the toner image therebetween, are subjected to a temperature in the range of 140-160 degrees Celsius,
(d) thereafter removing the carrier from the material, with the toner image wholly transferred to the material,
(e) placing the material against a surface of a substrate onto which the toner image is to be ultimately transferred with the toner image there between, and
(f) passing the material and the substrate through a heating station whereat, under pressure, the material and the substrate, with the toner image therebetween, are subjected to a temperature in the range of 140-160 degrees Celsius to transfer the toner image from the material to said substrate,
the polyethylene ester material having thermal shrinkage characteristics of less than 1.0%.
The polyethylene ester material is exceptionally useful for printing images onto virtually any surface from an original image formed on paper in a copier or laser printer. However, the polyethylene ester material can not be used in the copier or printer itself and this requires that two separate sets of materials are required for image transfer, namely the one for carrying the initial image and the other for actually transferring the initial image to some other substrate.
With state of the art copiers and laser printers, it is possible to produce mirror images in the copiers themselves and for those mirrored images to be printed. Having that facility, it is then desirable to carry that image directly from the copier or printer onto a medium that will permit transfer of the image directly from the medium onto a substrate that is intended to carry the image permanently, e.g. the surface of a packaging blank.
UK patent specification no. 1215599 discloses a method of reproducing images on objects unsuitable for passage through an electrostatic copying machine, comprising: passing a sheet of material through a xerographic copying machine so that charged particles are distributed over the sheet of material in a pattern corresponding to the image to be reproduced; heating the sheet to cause the particles to adhere to the sheet; and subsequently placing the image-bearing surface of the sheet in contact with a further surface on which the image is required to be reproduced and applying heat and pressure to the said contacting surfaces until the particles transfer from the said sheet to the said further surface and fuse to the latter whereby on separation of the surfaces the fused pattern of particles is exposed on the said further surface. The method is said to be useful in forming images on surfaces of metal, glass, tiles, wood and fabric, and for forming transparencies such as overhead projection (OHP) foils.


The present invention includes a CP monitoring unit configured to monitor a CP voltage applied through a CP line from the controller of the slow charging cable when the slow charging cable is connected to an inlet, a mode switching request unit configured to request mode switching to the controller of the slow charging cable by converting the monitored CP voltage to a preset mode switching voltage; a communication switching unit configured to connect a LIN transceiver for LIN communication to the CP line when the controller of the slow charging cable is switched to a LIN communication mode for software update, and a control unit configured to control the LIN transceiver to transmit a pre-stored software update file to the controller of the slow charging cable, so that the controller's software can be updated without disassembling or damaging the controller of the slow charging cable.

In general, a controller (e.g., In Cable Control Box (ICCB)) provided in the slow charging cable is installed with software for performing control functions, and is provided to update the software through a debugger or a communication channel. The above-mentioned, software update using a debugger uses a Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) interface, and when using a communication channel, a communication channel such as Controller Area Network/Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter (CAN/UART) is used.
Moreover, since a controller provided in a conventional slow charging cable is assembled with an outer case fused or internally molded for waterproof, discharge, and the like, after the manufacturing is completed, the process of updating the software is very cumbersome.
That is, since the outer case needs to be broken or disassembled to update software, and must be reassembled with the controller provided in the conventional slow charging cable after the software update is completed, the software update process is very cumbersome, and a situation may occur in which a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) or electronic components inside the controller may be damaged.
In addition, when product damage occurs in the process of updating the software of the controller provided in the conventional slow charging cable, there is a problem that the controller itself needs to be replaced.
In order to solve this problem, a mobile xEV charger has been developed that mounts a wireless communication module to a controller provided in a conventional slow charging cable and updates software through wireless communication, but the manufacturing cost is greatly increased due to the installation of the wireless communication module and there is a problem that the product size is limited due to the complicated internal circuit structure and antenna installation.
Accordingly, there is a need to develop a technology that can provide a simple circuit structure and minimize the increase in manufacturing cost while performing software update without disassembling or damaging the controller provided in the slow charging cable.

Software update device and software update method using same


The outdoor display apparatus has a display unit, a blowing unit which generates air along the display unit, and a channel part which emits the air passed the display unit, wherein the channel part is extended to the lower part of the displaying unit from its side part, and at least a portion of the channel part is laid underground.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus, specifically relates to an outdoor display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, large-sized display apparatuses called "digital signage" which are deployed outdoors, and display information such as advertising information are emerging.
When these apparatuses are installed outdoors, liquid crystal panel may not operate properly due to heat caused by sunlight. Thus, it is necessary to employ a structure for cooling the panel.
One idea is to employ a fan for generating an air flow and thereby cooling the liquid crystal panel.
Further, the inventors of the present application has focused an attention to the fact that while the thermal conductivity of air is about 0.026 [W/m·K], the thermal conductivity of the ground is as large as 0.62. By notifying this characteristic, the inventors have invented a display apparatus which can further improve the cooling capability.


A coated steel sheet including a steel sheet and a coating layer provided on at least part of the surface of the steel sheet, in which the coating layer has a predetermined chemical composition in terms of % by mass, and the coating layer has a granular Mg2Sn phase-containing structure in an area fraction of from 5 to 65%, and a structure containing a solid solution of Zn and Al, and the granular Mg2Sn phase-containing structure is a structure constituted with a Zn phase and a granular Mg2Sn phase having a crystal grain size of less than 1 μm dispersed in the Zn phase.

In recent years, a coated steel sheet is used as an automobile structural member from the viewpoint of rust prevention, and an alloyed hot-dip zinc-coated steel sheet is mainly applied in the Japanese market. The alloyed hot-dip zinc-coated steel sheet is a coated steel sheet for which firstly hot-dip zinc-coating is performed on a steel sheet and then an alloying heat treatment is performed thereon such that the weldability and corrosion resistance after painting are improved by means of diffusion of Fe from the steel sheet (substrate steel sheet) in the coating layer. For example, a coated steel sheet described in Patent Literature 1 is representatively used as a coated steel sheet for automobiles in Japan.
Usually, a coated steel sheet for automobile is used in a state formed into a complex shape from a sheet form, therefore it is in many cases subjected to press forming. In the case of an alloyed hot-dip zinc-coated steel sheet, the coating layer becomes hard due to diffusion of Fe from the substrate steel sheet. Therefore, the coating layer is easily detached, and there is a unique problem such as powdering or flaking that is not experienced in a hot-dip zinc-coated steel sheet having a soft coating layer.
Further, in the case of a coated steel sheet provided with a hard coating layer, the coating layer is prone to be damaged by an external pressure, and once a crack is generated, the crack propagates to an interface between the coating layer and the steel substrate (steel sheet). And it is regarded as a problem that the coating layer is prone to be detached from the interface with the steel substrate (steel sheet) as a starting point to cause falling.
For example, when an alloyed hot-dip zinc-coated steel sheet is used for an automobile outer panel, the steel substrate (steel sheet) tends to be exposed due to simultaneous detachment a paint and a coating layer by an impingement of a stone (chipping) kicked up by a traveling vehicle. Therefore, its corrosion may be more severe than a coated steel sheet provided with a soft coating layer which is not alloyed.
Furthermore, in relation to rust prevention, the alloyed hot-dip zinc-coated steel sheet contains Fe in the coating layer. Therefore, when such chipping occurs, reddish-brown rust is readily generated due to corrosion of the coating layer, which causes a problem on the appearance of the automobile.
As a solution to these problems, it is effective to apply a coated steel sheet with a coating layer having a favorable toughness and not containing Fe. For example, as an automobile coated steel sheet with a coating layer not containing Fe, a hot-dip zinc-coating steel sheet is mainly used in North America, Europe, etc. In this regard, a hot-dip zinc-coating steel sheet which has not undergone an alloying treatment is resistant to chipping. In addition, since Fe is not contained in the coating layer in contrast to an alloyed hot-dip zinc-coated steel sheet, red rust in the initial stage of corrosion is also less likely to appear. However, when it is painted, the coating layer is easily corroded under the paint film to raise the paint film (blistering). Consequently, a hot-dip zinc-coating steel sheet is by no means suitable for an automobile coated steel sheet.
As a method of enhancing the corrosion resistance of a hot-dip Zn coating, there is, for example, a method of adding Al in the Zn coating layer. In the building materials field, as disclosed in Patent Literature 2, as a high corrosion resistance coated steel sheet, a hot-dip Al—Zn coated steel sheet is widely put to practical use. The coating layer of such a hot-dip Al—Zn coated steel sheet is constituted with a dendrite-like α-Al phase (dendritic structure) crystallized first from the molten state, and a structure consisting of a Zn phase and an Al phase formed in the interstices of the dendritic structures (interdendritic structure). The dendritic structure is passivated, and the interdendritic structure has a higher Zn concentration than the dendritic structure. Therefore, corrosion concentrates on the interdendritic structure.
As a result, corrosion propagates through the interdendritic structure in a moth-eaten pattern, and corrosion propagation paths become complicated, which makes it difficult for the corrosion to reach the steel substrate (steel sheet).
For this reason, when a hot-dip Al—Zn coated steel sheet is used as a not-painted bare material, its corrosion resistance is superior to a hot-dip zinc-coated steel sheet having the same thickness of the coating layer.
When such a hot-dip Al—Zn coated steel sheet is used as an automobile outer panel, the coated steel sheet is supplied to an automobile manufacturer, etc. in a state having been already coated in a continuous hot-dip metal coating facility. Therefore, it is common that the integral painting for an automobile including chemical conversion, electropainting, intermediate painting, and top coat painting is conducted after the coated steel sheet is processed into a panel part shape.
It has been also studied to add Mg to a Zn—Al coating layer for the purpose of improving the corrosion resistance. For example, Patent Literature 3 discloses a hot-dip Zn—Al—Mg coated steel sheet in which the corrosion resistance is improved by forming a Zn/Al/MgZn2 ternary eutectic structure containing a Mg compound such as MgZn2 in a coating layer. It is considered that the inclusion of Mg improves the sacrificial corrosion protection property of the coating layer to improve the anticorrosion effect of the steel substrate.
Patent Literature 4 discloses a hot-dip Al—Zn coated steel sheet in which the corrosion resistance after painting is improved by breaking down a passive state of the dendritic structure by inclusion of Sn or In.
Further, Patent Literature 5 and 6 describe a hot-dip Al—Zn alloy coated steel sheet which contains Mg and Sn in combination. In Patent Literature 5 and 6, it is described that the hot-dip Al—Zn alloy coated steel sheet is superior in corrosion resistance after painting and/or workability.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2003-253416
Patent Literature 2: JP-B No. S46-7161
Patent Literature 3: JP-A No. 2001-329383
Patent Literature 4: Japan International Publication No. WO2014/155944
Patent Literature 5: JP-A No. 2015-214747
Patent Literature 6: JP-A No. 2002-180225


A working device for forcing an armature shaft is disclosed. The working device comprises a sub-index and a main index. The sub-index has a first stopping position adjacent to a shaft storage means for storing armature shafts, and a second stopping position adjacent to a knurl-working means for carrying out a knurl-working to the armature shaft. The main index has a core-feed stopping position at which an armature core is fed by an armature core feed means, a shaft-forcing stopping position at which the armature shaft supplied from the sub-index side is forced into the through-hole of the armature core by a shaft-forcing means, and a discharge stopping position from which the armature core with the forced armature shaft is discharged outside of the main index.

1. Industrial Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a working device which can carry out a knurl-working to an armature shaft and can force the armature shaft into the through-hole of an armature core for a motor.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, an armature shaft has been attached to an armature core for a motor by forcing the armature shaft into the through-hole of the armature core after knurl-working of the armature shaft, in order to prevent rotation of the armature shaft with respect to the armature core. In this case, the step of the knurl-working is independent of the step of forcing the armature shaft into the through-hole of the armature core. The knurl worked armature shaft is supplied to an armature shaft forcing machine by the aid of human power after the direction of the armature shaft is correctly selected by the aid of human power. Thereafter, the armature shaft is forced into the through-hole of the armature core by means of the armature shaft forcing machine. Thus, the knurl-working for the armature shaft and the forcing of the armature shaft into the through-hole of the armature core are carried out by steps different from each other.
The knurl-working is carried out on the armature shaft asymmetrically with respect to the center of the length. That is, the knurl-working is carried out on the portion of the armature shaft except the portions in the vicinity of both ends thereof. Each of the non-knurl-working portions, in the vicinity of both ends of the armature shaft, has a different length to each other.
In order to force the armature shaft into the through-hole of the armature core, the so-called constant-length forcing system has been generally adopted. In this system, an armature shaft is forced into the through-hole of an armature core which is supported on the predetermined position, by a press machine having a hydraulic cylinder, to knock the armature shaft against a stopper fixed at a predetermined position. Consequently, the position of the armature shaft, relative to the armature core, can be determined.
The knurl-working is carried out on the portion of the armature so that each of the non-knurl-working portions in the vicinity of both ends of the armature shaft is different from each other, so that the armature shaft has a correct direction for forcing. However, the armature shaft has often been forced into the through-hole of an armature core in the wrong direction.
When various kinds of armature shafts are forced into the through-holes of armature cores, it is necessary to take account of the kind of armature shaft and the direction of the shaft. Therefore, the kind of armature shaft and the forcing direction of the shaft have been ascertained by the aid of human power. However, this determination not only requires a long time, but can also result in the possibility of making an incorrect ascertainment, with respect to the kind of armature shaft and the forcing direction of the shaft.

Working device for forcing armature shaft


A document conveyer for conveying a document to a predetermined position on platen glass of a copying machine, including; a document feeder for feeding the document from the outside of the document conveyer to a conveyance roller, located on the platen glass the conveyance roller, for conveying the document onto the platen glass by rotating in the forward direction, and also for subsequently bringing the trailing edge of the document into contact with an edge setting member, located adjacent to the platen glass, by rotating in the reverse direction so that the document is set at the predetermined position on the platen glass, an auxiliary conveyance roller, located on the platen glass, for conveying the document onto the platen glass by functioning with the conveyance roller when the document is longer than a predetermined size, and a roller retractor for retracting the auxiliary conveyance roller from the platen glass so that the auxiliary conveyance roller does not convey the document, in which the auxiliary conveyance roller is retracted from the platen glass by the roller retractor while the document is being brought into contract with the setting edge member by the conveyance roller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvement of a document conveyance apparatus which automatically feeds a document onto a document table (platen glass) of a copier, image reading equipment, etc. and discharges the document after processing from such document table.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, the document conveyance apparatus of this type is composed of a document store (paper feeding tray) placed on the side of the document table, document feeding means for feeding the document one by one onto the above document table from such paper feeding tray, document conveyance means placed on the above document table which conveys the document fed from the above document feeding means, places it correctly on the exposure position on the above document table and discharges the document from the above document table upon completion of a prescribed number of exposures, and paper discharging means which collects the documents, for which exposure has been completed, and places them on a discharging paper tray.
This document conveyance apparatus was provided with a document conveyance means which conveyed the document by pressing the document against the platen glass surface with a white endless belt on the platen glass of a copier and also by movement of such belt. In other words, this document conveyance means pressed the document by covering the entire surface of the platen glass with the endless belt and simultaneously conveyed it while generating frictional forces with appropriate places on the document surface via slight slackness therebetween. On account of the above arrangement, there were the following problematic points:
1. Space in the thickness direction became necessary to allow for the belt rotation, thereby increasing the height of the equipment proper, and the equipment became large;
2. Maintenance quality was not satisfactory because of lowering of the pressing force with the passage of time due to fatigue or degradation of the belt and also because of frequent troubles due to lack in elasticity;
3. A large-sized motor of high output had to be used, because the belt was rotated while sliding it on the platen glass.
Applicant of the present invention has earlier improved the above problematic points, and has proposed a document conveyance apparatus which can realize reduction in equipment thickness and improvement in maintenance quality (Japanese patent application No. 3341/1988).
The document conveyance apparatus of the present invention is constructed so as to have low overall apparatus height and also to permit document conveyance without use of an endless belt. A document holding sheet member (white-colored fixing sheet member, hereinafter called the sheet member) is provided along the platen glass surface in the apparatus proper placed above the copier. A document conveyance roller is slidably contacted to the above platen glass surface via holes provided at appropriate places in such sheet member.
The document conveyance roller in the above document conveyance apparatus consists of a multiple number of rollers for conveying documents of various sizes on the platen glass, and each roller will have the rotating force transmitted thereto from the driving source.
In this document conveyance apparatus, the document is normally conveyed into the space between the platen glass surface and the document holding sheet by its conveyor, then such document is sent in the reverse direction, so that the document rear end will run against the stopper board (striking board), for determining and stopping the document at the correction position, then exposure will be made on the document in such striking and stopping conditions.
FIG. 21 is a plan view showing the document sizes and the layout of conveying rollers. In the diagram, the document of various sizes will stop at the striking board 12 in the extreme left of the document table (platen glass) 11, where the document will undergo an exposure process. On the upper surface of the above document table there are provided document conveying rollers 301, 302, 303 and the white-colored sheet member 304 of the document conveyance apparatus.
However, in such document conveyance apparatus, when a document is conveyed toward the striking board on the document table, in the case of a document of the smallest size, for example, a B6 size or a B5 size document, such document will be conveyed under pressure contact, being slidably moved by one set of the document conveying rollers closest to the striking board. In the case of a document of the largest size, for example, an size document, such document will be conveyed under pressure contact, being slidably moved by a number of document conveying roller sets.
In this manner, with respect to documents of each size which are run against the striking board, in the case of a document of small size, its striking force will be small, being run and stricken only by the sliding conveying force of one set of the document conveying rollers closest to the striking. Board the case of a document of medium size and in the case of a document of large size, they are run and stricken by the sliding conveying force of 2 sets or 3 sets of the document conveying rollers. Therefore, the striking force of medium size documents and large size documents against the striking board will become large proportionately with the number of roller sets.
At the time of sending the document backward and stopping it at the striking board, when the striking force of the document caused by each document conveying roller is excessive, the rear end of the document may be folded, wrinkles may be generated in the document, or the document may be set diagonally. Alternately, there may arise such troubles as where the rear end of the document rides on the upper surface of the striking board or the document further passes above the striking board and returns to the paper feeder side.

Document conveyance apparatus with retractable auxiliary conveyance roller


It is presented a protection circuit for a drive circuit of a permanent magnet motor being powered by a main DC source. The protection circuit comprises a protection circuit DC source; a changeover switch being arranged to select an input to a gate of a main drive switch of the drive circuit, the input being selectable between an output of the protection circuit DC source and a second control signal; and a changeover control device connected to control the changeover switch, which changeover control device is arranged to ensure that the changeover switch is connected to the output of the second side of the protection circuit DC source when an overvoltage is detected.

Faults during operation of permanent magnet electrical motors are fortunately very rare. However, in the situation that a fault does occur, since there is a permanent magnet rotor, the motor can in this case operate as a generator. Consequently, if rotor speed is sufficiently high a generated overvoltage will result causing electrical stress on components of any drive system connected to the motor. This can result in costly repairs and significant system down times.
One way to reduce any ill-effects of faults, is to over dimension any components that would be subjected to high voltage during faults. However, such over dimensioning is expensive and may also require more space to house physically larger components.
JP-2000 184 770 presents a solution where breakers are used to cut off an electrical connection between inverter and a permanent magnet AC motor. However, breakers are relatively slow and a faster solution would reduce any ill-effects during a fault.

Protection circuit for a drive circuit of a permanent magnet motor and corresponding system


An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a movable unit and a fixed unit. The movable unit has an imaging device and can be moved and rotated on a plane which is perpendicular to an optical axis of a camera lens of the photographing apparatus. The fixed unit supports the movable unit in a movable and rotatable situation on the plane. The movable unit and the fixed unit have a position-detecting apparatus that detects first position-information of the movable unit in a first direction being perpendicular to the optical axis. The is fixed unit has an optical sensor unit that has two position-detecting elements which are used for detecting the first position-information as the position-detecting apparatus. The movable unit has a slit light-source unit that has two slit light-sources which are used for detecting the first position-information as the position-detecting apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anti-shake apparatus for a photographing device (apparatus), and in particular to a position-detecting apparatus for a movable unit that includes the imaging device etc., and that can be moved for correcting the hand-shake effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
An anti-shake apparatus for a photographing apparatus is proposed. The anti-shake apparatus corrects for the hand-shake effect by moving a hand-shake correcting lens or an imaging device on a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis, corresponding to the amount of hand-shake which occurs during imaging.
Japanese unexamined patent publication (KOKAI) No. 63-099680 discloses an anti-shake apparatus for a photographing apparatus. The anti-shake apparatus performs linear movement and rotating operations of a movable unit, which includes a hand-shake correcting lens, by using a magnet and a coil, and performs a position-detecting operation of the movable unit, by using a hall element and a magnet. The linear movement operation is for correcting the linear movement component of the hand-shake of the photographing apparatus. The rotating operation is for correcting the rotational movement component of the hand-shake of the photographing apparatus.
However, the moving apparatus for the linear movement and the moving apparatus for the rotating are separated, so that the anti-shake apparatus is enlarged


A method of monitoring a subterranean operation includes sampling fluid from a borehole during the operation, and estimating, in near real time, a concentration of one or more gases in the sampled fluid and an isotope composition of the sampled fluid. The method also includes identifying an operational inefficiency in the operation based on the isotope composition associated with the one or more gases, and performing, during the operation, at least one of: alerting an operator and adjusting an operational parameter of the operation, based on identifying the operational inefficiency.

Borehole drilling is utilized in a number of applications, including exploration and production of natural gases and fluids, mineral extraction, gas storage, waste disposal, carbon dioxide sequestration, geothermal production and others. For example, in hydrocarbon exploration and production operations, boreholes are drilled deep into the earth to access hydrocarbon-bearing formations. Different types of tools and instruments may be disposed in the boreholes to perform various tasks and measurements. As drilling operations are improved to perform faster drilling, and deeper and more challenging formations are targeted, components such as drill bits experience harsher downhole conditions, which increase the potential for wear, damage and other inefficiencies.

Quantifying operational inefficiencies utilizing natural gasses and stable isotopes


Flush mount sensor packages and packaging methods for micromachined transducers, which can be used for fluid flow measurements, are provided. A sensor package can include a substrate, a sensor mounted on a front side of the substrate, a wire bond coupled to the sensor and passing through the substrate, and a shim cap positioned around the sensor. The wire bond does not protrude above the topside of the sensor, and the shim cap and the sensor can be substantially flush.

Commercial aircraft manufacturers are continuously trying to reduce the amount of noise that aircrafts produce for a multitude of reasons. Major contributors include shockcell noise, buzzsaw noise, boundary layer noise, and other flow-induced noise such as that caused by airflow over the pilot windshield, cavities (e.g., wheel wells), or due to seal issues on doors, wing to body joints, or flap seals. Extended periods of exposure to aircraft noise is a recognized form of air pollution, causing health concerns to humans and animals in areas around airports. In addition, noise is a concern for passengers and flight crews, which experience long-term exposure to in-flight noise. There are even regulations that limit the effective perceived noise level (EPNL) that an aircraft can emit.
Microphones are essential tools used by aeroacousticians to locate, understand and mitigate the impact of noise sources on aircrafts. Such microphones, especially those used for in-flight measurements, can be subject to extreme conditions including high pressures, large changes in temperature, and moisture. Dynamic pressure arrays require small sensing elements, high bandwidth, and close spacing in order to adequately resolve the time and length scales of interest in flow, while aeroacoustic phased arrays require large channel counts to be effective. In terms of performance, these sensors must be able to sense large sound pressure levels without distorting, possess a moderate noise floor, and the sensitivity must be known precisely within a set bandwidth.
Due to the demanding conditions in which aircraft microphones must perform, and their high performance requirements, their costs can be high and the associated costs can hinder the ability to obtain needed measurements. Even with their high cost, commercial sensors are still often constrained by the quality and type of measurements they can obtain. In designing a sensor, additional factors that need to be taken into account include the size of the sensor, the sensor package, and external power and signal conditioning requirements.

University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated


In a liquid crystal colour display device having a row and column array of red, green and blue picture elements (12) in which each column comprises picture elements of a respective colour and in which the picture elements are each associated with a switching element (14), e.g. a TFT or MIM, and are driven via sets of crossing address conductors (20,22) with each row of picture elements being connected with a conductor (22) of one set and each conductor of the other set being connected to one picture element in each row and in different columns, as in a so-called delta configuration display, each conductor (20) of the other set is arranged, for example in zig-zag fashion, so as to connect with picture elements in at least three, and preferably seven, successive columns. A reduction in vertical cross-talk effects is then obtained particularly when using preferred line inversion drive schemes.

This invention relates to a liquid crystal colour display device comprising liquid crystal picture elements for displaying three different colours which are arrayed in rows and columns with each column comprising picture elements associated with a respective colour, in which the picture elements are each associated with a respective switching element and are driven via first and second sets of address conductors which cross one another with each row of picture elements being connected with a respective address conductor of the first set and with each address conductor of the second set being connected with a respective picture element in each row and associated with picture elements of more than one colour.
Display devices of this kind are known, for example from EP-A-0244013, and can be used for displaying alpha-numeric or video, e.g. T.V. information. The switching elements may comprise three terminal devices, such as TFTs, or two terminal, non-linear, devices of various forms such as MIMs, back to back diodes, diode rings etc. The picture elements are driven a row at a time by applying scanning signals to each of the first set of address conductors in sequence and synchronised data signals to the address conductors of the other set. The polarity of the drive voltages applied to the picture elements is periodically inverted, in accordance with standard practice, in order to improve display quality.
For visual perception considerations, the lay-out of the colour picture elements is preferably in a so-called delta configuration in which the filter elements are arranged in a triangular pattern. Examples of delta-configuration display devices are described in EP-A-0244013, using TFTs, and in the paper entitled "A 1.7 M Pixel Full-Colour Diode Driven AM-LCD" by M. Vijan et al in SID 90 Digest at pages 530 to 533, using two terminal switching devices. The picture element lay-out is such that each row of picture elements consists of a repeating R (red), G (green) and B (blue) picture element sequence with the picture elements of one row being shifted relative to those of a juxtaposed row by half a period. A display colour triad, or triplet, may then be obtained comprising a triangular group of three picture elements, R, G and B, in which two of the colour picture elements, e.g. R and G are juxtaposed in the same row, and the third element, B, lies in the juxtaposed row of picture elements mid-way below the R and G elements with each row of colour triads therefore being constituted by two rows of picture elements. As described in EP-A-0244013 a column address conductor can be used, and shared, by two adjacent columns of picture elements, comprising, for a column of triads, one of the two picture elements in one row and the third picture element in the juxtaposed row, and each individual column conductor is associated with picture elements of two colours. A similar delta configuration of picture elements may be used also in a display device in which each colour triad is constituted by three adjacent picture elements, one of each colour, in the same row. This has the advantage over the previous arrangement in that a row of colour points can be addressed via a single row conductor rather than two row conductors, but has the disadvantage of reduced horizontal resolution.
In actively-addressed display devices using two or three terminal non-linear devices the capacitance of these active devices can couple part of the data signal applied to a column address conductor onto a picture element when the active device associated with that picture element is in its off-state. If the capacitance of an active device is sufficiently large in relation to the capacitance of the picture element then the amplitude of the signal coupled onto the picture element will produce vertical cross-talk effects whereby the voltage on the picture element, and hence its transmission, is altered by data signal voltages intended for other picture elements associated with the same column conductor. Usually, this effect is greatest if field rate inversion of the column, data, signal is used, but can be reduced in certain kinds of display devices if a line rate inversion drive scheme, intended to eliminate flicker effects, is employed in which the column signal is inverted every line which can result in the effect of capacitive coupling on the rms voltage of the picture element, and hence the effect on its transmission, being reduced. However, the use of this line inversion drive scheme in overcoming problems with cross-talk has limitations. In particular, it is less effective in colour display devices having colour (R,G,B) picture elements arranged in delta configuration of the known kind. Due to the configuration of colour picture elements in relation to respective column conductors significant vertical cross-talk can still occur even if line rate inversion is used.
It is an object of the present invention to provide liquid crystal colour display device in which vertical cross-talk effects are reduced.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal colour display device having a delta configuration of colour picture elements and driven using a line inversion drive scheme which exhibits a reduction in vertical cross-talk effects.

Liquid crystal colour display device with zig-zag pattern


Life cycle management of rule sets, each rule set including rules for managing the operation of a computing system, including: identifying, by a life cycle management module, a rule life cycle state for each rule in the rule set, wherein the rule life cycle state specifies the current deployment status of the rule; identifying, by the life cycle management module, a linkage set for each rule in the rule set, wherein the linkage set identifies versions of the rule that are in a different rule life cycle state; and updating, by the life cycle management module, the rule set, including: updating the rule life cycle state for one or more rules in the rule set; and updating the linkage set for one or more rules in the rule set.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is data processing, or, more specifically, methods, apparatus, and products for life cycle management of rule sets.
2. Description of Related Art
Modern computing systems can be configured and operate through the use of rules that dictate the manner in which the computing system is configured and the manner in which the computing system operates. The life cycle of rule typically runs through three stages: a rule is created, a rule is deployed, and a rule is deleted. Any new rules, modified rules, or customized rules simply over-write current rules, so that existing rules may be unintentionally deleted.

International Business Machines Corporation


A stator includes an iron core 3 in which a plurality of teeth 2 are connected into an integral body, and coil wires 5 each of which is wound in series around each set of a predetermined number of teeth included in the plurality of teeth. Each of the coil wires 5 is routed in a slanting direction between opposed faces of two adjacent teeth 2 in each set of the predetermined number of teeth 2, so that each of the coil wires makes a transition from a wire wound around one of them 2 to a wire wound around the other tooth 2.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stator in which one coil wire is wound around each set of a plurality of teeth, and an electric motor equipped with this stator.
2. Description of Related Art
A stator mounted in an electric motor is provided with an iron core in which a plurality of teeth are connected into an integral body. An insulator (an insulating material) is attached to each of the plurality of teeth, and a coil wire is wound around this insulator. In this case, the plurality of teeth are divided into three sets (corresponding to the U-phase, the V-phase, and the W-phase of the electric motor respectively), and one coil wire is wound around each of the three sets of teeth. In this case, it is necessary to route the coil wire between two teeth. So, in a conventional stator, by extending the coil wire wound around the insulator across an outside portion of the insulator (i.e., a portion on a back yoke side), this coil wire is made to reach another insulator (for example, see patent references 1 and 2).    [Patent reference 1] JP,3741600,B    [Patent reference 2] JP,2008-167604,A
A problem with the conventional stator is however that because the coil wire is made to extend across the outside portion of the insulator when routing the coil wire between two teeth, it is necessary to increase the size of the insulator, especially the thickness of the insulator on a side of the back yoke so as to prevent the insulator from yielding to the tensile strength caused by the coil wire. Another problem is that because the coil wire is arranged also in the outside portion of the insulator, it is difficult to ensure the insulation distance between the coil wire arranged in the outside portion of the insulator and the case of the electric motor enclosing the stator and therefore there is a possibility that a short circuit occurs between the coil wire arranged in the outside portion of the insulator and the case of the electric motor. A further problem is that because it is necessary to make the coil wire extend across the outside portion of the insulator, the time required to wind the coil wire around the insulator and the cost of facilities required for the winding increase, and the length of the coil wire wound around the insulator increases.


A plurality of network addresses identify a source device in the network. A plurality of subscriptions for the source device to receive messages from the target devices each identify one of the target devices and one of the source network addresses the identified target device uses to communicate with the source device. Upon detecting a change to a changed network address, a determination is made of a subscription indicating the changed network address and the target device indicated in the determined subscription is determined. A selection is made of a selected network address, other than the changed network address is selected. If the selected network address can be used to communicate between the determined target device and the source device, then the selected network address is used and provided to the determined target device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer program product, system, and method for determining a network address for managed devices to use to communicate with a management server in response to a change in a currently used network address.
2. Description of the Related Art
A management server may manage multiple connected managed devices over one or more networks. The management server establishes network connections with the managed devices so that the managed devices can transmit event notifications to the management server so that the server may perform typical management operations, such as configuring the managed devices in the networks, providing updates, handling failover and failback procedures, etc.
The management server maintains separate subscriptions and protocols on multiple networks to receive notifications from the managed devices. Subscriptions provide information on connections with the managed devices and on the communication protocols used to communicate with the managed devices, such as Storage Management Initiative-Specification (SMI-S), Common Information Model (CIM), proxy providers, native Application Programming Interface (API) providers, Tivoli Storage Productivity Center (TPC) Storage Resource Groups, and direct event subscription on devices.
There is a need in the art for improved techniques for maintaining network addresses used by the managed devices to initiate a connection to communicate with the management server, such as for sending alerts and notifications.

Determining a network address for managed devices to use to communicate with manager server in response to a change in a currently used network address


A pumping system is provided which is a mobile, vehicle-mounted pumping system, such as for water or fuels, which mounts on a vehicle and may be used for various applications. The pumping system operates a drive system and control system for liquid pumps almost exclusively by hydraulic fluid pressure.

It is known to provide pumping systems for use in mobile applications such as vehicle-mounted pumping systems. An example of one such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,073 B1 (O'Sullivan) which discloses a pumping system typically used on a fire truck. In this application, the vehicle is provided with a hydraulic drive system wherein a liquid pump for pumping water is driven by a fixed displacement hydraulic motor, which motor is in turn driven by a variable displacement hydraulic pump. A controller is provided to modulate hydraulic output of the variable displacement hydraulic pump to maintain a constant liquid pressure at the outlet of the water pump. The system uses an electronic control system comprising a motor speed transducer for the hydraulic motor and a liquid outlet pressure transducer, which transducers are connected to an electronic controller device that thereby varies the output of the variable displacement hydraulic pump to vary the liquid pressure and control the motor speed. However, the system may be undesirable since fluctuations in the liquid outlet pressure may occur which may make it difficult to quickly make corresponding changes in the variable displacement hydraulic pump. Further, the electronic control system may be subject to failure, particularly in hostile environments wherein an electronic control system may be difficult to maintain.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved pumping system for mobile applications, particularly where a pumping system is provided on vehicles such as a trailer or the like. Further, it is an object of the invention to provide a pumping system which provides an improved control of the liquid outlet pressure supplied by a fluid pump, and provide a system which is particularly suitable for hostile environments which require a stable drive system for the pumps as well as a control system therefor.
The pumping system of the invention is a mobile, vehicle-mounted pumping system, such as for water, fuels or other suitable liquids, which mounts on a trailer and may be used for various applications where it is necessary to pump fluids, such as a variety of liquids from remote and/or temporary storage tanks and facilities. While the following summary may reference liquid pumps for convenience, any of a variety of process fluids may be pumped or distributed by fluid distribution equipment. The system comprises one or more fluid or liquid pumps which are connected to and driven by a drive system for the pumps and by a control system for controlling the outlet pressure of the liquid or process fluid being discharged from the pumps.
The pumping system operates the drive system and the control system almost exclusively by hydraulic fluid pressure which avoids the necessity of an electronic control system to control the pump outlet pressure which may be more complex to maintain and susceptible to failure, particularly in harsh, hostile or remote environments.
The main system components are a diesel engine, one or more fluid pumps for distributing the process fluid, which pumps preferably are each driven by a hydraulic motor, a hydraulic drive system, which generates hydraulic fluid pressure to drive each motor, and a hydraulic control system, which controls and varies the output of the process fluid pressure of the liquid pumps by varying the pressure of the hydraulic fluid that drives each hydraulic motor. The process fluid pumps preferably are positive displacement pumps which pump liquids as the process fluid.
To generate the hydraulic system pressure, a drive shaft of the diesel engine is connected to and drives a variable displacement hydraulic pump, i.e. a main pump, wherein the pump output is the system pressure that is supplied to and drives the hydraulic motors. The main pump has a variable output that selectively varies the system pressure generated thereby to thereby vary the motor operation which in turn, varies the pump output from the fluid pumps. The pumping system operates upon the principal that the system pressure driving the motors directly corresponds to or is proportional to the liquid output pressure in the fluid distribution system. For example, 5200 psi of hydraulic system pressure supplied to the hydraulic motor generates an outlet pressure from the liquid pump of 150 psi. A controlled reduction in the system pressure correspondingly reduces the fluid pump outlet pressure such that controlling the hydraulic system pressure driving the motors also controls the fluid pressure that is output from the pumps.
The output of the main pump is controlled mechanically by a swash plate wherein the position of the swash plate is selectively moved to vary the pump displacement and outlet pressure generated by the main pump when driven by the diesel engine. Preferably, the output of the main pump is accomplished by destroking the main pump. The invention comprises the method and system for moving the swash plate to control the system pressure and thereby control the fluid pump output and vary the liquid output pressure supplied to the distribution system.
The swash plate is mechanically moved by a swash plate control which is a pressure balancing solenoid that is pressurized on one side by a low charge pressure supplied by a charge pump which charge pump is also driven by the diesel engine. The pressure balancing solenoid is pressurized on a second side by a variable control pressure which preferably is a destroking pressure that destrokes the main pump to vary its output. This control pressure is manually adjustable by a system control valve to set the maximum system pressure and maintain such pressure. This system control valve receives the high system pressure from the outlet of the main pump and has a manually rotatable valve wherein a control knob is rotated to set the max system pressure. In this regard, the control valve is adjusted which essentially generates an adjusted pressure exiting the control valve which is fed to the swash plate control solenoid as the destroke pressure to vary the swash plate in a manner that quickly varies the system pressure that is output from the main pump in correspondence to the adjusted destroke pressure supplied to the solenoid.
Initially, the charge pressure supplied to the pressure balancing solenoid moves the swash plate so that the pump is at full stroke. Once the system pressure builds and opens the sequence valve, the control pressure or destroke pressure is supplied to the swash plate control to destroke the main pump away from full stroke to stabilize the system pressure at the max system pressure governed by the system control or sequence valve.
For example, the system pressure may be 5200 psi but the system control valve is adjusted to reduce this maximum system pressure to 4200 psi as the adjusted maximum system pressure. The adjusted pressure is at a high pressure and is supplied to a pressure reducer so that a reduced control pressure is usable in the pressure balancing solenoid in conjunction with the lower pressure generated by the charge pump wherein the relative magnitudes of the control pressure and charge pressure vary the swash plate position. This reduced control pressure is fed to the swash plate control and balances with the charge pressure from the charge pump. Preferably, the control pressure destrokes the pump so as to operate as a destroke pressure. The swash plate control therefore has two balanced pressures which find equilibrium by movement of a spring-biased piston in the swash plate control which piston then mechanically moves the swash plate to control the output displacement of the main pump.
As the swash plate moves, it lowers the pump output pressure from the main pump which thereby reduces the pressure to the motors which in turn reduces the outlet pressure of the liquid pump. Hence, by manually adjusting the system control valve by rotating the knob, the system pressure driving the motors is raised or lowered which thereby raises or lowers the outlet pressure of the liquid pump.
In this manner, the system of driving and controlling the water pumps is all hydraulic and virtually no electronic controls are required to operate the system at a set outlet pressure. While some electronics may be provided primarily for system monitoring and safety shutoff, such electronics may be omitted or disabled for various reasons and the pumping system will continue to operate. Also, this is a fast reacting system. When water valves or other process valves of the fluid distribution system are closed downstream of the liquid pumps by an operator, this dramatically stops the liquid flow yet there is no pressure surge in the system that would be caused if the pumps kept operating after the process valve was closed. This is a particular concern for positive displacement pumps which differ from centrifugal pumps.
Other objects and purposes of the invention, and variations thereof, will be apparent upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience and reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words "upwardly", "downwardly", "rightwardly" and "leftwardly" will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words "inwardly" and "outwardly" will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the arrangement and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.

Hydraulic drive and control system for pumps using a charge pump


A method is used in managing verification of input data. A first set of input information is received at a first logical object, and a second set of input information is received at a second logical object. The first and second sets of input information are indicated as having a same origin. Based on the first and second sets of input information, it is determined whether the first set of input information is valid.

Existing computer systems typically employ a variety of security-related functions for protection against potentially harmful user activity. For example, user authentication is often employed which requires a user to provide a password or other credentials which establishes the user's identity and protects against the possibility of an intruder or fraudster masquerading as an authorized user and engaging in harmful activity. Another type of function, referred to as access control, enforces limitations on the activities that authorized users can engage in. In one common example, access controls may be placed on certain storage devices or file system directories so that only certain users are permitted to access the data therein. Such access controls can serve to protect sensitive data from being accidentally deleted or used for an improper purpose by a user who has no legitimate need for access to the data. One dimension of access control may regard a type of user. Users can include typical or "non-privileged" users and "privileged" users who engage in more sensitive operations. Privileged users, who are normally selected in part based on perceived trustworthiness, are by definition granted greater access to system operational functions than is granted to non-privileged users.
Existing security functions may not always provide adequate protection against certain types of harmful activity. For example, the password of a user may be compromised enabling an intruder or fraudster to engage in harmful activities. In a further example, a privileged user can engage in harmful and unethical activities such as downloading sensitive information for their own benefit. It will be appreciated that such activities could cause tremendous problems and incur substantial cost to an organization.
It will also be known by those skilled in the art that so-called phishing attacks are also a substantial threat. A phishing attack usually involves an attacker or fraudster fooling the user to exchange secret data such as the log-on details. The attacker, a man-in-the-middle, uses the transmitted authentication data thereafter or simultaneously to affect a log-on procedure under the identity of the attacked authorized user and misuse the user's rights.
Organizations involved in software development may employ a source code control (SCC) system for managing source code assets produced by software developers. SCC systems provide numerous benefits to these organizations, including serving as a central source code repository for storing source code assets, retaining historical information about how source code assets have evolved over time, providing access to historical versions of the source code assets, and providing a mechanism for developers to share source code with team members.
The Bluetooth standard has been introduced to provide low-cost, short-range wireless communication between mobile devices such as a portable PC (Personal Computer) and a mobile phone. The Bluetooth standard enables wireless voice/data communication between various digital devices, using a radio frequency. For example, a mobile phone and a notebook computer (a portable PC), when employing the Bluetooth technology, can be wirelessly connected to each other without using a cable. The Bluetooth technology is applicable to all kinds of digital devices, including a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a desktop computer, a FAX (facsimile), a keyboard and a joystick.
The Bluetooth system supports point-to-point and point-to-multipoint connections. Devices sharing one channel should also share a channel capacity, and a set of these devices is called a "piconet". That is, the piconet is defined as a set of devices connected to one another through a Bluetooth ad-hoc network. In general, one piconet includes 7 devices: one of the 7 devices serves as a master for performing piconet management operations such as the generation of a frequency hopping pattern, while the remaining devices serve as slaves.
Recent advances in speech recognition (SR) technology and increases in hardware capabilities have made speech recognition based user interfaces for desktop and mobile systems commercially viable. SR technology takes spoken words and translates them into a format, which can easily be manipulated and displayed by digital systems.
Speech recognition software is currently available (e.g. NATURALLY SPEAKING from Dragon System, Inc., PLAINTALK from Apple Computer, VIA VOICE from IBM and FREESPEECH from Philips Talk).
Mobile devices can interact with digital computer networks to utilize speech recognition services in conjunction with the standard mobile device user interface (e.g. a phone keypad). A wireless communication system utilizes a remote speech recognition server system to translate voice input received from mobile devices into a mobile-suitable form that can be processed by the mobile devices. The translation process begins by establishing a voice communication channel between a mobile device and the speech recognition server. A user of the mobile device then begins speaking in a fashion that may be detected by the speech recognition server system. Upon detecting the user's speech, the speech recognition server system translates the speech into the mobile-suitable form, which is then sent to the user through a separate data communication channel.
Multimodal applications can accept multiple types, or modes, of input. For example, a multimodal application can accept input from users such as typed commands and mouse clicks; however the multimodal application also can accept other forms of input such as voice input. Voice recognition systems can interpret the voice input using a grammar that includes a particular vocabulary.
There is a need for computer systems to have further security-related functions for protection against potentially harmful activity.


The present invention discloses an automatic wallpaper setting method, a terminal device, and a graphical user interface. The method includes: obtaining, by a terminal device when a multimedia file of at least one preset widget changes, one or more first posters corresponding to a current multimedia file, where the at least one widget is displayed on a screen of the terminal device; setting at least one of the obtained one or more first posters as wallpaper of a current screen; and displaying the specified wallpaper. Content of a desktop widget can be extended, and more information can be provided for a user without increasing a user operation, thereby improving user experience.

In an intelligent operating system, such as Android, a desktop supports a widget function (namely, a desktop widget) that allows a direct operation on a function such as music. The desktop widget can both display information (such as a song name), and support related operations (such as playback, and switching to a previous one/a next one), and can also be used as an entry for enabling a function of an app.
An existing audio-video entertainment widget can support a simple operation, but cannot be extended in content, and as a result, extensibility is poor.

Automatic wallpaper setting method, terminal device, and graphical user interface