A system for opening a door, in particular for the door of a household appliance, including a prong, integral with the door, and a device for locking and unlocking the door, having a mechanical module to hold or release the prong, respectively when the door is opened or is closed, the system having an unlocking mechanism arranged on the prong, the unlocking mechanism interacting with the mechanical module after their activation, to release the prong and open the door.

As it is well known, the current regulations on the safety of electrical household appliances are becoming more severe. In particular, with regard to the most advanced home appliances, it must be ensured that when the door is closed and the washing machine is operating, the door cannot be opened in any way. When the door is closed and the washing machine is not operating, the door can be opened either by a suitable drive member, so as to allow the opening without any effort, or by applying some preset force to the door. This latter option is required to allow a child, which was introduced in the washing machine, going out, for example by applying a force with his legs on the inner surface of the door. It is also required that, in case of opening of the door due to failure of the prong of the door itself, while the washing machine is operating, the device can "sense" the breaking of said prong and interrupt power supply, and thus the operation of the household appliance.
An example of a device as defined above is described in the patent application RM2008A000062 of the Applicant, which comprises essentially an electric module and a mechanical module interacting each other, in which the drive member to open the door, when the washing machine is turned off, is a button arranged on the control panel of the washing machine, which, by means of a string or an electrical device, activates a lever within the mechanical module, so as to open the door.
At present, market requires that the opening of the door can be made in a more and more comfortable and ergonomic way. In particular, the arrangement of the opening drive member drive directly on the door handle of the door, or in general on the surface of the latter, is required.
A technical difficulty encountered for this kind of operation is due to the fact that the space available for implementing a mechanism or a device generally capable of interacting with the door lock to open the door, is very small, in particular for washing machines, where, for security and sealing reasons, practically there is not closing overrun.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system for opening a door that can be activated by a drive member arranged on the handle of the door itself.
These and other results are obtained according to the invention with a drive member, like a button or a lever, arranged on the handle by which the movement of a member arranged on the prong of the door can be controlled, said member being capable to interact with the mechanical module of the device to open the door.

System for opening a door, in particular for the door of a household appliance


A magnetic recording medium comprising a non-magnetic support having thereon a magnetic layer composed of ferromagnetic iron oxide powder dispersed in a binder, wherein a value of P.sub.10 of optical interference type three dimensional surface roughness on the magnetic layer side of the non-magnetic support is in the range of 15 to 35 nm, Rmax/P.sub.10 is not higher than 2.8 and P.sub.10 of the opposite side to the magnetic layer side is also in the range of 15 to 35 nm, wherein P.sub.10 (nm) represents the difference between an average height of the protrusions of 10 apices extracted in order of greatest height within an area 250 .mu.m square and an average height of all apices within the same 250 .mu.m square area and Rmax (nm) represents the difference between an uppermost height and a lowermost depth within the 250 .mu.m square area.

With the development of magnetic recording mediums in recent years, high-density recording and high electromagnetic properties have been demanded. Yet, at the same time, running properties must be maintained at a satisfactory level. The provision of a smooth magnetic layer surface has been examined and calendering has been carried out towards this end in order to obtain good electromagnetic properties. On the other hand, the surfaces of magnetic recording mediums have been appropriately roughened by incorporating fillers in the back layers thereof in order to improve running properties.
In video tapes prepared by incorporating fine particles of ferromagnetic powder, for example, the latest S-VHS video tapes, surface designs for high-density recording are required and spacing loss to magnetic head must be reduced to the greatest extent possible. However, conventional 1/2" base films are too rough and electromagnetic properties are poor due to insufficient smoothness.
As a method for solving the roughness problem while maintaining adequate running properties, there is proposed a method wherein a base provided with a flat surface on both sides (Ra as measured with contact type roughness tester being not more than 0.005 .mu.m) is used and a magnetic tape having a desired surface roughness is formed by manipulation of the compositions of the magnetic layer and the back layer. Base films for use in the production of such magnetic tape are described in JP-A-62-130848 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application"). However, since the base films are liable to be wrinkled or marred in the wind-up part of film-making stage, the yields of marketable base films are very low and, as a result, the manufacturing cost thereof is as high as 5 to 10 times that of 1/2 inch base films.
As alternative method for solving the above problems, dual surface films, wherein the face and the back of the films are different in surface roughness, are disclosed in JP-A-62-248131. However, it has been found that the surface roughness of the back layer side of the base film is too rough and hence the shape of the back layer is transferred to the surface of the magnetic layer during storage after winding-up, and, as a result, electromagnetic properties are lowered.
As described above, various attempts have been made to achieve high C/N (carrier to noise) for the video tapes by improving the surface profile of the magnetic layer. However, such prior attempts reveal a marked tendency to limit attention only to minimization of the Ra value of surface roughness (center line average surface roughness: JIS-B0601) with regard to the improvement of the surface profile of base film to be used. When the Ra value of the base film to be used is decreased, the output of the magnetic tape is improved. However, during handling in the manufacturing process, the integrity of the base is deteriorated and an increase in cost is incurred due to an avoidable lowering in yields. As can be appreciated from the foregoing discussion, the problem with regard to the optimization of the surface roughness of the base film cannot be easily solved by way of conventional proposed solutions. As a result, kinds of commercially available magnetic tapes for which high C/N is required are not considered to be fully satisfactory with respect to surface roughness. The description "kinds of magnetic tapes for which high C/N is required" as used herein refers to kinds of high band tapes such as S-VHS tapes.
The surface roughness of commercially available non-magnetic support film for conventional coating type magnetic tape was measured in the following manner. An area 250 .mu.m square was measured with an optical interference type three-dimensional roughness tester, and the difference between (a) an average height of the protrusions of 10 apices extracted in order of greatest height within an area 250 .mu.m square and (b) an average height of all apices within the 250 .mu.m square area (P.sub.10) was determined. On either side of the support film, P.sub.10 .gtoreq. was determined to be at least 38 nm.
When Such a conventional base film is used, large protrusions present on the surface of the base film are replicated to some extent on the surface of the magnetic layer coated on the base film. As a result, spacing loss between magnetic head and magnetic tape is increased due to the surface unevenness and it is impossible to achieve high C/N.
P.sub.10 of base films for vapor deposition is exceptional and as low as 1 to 10 nm. When 1/2 inch magnetic tapes are prepared by using such base films, sufficiently high C/N can be achieved as required for S-VHS video tape. However, the winding-up yields of the base films are very low, scratches are produced in the coating stage of the magnetic layer, and performance and yield are likely to be lowered. Hence, the production cost of the magnetic tapes which are the final products is increased.
It is demanded to provide a base film which can give high C/N and can be used for S-VHS without increasing the manufacturing cost of the magnetic tape.


A capsule is designed for insertion in a centrifugal beverage production device for preparing a beverage from a substance contained in the capsule by introducing liquid in the capsule and passing the liquid through the substance using centrifugal forces. The capsule includes a body having a bottom end and an open end spaced apart in the axial direction, an upper wall for covering the body at the open end along a direction transverse to the axial direction, and an enclosure between the body and the upper wall containing a predetermined amount of beverage substance. The capsule further includes an annular pressure-setting ring configured for adjusting the backpressure in the beverage production device. The pressure-setting ring provides an improved coffee in-cup quality. A set of capsules can have pressure-setting rings of different dimensions for setting different backpressure when engaged in a centrifuging beverage production device.

Systems exist for preparing beverages such as coffee by forcing a liquid through ingredients contained in the capsule using centrifugal forces.
WO 2008/148604 for example relates to a capsule for preparing a beverage or liquid food from a substance, in a centrifugal brewing unit, by passing water through the substance contained in the capsule by using brewing centrifugal forces comprising: an enclosure containing a predetermined dose of substance; opening means which opens under the centrifugal effect to allow the brewed liquid to leave the capsule. The capsule may also comprise means for engaging the capsule external rotational driving means of a centrifugal brewing device wherein the engaging means are configured to offer a resistance to torque during rotation of the capsule for maintaining the capsule in a reference rotational position.
Thereby, the effect of centrifugal forces to brew coffee or prepare other food substances presents many advantages compared to the normal brewing methods using pressure pumps. For example, in traditional espresso or lungo coffee type brewing methods using a pressure pump, it is very difficult to master all the parameters which influence the quality of extraction of delivered coffee extract. These parameters are typically the pressure, the flow rate which decreases with the pressure, the compaction of the coffee powder which also influences the flow characteristics and which depends on the coffee ground particle size, the temperature, the water flow distribution and so on. Therefore, it is not easy to vary the extraction pressure and flow rates because there are essentially determined by the resistance of the bed of coffee and the downstream filtering system.
For a centrifugal extraction, the quality of the beverage to be prepared (intensity or strength, taste, aroma, foam/crema, etc.) is complex and depends on the control of different brewing parameters and capsule design. In particular, the flow rate of the injected liquid in the capsule seems to play an important role. The flow rate can be influenced by a number of parameters such as the rotational speed of the capsule in the device, the fluid dynamics inside the capsule, the back-pressure exerted on the centrifuged liquid. For instance, for a given back-pressure, the higher the rotational speed, the larger the flow rate. Conversely, for a given rotational speed, the larger the back-pressure, the smaller the flow.
Whereas the rotational speed of the capsule is usually controlled by control means selectively activating a rotational motor of a centrifugal beverage production device, a predefined back-pressure can be obtained by a flow restriction at the outlet of the capsule or at the outside of a centrifugal cell carrying the capsule.
For example EP 651 963 teaches that a pressure gradient is obtained by a rubber-elastic element interposed at the interface between the engagement lid and the cup of the centrifugal cell, e.g., a capsule containing coffee powder. Such an element deforms elastically to leave a filtering passage for the liquid when a certain pressure is attained at the interface.
Furthermore, documents FR 2 487 661 and WO 2006/112691 relate to centrifugal systems wherein a fixed restriction is placed downstream of the filter to create a pressure gradient.
Moreover, WO 2008/148646 proposes a solution in which a flow restriction is placed in or outside the centrifugal cell. The flow restriction can comprise a regulating valve offering an effective pressure. The valve opens under the effect of pressure. The more the valve opens, the higher the flow rate. The valve can be preloaded by a resilient element (rubber or spring). The higher the preload, the higher the opening pressure of for the centrifuged liquid upstream of the valve.
EP1654966A1 relates to a capsule with sealing means comprising a base body with a flange-like rim and a foil member closing the body. Such capsule is not designed for being used in a centrifugal preparation device.
The centrifugal beverage production systems of the prior art however suffer from the drawback that an adaptation of the back-pressure to predefined values either requires a mechanism that makes it complex to adjust to a large variety of different predefined values of the back-pressure.
Thereby, it is to be understood that in particular with respect to coffee beverages, the back-pressure applied on the centrifuged liquid determines the extraction conditions (e.g., flow rate) thereby influencing directly the coffee taste and aroma. Furthermore, the organoleptic texture such as the foam/crema formed on top of the prepared beverage highly also depends on the applied back-pressure. Thus, with respect to the foam/crema as well as the flow rate of a coffee beverage to be prepared, it is desired to adjust the values of the back-pressure dependent on the nature of the substance provided in a specific capsule as for different types of beverages a different quality and/or quantity of the foam/crema respectively a different flow rate is desired.
Therefore, there is a need for proposing, through a capsule system, coffee varieties with different tastes, intensities and/or types, e.g., ristretto, espresso, lungo, long coffee, etc., in particular, by which the back-pressure exerted on the centrifuged liquid at the interface between the capsule and the device can be better, more independently and conveniently controlled.
The term "back-pressure of the valve means" refers to the pressure loss created by the restriction or restriction valve. As the restriction or restriction valve forms a "bottleneck effect", a pressure of liquid is created upstream of it by the effect of the centrifugation. In particular, a pressure gradient is created wherein the pressure increases gradually from the axis of rotation towards the valve. Thanks to this restriction, the pressure before the restriction is increased, and it is this pressure which has an effect on the liquid-ingredient interaction (e.g. by extraction of the substance by the liquid). This pressure created by the restriction valve can also be defined as the ratio of force ("back-force") divided by the area of surface contact at the restriction valve.
Co-pending European patent application No. 08171069.1 (entitled: "Capsule for preparing a beverage by centrifugation in a beverage production device and device adapted therefore") proposes a capsule on which a force ring is provided that is engaged by a pressing surface of the beverage production device to form a valve means which provides, under the force of resilient means associated to the pressing surface, and depending on the height or thickness of the force ring, a certain back-pressure during beverage extraction.
It has now been found that the design of the force ring on the capsule impacts on the coffee in-cup quality, in particular, on the aroma content of the coffee extract.
One object of the present invention is propose a capsule designed for centrifugal extraction which further improves beverage in-cup quality in particular, coffee. The proposed solution is also easy to form, economical and can be reliably produced in mass production with a high respect of the dimensional tolerances.
In addition, the proposed solution enables to provide easily and economically different back-pressures in the device, for instance, to provide a wide range of beverages (e.g., coffee beverages). Furthermore, the proposed solution also allows the possible use of materials providing high gas barrier properties, e.g., aluminum, thereby avoiding the need for a costly overwrapping package.
The present invention provides a solution to the before-mentioned problems as well as offers additional benefits to the existing art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Capsule and system for preparing a beverage by centrifugation in a beverage production device


This invention pertains to the drainage of water around subterranean structures and is a modular system of modular panels connected by double standing seams. The modular panels can be interconnected and drain water away from a foundation and can be connected to each other to extend endlessly the length and width of the modular panels.

The field of the invention is related to method for drainage of water around the subterranean structures. There are many ways currently on the market to drain water away from foundations; almost all of them are expensive.
For example, one could place a drainage pipe on the outside of a footer of a foundation wall. One such example is shown in Clay et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,115. This patent provides a drain pipe on the outside of the footer (along with a liner that forms a drainage trench) which will evacuate the water. This is very extensive procedure involving expensive heavy machinery to excavate and backfill around the complete structure all the way to the bottom of the footer. Installing a perimeter drain pipe is an expensive way to drain the perimeter water from the outside of the wall especially when the drain is usually 6 to 8 feet below grade.
Another method of the drainage of foundation water is to place a similar drain pipe on the inside of the footer of a foundation wall. This usually involves jack hammering up the perimeter of the slab, hauling away all of the rubble, and placing a drainage pipe around the perimeter of the basement floor that will drain to a sump pit with a pump. This is also a very expensive and laborious procedure that involves skilled construction workers.
Another common method to stop water penetration of the foundation slab and wall is to install a wall membrane. One such example is shown in Sacks U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,390. This patent involves a wall membrane to drain water downward to a drain pipe away from the wall. Again, this method is very expensive and involves heavy machinery, skilled contractors, and a substantial cost.
There also have been some patents on drainage cells that either overlap or claim to be interlocking, but if a sealant in a joint fails or the interlocking mechanism is not manufactured to a certain tolerances, they will leak. An example is shown in Lee U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,569. This patent involves a drainage cell that fits together with a "male" and "female" connection. However, if the drainage cell is not manufactured to certain tolerances, water will find a way to leak thru the material.
Many homeowners put down some type of thick plastic to protect their foundations, but in time, many of the plants and weeds break penetrate the barrier they have placed under the soil, rendering the barrier useless.

Method for drainage of water around subterranean structures


A configuration system is disclosed that applies rules of precedence to evaluate parameters in the context of multiple sections within a configuration file and in the context of multiple configuration files. The system brings together multiple sections and multiple files into a unified whole. The precedential order of sections and files is set by a user and special section names can be used to override default precedential rules. If a parameter is set multiple times at different levels in the hierarchy of belonging, its final value reflects the value set at the level most closely concerned with the setting of the parameter. The value of a parameter can be set from an environmental variable or from the value of another parameter. If a parameter""s value depends upon the value of another parameter, that second parameter is recursively evaluated using the same precedential rules.

The present invention relates generally to computer operating systems and applications, and, more particularly, to configuring parameters.
Many aspects of a computer""s behavior can be configured by setting parameters in an initialization file that the computer executes during start up. Similarly, an application""s configuration parameters can be set in an initialization file executed when that application is started. The universe of possible configuration options is expanding dramatically and with it the length and complexity of initialization files. Correctly setting up an initialization file so that the computer or application acts in a desired manner becomes more difficult and time consuming with the increase in the number of configuration options and with the increasing interaction among those options.
Difficult as configuration is for one machine or one application, it is exponentially more difficult to configure multiple computers and multiple applications so that they interact with their environment and with each other in a predictable fashion. With multiple computers, different sets of configurable parameters are set to reflect different levels in each computer""s xe2x80x9chierarchy of belonging.xe2x80x9d That is, some parameters, the most general, are the same for all computers, some may reflect particular choices made by the corporation that owns the computer, some parameters accommodate the particular needs of a department within the corporation, and some parameters are specific to the particular user of the computer. Different system administrators may be responsible for setting the parameters pertaining to different levels in the hierarchy of belonging. Often, the same parameter will be given different values during configuration of different levels of the hierarchy, leading to confusion and unpredictable behavior. It becomes extremely difficult for any one person to correctly initialize all of the parameters in a computer""s configuration. Similar considerations apply to configuring applications.
Adding to the difficulty of creating correct configurations, a configuration may change with time. The computer may be moved, changing its place in the hierarchy of belonging. It may be reassigned to a different function. Servers used by an application may change. Computers and applications may be used in an environment, such as a testing environment, in which their configurations may be changed every time they operate.
There is a need to contain the burgeoning complexity of configuration, a way to divide the labor of the entire configuration job into subtasks so that each task may be performed competently, and a way to integrate the work of the various subtasks into a unified whole.
The above problems and shortcomings, and others, are addressed by the present invention, which can be understood by referring to the specification, drawings, and claims. The present invention is a configuration system that applies rules of precedence to evaluate parameters in the context of multiple sections within a configuration file and in the context of multiple configuration files. The invention brings together the multiple sections and multiple files into a unified whole.
The precedential order of sections and files may be set by a user and special section names used to override default precedential rules. If a parameter is set multiple times at different levels in the hierarchy of belonging, its final value reflects the value set at the level most closely concerned with the setting of the parameter.
To accommodate increased interactions among configuration parameters, the value of a parameter can be set from an environmental variable or from the value of another parameter. If a parameter""s value depends upon the value of another parameter, that second parameter is recursively evaluated using the same precedential rules.

Methods and systems for constructing and interpreting hierarchical configuration files


A scheduling system and method for moving plural objects through a multipath system described as a freight railway scheduling system. The scheduling system utilizes a cost reactive resource scheduler to minimize resource exception while at the same time minimizing the global costs associated with the solution. The achievable movement plan can be used to assist in the control of, or to automatically control, the movement of trains through the system. Alternative routes through congested areas are automatically selected using congestion prediction metrics.

The present invention relates to the scheduling of movement of plural units through a complex movement defining system, and in the embodiment disclosed, to the scheduling of the movement of freight trains over a railroad system, and specifically to the alternating routing of trains through congested areas.
Systems and methods for scheduling the movement of trains over a rail network have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,154,735, 5,794,172, and 5,623,413, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
As disclosed in the referenced patents and applications, the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, railroads consist of three primary components (1) a rail infrastructure, including track, switches, a communications system and a control system; (2) rolling stock, including locomotives and cars; and, (3) personnel (or crew) that operate and maintain the railway. Generally, each of these components are employed by the use of a high level schedule which assigns people, locomotives, and cars to the various sections of track and allows them to move over that track in a manner that avoids collisions and permits the railway system to deliver goods to various destinations.
As disclosed in the referenced applications, a precision control system includes the use of an optimizing scheduler that will schedule all aspects of the rail system, taking into account the laws of physics, the policies of the railroad, the work rules of the personnel, the actual contractual terms of the contracts to the various customers and any boundary conditions or constraints which govern the possible solution or schedule such as passenger traffic, hours of operation of some of the facilities, track maintenance, work rules, etc. The combination of boundary conditions together with a figure of merit for each activity will result in a schedule which maximizes some figure of merit such as overall system cost.
As disclosed in the referenced applications, and upon determinining a schedule, a movement plan may be created using the very fine grain structure necessary to actually control the movement of the train. Such fine grain structure may include assignment of personnel by name as well as the assignment of specific locomotives by number, and may include the determination of the precise time or distance over time for the movement of the trains across the rail network and all the details of train handling, power levels, curves, grades, track topography, wind and weather conditions. This movement plan may be used to guide the manual dispatching of trains and controlling of track forces, or provided to the locomotives so that it can be implemented by the engineer or automatically by switchable actuation on the locomotive.
The planning system is hierarchical in nature in which the problem is abstracted to a relatively high level for the initial optimization process, and then the resulting course solution is mapped to a less abstract lower level for further optimization. Statistical processing is used at all levels to minimize the total computational load, making the overall process computationally feasible to implement. An expert system is used as a manager over these processes, and the expert system is also the tool by which various boundary conditions and constraints for the solution set are established. The use of an expert system in this capacity permits the user to supply the rules to be placed in the solution process.
Currently, a dispatcher's view of the controlled railroad territory can be considered myopic. Dispatchers view and processes information only within their own control territories and have little or no insight into the operation of adjoining territories, or the railroad network as a whole. Current dispatch systems simply implement controls as a result of the individual dispatcher's decisions on small portions of the railroad network and the dispatchers are expected to resolve conflicts between movements of objects on the track (e.g. trains, maintenance vehicles, survey vehicles, etc.) and the available track resource limitations (e.g. limited number of tracks, tracks out of service, consideration of safety of maintenance crews near active tracks) as they occur, with little advanced insight or warning.
Congestion inevitably occurs in the routing of trains and often occurs in the same areas. Congestion is a significant problem. The routing of trains into a congested area tends to exacerbate the congestion and may result in deadlock. Because the delay in the movement of trains is subject to cost constraints including contract penalties, the tendency of dispatchers is to continue to push trains through an area as rapidly as possible, advancing their movement along the line of road whenever possible, and treating the resulting congestion as a track availability problem to be solved through the assignment of track resources to create alternative routes through the congested area. The movement planners used by dispatchers in adjacent territories are often completely independent of each other and uninformed as to the status of the tracks in adjacent territories. As a result, dispatchers in uncongested areas may continue to send trains into a congested area in the adjacent territory.
The present invention relates to the anticipation and avoidance of congestion to maximize the throughput of trains in the overall system at the expense of the movement of trains over smaller sections of track.
Congestion generally is the after-the-fact result of acts set in motion by dispatchers assisted by train movement planners, i.e., by acts taken long prior to the development of actual congestion. By the time that congestion is actually detected, other trains are enroute through the congested area and in may cases have passed the point in the system where an alternative route may have been selected.
Typically, the routing of trains through areas of expected congestion is handled by dispatchers utilizing tribal knowledge, i.e., knowledge gained through the dispatcher's personal experience and the experience of other dispatchers passed to him.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to reduce congestion and avoid deadlock by the management of the entry of trains into a congested area.
These and many other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from a perusal of the claims, the appended drawings, and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

Method and apparatus for automatic selection of alternative routing through congested areas using congestion prediction metrics


A computer system and method for processing data to make rapid decisions regarding an insurance policy. Data is received from one or more informatic sensor devices and databases relating to an insured or insured property. A decision is identified that is to be rendered regarding an insurance policy in association with the insured. Predictive analytics is performed on the received data to determine the decision to be rendered regarding the insurance policy. Notification is provided of the determined decision regarding the insurance policy.

Smart home functionality is a maturing space, but the opportunity for insurance companies remains largely untapped. Currently, there are few useful early warning and loss mitigation systems that actually save costs and time for both the property owner and insurance company alike. For instance, currently, homeowners insurance claim events are detected by the homeowner, who contacts the insurance company to inform them that there has been a loss. However, the loss could be mitigated with automated warning and detection systems that interface with the insurance company systems. For example, homeowners may not become aware of minor to medium hail damage to their roofs until such time as that damage leads to water damage to the interior or exterior of the home. If they could be made aware of such loss events earlier and then take corrective actions, then the increased damage could have been mitigated or avoided.
Another maturing space concerns vehicle telematics in which the latest developments in automotive electronics are dealing with the automatic monitoring of the state of a vehicle. Such monitoring is based on the integration of numerous sensors into the vehicle such that important functional parts and components may be monitored. It is becoming of increasing interest to collect a variety of information, regarding different aspects of a vehicle, which may have different applications depending on their usage. The use of telematics in automobiles has become more common in recent years, particularly as implemented with in-car navigation systems.
In this regard, there is utility and functionality to be provided by aggregating smart home functionality with vehicle telematics and other risk or loss related data to facilitate rapid decision making process.

Method and system for making rapid insurance policy decisions

United Services Automobile Association (USAA)


In a copying machine for both black-and-white and color, a latent image of an original is formed in a photosensitive device by scanning the original by a scanning optical system and is developed by a black or color toner and is thereafter transferred onto a transfer paper held on transfer device rotated in proximity to the photosensitive device to provide a copy of the original. The copying machine includes a first drive unit for driving the scanning optical system; a second drive unit for driving the photosensitive device; a third drive unit for driving the transfer device; and a drive condition setting device for judging a designated copy mode and for giving the speeds of the respective drive units which are suitable for the designated copy mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a copying machine for both black-and-white and color.
2. Description of Related Art
A generally known copying machine has a scanning optical system, a photosensitive means and a transfer means. The scanning operation is repeatedly performed by the scanning optical system so that a latent image of an original is formed by the photosensitive means and developed by a toner. Thereafter, the toner image is transferred onto a transfer paper held on the transfer means rotated in proximity to the photosensitive means to obtain a copy of the original.
In the above-mentioned copying machine, a transfer drum as one of the transfer means is opposed to a photosensitive drum as one of the photosensitive means and contacts this photosensitive drum. In the case of the color copy, a color original image is decomposed into a plurality of colors by a color filter by means of the scanning optical system for scanning the original above the photosensitive drum and the decomposed color image is successively exposed. The latent image of the exposed color image is developed by a relative complementary color toner every exposure, and each color toner image is repeatedly transferred onto the transfer paper held on the transfer drum to obtain a copy thereof. At this time, the transfer paper is rotated while this paper is grasped by a clamper of the transfer drum, and a required number of transferring operations(three times in the case of the full color) are performed.
The colors generally used in the development are composed of yellow(Y), magenta(M) and cyan(C). In the conventional copying machine for both black-and-white and color, a developer of black(BK) is further disposed in addition to developers of such three colors so as to provide a copy of black and white colors as well as the copy of the full color.
There is a difference between the full color copy and the copy of the black and white colors with respect to the construction as to whether the color filter is used in the exposure or not. Accordingly, in the case of the same exposure amount, the light amount of an image formed on the photosensitive body is different between the full color copy and the copy of the black and white colors.
Therefore, in the case of the copy of the black and white colors, the exposure is performed through a filter to reduce the light amount to be similar to the full color copy, and a voltage applied to an exposure lamp is increased in the case of the color copy such that the light amount on the photosensitive body is set to be equal to that in the case of the copy of the black and white colors. Such an operation has a lot of loss in control.
It is not necessary to control the exposure amount if process speeds such as respective drum circumferential speeds are changed in the cases of the full color copy and the copy of the black and white colors.
However, in the conventional color copying machine, the photosensitive drum and the transfer drum are connected to each other by gears to provide an integrally associated drive system. Accordingly, the copy processing can be executed only at a single process speed.
This is because it is difficult to switch more than two kinds of process speeds by the engagement of the gears, the slip of clutches, etc.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 62-187365 discloses a color copying machine for servo-controlling the photosensitive drum, the transfer drum and the scanning optical system by separate motors.
Such a color copying machine is provided with a scanning optical system, a first motor for driving the scanning optical system, a photosensitive means, a second motor for driving the photosensitive means, a transfer means, and a third motor for driving the transfer means.
In the above color copying machine of the Japanese publication, the motors are separately disposed with respect to the photosensitive means and the transfer means so that the connecting gears and the clutches as in the conventional copying machine are not disposed. Accordingly, in such a copying machine, it is possible to change the process speeds in principle.
However, the above technique is applied to a copying machine having only a full color copying function. Accordingly, such technique does not disclose a copying machine having functions of both the full color copy and the copy of the black and white colors, in which the process speeds are suitably switched corresponding to at least two kinds of required copy modes.

Black-and-white and color copier operable at different processing speeds


The invention relates to a device including an apparatus for measuring drilling or coring operation parameters using a bit attached to the end of a drill string, the measuring apparatus (10) being housed in a chamber (5) provided in a sleeve (1, 18) that is designed to be positioned between two drill pipes of the drill string or between the bit and a drill pipe of the drill string, or to form a coupling (18) for joining a cutting head (15) of the bit to a drill string, the chamber (5) leading into an axial channel (11) of the sleeve.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to drilling or coring installations, in particular for drilling oil wells.
The invention relates more particularly to a device intended to be associated with a drilling or coring installation, in order to monitor it, by means of measurements of well parameters.
2. State of the Art
Drilling and coring of wells are normally carried out by means of a drill bit which is connected to a drive motor, located on the surface, by means of a drill string. Progressively as the drill bit advances in the well, pipes are added to the drill string.
It is desirable to have available a maximum amount of data relating to the drilling or coring operations, particularly regarding the medium in which drilling is taking place and the behaviour of the drill bit and its cutting head. Data relating to the medium in which drilling is taking place include in particular the type of rock formation attacked, the composition of the drilling mud and the presence of oil or other fluids. Data relating to the drill bit and its cutting head include its instantaneous rotational velocity, the variations in rotational velocity, the position of the cutting head relative to the wall of the well being drilled, the variations in the rotational velocity and in the velocity of advance in the well, the lateral and axial impacts to which the drill bit is subjected and the precession motion of the drill bit (generally called "whirling" in the English-language literature).
These data or drilling parameters can be stored during the drilling or coring operation and used subsequently to analyse the problems which may have arisen during the drilling or coring operation (such as, for example, momentary and unexpected slowing of the penetration velocity of the cutting head in the rock formation or abnormally rapid wear of the cutting head) or to adapt the conditions of other drilling or coring operations.
To detect the data or parameters mentioned above, drilling installations are provided with suitable measurement equipment which is arranged in the drill string or in the drill head.
Thus, in document BE-1007274, a drill bit is described the cutting head of which contains judiciously distributed accelerometers to determine the vibrations to which it is subjected during a drilling operation. In this known drill bit, the accelerometers are positioned in the drill head, which makes the acquisition of the parameters only possible for this particular drill head thus equipped.
In document U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,994, a drilling installation is described including a drill bit, a drill string and measurement gauges, which are housed in the drill string. In this document, the measurement gauges are arranged in the upper part of the drill string but information is not provided as to the manner in which they are inserted in the drill string. The arrangement of the measurement gauges in the upper part of the drill string constitutes a disadvantage, as the measurements which they perform do not take into account distortions suffered locally by the lower part of the drill string between the measurement gauges and the drill bit. These distortions include in particular flexions and torsions the characteristics of which vary over time, during the advance of the drilling. There results a sometimes considerable discrepancy between the measurements read by the gauges and the true operating characteristics of the drill bit and of its cutting head. In addition the assembly of the measurement gauges is relatively long, so that it is normally impossible to position it between the drill bit and a downhole motor.
Moreover, the known measurement equipment, described in the above-mentioned documents is not generally standard, but must be adapted, in each case, to the drill bit or to the drill string used, which complicates the construction of these devices, forms an obstacle to mass production and increases the cost thereof.
The drilling installations described in documents GB-2 344 127 and WO-2006 087 239 partially overcome the disadvantages of the devices of documents BE-1007274 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,994. In these known installations, the measurement equipment is arranged in one or more chambers, formed at the periphery of couplings which are incorporated in the drill string of the drilling installation. This arrangement permits easy access to the measurement elements. However it presents various disadvantages, which are stated below.
A first disadvantage lies in the introduction, into the drill string, of a coupling of low mechanical strength. The coupling is in fact subjected to forces which can be large during a drilling operation, in particular axial compression or torsion forces, or else flexion moments. By hollowing out the peripheral zone of the coupling to form the chamber intended for the measurement equipment there, its mechanical strength is inevitably reduced. The torsion, as well as the flexion moments in fact act mainly on the outer fibres of the coupling. As these fibres are interrupted by the presence of the peripheral chamber, the torsion and flexion forces are channelled in the central part of the coupling, which has a smaller diameter, which exposes it to premature breakage.
In the installations of documents GB-2 344 127 and WO-2006 087 239 the low strength of the coupling in flexion and in torsion has the disadvantageous consequence of interfering with the proper functioning of the measurement equipment, leading to untimely modification of the behaviour of the drill string.
In these known installations, the coupling is in fact provided with an outer sheath, intended to obturate the chamber containing the measurement equipment. This sheath can absorb part of the forces which the measurement equipment has precisely the task of measuring. As a result the calibration of the measurement equipment is rendered difficult.
The presence of the sheath at the periphery of the coupling is the cause of another disadvantage of these known drilling installations. This sheath is in fact exposed to the drilling mud rising back in the annular zone situated between the drill string and the wall of the well. This drilling mud rising back along the drill string is charged with rock cuttings which have been extracted by the action of the drilling tool. In addition, since this sheath is exposed to the drilling fluid in the outer part of the device, it is subjected to the hydrostatic pressure from the drilling fluid, which can be high in the case of very deep wells. Consequently the sheath must be very thick in order to withstand this hydrostatic pressure.
During drilling, the sheath enters into contact with the wall of the well. It can therefore be damaged, be corroded, wear, become unscrewed, or be punctured. This can therefore result in malfunctioning of the device. This can also result in a great deal of difficulty when the sheath is removed for maintenance of the measurement equipment.
The sheath poses another problem during handling of the coupling and, more generally, of the drill string. It is in particular subjected to large torsional forces which can damage it, when screwing the coupling onto the drill string. This is particularly the case when the sheath is designed to minimise the absorption of forces in order to reduce its effect on the taking of measurements.

Device including an apparatus for measuring drilling or coring operation parameters, and equipment including such a device


A method for providing random numbers for control units communicating via a vehicle network, in which a random number generator having an aggregation component, a storage unit and a distribution component is provided. A plurality of control units each with at least one entropy source are formed. Their raw data are transmitted to the aggregation component via the vehicle network. A quality assurance of the combined raw data from the entropy sources is carried out using only those combined raw data which both occur in a non-deterministic manner and contain a minimum degree of entropy as qualified raw data. The qualified raw data are converted into an aggregated data block by a cryptographic one-way function and securely stored as a random number in the storage unit. The random number stored in the storage unit is transmitted to a control unit via the vehicle network by the distribution component.

In recent years, vehicles have been equipped with a multiplicity of vehicle-based control units (ECU) (electronic control units) for controlling the respective functional units. The ECUs are each connected to one another via vehicle-based networks (vehicle network) in order to cooperate. Software-based applications, which implement corresponding functionalities in interaction with suitable hardware, are generally used to control these ECUs and for the communication between these ECUs. In this case, the protection of such applications from unauthorized access is playing a role more and more. Therefore, there is an increased need for cryptographically secure random numbers for the secure communication of these ECUs with one another and with an external communication partner (for example servers or other vehicles) and for key exchange protocols. These random numbers must be available within a very short time after the vehicle is started (generally within 100 ms).
In deterministic systems of network nodes such as microcontrollers, it is generally very difficult to collect sufficient entropy to generate random numbers. This also applies, in particular, to vehicle networks having control units which contain such microcontrollers.
It is known practice to respectively install true random number generators (TRNG) in the individual control units for the purpose of generating secure random numbers, which true random number generators are intended to tackle the requirement for the quick provision of random numbers. However, these true random number generators often cannot provide good random numbers quickly enough after the starting process and also increase the costs of each ECU.
An important feature of a random number generator (RNG) is its entropy, that is to say the randomness and unpredictability of the random numbers generated by a random number generator.
An entropy source, that is to say a system which operates in a non-deterministic manner and determines the available "randomness" (entropy), is used to implement a random number generator. An extraction mechanism for measuring the randomly fluctuating variable from the entropy source, with which as much entropy as possible is intended to be "collected", is also required. Finally, these raw data provided by the entropy source are preprocessed in order to compensate for deficiencies in the entropy source or the extraction mechanism.

Method for providing random numbers for control units of a vehicle network, and vehicle network for performing said method


A method and a device for preheating a particulate fluidized bed which is supplied with air for fluidization of bed material and for combustion of main fuel through gas paths that include fluidization members for injection and distribution of the air over the fluidized bed. The bed material is preheated to the ignition temperature for the main fuel used in the fluidized bed by members arranged in the gas paths for combustion of starting fuel. These members are designed and arranged so that the air is supplied to the fluidized bed along the same path through gas paths and fluidization members upon preheating with starting fuel as upon combustion of main fuel in the fluidized bed. The members for combustion of starting fuel are arranged in the fluidization members and comprise fuel injectors, fuel pipes, ignition members and control members. Around or upstream of the fuel injectors, flow-directing members are arranged to split up the air flow into a turbulent sub-flow adjacent to the fuel injectors and a main flow which is conducted past the members with minimum pressure loss.

Fluidized beds are well suited for combustion of solid, liquid as well as gaseous fuels. The air necessary for the combustion is also used for fluidization of the bed material. The great thermal inertia of the bed material causes the combustion to take place at low temperature, which suppresses the formation of undesired nitrogen oxides. The great heat capacity reduces disturbances caused by variations in the fuel. If sulphur-containing fuels are burnt, additions of sulphur absorbents such as lime, limestone or dolomite to the bed material may cause the emissions of sulphur oxides to be greatly reduced, because the sulphur, which is released during the combustion, is bound to the sulphur absorbent.
In order for the combustion to take place in a fluidized bed, however, the bed material must first be heated to the ignition temperature of the fuel. Heating can be performed by heat exchanger tubes provided in the fluidized bed, through which tubes superheated steam from an external source is injected. Special combustors may be inserted into the fluidized bed. Starting fuel, with a low ignition temperature, may be supplied to the fluidized bed, be ignited and during combustion preheat the fluidized bed. In case of large fluidized beds, however, the storage of the starting fuel/air mixture in the fluized bed entails a risk of explosion.
The bed material can be preheated outside the bed vessel and be supplied in hot state, or be recirculated through an external heating agent.
Normally, however, preheating is performed by injecting hot gases, preferably flue gases, through the bed. The flue gases are obtained during combustion in special start-up combustion chambers or start-up combustors, which may be integrated into the gas paths (according to VDI-Bericht Nr. 322, 1978, pp. 139-145), or be free-standing. To avoid corrosion, associated with flue gas condensate on the cold walls of the gas paths, the gas paths are normally preheated with hot, preferably dry air of a temperature which should amount to about 250.degree. C., before combustion with fossil fuels is allowed in the gas paths.
Start-up combustors and start-up combustion chambers of a conventional design lead to heavy pressure drops and losses connected therewith across these combustors or combustion chambers if they are allowed to remain in the gas paths during operating conditions. To avoid this, the start-up combustors or start-up combustion chambers may either be introduced into or, by diverting the air flow to the fluidized bed, be connected to the gas paths only during start-up and be removed and disconnected from the gas paths when the plant is adjusted to operating condition.

Method and a device for preheating a fluidized bed


A contact lens package includes a base member including a cavity dimensioned to accommodate contact lens and a liquid therein. The combination of the cavity, the contact lens, and the liquid cooperate to collimate partially collimated light directed toward a bottom surface of the cavity. The cavity can be sealed by attaching a removable sealing member to the base member around the cavity. Methods of inspecting ophthalmic lenses using the present packages are also described.

The manufacture of ophthalmic lenses, such as contact lenses, includes inspecting lenses for defects and packaging the lenses in packages, among other things. In the production of large amounts of ophthalmic lenses, such as contact lenses, it is desirable to continue to develop new manufacturing components, systems, methods, and the like to reduce production time, to reduce production costs, and to increase productivity, among other things.

Contact lens blister packages and methods for automated inspection of hydrated contact lenses

CooperVision International Holding Company, LP


An overhead door mechanism with torsion type counterbalance springs includes a spring adjustment device comprising a housing suitable for attachment to a horizontal shaft and a gearing mechanism that allows angular adjustment of the attached end of the spring relative to the shaft. The gearing mechanism includes a toothed ring gear member adapted for connection to the spring and rotatably mounted in the housing. A threaded worm is also mounted in the housing so that it engages the teeth of the toothed member. Rotation of the threaded worm induces a corresponding rotation of the toothed member. The rotation, when conveyed to one end of a spring that is fixed at its other end causes the spring torsion to be altered without releasing the spring from retention by the adjustment mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to overhead door assemblies and, more particularly, to torsion adjustment devices which adjustably fix one rotatable end of a coil spring with respect to a rotatable drive shaft. The angular position of that end of the spring is fixed relative to the shaft and may still be adjusted relative to the shaft in a safe and facile manner.
2. Description of Prior Art
A variety of devices have made use of coil spring torsion forces to provide variable torque load assistance in raising doors that are placed in an elevated position when opened. Such devices require adjustment of the effective spring torque preloading and hence the effective range of available torque tension through an anticipated range of operational movement to optimize the counterbalance the spring provides for the lifted door. These devices employ a variety of modes of adjustment. They typically require rotation of one end of the spring relative to the other to increase or decrease the torque tension.
In many such prior art assemblies the torsion of a coil spring fixed to a shaft at one end, and disposed around the shaft, provides the lift assistance. In these assemblies, one end of the coil spring is fixed to a stationary structure and the other (second) end is fixed to a securing device on a driven shaft such that this second end is rotated with the shaft. A hand bar such as a punch is inserted into the device that secures the spring. The securing device is then released so it can be rotated relative to the shaft subject to the spring being manually held, against its torque force, by the operator holding the bar. The bar is then moved manually to rotate the securement device, which is resecured as soon as the spring and shaft are in a new relative position and the adjustment is complete. Considerable strength may be required in order to hold the spring in torsion. Unexpected or uncontrolled release of the spring during this operation could have serious consequences.
It is therefore desirable to provide means for adjusting the spring torsion loading in overhead door assemblies without requiring the spring to be manually held by the operator during adjustment. Moreover, such means should allow adjustment without release from the mechanism that secures the spring in position.
The spring adjustment means of the present invention is adapted to adjust the preloading positional attachment of the spring at the rotating end. It is a self-contained unit that rotates in its entirety with the shaft while allowing the relative angular position of attachment of the spring to the shaft to be altered without releasing the unit.
The invention is particularly useful in door assemblies such as overhead garage or warehouse doors and is equally applicable in door assemblies where one, or more than one, spring surrounds the shaft. A particularly common overhead door arrangement for which this invention is useful has two springs with one at each end of the shaft. The invention is also equally applicable to door assemblies that are power operated or manually operable.

Spring adjustment device for overhead doors


A sound insulating structure is provided which is made by foam-backing a carpet in a single operation and which includes a consolidated layer with few or no cells followed by a cellular soft elastic layer. To this end structured materials such as fleece and/or cut foam into which foaming takes place in order to form the consolidated layer, are provided on the back of the carpet or of a foam-proof covering thereon.

A textile surface covering with foam backing is known from DE-OS 31 04 835 in which the textile surface structure is provided with a carrier layer of open celled plastics material having small pore volume and the foam backing is applied to this carrier layer. Application of the foam backing occurs there to an exact contour in a closed mold, and venting occurs through the carrier layer. Besides an optimal appearance soundproofing should also be effected. Thus, in the sense of sound insulation it is a conventional mass-spring system with foam (or fleece) as a spring and flexible heavy layer in an acoustically optimal setting as an effective mass. These systems are advantageously made as shaped parts, and for use in passenger vehicles are provided with a carpet covering so that overall a carpet-compact-insulating part results (DE-OS 31 04 835).
The physical parameters of the spring and mass are adequately known, for example from DE-AS ZO 06 741, and different manufacturing processes for such carpet-compact-insulating components are part of the general state of the art.
In the course of optimising the material and decreasing the mass (weight) of sound insulation for vehicles, in particular passenger vehicles, many suggestions have been made as to how, despite the reduced use of insulating materials, at least the same noise comfort can be maintained in the vehicle. The potential for saving is determined essentially by the heavy layer, so that the attempts made have concentrated on reducing this heavy layer. However, it has become evident that a physically determined lower limit exists beneath which behaviour as in a conventional mass-spring system can no longer be brought about. Thus on going below this surface mass Loss of noise comfort inevitably occurs. In an earlier prior art document (DE-AS 20 06 741) the lower limit of the surface mass was said to be about 4 to 5 kgm.sup.-2 while today a further reduction down to about 2 kgm.sup.-2 can be justified. This, however, is only possible if the impairment which necessarily results from reducing the surface mass is compensated by greatly improved acoustic properties of the foam. For this purpose so-called visco-elastic foams were dove loped as described in GAHLAU, H., Fortschrittliche Schallisolationen fur Automobile, Stankiewicz-Information No. 130, Dr. Alois Stankiewicz GmbH, 1987.
According to the prior art it is, however, always necessary to manufacture the heavy layer and the spring separately and to combine them with the decorative covering, usually a carpet.

Process for manufacturing a sound insulating structure


Provided are a port configuration method and device, a storage medium, and an electronic device. Said method comprises: receiving a target message, the target message being a message which is transmitted through a physical port of a data link layer and carries target identifier information; searching, in a plurality of access modes supported by the physical port, for a target access mode corresponding to the target identifier information; and configuring the current access mode of the physical port in the data link layer to be the target access mode.

In an AC port of a L2VPN (L2 Virtual Private Network) network (VPLS (Virtual Private Lan Service) or VPWS (Virtual Pseudo Wire Service) in the related art, two types of accesses of message packages is provided, namely, a virtual local area network (VLAN) access and an Ethernet access:
The VLAN access: an Ethernet frame header sent by CE (Customer Edge) to PE (Provider Edge) or sent by the PE to the CE has a VLAN TAG (virtual local area network tag). The TAG is a service delimiter that is pushed by the service provider network to distinguish users. The service delimiter is generally added by the equipment of the service provider. This TAG as the service delimiter is called as P-TAG.
The Ethernet access: no service delimiter is provided in the Ethernet frame header sent by the CE to the PE or sent by the PE to the CE. If the VLAN TAG is provided in the frame header at this time, it means that the VLAN TAG is only an internal VLAN TAG of a user message, it means nothing for PE equipment. This TAG of the user internal VLAN is called as U-TAG.
In a related implementation solution, one AC (Attachment Circuit) port in the L2VPN is limited to one type of access, that is, the Ethernet access or the VLAN access, as shown in FIG. 1. When an MPLS (Multiple protocol Label Switching) network is deployed, if two access modes are provided in the network, at least two ports are required.
As to the problem of poor versatility of the AC port in the L2VPN network in the related art, no effective solutions have been proposed yet.

Port configuration method and device, storage medium, and electronic device


The present invention relates to an information light system to inform users about operating status of an electronic household appliance, especially a dishwasher, without opening a door of the household appliance, and a dishwasher comprising the same. The information light system (1) is characterized by comprising an electronic board (3) which has a lighting element (3a) thereon and adapted to communicate with a control unit of the dishwasher; a chamber (2) which comprises a first wall (2a) and two second walls (2c), wherein the chamber (2) is in the form of a housing suitable for placing the electronic board (3) and enables light to be reflected onto a second surface which is opposite to the first surface; a cover (2b) which covers at least partially the chamber (2) and comprises a reflecting area (2f) which is light-transparent, has a form focusing the light emitted from the lighting element (3a), and is located such that light emitted from the lighting element (3a) can reach, wherein a light focusing element is located on the reflecting area; a connector (4) for energising the electronic board (3) and which is located at the chamber (2); and a flap (5) which is located on the first wall (2a) and at an outer surface of the first fall (2a) not facing the chamber (2) so as to be at the same side with the connector (4), and is connected from a side to the chamber (2) in an inclined manner in such a way that it can direct the liquid coming to the chamber (2) away from the first wall (2a).

In today's technology, there are various electronic household appliances used to carry out housework easily and to save both time and energy. Among these household appliances, especially dishwashers have become an essential part of daily lives by saving both time, water and energy. Having capability of allowing a large number of different dishes to be washed simultaneously, these dishwashers comprise a main body; a washing compartment located in the main body; a door controlling access into the washing compartment; a kick plate sheet placed at an area between the door and the main body; washing baskets for receiving the dishes to be washed, wherein the washing baskets are provided at the washing compartment for cleaning process and has a grid form for allowing the water inside the washing compartment to reach dishes; and at least one control unit which controls and adjusts operation of the dishwasher. Currently, dishwashing programmes of dishwashers consist of at least three stages: washing, rinsing and drying. In these dishwashers, washing and rinsing processes cause noise, even slightly. However, dishwasher does not make noise during drying process. Many users assume that dishwashing programme is completed when noise from the dishwasher while operating ceases, and open the dishwasher door to place the cleaned dishes or to dry the washed dishes quickly. This may lead water stains to remain on the dishes that are cleaned.
Moreover, especially for built-in dishwashers with silent operating technology, users cannot fully understand when the dishwashing programme started/ended without opening the door of the dishwasher or checking wetness of the dishes. Considering that washing and/or rinsing processes in dishwashers are carried out at high temperatures (50-70° C.), the user may be exposed to a high temperature steam while opening the door during or after washing or rinsing processes. This may disturb the user and cause unfavourable conditions, such as skin burns. Furthermore, in case the user rushes to place the dishes, fingers of the user can be damaged as he/she touches the dishes at high temperatures. In some cases, this may also cause the user to reflexively throw the dishes, which may cause glass/porcelain pieces to be broken.
Known art includes various applications for solving said problems, one of which is disclosed in the published patent document no. U.S. Pat. No. 9,161,675B2. Application disclosed in said patent document describes a device which reflects light onto a surface for allowing a user to detect whether the household appliance is operating or not. The device comprises a light source; a light guide which is placed at the door of the household appliance, wherein the light source is connected to at least one end of the light guide; and a window placed at a side of the door of the household appliance which is close to floor and parallel thereto, in order to reflect the light from the light guide onto the floor. However, in said application, since light source and light guide are mounted directly to the door, if the device is used in a household appliance, such as a dishwasher, running with water, electrical connections of the light guide may not be protected in case of a water leakage in the dishwasher, and this may cause the device to malfunction and even damage to the household appliance itself and/or electrical installation thereof. In addition, the elements in the device and/or the white appliance which are damaged should be replaced, which causes extra cost for the user.

Information light system and a dishwasher comprising the same

VESTEL BEYAZ ESYA SANAYI VE TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI


An antenna device includes a housing having a peripheral depression located around an orifice and formed between a peripheral rib and an inner peripheral surface of the housing, an antenna member having two shafts extended from a casing, a gear disposed on each of the shafts and movably engaged in the peripheral depression defined between the peripheral rib and the inner peripheral surface of the housing for guiding the casing of the antenna member to rotate relative the housing. A cap may rotatably secure the casing to the housing, to allow the casing to be rotated relative to the housing with the shafts or by a movement of the gears of the shafts in the peripheral depression of the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna device, and more particularly to an antenna device having a pivotal device for pivotally attaching or coupling an antenna member to a base housing member and for allowing the antenna device to be rotated or pivoted relative to the base housing member to various angular positions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical antenna devices comprise an antenna member engaged in an outer housing which may be rotatably or pivotally attached or coupled to various base housing members or electric or radio facilities, such as portable or mobile phones, motor vehicles, global positioning systems, computer facilities, radio apparatuses or communications, etc.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,218 to Tremblay discloses one of the typical locating and alarm systems or antenna devices comprising an antenna member or locating and alarm means extended from a base housing for attaching or coupling to a motor vehicle, and a radio frequency receiver electrically coupled to a circuit board for transmitting or receiving signals. However, the antenna member may not be suitably rotated and positioned to the outer housing at any selected angular positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,245 to Gomez et al. discloses another typical multi-band, multiple purpose antenna comprising an antenna member disposed or received within a base housing for transmitting or receiving signals. However, the antenna member may not be suitably rotated and positioned to the outer housing at any selected angular positions.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional antenna devices for various electric or radio facilities.


The present invention is directed to labeled compounds, specifically

The present invention relates to labeled compounds and more particularly to isotopically enriched acetic acid, (dialkylamino)oxo-, alkyl esters labeled with carbon-13 or with carbon-13 and hydrogen-2.
Diethyloxalate is an extremely useful synthon for the synthesis of many important biochemicals and pharmaceuticals. It can be used as a labeling synthon but has limitations in that it can only be used as a symetrically labeled compound. A new synthon has now been developed that has the synthetic utility of diethyl oxalate and allows the differentiation of each of the carbons.
It is an object of the present invention to provide labeled compounds useful for synthetic chemistry development.
In accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention provides labeled compounds of the formula
where each C* is selected from the group consisting of a carbon-12, i.e., 12C, or a carbon-13, i.e., 13C and at least one C* is 13C, R1 is selected from the group of C1-C4 lower alkyl and aryl, and X is selected from the group of xe2x80x94NR2R3 where R2 and R3 are each independently selected from the group of C1-C4 lower alkyl, alkoxy and aryl, xe2x80x94SR4 where R4 is selected from the group of C1-C4 lower alkyl, alkoxy and aryl, and xe2x80x94OR5 where R5 is selected from the group of C1-C4 lower alkyl, alkoxy and aryl with the proviso that when R1 is methyl then R5 is other than methyl, when R1 is ethyl then R5 is other than ethyl, and when R1 is benzyl then R5 is other than benzyl. In specific embodiments, the labeled compounds include [1-13C]acetic acid, (dimethylamino)oxo-, ethyl ester, [2-13C]acetic acid, (dimethylamino)oxo-, ethyl ester, and [1,2-13C2]acetic acid, (dimethylamino)oxo-, ethyl ester.
The present invention is concerned with diethyl oxalate analogs useful for assymetric labeling of synthetic compounds. Generally, the compounds are labeled with carbon-13, although they may be labeled with deuterium (2H) as well.
Particularly, the present invention is concerned with labeled compounds of the formula
where each C* is selected from the group consisting of a carbon-12, i.e., 12C, or a carbon-13, i.e., 13C and at least one C* is 13C, R1 is selected from the group of C1-C4 lower alkyl and aryl, and X is selected from the group of xe2x80x94NR2R3 where R2 and R3 are each independently selected from the group of C1-C4 lower alkyl, alkoxy and aryl, xe2x80x94SR4 where R4 is selected from the group of C1-C4 lower alkyl, alkoxy and aryl, and xe2x80x94OR5 where R5 is selected from the group of C1-C4 lower alkyl, alkoxy and aryl with the proviso that when R1 is methyl then R5 is other than methyl, when R1 is ethyl then R5 is other than ethyl, and when R1 is benzyl then R5 is other than benzyl.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9clower alkylxe2x80x9d refers to C1-C4 alkyl such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, butyl, isobutyl, and tert-butyl while the term xe2x80x9carylxe2x80x9d means a monovalent monocyclic or bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbon radical of 6 to 10 ring atoms, and optionally substituted independently with one, two, three, four or five substituents selected from alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, halo, nitro, cyano, xe2x80x94OR (where R is hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, optionally substituted phenyl), acyl, and xe2x80x94COOR (where R is hydrogen or alkyl). More specifically, the term xe2x80x9carylxe2x80x9d includes, but is not limited to 1-naphthyl, substituted 1-naphthyl, 2-naphthyl, substituted 2-naphthyl, and phenyl groups with the structure
wherein R11, R12, R13, R14 and R15 are each independently a lower alkyl, i.e., a C1-C4 alkyl such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, butyl, isobutyl, and tert-butyl, a halogen such as chloro, bromo or iodo, an amino group such as NH2, NHR or NRRxe2x80x2 where R and Rxe2x80x2 are each a lower alkyl or aryl as described above, or an alkoxy group such as O-alkyl or O-aryl where the alkyl is a lower alkyl as described above or an aryl as described above. Additionally, the aryl group may be a benzyl group.
Among particular labeled compounds are included [1-13C]acetic acid, (dimethylamino)oxo-, ethyl ester, [2-13C]acetic acid, (dimethylamino)oxo-, ethyl ester, and [1,2-13C2]acetic acid, (dimethylamino)oxo-, ethyl ester.
Each of these labeled compounds can be synthesized from similar starting materials, e.g., methyl phenyl sulfide.
In an exemplary process of the present invention, C*O2 where C* is 12C or 13C is reacted with a [12C or 13C]methyl phenyl sulfide to form an addition product, a chlorination reaction is conducted with the addition product to form an acid chloride-containing intermediate, an exchange reaction is conducted between dimethyl amine and the acid chloride-containing intermediate, and reaction with thionyl chloride is conducted followed by reaction with an ethanol-water mixture to yield the labeled compound.
Unlike labeled diethyl oxalate, the reactivity of the labeled acetic acid, (dimethylamino)oxo-, ethyl esters can be tailored to produce a variety of labeled biochemicals and pharmaceuticals with predictable regioselectivity. For example, a general reaction for the production of isotopically labeled glycerol using such a reagent can be as follows.
Lithium methyl phenyl sulfide can be reacted with any one of the described labeled acetic acid, (dimethylamino)oxo-, ethyl esters in THF to form an intermediate product. Such an intermediate product can then be reacted with diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL) followed by reaction with acetic anhydride and sodium acetate and followed by reaction with lithium borohydrate to form differently labeled glycerols. In the case of [1-13C]acetic acid, (dimethylamino)oxo-, ethyl ester as a starting material, the product will be [1,3-13C2]glycerol. In the case of [2-13C]acetic acid, (dimethylamino)oxo-, ethyl ester as a starting material, the product will be [1,2-13C2]glycerol. In the case of [1,2-13C2]acetic acid, (dimethylamino)oxo-, ethyl ester as a starting material, the product will be [U-13C3]glycerol.
The present invention is more particularly described in the following examples which are intended as illustrative only, since numerous modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Synthesis of labeled oxalic acid derivatives

The Regents of the University of California


Briefly, a method, apparatus and system for managing power corresponding to a differential serial communication link that has a link width defined for example by one or more lanes wherein the lanes are adapted to communicate clock recovery information in a data stream, determines, during normal operating conditions, such as conditions other than power on, reset or link fault conditions, a desired link width for the serial communication link and then changes the link width accordingly.

Reducing power consumption of integrated circuits and systems continues to be a difficult but necessary task particularly for integrated circuits used in mobile devices such as laptop devices, handheld devices and other mobile and non-mobile devices. In addition, reducing power consumption related to communication links can be critical since communication links may consume large amounts of power during active modes. One communication link proposed by the PCI SIG to augment and possibly replace several buses for high performance interconnect is referred to as PCI Express™. This proposed link consists of one or more lanes, each lane being capable of bi-directional communication. A single lane is composed of two sets of differential serial communication pairs. A single differential serial communication pair is required for transmission of information in a single direction, thus two pairs provide for bidirectional transmission capability. Communication in this scheme is accomplished by means of the transmission of packets across lane(s). Each packet contains clock information and possibly data. In all cases clock information is transmitted in a continuous stream of packets in both directions within each bidirectional lane. The continuous transmission of packets with embedded clock information can consume significant amounts of power.
Each differential serial communication pair consists of for example two, low voltage, differentially driven pairs of signals: a transmit pair and a receive pair. Data is embedded in an encoding scheme and organized into packets to achieve high data rates. The bandwidth of the differential serial communication link may be linearly scaled by adding lanes. For example, an implementation may support x1, x2, x4, x8, x12, x16 and x32 lane widths and splits the data across the lanes as desired. During initialization (such as power-up), each PCI Express™ link is set up following negotiation of the link width and frequency of operation by two agents at each end of the link. No firmware or operating system needs to be used. The selection of the link width however is typically performed during a power on condition, a reset condition or link fault condition through the use of a link training and status state machine (LTSSM).
In addition, power savings is employed after the link width is defined during initialization, such that lower power may be used depending upon the power setting of the links. For example, during active link (e.g. normal) operation, a transmitter's power may be changed to multiple different power levels (which are designated L0, L1, etc.). As such, once the link width has been determined after initialization, the link width stays the same but different power states may be used. L0, which may be for example an 80 milliwatt mode per lane, L0s which may be for example a 20 milliwatt mode per lane, L1, which may be a 5 milliwatt mode per lane and L2 or L3 which may be a mode that may consume less than 1 milliwatt of power per lane. Depending upon the power state level, it may take more time for the links to become active or increase the power states depending upon the electrical circuitry that is shut off during these power modes. In all events however, the power modes are normal states within a set constant link width. This does not preclude additional desirable power savings.
For example, during normal operation the links that have been previously designated as active may change power states to save power by turning off for example the circuitry involved in the transmitting of communication on either side of the link. However, although this results in a power savings, the link width is kept the same until for example a system is turned off and powered up, reset or if there is a link failure. As such, additional power savings would be desirable.
FIG. 1 illustrates a state diagram illustrating, for example, the states of the link training and status state machine that is used during a power-up condition to initially negotiate the link width between two ends of the links. As noted above, this operation is performed during non-normal operating conditions (e.g. non-active link condition) such as during power on or if there is a link fault recovery requirement or if a reset occurs. The detect state is typically entered during the power on state or other non-active or normal states. During the detect state for example the state machine on one or both sides of the link detects the number of lanes that are connected.
During the detect state, a receiver detection sequence is performed to see how wide the link width can be. For example, data is communicated to determine the number of lanes available or the maximum number of lanes available on either side of the link. A polling state is used to send training sets to stabilize receivers. In the configuration state, a link width negotiation is performed to negotiate the number of lanes that are to be used. For example, if one end of the link can accommodate eight lanes but another end of a link can accommodate sixteen, the maximum link width would be eight lanes. In the L0 state, electrical idle conditions are used to, for example, enter different power states for lanes that have been selected as active during the configuration state. To come out of a power saving state (e.g., L1 to L0), a recovery state is entered which includes, for example, sending training set information between the elements at the ends of the link to retrain the link, and to re-enter L0.
Also, to initially determine the number of lanes or the link width during power on, reset or other inactive operation condition, the detect state and other states in the transitions between these states must be carried out. To change the link width, a recovery state is entered which transitions to a configuration state which then transitions to the detect state. Then training at the new link width commences. For example, it may take at least 64 microseconds or as long as 12 milliseconds to go from the detect state to the L0 state. In addition, as noted above the link width determination is only performed during non-active modes. Moreover, the link can become unstable because a link down state is entered so that accesses on the link are discarded.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method and apparatus to further reduce power consumption in connection with a differential serial communication link.

Method and apparatus for managing power consumption relating to a differential serial communication link


A projection-type image displaying apparatus includes: a first color wheel for splitting a light ray from a light source into colored light rays according to color transmission characteristics by the wheel being rotated; a second color wheel for further splitting the colored light rays from the first color wheel by the wheel being rotated; a reflection display device for reflecting, while modulating or switching the light rays transmitted through the second color wheel in synchronization with image signals from an image signal inputting unit, and varying phase of the color wheels in accordance with the changing picture quality; and a reflection drive control unit for controlling the driving of the reflection display device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to color wheels for time-divisionally splitting white light ray emitted from a lamp light source into red, green and blue light rays, and relates to an optical projection apparatus and projection-type image displaying apparatus having the optical projection apparatus that emits colored light rays transmitted through the color wheels onto a reflection display device, and magnifies to project the image light rays formed on the reflection display device through a projection lens onto a screen.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical system of a conventional optical projection apparatus includes: a lamp device for emitting white condensed light rays; a color wheel for inputting the condensed light from the lamp device and splitting the light into colored light rays in a time-divisional manner; a light mixing element for inputting the colored light rays transmitted through the color wheel and emitting from an output facet the light as a beam whose cross sectional illumination distribution is uniform; a relay lens for refracting the colored light rays emitted from the light mixing element; a digital micromirror device (hereinafter, referred to as a DMD) for inputting the colored light rays transmitted through the relay lens and reflecting image light rays after the light rays being modulated or switched in accordance with image signals; and a projection lens for magnifying and projecting the image light rays onto a screen (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). Here, the output facet of the light mixing element and the DMD are designed to have optically conjugate relationships. The color wheel used in the conventional optical system comprise three color (three primary colors; red, green, blue) or four color (add white color) filter segments having sector-like shapes and different color transmission characteristics with respect to light rays transmitting therethrough, and the wheel is configured in a disk form in which the filter segments are glued with each other. Here, the reason for the color wheel comprising at least three primary color filter segments is that since the color information of the colored light rays transmitted through the color wheel is uniform due to the nature of light, when a light spot in an arbitrary position on the color wheel is lapped along a circumferential direction on the color wheel, the circumferential integration value of the colored light rays transmitted through the point becomes white. Moreover, the reason for adding a white filter segment is that since the light transmitted through a white color filter segment has light quantity three times as much as the light rays transmitted through each of the three primary color segments, the four color filter segment is suited to improve visibility of white characters and to project images onto the screen in bright surroundings.
The conventional projection-type image displaying apparatus includes: the optical projection apparatus described above; a control unit for controlling rotation of a color wheel in synchronization with a frame rate of image signals inputted from outside; a sensor for outputting reference signals in synchronization with the rotation of the color wheel; a DMD control circuit for inputting the reference signals outputted from the sensor and controlling light modulation or switching process for the DMD; and a memory for inputting color data, which is corresponding to the color of colored light rays incident on the DMD, and transmitting the color data to the DMD based on the control signals from the DMD control circuit (for example, refer to patent document 2).
A method of projecting image based on image signals, which is inputted from outside, onto the screen using the projection-type image displaying apparatus configured as above has been proposed in that rotational velocity of the color wheel is controlled so as to synchronize the velocity with the frame rate, when the frame rate of the inputted image signals is detected. When white condensed light emitted from a lamp device is incident on three or four color filter segments on the color wheel in rotation, the condensed light transmitted through the color wheel is changed into a red light ray (hereinafter, referred to as "R"), a green light ray (hereinafter, referred to as "G"), a blue light ray (hereinafter, referred to as "B"), and a white light ray (hereinafter, referred to as "W"), which are split in time division based on distribution of each filter segment. The colored light rays split in time division are emitted from the light mixing element as a beam, whose cross-sectional illumination distribution is uniform, refracted by the relay lens, and then sequentially illuminate the DMD. At this time, if a reference signal is transmitted from the sensor in synchronization with the rotation of the color wheel, the DMD control circuit sequentially reads from the memory for color data of image signals corresponding to R, G, B, and W illuminating the DMD, based on the reference signal, and simultaneously transmits to the DMD control signals for light modulation or switching process. The DMD modulates or switches the colored light rays at an extremely high speed based on the control signals from the DMD control circuit, and reflects to the projection lens R, G, B, and W image light rays corresponding to the image signals. The R, G, B, and W image light rays, which are inputted from the DMD, are sequentially magnified and projected onto the screen by the projection lens. Here, if alternating rate of the colors is rapid enough, the colors are composed in viewer's brains and recognized as full-color images. Thereby, magnified images are projected onto the screen by using a spectrum effect of human eyes. Therefore, because the projection-type image displaying apparatus uses a spectrum effect of human eyes, it can be empirically concluded that the more splitting counts, that is, the shorter splitting time is, when the white light ray from the light source is split into R, G, and B light rays in time division, the more excellent the color display becomes.
Patent Document 1:
Japanese Laid-Open Open Patent Publications 2002-122805 (FIG. 1)
Patent Document 2:
Japanese Laid-Open Open Patent Publications 1997-054267 (FIG. 2)

Optical projection apparatus and projection-type image displaying apparatus