Test result data can be classified across multiple tests, test scenarios, and lab runs. Test result files can be parsed by extracting information from them. Extracted information can be compared to failure information in a database. If a match is found, the extracted information can be linked to the failure, creating a history for each failure. New failures can be identified when no match is found. Failure data can be cross-referenced to further aid in results analysis. For each failure, lists of useful information can be accessed. Analysis information can be associated with failures, for example whether the failure is new, occurred previously, is for a different reason than expected, or has been added to a baseline of expected failures. A Graphic User Interface (“GUI”) is also provided to expose the analyzed results to the result analyzers.

Testing involves performing an operation to determine if the actual result matches an expected result. If the actual and expected results do not match, the test is failed. The classic test is that of a child in school. A child is asked to perform an operation, e.g., a math problem. If the child produces an incorrect result, the test is failed. This information is valuable to the teacher, because it provides an indicator of whether the lessons are effective. It may also provide an indicator of the child's ability.
Today, testing is widely used in virtually every industry to determine valuable information about products, systems, employees, organizations, and more. Moreover, a single test may be insufficient to gather desired information. A company that is attempting to increase the safety of a product, for example, may conduct many tests in different scenarios. A large car may perform quite well in a head-on collision test, but may perform poorly in a rollover test. The overall safety of a vehicle may be measured by a number of tests that are prioritized by frequency of the test scenario in the real world.
Software developers in particular make heavy use of testing. Buyers of software products expect those products to work on their computer systems. A product that has not been fully tested may simply cause irritation if it causes computer system malfunctions, but it may also cause more serious problems such as opening a security loophole for attackers or causing the loss of large amounts of valuable data. In response to the need for software testing, there have been a number of advancements in the field. These advancements are generally directed to determining the appropriate software tests to run, test results analysis, and automation of performing tests.
First, determining which scenarios to test is important in software testing. Just as a car encounters many scenarios on the road, software operations occur in many scenarios within computer systems. Computer systems are built using a wide variety of components, which may be configured differently. The state of the components changes when they are called upon to execute software. Therefore modern software testing involves not only testing the many operations that an application may perform, but testing those operations in a subset of the various scenarios in which the operations are likely to occur. It may be significant that an operation is performed while a computer is also running MICROSOFT WORD®. It may also be significant that a computer has a wireless internet connection, or that the computer has both a wireless internet connection and runs MICROSOFT WORD® when an operation is performed. There are so many variables that testing an operation in every single possible computer state is impractical. Therefore, a determination of which computer states to test is an important aspect of software testing.
Second, test results analysis is an area of advancement in software testing. This term, however, can mean several different things. In a traditional sense, it refers to investigation of why a particular operation failed a test. Products developed by VECTOR SOFTWARE®, VIASOFT®, and MERCURY INTERACTIVE® provide some tools for test result analysis. Some such tools also provide statistics on failure rates, e.g., they compute a percentage of tested operations that failed. They may also compute failure percentages for each operation, thereby providing a percentage of scenarios in which a given operation, such as "open file" failed. Developers may set a target failure rate for their product, such as 99%, which suggests that 99% of the scenarios in which an operation is performed will not yield failures. As soon as a given operation works 99% of the time, investigation of failures for the product can cease and the product is ready to ship. This approach, however, is weak in that the failures that are not solved may be particularly troublesome. Therefore tools that provide failure statistics do not lend themselves to ideal techniques for software testing.
Finally, the software testing industry has seen much advancement in automation of software testing. This is largely because of the sheer volume of tests that are generally considered desirable. Because software is often quite complex, there are many operations performed by any given application that may need testing. For example, an application may both open a document and close a document. It may also manipulate a document in any number of ways, which can be appreciated by any computer user.
The many software operations that may be tested combined with many test scenarios produces a potentially enormous number of tests that may be desirable in testing software. This concept is demonstrated in FIG. 1. For example, consider the testing that may be desired by a hypothetical software developer who writes an application 100 called "Jammer" for playing and editing music files. One of the many operations performed by Jammer is opening a file 101. Imagine that our hypothetical application 101 is opening a music file, e.g., "Smooth" sung by Santana and Rob Thomas. To ensure that this opening operation 101 will be performed smoothly in all scenarios in which it may be performed, the Jammer 100 developer may first test it in all of the various operating system environments 120 it may be performed. The Jammer 100 developer may acquire one computer for the MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP ("XP") operating system, another for the MICROSOFT WINDOWS 2000 operating system, another for the APPLE MAC OS X operating system, etc. Testing only these operating systems 120 would require three tests: opening "Smooth" with Jammer 100 running on each of the operating systems 120. However, the operating systems may be used in connection with various processors 130 that affect the way the operating systems 120 run. For example, imagine that each of the operating systems 120 may run on a computer using any of the processor families INTEL CELERON®, AMD THUNDERBIRD®, and INTEL PENTIUM IV®. By introducing an additional variable, namely processors, which itself has three variations, suddenly there are nine tests to perform.
By extrapolating from FIG. 1, the potential magnitude of tests for software products becomes apparent. The operating systems 120 shown are not representative of all operating systems, and each operating system may have different versions for different languages. For example, there is an XP English version, an XP German version, an XP Spanish version, etc. Likewise, the processor families shown are just that—families of processors. Testing for each individual processor, as well as for other popular processor families, may be desired. Still further, operating systems and processors are only two of many variables that may be adjusted. Every time a new variable is added the number of tests can multiply by the number of possible variations, or states, of the new variable. This explosion is illustrated in the table 140 at the bottom of FIG. 3. A number of variables 150 are displayed across the top of the table 140. A number of states of each variable 160 is displayed on the left side of the table. The corresponding number of tests to be performed is presented. For 8 variables, each with 6 states, there are 1,679,616 tests to perform. As a result of this explosion in the number of tests, there have been significant advancements in automating software testing, directed to the automatic set up of tests and return of result files bearing information about the test failures that may help the process of failure investigation.
There are many software testing products currently available. AUTOTESTER® from AUTOTESTER®, HOURGLASS 2000® from MAINWARE®, OPTA2000® from TANDSOFT®, PANORAMA-2® from INTERNATIONAL SOFTWARE AUTOMATION®, SIM2000® from DPE & ASSOCIATES®, SIMULATE 2000® from PRINCE SOFTWARE®, TARGET2000® from TARGETFOUR®, TRANSCENTURY DATE SIMULATOR® and ENTERPRIZE TESTER® from PLATINUM®, TALC 2000® from EXECOM®, TICTOC® from CICS®, TEST 2000® and AGER 2000® from MVS®, VECTORCAST® from VECTOR SOFTWARE®, VIA/AUTOTEST® from VIASOFT®, TEST SUITE 2000® from MERCURY INTERACTIVE®, and WORKBENCH/2000® from MICROFOCUS® are all products aimed at software testing. These products are software that may generally help in analyzing relevant scenarios for software testing, determining why failures occurred, and automating the set up of tests in a way that returns useful test result files.
Available testing products, and testing technology generally, have improved software testing to the point that a large volume of useful tests can be run quickly and return result files that aid in the investigation of failures. Perhaps in part as a result of these advancements, another problem has appeared in the industry: the proliferation of test results. Currently, a set of test operations may be run automatically in a lab run that involves performing a number of tests in a variety of scenarios. A short lab run for a commercial software developer, which tests only a subset of operations against a single operating system, may approach 300,000 tests. A full lab run—all tests performed in all scenarios—may go well beyond 1,000,000 tests.
A good lab run, with few failed tests, may yield an average pass rate of approximately 95%. If a developer wants to investigate all failures, this means that there may be well over 50,000 failures to investigate. Furthermore, numerous lab runs may be conducted per week for products in the final stages of development. There may also be multiple products to be tested, along with updates to products that are often distributed by software developers. In this environment, verification of test results quickly becomes an unmanageable task. Employees hired to investigate failures may spend significant time verifying lab run results, thereby diminishing resources for other testing activities such as writing new tests or improving existing tests.
The proliferation of test results and the corresponding test analysis resources have not been met with sufficient technological advancements in reducing the labor involved in test result analysis. Currently, test result files can be differentiated, whereby identical result files can be categorized together. This provides some help in allowing test result analyzers to group identical failures over multiple lab runs, but result files may differ slightly even if a failure occurred for the same reason, simply because the failure occurred in different computing environments. Categorization based on entire result files therefore often requires redundant attention from result analyzers to slightly different result files.
Another technique currently in use allows a result analyzer to identify one or more particular result files that they know are associated with an expected "bug" or imperfection in software. All result files that match an exact specified description associated with the expected bug can be stripped from the set of result files to be examined. Alternatively, the tests that produce failures associated the known bug can be discontinued from future lab runs until the bug is resolved. This solution is practical but less than perfect, because it may be desirable to continue running the test associated with a bug for other computing environments and to keep the generated result files for analysis. Simply discontinuing tests raises a coverage problem, creating a blind spot in the testing of a software product.
In light of the forgoing deficiencies in the analysis of test results, there is a heretofore unaddressed need in the industry to provide improved techniques for automated test result analysis.

Systems and methods for automated classification and analysis of large volumes of test result data


An electronic signal filter assembly that employs a segmented structure that includes a plurality of sleeves that are each configured to house a set of electronics, such as circuitry mounted on a circuit board. The sleeves are configured to be mechanically and electrically connected together to function together within the electronic signal filter assembly.

Cable television (CATV) systems presently utilize a wide range of types of electronic signal filters, traps, attenuators, and other line conditioning equipment. The line conditioning equipment is used to maintain or improve the quality and to control the content of the network signal to an individual subscriber's premises. The above equipment is also used in order to maintain, protect or condition the signals generated by devices within the subscriber's premises location and returned to the CATV network.

Segmented electronic signal filter assembly


Dialkyl malonate/alkyl acrylate Michael addition product mixtures having at least three acceptor moieties in a substantial number of the molecules can be consistently prepared without the need for long reaction times or the use of a large excess of the acceptor when the reaction is effected by gradually adding one molar proportion of a dialkyl malonate to at least three molar proportions of an alkyl acrylate which has been preheated to 60.degree.-80.degree. C. in admixture with an initiator and a phase transfer catalyst. In a preferred embodiment, the preheated mixture is maintained at 60.degree.-80.degree. C. for at least one hour before the dialkyl malonate is added in order to increase the percentage of product composed of the heavier components.

As disclosed in copending applications Ser. No. 07/947,628 (Sabahi), Ser. No. 07/947,629 (Sabahi et al.-I), and Ser. No. 07/986,204 (Sabahi et al.-II):
(1) useful Michael addition products containing at least one, and preferably more than one, acceptor moiety per molecule can be prepared by reacting a dialkyl malonate with an alkyl acrylate in the presence of an initiator and a phase transfer catalyst, and PA1 (2) it was believed that making the Michael acceptor, i.e., the acrylate, the last of the ingredients to be charged to the reaction vessel permitted better control of the reaction temperature and, therefore, improved direction of the reaction to the formation of a desired product.
Sabahi and Sabahi et al. show that the above-described process is capable of providing Michael addition products containing more than one acceptor moiety per molecule. As demonstrated in their working examples, however, the process requires the use of a considerable stoichiometric excess of the acceptor to provide any substantial number of molecules containing at least three acceptor moleties. Moreover, this process employing the large excess of acceptor suffers from long reaction times and lack of reproducibility, and the product compositions are ill defined.

Process for preparing Michael addition products


Approaches are described for generating an audio signal that mimics speech captured a computing device. An input audio signal (e.g., a speech signal) can be transformed from the time domain into another domain, to generate one or more audio signal segments, where each segment can correspond to a window of time. The device can then determine, for each audio signal segment, a feature characteristic of the audio signal, such as a phoneme. Each one of segments can be mapped, based at least in part on the respective feature characteristic, to a model audio signal. The device can then generate an output audio signal including each model audio signal as determined by the mapping, where the output audio signal is in a sequence associated with the input audio signal.

As computing devices offer increasing processing capacity and functionality, users are able to operate these devices in an expanding variety of ways. For example, users can utilize audio recording and playback devices to record then playback the recorded audio signal using an application that transforms or modifies the recorded audio. Conventionally, these applications transform the audio by applying one or more filters or other modifications to the input audio signal, where each filter can adjust a playback speed, volume level, or add a sound effect (e.g., morph or change a voice) to the input audio signal, among others. These approaches often sound computer-generated, or are otherwise limited in their ability to replicate speech or other audio input in a way that sounds to a user as if the modified speech was originally produced or recorded by a character or other such entity.


A base and a manufacturing method thereof and a display device are provided, so that a problem of faultage of an insulating layer when forming the insulating layer on an aluminum electrode of a substrate is solved. The base includes an aluminum electrode in a first setting pattern on a substrate, and an aluminum oxide layer or an aluminum nitride layer (3) in a second setting pattern provided in a same layer with the aluminum electrode. The first setting pattern and the second setting pattern are complementary to each other.

In the field of display technology, display devices of large-size, high-resolution and high-definition, such as liquid crystal displays and organic light emitting displays, has dominated the current market of flat panel displays.
The display panel includes a variety of electrodes, such as a gate electrode, a source electrode, a drain electrode of a thin film transistor (TFT), a gate line connected to the gate electrode, a data line connected to the source electrode, and a pixel electrode connected to a drain electrode in the display panel.
In current display panels, such as a liquid crystal display panel (LCD) and organic light emitting display panel (OLED), aluminum electrodes are formed typically by using an aluminum material which has lower cost, better conductivity and smaller diffusibility of metal ions. Typically, an insulating layer is formed between the aluminum electrode and other electrodes so that they are insulated from each other.

Base and manufacturing method thereof, display device


An actuator-controlled strike comprising a housing disposable within a doorframe and including a chamber for receiving a spring latch and a dead latch of a mortise-type lockset. A keeper is pivotably mounted within the chamber to restrain the spring latch. A pivotable spring latch lifter is positively driven by the keeper, and a pivotable dead latch release platform is supported by the keeper when the spring latch is locked within the strike. The keeper is released by the actuator and then may be rotated which causes rotation of the dead latch release platform, allowing the dead latch to enter the chamber. The keeper positively drives the spring latch lifter to lift the spring latch onto the external ramp of the strike. In an alternate embodiment, an internal ramp feature may be used instead of the spring latch lifter to positively lift the spring latch out of the chamber.

As is known in the art of door latching, typically an electrically-controlled strike is mounted in a frame portion of a door and engages a mortise-type lockset disposed on or in an edge portion of the door. Typically, the mortise-type lockset includes a spring latch and a dead latch that is linearly spaced-apart from the spring latch along the edge portion of the door. The spring latch is reciprocally moveable between an engaged position so that it can engage an entry chamber in the strike, thereby to secure the door in a closed state, and a released position, wherein the door is released from the closed state and is free to open. The dead latch is reciprocally moveable between an enabling position (extended) that permits movement of the spring latch from its engaged position to the released position and a disabling position (depressed) that prohibits movement of the spring latch from its engaged position to its release position. The spring latch is resiliently biased into an engaged position and the dead latch is resiliently biased into the enabled position. (When the dead latch is in the enabled, extended position, the spring latch is able to be depressed from its engaged position).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,991 B2, the relevant disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses an electrically-controlled strike comprising a housing adapted to be mounted in a frame portion of a door and having a cavity with a forwardly disposed opening that is sized and adapted to receive a spring latch and a dead latch when the door is in the closed state. The invention provides a single electrically actuated door latch structure that can be customized to a variety of spring latch and dead latch arrangements.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/851,848, filed Aug. 6, 2010 and assigned to Hanchett Entry Systems, Inc. discloses an improved door strike having a spring latch kicker and a dead latch release platform which can be adjusted to various positions in conjunction with the specific mortise lockset used. A rectangular housing is disposable within the frame of a door pivotably mounted in the frame. The housing includes an elongate opening defining an entry chamber for a spring latch and a dead latch of a mortise lockset in the door. An entrance ramp for the spring latch and dead latch extends from an edge of the housing. A keeper is pivotably mounted within the chamber to selectively engage and retain the spring latch. A kicker is also pivotably mounted within the chamber and is interlocked with the keeper and engageable by the spring latch. A dead latch release platform is also pivotably mounted within the chamber and is supported at an opposite end by the keeper when the spring latch is secured within the strike. When a release command is received, the keeper is allowed by means of an actuator, such as a solenoid, to rotate and then rotates, from a door-opening force, against the force of its return spring into a position from which the spring latch may be ramped out of the strike opening. The keeper rotation allows the dead latch release platform to pivot into the cavity against the force of a release platform return spring, thereby releasing the dead latch to be extended into the cavity which allows the spring latch to be ramped out as it is depressed into the door. The pivot action of the keeper and a leg of the keeper acting directly on the kicker causes the kicker to engage the nose of the spring latch and to boost the spring latch onto a ramp surface formed on a face of the keeper. The spring latch then leaves the kicker, climbs the ramp surface and exits the strike as the door opens in the frame. After the spring latch has cleared the strike, the keeper rotates to its lock position under the force of its return spring, the dead latch release platform returns to a position supported by the keeper under the force of its return spring so that the dead latch is held in its depressed position by the supported dead latch release platform upon closing the door.
The dead latch release platform can be installed in any of a plurality of different vertical (along the long dimension of the housing) locations in the housing opening to accommodate any of a plurality of different lockset arrangements.
What is needed in the art is an electrically-controlled strike wherein the dead latch release platform is positively driven by the keeper to its return position in preparation for relatching of a door.
What is further needed is a strike wherein a spring latch lifter feature includes (1) a pivotable member that is driven by the keeper to positively and continuously push the spring latch onto the exit ramp during unlatching of the door, or (2) an internal ramp to form a continuous incline whose surface aligns with a ramped nose of the keeper and an external ramp to lift the spring latch out of the entry chamber when the keeper releases the spring latch and the door is moved in an opening direction.
It is a principal object of the present invention to reduce the cost and complexity of an electrically-controlled strike for a door with a mortise lockset and to improve reliability of operation.

Electric door strike having a dead latch release platform actuated by a spring latch keeper and a spring latch lifter feature


A disk drive has a data recording medium such as a disk, a spindle motor for rotating the disk, disk rotation speed controlling logics for supplying a spindle current to the above described spindle motor to rotate the disk at a constant speed, a head unit for accessing the disk, an actuator for moving the head unit, and head position controlling logics for driving the actuator and controlling the position of the head unit. The head position controlling logic obtains the value of the spindle current and controls the position of the head unit on the basis of the above described spindle current value by using the fact that the spindle current varies according to variations in the position of the head unit.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a disk apparatus such as a hard disk drive and a head position control method for controlling the position of the head unit that writes data to the disk and/or reads data from the disk. In particular, the present invention relates to a disk drive apparatus and a head position control method that control the position of the head unit on the basis of the spindle current supplied to the spindle motor that rotates the disk.
2. Description of the Related Art
A disk apparatus includes: a disk, which is a data recording medium; a spindle motor for rotating the above described disk; disk rotation speed controlling means for supplying a spindle current to the above described spindle motor to rotate the above described disk at a constant speed; a head unit for accessing the above described disk; an actuator for moving the above described head unit; head position controlling means for driving the above described actuator and controlling the position of the above described head unit; and position detection data generating means for generating position detection data for the above described head unit from servo information that the above described head unit reads from the above described disk, and the disk apparatus reads, by means of the head unit, servo information written to the disk beforehand, generates position detection data for the head unit from this servo information by means of position detection data generating means, drives the actuator and controls the position of the head unit by means of the head position controlling means on the basis of this position detection data, and accesses a target cylinder (track) on the disk by means of the head unit.
In addition to a mode for controlling the position of the head unit on the basis of the above described position detection data (called xe2x80x9cactive modexe2x80x9d in the following descriptions), the above described disk apparatus and especially a small disk apparatus has power-save modes for reducing power consumption. There are a plurality of power-save modes that differ according to whether or not the head unit is retracted from above the disk, whether or not disk rotation is halted, and so forth. Among these power-save modes, one for which the time until return to the active mode is short is a power-save mode in which the power supply of the position detection data generating means is turned OFF while leaving the head unit positioned above the rotating disk. This power-save mode is called xe2x80x9cinitial power-save modexe2x80x9d in the following descriptions.
FIG. 7 shows structural drawings of the interior of the enclosure of disk apparatuses. Here, A is an old type, and B is a new type in which the enclosure has been made smaller. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 1 denotes the disk, reference numeral 2 denotes the spindle motor, reference numeral 3 denotes the head unit, reference numeral 4 denotes the actuator, configured by a voice coil motor (VCM) 41, and a head arm 42 at the tip of which the head unit 3 is mounted, reference numeral 5 denotes a ramp that supports the head arm 42 when the head unit 3 is retracted (unloaded) (more precisely, the head arm 42 moves up a first inclined face of the ramp 5, moves down a second inclined face consecutive to this first inclined face, and is supported by a supporting surface consecutive to this second inclined face), reference numerals 10A and 10B denote the enclosure, reference numeral 11 denotes an inner crash stop that controls the rotation range in an anticlockwise direction (toward the center of the disk) of the head arm 42, and reference numerals 12A and 12B denote a flexible printed cable (FPC) that connects the VCM 41 and the head unit 3 to a control board (not shown) on which the position detection data generating means and head position controlling means are installed. FIG. 7 is a structural drawing showing the head unit 3 unloaded; in the above described active mode and initial power-save mode, the head arm 42 rotates anticlockwise and is detached from the ramp 5, and the head unit 3 is loaded into the air above the rotating disk 1.
In the above described initial power-save mode, position detection data is no longer generated, and therefore the position of the head unit 3 must be controlled, and the head unit 3 positioned at the prescribed position on the disk 1, by a head position controlling means that does not use position detection data. If the head position is not controlled in the initial power-save mode, the head arm 42 may move toward the outer edge of the disk and remain lodged against the first inclined face without being supported by the ramp 5, or move toward the center of the disk and remain lodged against the inner crash stop 11, and in the worst case, the head unit 3 may touch the disk 1 and crash.
In the conventional disk apparatus of FIG. 7A, using the fact that the bias force received by the actuator 4 from the FPC 12A varies according to variations in the position of the head unit 3, in the active mode a VCM current is found beforehand that generates torque that balances the above described bias force at the target position, and in the initial power-save mode, the head unit 3 is positioned at the above described target position by supplying the above described VCM current to the VCM 41.
However, in reducing the size of the disk enclosure and implementing higher density inside the disk enclosure, as in the change from the disk enclosure 10A in FIG. 7A to the disk enclosure 10B in FIG. 7B, in order to achieve further reduction in the size of a disk apparatus, the routing of the FPC is unavoidably changed from the kind illustrated by the FPC 12A in FIG. 7A to the kind illustrated by the FPC 12B in FIG. 7B, and due to this change in the FPC routing, the variation in the bias force from the FPC with respect to the head position is decreased, making it difficult to balance the above described bias force and the torque produced by the VCM, and to fix the head unit at a prescribed position.
FIG. 8 presents graphs showing the bias force received by the actuator from the FPC (the VCM current that generates torque for balancing this bias force) with respect to the position of the head unit in the disk apparatuses in FIG. 7. Here, A shows the case of the old type of disk apparatus in FIG. 7A, and B shows the case of the new type of disk apparatus in FIG. 7B. The above described bias force (VCM current that generates torque balancing this) is different for the case where the head arm 42 is rotated away from the outer edge of the disk and toward the center of the disk, and the case where, conversely, the head arm 42 is rotated away from the center of the disk and toward the outer edge of the-disk (that is to say, there is hysteresis according to the direction of rotation of the head arm 42). In FIG. 8, the characteristic shown by the solid line is for the case of rotation away from the outer edge of the disk and toward the center of the disk, and the characteristic shown by the dotted line is for the case of rotation away from the center of the disk and toward the outer edge of the disk.
As shown in FIG. 8A, in the old type of disk apparatus in FIG. 7A the slope of the characteristic of variation of the bias force from the FPC 12A with respect to the head position is large, and therefore the position of the head unit 3 (the position of the head arm 42) does not differ greatly from the target position even if the VCM current that generates torque balancing the bias force at the target position is somewhat adrift. However, as shown in FIG. 8B, in the new, smaller type of disk apparatus in FIG. 7B, the slope of the characteristic of variation of the bias force from the FPC 12B with respect to the head position is small, and therefore it is difficult to achieve a balance between the bias force and the VCM torque at the target position (the margin for achieving the above described balance is smaller than in the old type). In the area from midway across the disk to the outer edge (the area from 21 to 30 mm from the center of the disk), especially, the above described characteristic slope is small and the margin for preventing the head arm 42 from moving and lodging against the ramp 5 is small.
The present invention solves the above described conventional problems, and has as its object the provision of a disk apparatus and head position control method that enable the head unit to be controlled at a prescribed target position even if head unit position detection data cannot be obtained by means of servo information read from the disk by the head unit, and enable a reduction in size of the disk apparatus to be achieved.
The disk apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above described objective includes: a disk, which is a data recording medium; a spindle motor for rotating the above described disk; disk rotation speed controlling means for supplying a spindle current to the above described spindle motor to rotate the above described disk at a constant speed; a head unit for accessing the above described disk; an actuator for moving the above described head unit; and head position controlling means for driving the above described actuator and controlling the position of the above described head unit, in which the above described head position controlling means obtains the value of the above described spindle current, and, controls the position of the head unit on the basis of the above described spindle current value by using the fact that the above described spindle current varies according to variations in the position of the above described head unit.
Also, the head position control method of the present invention in which a disk apparatus includes: a disk, which is a data recording medium; a spindle motor for rotating the above described disk; disk rotation speed controlling means for supplying a spindle current to the above described spindle motor to rotate the above described disk at a constant speed; a head unit for accessing the above described disk; and an actuator for moving the above described head unit, and controls the position of the above described head unit by using the fact that the value of the above described spindle current varies according to variations in the position of the above described head unit, comprising the steps of:
a. obtaining the value of the spindle current;
b. finding the difference of the above described spindle current value from the target current value; and
c. driving the actuator according to the above described difference.
As described above, according to the present invention, by obtaining the spindle current value, and, by using the fact that the spindle current varies according to variations in the position of the head unit, controlling the position of the head unit on the basis of the above described spindle current value, advantages are provided in that the position of the head unit can be adjusted to a prescribed target position even though head unit position detection data cannot be obtained, and the disk apparatus can be made smaller.

Disk apparatus and head position control method

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands, B.V.


A method for vehicle function control includes: in response to determining that a distance between a vehicle and a terminal is within a bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication distance and the terminal has a digital vehicle key of the vehicle, establishing a BLE connection between the vehicle and the terminal and performing a BLE ranging; and when a BLE ranging result meets a preset condition, controlling the vehicle to unlock a door lock.

With the development of science and technology, function control is well-known as a common control method, and it appears in various scenes of daily life due to its wide application prospect. It is a hot topic to implement the function control on a vehicle with a digital vehicle key.
In the related art, a digital vehicle key is configured on a terminal for vehicle function control through a Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. However, NFC technology requires users to place the terminal with a digital vehicle key close to a vehicle. It may not provide a remote control function, a non-inductive door lock opening function or a startup function.

Method and apparatus for vehicle function control, and storage medium

BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.


An enclosed food processing vat is provided having two or more generally horizontally-oriented partial cylindrical inner wall sections, each inner wall section conforming to a first portion of an swept volume created by the rotation of an agitator means about a horizontal shaft, the distance between the shafts being slightly greater than the radius of the swept volume so that a second portion of the swept volume for each shaft intersects and overlaps the swept volume of adjacent shafts. Each shaft is provided with a series of combined cutting and stirring paddles comprising a series of blades arranged both perpendicular to the shaft and parallel to the shaft that are sharpened on one side only and fixed so that when the shaft is rotated in one direction cutting will take place; whereas, when the shaft is rotated in the other direction stirring will take place. The stirring action is further enhanced by the orientation of certain perpendicular blades that act on the food product in a propeller-like manner creating a generally torroidal flow pattern of food product around the shaft of each inner wall section.

Traditionally, the process for making cheese and other liquid-type food products involved the use of a processing vat that was open to the atmosphere. While simple to construct and convenient to use, the use of open-air vats gave rise to several problems, including the risk of airborne contamination of the vat contents and significant loss of process heat into the surrounding atmosphere.
To overcome these problems, fully enclosed vats or tanks were developed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,855 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,880 are examples or prior art cheese making vats that are fully enclosed. The vats in each of these patents utilize an agitator comprised of cutting and stirring paddles that is rotated around two vertical shafts within a vertically-disposed vessel comprised of two partial cylinders. Unfortunately, both of the vats described in these patents are inadequate for processing large capacities of food product because the cutting and stirring paddles become very cumbersome due to the relatively large radius of the partial cylinders. This large radius is necessitated by practical limitations as to the permissible depth of food product in the vat due to the effects of hydrostatic pressure on the food product as it is formed. For example, the hydrostatic pressure on the cheese curds during formation of the coagulum cannot exceed approximately a seven foot static head, depending upon the particular type of cheese being processed. It is also necessary to fit swinging deflector devices to the agitator in order to create lift in the vat to prevent the food product from settling to the bottom. This in turn reduces the efficiency of the agitator in the cutting mode. In the processing of cheese, for example, the singing deflectors damage the coagulum and release some of the butterfat into the whey thereby creating a less desirable end product.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,058 describes a fully enclosed cheese making vat in the form of a horizontal cylindrical vessel with a single horizontal shaft carrying the combined cutting and stirring paddles operate more effective due to their streamlined construction and a minimum of hinged deflector devices. As a result, there is less damage to the food product and a more even mixture of the food product because of the assistance of the normal gravitational effect on the food product as it is stirred or cut. In processing cheese, this type of vat produces lower losses of butterfat into the whey. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to cut the food product evenly in this type of vat due to the high ratio between the relative knife speed near the center of the vat and the relative knife speed near the periphery of the vat. In order to achieve an adequate cutting force near the center of the vat, it is necessary to operate the agitator in the cutting mode at relatively high speed. This tends to create an overcutting effect at the periphery resulting in finer particles of the food product than desired. For cheese products, the overcutting effect of this type of vat yields excessive curd fines. Another problems involved in constructing a horizontally-oriented food vat is in obtaining an adequate and sanitary seal at each end of the shaft as it extends through the ends of the vat.
Although the present designs for fully enclosed food processing vats are adequate for processing some types of food products, it would be advantageous to have a food processing vat that eliminates the risk of airborne contamination to the food product, reduces heat loss into the surrounding environment and maintains conditions throughout the food making process that minimize the risk of mechanical damage to the food product, yet still allow large capacities of food product to be processed at one time.


A substrate comprises multiple interposers. Each interposer includes interposer elements, where an optical device is coupled to at least some of the interposer elements; two passages formed through the interposer, where each passage is registered with respect to the interposer elements; two blind holes formed in a surface of the interposer, where each blind hole is concentric with a different passage; two annular troughs formed in the surface, each concentric with a different passage, and an annular area separates the annular troughs from an outer diameter of the corresponding concentric passage; and two spherical registration elements, where each registration element is positioned on uncured adhesive on one of the annular areas, where the passages enable a vacuum to be drawn through such that the registration elements are pulled toward the surface of the interposer to self-align to the inner diameter of the blind holes.

Server and networking systems are incorporating co-packaging of application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and optical communication components. With co-packaging, ASIC and optical components are assembled in very close proximity with spacings as close as one mm, or less. In some cases, active optical devices, such as lasers and photodetectors, are being assembled directly onto ASIC chips.
Compact electrical circuit board substrates, called interposers, can be useful in assembling co-packaged optics. The interposer serves as an intermediate assembly structure onto which multiple active optical devices can be solder-attached and tested, with a high yield of good components.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Department LP


A paperboard packaging container for bulk solids includes a container body formed by a container wall having wall portions, and a container bottom. The wall portions are connected by corner portions and each wall portion extends in a height direction from a lower end edge at the container bottom to an upper end edge at a container opening, the height direction being perpendicular to a cross direction of the container. An upper reinforcing rim is applied to the container opening. Each of the upper and lower end edge of the container wall has end edge portions corresponding to the wall portions. At least one edge portion has an outwardly curved shape and a radius of curvature larger than a radius of curvature of each corner edge portion, the at least one end edge portion bulges outwardly with a radius of curvature of 200-700 mm, preferably 300-600 mm, more preferably 400-500 mm.

In the area of packaging of consumer goods, and in particular consumer goods which is packaged in relatively rigid packaging containers which serve as protective transport and storage containers at the retail end and as storage and dispensing containers at the consumer end, the different functions of the containers may result in conflicting demands on the packaging design. For economic and environmental reasons the amount of material required for producing the packaging containers should be as small as possible while still providing the packaging container with sufficient rigidity and shape stability. At the retail end there is a desire that the packaging containers allow efficient and space-saving transport and storage and preferably that they are stackable. However, when placed on a shelf in a shop, the packaging containers should preferably also have a display function and convey information to a prospective consumer about the contents in the package and its commercial origin. It may also be of importance to the manufacturer of the packaged goods and to the shop keeper that the packaging container has a distinctive design with high consumer appeal. The consumer may want a package that does not take up unnecessary space in a cupboard, on a shelf or on a counter-top but which has a design which makes the packaging container easily identifiable and appealing.
Hence, there is a continuing need for an improved packaging container for consumer gods in the form of bulk solids, which container to a higher degree than for previous containers meets the different and sometimes conflicting demands on such packaging containers during packaging, transport, storage, selling and use by a consumer.

Paperboard packaging container for bulk solids


For a device for the alignment of sheets, which comprises at least one first and one second driving roller (20) and at least one pressure roller (21), as well as at least one first and one second rotary drive (26) for rotating said first and second driving rollers (20), respectively, about an axis of rotation (28), a simple and cost-effective setup is achieved by at least one displacement drive for shifting at least the driving rollers (20) along the axis of rotation in such a manner that there is a change of distance between the driving rollers.

Printing machines for printing individual sheets can print sheets of different materials and of different sizes. Such printing machines for printing individual sheets comprise, as a rule upstream of at least one printing unit, a sheet-alignment unit. This sheet-alignment unit serves to exactly align supplied sheets with respect to the sheet transport path through the printing unit, before the sheets are passed on for printing or further processing. To accomplish this, the position of the supplied sheets is detected by sensors and forwarded to a control device. Usually, the control device controls various alignment rollers that align a misaligned sheet relative to the sheet transport path.
Known sheet-positioning arrangements comprise, for example, adjacent axially shiftable pairs of rollers that are capable of shifting a supplied sheet in a direction transverse to the sheet transport path (crosstrack alignment). Furthermore, sheet-alignment arrangements are known that comprise pairs of rollers transverse to the sheet transport path at a distance from each other, which pairs of rollers can be driven in different ways in order to align the lead edge of a supplied sheet in a direction perpendicular to the sheet transport path, before said sheets pass through the printing machine (angle or skew alignment).
The accuracy in determining and correcting a misalignment of a sheet depends on the distance of the alignment rollers from each other and on the sensors that are being used (skew sensors that measure the incoming lead edge of a sheet). For a rigid installation, the distance of the alignment rollers is determined by the smallest sheet width that is to be processed by the printing machine. The resolution of a potential angle adjustment of the sheet is highly dependent on the distance between the alignment rollers. At a small distance of the alignment rollers and with large sheet formats, an accurate angle adjustment of the sheet is not possible. A small distance of the alignment rollers primarily restricts the accuracy of the angle adjustment process. Therefore, it is desirable to adapt the distance between the alignment rollers to the width of the supplied sheet.
In most instances, known sheet-positioning and sheet-alignment arrangements are complicated because they, on the one hand, comprise pairs of rollers for positioning the sheet in a direction transverse to the sheet transport path through the machine and, on the other hand, comprise pairs of sheet alignment rollers for aligning the lead edge of a sheet in a direction perpendicular to the sheet transport path. EP 0 469 866 A also discloses an arrangement that performs a skew alignment and a crosstrack alignment by way of the same pairs of rollers. However, the moved masses are very large in crosstrack alignment. This is disadvantageous for a rapid adjustment of the pairs of rollers.
Other known arrangements have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,273 and in publication DE 101 60 382. U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,273 discloses a complex device that, among other things, is suitable for a sheet alignment perpendicular to the sheet transport path (de-skewing). The rollers or segmented cylinders provided therefor comprise appropriate drives. DE 101 60 382 discloses driven support rollers that can be shifted in transverse direction by a spindle mechanism that is located on the inside.

Device and method for the alignment of sheets


A powder-containing oil-based lubricant for die contains 60 to 99% by mass of an oil-based lubricant consisting of oil, 0.3 to 30% by mass of a solubilizing agent, 0.3 to 15% by mass of an inorganic powder and 7.5% by mass or less of water, the lubricant being electrostatically applied to a die. The powder-containing oil-based lubricant may be applied to a die by electrostatic spraying. The electrostatic spray apparatus includes a device that imparts static electricity to the powder-containing oil-based lubricant and an electrostatic spray gun installed on a multi-axis robot.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a powder-containing oil type lubricant applied for a die in the casting or forging processing of non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, magnesium and zinc, and to an electrostatic spray method and to an electrostatic spray apparatus using the powder-containing oil type lubricant.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, the process using a die in the processing of non-ferrous metals involves methods including casting, forging, press working and extrusion casting. As viewed from the process, the casting is largely classified into high-pressure die casting, gravity die casting, low-pressure die casting, squeeze die casting and the forging is largely classified into cold forging and hot forging. Further, as viewed from the material to be the subject of the process, the material is largely classified into iron, non-ferrous metals and plastics. As viewed from the lubricant to be applied to the surface of a die, the lubricant is largely classified into a water based lubricant and an oil type lubricant, and the water-based lubricant is classified into a transparent solution type and a milky opaque emulsion type. As viewed from the components contained in the lubricant, the lubricant may be classified into a type containing a powder and a type containing no powder. As viewed from the spray method, it is largely classified into brush coating, liquid droplet coating and spray coating. The spray coating may be classified into combinations of a binary-fluid system and single-fluid system, and a non-electrostatic type and electrostatic type.
The high-pressure die casting, gravity die casting and low-pressure die casting are similar to each other in basic process. These processes are often likened to the process making an omelet by applying oil to a flying pan and by pouring a fresh egg into the flying pan. Specifically, when a non-ferrous metal is cast, a lubricant (corresponding to the cooking oil) is applied to the die (corresponding to the flying pan) to prevent the molten metal (corresponding to the stirred fresh egg) from sticking to the die. Then, dissolved molten metal at a high-temperature is poured in the die and solidified and then, the product (corresponding to an omelet) is taken out of the die. When viewing from the production efficiency and strength quality of the product in this case, the high-pressure die casting produces a low strength product with a high production efficiency, the gravity die casting produces a high strength product with a low production efficiency, and the low-pressure die casting produces a product having a strength closer to that of the gravity die casting than to that of the high-pressure die casting with a production efficiency closer to that of the gravity die casting than to that the high-pressure die casting. As products having the possibility of a danger to life caused by the breakage of parts, it is inevitable to produce those having high strength even with the low production efficiency. In the case of parts independent of life even if they are broken, the efficiency of production is regarded as important even if air is entrained to a form sponged part of which strength are reduced. Specifically, a main difference between these production methods is due to a difference in the rate of filling the molten metal in the die, and the filling rate is higher in the order of the gravity die casting, low-pressure die casting and high-pressure die casting. For this, the quantity of heat transferred to the coated film formed in the die is different depending on the casting method: the largest heat is transferred in the case of the gravity die casting and the smallest heat is transferred in the case of the high-pressure die casting. There is the case where the lubricant is decomposed or vanished corresponding to the transferred heat quantity and different lubricating technologies are applied to the die at present.
The forging process, on the other hand, is often likened to the process of producing a sword and is a method for raising the strength of the sword by beating a solidified metal. Namely, this process is also a method in which a solidified metal is beaten by high pressure to produce a desired shape. Though the time during which the coated film is exposed to a high-temperature environment is short, the coated film is exposed to very high-pressure. Accordingly, the lubricating technology is considerably different from that of the present casting process
It is difficult to satisfy all these requirements for the combinations of various classifications by one lubricant and therefore, individual technologies are applied to each use. However, lubrication technologies considering combinations of two or more of these classifications are possible. The present application relates to lubricating technologies aiming at the integration of these plural technologies and these lubrication technologies will be explained in the order of those for the high-pressure die casting, gravity die casting, low-pressure die casting and forging.
A) High-Pressure Die Casting
Seeing into this fields, 90% or more of the lubricants for non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, magnesium and zinc are water-based type releasing agents for the last forty years. Water-based releasing agents obtained by emulsifying effective components in water are applied to a die by the binary-fluid spray system mainly using pneumatic pressure. Electrostatic spray technologies have not been applied to water-based releasing agents due to excessively high electroconductivity at all.
Oil type releasing agents have come to be used which enables casting even if each of the releasing agent is used in an amount as small as 1/500 to 1/1000 that of the water-based releasing agent to be used from several years ago. However, the oil type lubricant can be applied only in a small amount and there is therefore the case where the coated film in a die, having a complicated structure or a large size and particularly at die positions hidden from the spray surface, may be insufficiently formed. In addition, because the die has surface irregularities, there is a tendency that a thick spray film is formed in the concave portion whereas a thin coated film is formed in the convex portion. For this, there is a tendency that oil type lubricant components are excessively retained causing an increase in casting porosity (sponging) in the concave portion, whereas the lubricity is insufficient, causing the seizure and soldering of the casting product with the die in the convex portion. As measures taken currently in the production site, the amount of the oil type lubricant is increased such that sprayed mists to be reached the hidden parts and the convex portion as much as possible to cast at a sacrifice of a small increase in casting porosity. Further, in the case of a large size die, the thermal energy of a molten metal of a non-ferrous metal is large. Therefore, the temperature of the whole die and particularly, the temperatures of narrow parts become close to the temperature of the molten metal and sometimes become 350° C. or more. For this, the oil type lubricant shows a "Lidenfrost" phenomenon and sprayed oil mists on the die surface boil. This causes the oil type lubricant to be deteriorated in the wettability of the surface of the die. Specifically, the boiling causes an increase in liquid droplets scattered on the floor from the surface of the die. As a result, t the coated film may become thin, bringing about deteriorated lubricity.
The measures taken in the case of the water-based release agent, it is applied in a large amount to cool the die surface, thereby sticking the release agent at a temperature less than the Leiden-frost temperature. This naturally causes a waste water problem. Two kinds of method are adopted as the measures taken in the case of an oil type lubricant. In one of these methods, a little more lubricant is applied to thicken the coated film. In the other, a small amount of water is applied so that almost all the water can be vaporized for cooling high-temperature narrow parts and then, the oil type lubricant is applied. If a little more oil type lubricant is applied, the thickness of the coated film at the parts, where a sufficient coated film can be formed, is increased as well. As a result, the amount of the casting porosity tends to increase. Because of this, the strength of the casing product is weakened a little. Besides, even though the amount of water is small, a pipe for coating is required.
Specifically, the prior art has the following problems.
(1) The oil type lubricant is insufficiently supplied to hidden parts of the die and it is therefore difficult to form a coated film necessary for lubrication at these parts.
(2) It is difficult to form a coated film having a satisfactory thickness at narrow parts of the die.
(3) It is difficult to form a uniform spray film at irregular parts of the die.
Electrostatic spraying is effective means to solve these problems concerning the oil type lubricants. In a spray apparatus, oil droplets of the oil type lubricant are negatively charged and sprayed to the positively charged die surface. The electrostatic spraying is the technology enabling the sprayed lubricant oil droplets to reach hidden parts of the die. However, electrostatic spraying cannot be applied in the case of a water-based release agent since it has excessively high electroconductivity. Japanese patent Application Laid-open (JP-A) No. 9-235496 relates to technologies used as the measures taken to impart conductivity to a paint to thereby drop the electric resistance by adding an alcohol or ammonium salt as an electrostatic assistant agent. However, alcohol or ammonium mists are not preferable at the casting site. JP-A No. 2000-153217 relates to technologies which hint the addition of an electrostatic assistant agent to a paint. However, "an electrostatic assistant agent having high polarity" is dissolved only in an amount of 0.3% by mass in "an oil type lubricant having low polarity", and an electrostatic assistant agent tends to cause sedimentation and separation, which is not preferable. The present inventors have made studies concerning this problem, and as a result, found that at this level, the electrostatic assistant agent does not affect on the increase of adhesion amount of coated film. If a polar solvent is added, the dissolution of the electrostatic assistant agent may be increasingly solved. However, the health of a site worker may be damaged because of the polar solvent. For this, polar solvents are not preferable in the composition of the oil type lubricant in consideration of human health.
In order to solve the additional problems according to the electrostatic spraying as mentioned above, the present inventors have proposed such a technology that water and a solubilizing agent are blended in an oil type lubricant to impart slight conductivity for electrostatical spraying in the case of a high-pressure die casting. However, the technology tends to scarcely cope with the soldering caused by the deficiency of cooling ability originated from the very small amount of the lubricant to be applied.
(B) Gravity and Low-Pressure Die Castings
The flow speed of the molten metal during casting is an important factor for a coated film in casting. If the flow speed of the molten metal is extremely low similarly to the case of gravity die casting, the time during which the coated film is in contact with a molten metal having a temperature as high as about 600° C. is long, so that the coated film is significantly deteriorated. As a result, the coated film is thinned and there is therefore the case where the molten metal is stuck to the die surface when it is solidified. Therefore, the so-called "mold wash" prepared by suspending inorganic powders in water is mainly used at present in order not to be affected by the thermal deterioration. A coated film of the mold wash consists of inorganic powders and is not deteriorated. However, this needs drying because the mold wash contains water. Metaphorically expressing, this process corresponds to the plastering process used for Japanese houses and long-time drying is required. In the case of casting, molten aluminum and water give rise to steam explosion when the molten metal is poured into the die before the mold wash is completely dried up. For this, it is essential to carry out a drying process for several hours after the spraying is finished and this series of operation "spraying, drying and producing in each casting" extremely reduces production efficiency. In light of this, "the mold wash is sprayed once every tens or hundred and tens of products" to minimize the drying process at present. Further, the mold wash is considered as a craftsman technique and a skilled craftsman can produce 100 or more products per one time coating. An unskilled craftsman can sometimes produce only 10 products at most. Further, there is the case where a thick coated film made using the mold wash is partially peeled off. The peeled powder gets mixed in the casting product and extremely reduces the strength of the casting product. Because it is unclear when the peeling occurs, all casting products in the lot containing the peeled product is regarded as rejected goods and withdrawn from customers. Further, in view of product appearance, if the coated film is peeled off, the peeled part forms convexity, exhibiting inferior appearance.
In the casting process, it is important not only to prevent soldering but also to keep a perfect flow so that the molten metal can reach to finely engraved cavity parts of the die to make a product having a desired finish. In order to secure this molten metal flow, a thick coated film is formed. Specifically, it is so designed that the cooling of the molten metal is retarded and the viscosity of the molten metal is kept low for giving a good flow of the molten metal to fine parts of the die. Though the mold wash is applied once every tens of casting operations as mentioned above to secure a thick coated film (tens to hundred and tens of micrometers), a small amount of powder is intermingled in the casted product in each casting operation. For this, the coated film is gradually thinned, leading to reduced insulating efficiency. Finally, the temperature of the molten metal is dropped, and therefore, the flow of the molten metal cannot be secured, with the result that the flow of the molten metal into all parts of the die is inhibited. Namely, this metaphorically corresponds to the production of an omelet which loses its shape. The coated film is thick in its initial stage and is thin after tens of castings are finished. Therefore, the cooling rate of an initial product is different from that of a product obtained after tens of casting operations. As a result, the crystal structures of the metal are different from each other, bringing about the drawback that there is a difference in quality between a product obtained in the initial stage of the spraying and a product obtained in the later stage. Specifically for stabilizing the quality of a casting product, frequent spraying is required, but frequent drying is also required. This leads to reduced production efficiency. A thick coating film is formed in the first stage and is used until the lubricity is deteriorated to thereby decrease the number of inefficient drying steps at a sacrifice of stable product qualities.
Moreover, in the case of powder rich coated film, a casted product generally has a satin finished surface, which may fail to satisfy the requirement of quality of appearance depending on the product and it is therefore necessary to carry out after-treatment with the view of giving glossiness. In addition, the scattering of the powder after dried cannot be avoided because 100% (excluding the amount of water) of the powder is used, and it is necessary to take care of the working environment.
The technologies described in JP-A No. 2007-253204 and JP-A No. 2008-93722 are known as the technologies that compensate such a drawback. Both technologies relate to an oil type lubricant containing no water to remarkably reduce drying time. Further, the number of sprayings is increased to avoid excessively thick coated film, thereby forming a more uniform coated film than in the case of the usual mold wash. Moreover, the content of powders is reduced to make a film as thin as possible to prevent the peeling of the film. Further, this oil type lubricant contains a low-concentration powders and therefore, the scattering of the powders at production site is limited to minimum.
(C) Forging
The forging is a measures for compressing a metal material to be made into a product by deformation. This measures is largely classified into free forging and die forging. A sword made by beating an iron material without using any mold is a good example of the free forging. On the other hand, forging while making a uniform product using a mold is the die forging. The crank shaft of an engine part is a good example of the die forging. There is also the case where a material to be forged (hereinafter referred to as a work") is heated to soften the material, thereby reducing the compressive force required for deformation. The heating temperature differs depending on the work material. Although the forging is usually classified into cold forging, warm forging and hot forging by the degree of heating, it is not clearly divided by numerical value.
The cold forging is carried out at a temperature (usually, ambient temperature) lower than the recrystallization temperature of the work material and has high dimensional accuracy. Therefore, many products can be developed without any after-treatment. The cold forging is suitable to small-sized products. On the other hand, the hot forging is carried out at a temperature higher than the recrystallization temperature and is applied to large-sized products. However, an oxide film is formed on the surface of the work and therefore, the crack of a product is easily caused. Further, the work is compressed under high pressure to deform. In the condition that no lubricant is present between the work and the die, scratching and soldering are caused between the work and the die under the high pressure. Therefore, a lubricant is applied to the die to prevent scratching and soldering.
Generally, a coated film is easily formed by physical adhesion in the cold forging. In the hot forging performed at high temperatures, on the other hand, the Leidenfrost phenomenon occurs at high temperatures and therefore, lubricant components are scarcely adhered to the die. Further, even if the lubricant components are adhered to the die, physical adhesion power between the both is low and it is difficult to form a good coated film. In the case of a lubrication using water as a medium, water can not be vaporized at 100° C. or less and no lubrication is therefore made; however, a coated film is easily formed at an intermediate temperature. However, if the temperature exceeds 240° C., a coated film is scarcely formed because of the Leidenfrost phenomenon.
As commercially available materials used to form the coated film, the following structures may be exemplified.
1) Graphite type: two types of lubricants, that is, a W/O emulsion type and oil dispersion type.
2) White powder type: W/O emulsion type of mica, boron nitride or melamine cyanurate.
3) Glass type: a mixture system of colloidal silicate and an alkali metal salt of an aromatic carboxylic acid (JP-A No. 60-1293) and a type which is used by diluting it in water.
4) Water-soluble polymer type: contains water (JP-A No. 1-299895)
Graphite exhibits excellent lubricity at temperatures ranging from a low temperature to a high temperature. However, in the case of graphite, the working circumstance is contaminated with a black powder and is inferior. Particularly, a lubricant of the type obtained by mixing graphite in oil is a cause of significant contamination. A lubricant mainly containing a white powder impairs the working circumstance not so much as graphite. However, if the content of the white powder is large, the working circumstance is also deteriorated. Further, the white powder is inferior in lubricity to graphite. In addition, there is the case where the white powder has a high hardness property, and there is therefore a tendency that the white powder damages the surface of the die to thereby shorten the life of the die.
Although a glass type or polymer type lubricant enables the formation of a thick film, it is inferior in lubricity to graphite and more reduces the life of the die than graphite. Further, the glass lubricant forms a glass film or polymer film around the equipment and periodical cleaning working is required though the frequency of the cleaning is not so much as in the case of a white powder, bringing about low working efficiency.
These graphite and white powder type lubricants are always concerned with the problem as to the occurrence of separation when they are stored and clogging of pipes and spray nozzles since these lubricants contain dispersed powders in water or oil. The water-glass type is dried in the vicinity of the nozzle. Particularly, when the working is suspended for a long time, the drying is promoted, causing clogging of the tip of the nozzle. As a result, when the working is restarted, the amount to be sprayed is reduced. Accordingly, the lubricating ability becomes insufficient, leading to the production of defectives. Though the W/O emulsion type lubricant is superior in the ability to cool the die, waste water treatment is necessary.
Further, when the surface of the die exceeds 230° C., mists of the lubricant embraced in water are boiled on the surface of the die. As a result, the adhesive efficiency of the lubricant to the die is impaired and it is therefore necessary to apply the lubricant in a large amount. Specifically, it is essential to severely control the temperature of the die because the formation of the coated film from the water-based lubricant is largely dependent on the temperature. Since water is scarcely vaporized at 100° C. or less, an emulsion type lubricant is unsuitable to cold forging. On the other hand, the emulsion type lubricant is used in warm or hot forging. However, water cools the die and the work to be forged heats the die. If this heating-cooling cycle is repeated, cracks are generated on the die surface. It is necessary to repair the die and in addition, an increase in the number of repairs results in the dumping of the die. That is, water shortens the life of the die. Further, when a drop in the temperature of the work in the molding process is significant, it is necessary to carry out molding under a heavy load, which is cause of shortened die life.
With regard to the method of spraying the lubricant, there is the problem that if the lubricant is applied in a large amount, the cycle time (the working time for producing one product) is prolonged. In the case of a water-based lubricant, the lubricant is applied in a large amount, which is not preferable in view of production efficiency. Further, there are problems concerning deteriorations in working circumstance caused by the scattering of the lubricant which is sprayed a large amount of the lubricant and concerning an increase of the frequency of the supplement of the lubricant for production. Moreover, there is the case where the heating process of work brings about a reduction in productivity. The production process using a conventional water-soluble lubricant is diversified after the temperature of the work is raised and the subsequent process involves, for example, pre-molding, course molding and finish molding. At this time, a resistance to deformation is increased, making it difficult to mold because the temperature of the work is dropped with the progress of the molding process. In the case of, particularly, a water-soluble lubricant, the amount of the lubricant to be applied becomes large, so that the die is cooled to accelerate a drop in temperature. To cope with this problem, there is the case of adding a reheating process. However, this reheating process causes an increase in cycle time, space and running cost, resulting in reduced production efficiency.
In order to solve the problems, the present inventors have proposed an oil type lubricant containing a low-concentration powder. It includes no water because the lubricant is oil type, and therefore the reduction in the deterioration of productivity and increase in production cost caused by water can be prevented. Further, because the concentration of the powder is low, the deterioration in site circumstance and the problem concerning sedimentation, when the lubricant is stored, can be reduced. Moreover, the cooling ability is small because the lubricant is applied in a small amount, so that the reheating process can be eliminated, exhibiting high production efficiency. However, scratching or soldering is caused under a heavy load though depending on the conditions.
In individual cases, prior art is established to some extent. However, the lubricating technologies which are common to the high-pressure casting, gravity casting, low-pressure casting and forging nowhere are disclosed.

Powder-containing oil based mold lubricant and method and apparatus for applying the lubricant


A method ascertains current-dependent inductances of a polyphase electrical machine. The method generates phase voltages for the polyphase electrical machine by means of a pulse width modulation such that currents of predefined current level flow through stator windings of the electrical machine. During a number of cycles of the pulse width modulation, the method generates a voltage pulse such that a change of current is brought about in a torque-forming axis of the polyphase electrical machine and/or in a field-forming axis of the polyphase electrical machine. The method measures the change of current, and ascertains the current-dependent inductances on the basis of the change of current.

The invention concerns a method for ascertaining current-dependent inductances of a polyphase electrical machine and a frequency converter.
The invention is based on the object of providing a method for ascertaining current-dependent inductances of a polyphase electrical machine and a frequency converter that are able to be used to reliably ascertain the current-dependent inductances.
The method according to the invention is used for ascertaining current-dependent inductances, in particular differential inductances, of a polyphase electrical machine.
The method according to the invention has the following steps.
A step a), namely generating phase voltages for the polyphase electrical machine by means of a pulse width modulation such that currents of predefined current level flow through stator windings of the electrical machine. This step is sufficiently well known from the prior art, and therefore reference should be made to the relevant specialist literature in this respect.
A step b), namely during or within a number of cycles of the pulse width modulation, generating a voltage pulse such that a change of current is brought about in a torque-forming axis of the polyphase electrical machine and/or in a field-forming axis of the polyphase electrical machine. For the fundamental generation of changes of current in the torque-forming axis of the polyphase electrical machine and/or in the field-forming axis of the polyphase electrical machine, reference should be made to the relevant specialist literature, in particular in respect of frequency converters with vector control.
A step c), namely measuring the change of current produced.
And finally a step d), namely ascertaining the current-dependent inductances on the basis of the change of current.
According to one embodiment, steps a) to d) are repeated a number of times, for example repeated 32 times, with the predefined current level being altered before the or each repetition of step a). It goes without saying that both positive and negative current levels are selectable as operating point. In other words, current-dependent inductances are ascertained for different operating points or current levels.
According to one embodiment, the number of cycles of the pulse width modulation is one.
According to one embodiment, a single voltage pulse is generated during or within a single cycle of the pulse width modulation. In other words, a single voltage pulse is generated during or within a single cycle of the pulse width modulation such that the change of current is brought about in the torque-forming axis of the polyphase electrical machine and/or in the field-forming axis of the polyphase electrical machine. The change of current produced is then measured and the current-dependent inductances are calculated on the basis of the measured change of current.
According to one embodiment, the machine is a three-phase electrical machine, in particular a three-phase synchronous machine.
According to one embodiment, a rotor of the electrical machine is blocked before step a).
According to one embodiment, the current-dependent inductances are selected from the set comprising: differential series inductances, differential parallel inductances, cross-saturation.
The frequency converter according to the invention is designed for controlling a polyphase electrical machine, wherein the frequency converter has three half-bridges, each having at least two switching means, wherein the frequency converter is designed to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims.
The differential inductances in an electrical machine are dependent on the present operating point, for example on an instantaneous current level. These inductances are used for different control calculations, such as a current controller gain and a voltage feedforward control in a frequency converter.
The differential inductances are conventionally corrected for example using a previously stipulated characteristic curve stored by the motor, for example in a static motor table, on the basis of type. In this respect the characteristic curve is measured and stored for example offline, i.e. not during the actual operation of the electrical machine.
The invention provides a method for identifying this characteristic curve during operation.
According to the invention, a current is impressed into the d- or q-axis of an electrical machine, in particular a synchronous machine, and varied. Following the adjustment of the operating cycle, a voltage pulse in the d- or q-axis is provided for a PWM cycle or a PWM period and the current rise within the cycle or period is measured.
For the voltage ud in the d-direction, the following applies for example:
      u    d    =            R      ·              i        d              +                  L        dd            ·                        di          d                          d                                                              t                      +                  L        dq            ·                        di          q                          d                                                              t                      -                  ω        el            ·              ψ        q            where R denotes a stator resistance, id denotes a current in the d-direction, Ldd denotes a differential series inductance, Lqq denotes a differential parallel inductance, ωel denotes an angular velocity of the rotating field and ψq denotes a flow in the q-direction. Otherwise, reference should also be made to the relevant specialist literature.
For a firmly braked motor, the result for the current rise in a single PWM cycle if exclusively the d-component is excited with a voltage step change is as follows:
      Δ                                i      d        =                    L        dd                    Δ                                                            u          d                      +                  0.5        ·        R        ·        Δ                                                    i        d
The voltage difference Δμd in this instance can be measured or can be calculated from setpoint voltages, optionally by using a current-dependent voltage difference between the setpoint and actual voltages (compensation for the inverter error). The voltage drop across the resistor R can optionally be ignored.
Following completion of the measurement for one operating point a further operating point is approached, so that for example a staircase function is obtained. On each step of the staircase a voltage pulse can be output again in order to determine the differential inductance.
The identified inductance can be used for example to directly correct a current controller. In addition, the level of the voltage pulse can likewise be adapted thereby. Identification in the d-axis is always possible; identification in the q-direction is typically possible only if the rotor is firmly braked, since otherwise a movement could occur.
According to the invention, in contrast to the prior art, for example in the case of WO 2016/207383 A1, only a single voltage pulse is impressed in one PWM period for a current operating point instead of injecting high-frequency sinusoidal signals.
The invention allows for example reliable and accurate ascertainment of a saturation characteristic curve of the electrical machines, even if the properties of the latter are not known in advance.
The invention is described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

Method for determining current-dependent inductances of a multi-phase electrical machine and frequency converter


The illustrative embodiments described herein are directed to a system, methods, and computer program product, for network acceleration and efficient indexing for caching file systems. For example, the disclosed embodiments achieve (1) high compression rate, (2) low disk seeks, and (3) low memory pressure using by introducing novel features such as, but not limited to, multi-resolution chunking and intelligent load shedding. In addition, the disclosed embodiments introduces a family of HashCache policies that enable large size web caching with little or no use of main memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates generally to data storage and retrieval, and more particularly, to systems and methods for network acceleration and efficient indexing for caching file systems.
2. Description of Related Art
While low-cost laptops may soon improve computer access for the developing world, their widespread deployment will increase the demands on local networking infrastructure. Locally caching static Web content can alleviate some of this demand, but this approach has limits on its effectiveness, especially in smaller environments.
One option for augmenting Web caches is to use wide area network (WAN) accelerators, devices that compress redundant traffic passing between them, using custom protocols. These devices are application-independent, and can improve the latency and effective bandwidth seen by clients using slow network links. In first-world environments, these devices are commonly used to accelerate communications between a central office and branch offices connected via low-speed WAN links.
WAN accelerators are deployed near edge routers, and work by transparently intercepting and modifying traffic to destinations with other WAN accelerators. Traffic to destinations without WAN accelerators is passed through the device unmodified, preserving transparency. For intercepted traffic, the accelerators typically break the data stream into smaller chunks, store these chunks at each accelerator, and then replace future instances of this data with reference to the cached chunks. By passing references to the chunks rather than the full data, the accelerator compresses the data stream.
Another option for augmenting network caches is to improve the cache storage engine. Large enterprises and ISPs particularly benefit from network caches because they can amortize their cost and management over larger user populations. Cache storage system design has been shaped by this class of users, leading to design decisions that favor first-world usage scenarios. However, because disk size has been growing faster than RAM sizes, it is now much cheaper to buy terabytes of disk than a machine capable of indexing that much storage, since most low-end servers have lower memory limits. This disk/RAM linkage makes existing cache storage systems problematic for developing world use, where it may be very desirable to have terabytes of cheap storage (available for less than US $100/TB) attached to cheap, low-power machines. However, if indexing a terabyte of storage requires 10 GB of RAM (typical for current proxy caches), then these deployments will require server-class machines, with their associated costs and infrastructure. Worse, this memory is dedicated for use by a single service, making it difficult to deploy consolidated multi-purpose servers. This situation is especially unfortunate, since bandwidth in developing regions is often more expensive, both in relative and absolute currency, than it is in the US and Europe.

Systems and methods for network acceleration and efficient indexing for caching file systems


A flying lane management method implemented in an air traffic control system communicatively coupled to one or more Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) via one or more wireless networks includes initiating communication to the one or more UAVs at a preflight stage for each, wherein the communication is via one or more cell towers associated with the one or more wireless networks, wherein the plurality of UAVs each comprise hardware and antennas adapted to communicate to the plurality of cell towers; determining a flying lane for the one or more UAVs based on a destination, current air traffic in a region under management of the air traffic control system, and based on detected obstructions in the region; and providing the flying lane to the one or more UAVs are an approval to takeoff and fly along the flying lane.

Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or "drones") is proliferating. UAVs are used for a variety of applications such as search and rescue, inspections, security, surveillance, scientific research, aerial photography and video, surveying, cargo delivery, and the like. With the proliferation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is providing regulations associated with the use of UAVs. Existing air traffic control in the United States is performed through a dedicated air traffic control network, i.e., the National Airspace System (NAS). However, it is impractical to use the existing air traffic control network for UAVs because of the sheer quantity of UAVs. Also, it is expected that UAVs will be autonomous, requiring communication for flight control as well. There will be a need for systems and methods to provide air traffic control and communication to UAVs.
There is a great deal of discussion and anticipation for using drones for applications such as package delivery. For example, online stores, brick & mortar stores, restaurants, etc. can use drones to provide delivery to end consumers. As the number of applications increase and the number of UAVs concurrently in flight also increase, there are various issues that have to be addressed relative to air traffic control.
As UAV use proliferates, there is a need to coordinate flying lanes to avoid collisions, obstructions, etc. Of course, with UAV use as a hobby, collision avoidance is not a major concern. However, once UAVs begin widespread delivery applications, collisions will be a major problem due to the potential damage to deliveries as well as threats to people and property on the ground. Thus, there is a need for flying lane management systems and methods.

Flying lane management systems and methods for unmanned aerial vehicles