A mortise latch and exit device includes active and passive mortise latch mechanisms with corresponding concealed vertical rods operated by links mounted within the mortise latch mechanisms. The mortise latch mechanisms latch double doors at a center point between the doors and at top points between each door and the door frame. Lower vertical rods may also be used to latch at bottom points between the doors and the floor. The active and passive mortise latch mechanisms are operated by corresponding push handle mechanisms and rotary handles. The mortise latch mechanisms cooperatively interact so that either door may be opened first, and either door may be closed first, without regard to the position of the other door. The active mortise latch mechanism includes a latch bolt and an activation bolt arranged so that one bolt is retracted when the other is extended, except when the doors are being opened or closed, when both bolts are retracted. The active mortise latch mechanism automatically retracts the latch bolt when the doors are not aligned and automatically extends the latch bolt when the doors are aligned. The passive mortise latch mechanism ejects the latch bolt as needed to allow the passive door to be opened first.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to exit devices using latch mechanisms mortised into the door, particularly mortise latch mechanisms used in combination with vertical rod latch assemblies. More specifically, this invention relates to mortise latch mechanisms suitable for use in both single and double door installations which have a center latching point and which use vertical rods that are concealed within the door to latch the door at the top and/or bottom.
2. Description of Related Art
Exit devices using vertical rod mechanisms to latch the door at the top and bottom are widely used in public buildings, particularly where provision must be made for rapid operation in an emergency to evacuate the building. Such devices usually employ a push handle, a push bar, an emergency push plate or a similar type of opening mechanism on the door interior that operates when pressure is applied towards the door. This allows the exit device to open quickly and reliably even when a large number of people trying to exit the building in an emergency.
Vertical rod exit devices are often used on double door installations where both doors can be opened to provide a large and unobstructed exit. Conventional vertical rod exit devices, however, suffer from various problems. Typically, the vertical rod exit device will have two externally mounted vertical rods. One vertical rod will extend upward from the push rail to a latch mechanism mounted near the upper edge of the door. The upper latch will engage a strike plate set into the frame above the door. A second vertical rod will extend vertically downward to a latch mechanism mounted near the bottom edge of the door. The lower latch will engage a strike plate set into the floor.
One problem with this design is that the downwardly extending rod, when surface mounted on the door, will interfere with the use of the door. The lower rod tends to catch and obstruct wheelchairs and carts passing through the door, particularly when the door is provided with an automatic closure device that continuously urges the door towards the closed position. This pressure forces the face of the door and the surface mounted lower vertical rod into the path of the cart or wheelchair. A solution to this is to mount the vertical rods inside the door. Mounting the rods inside the door makes it difficult to adjust the rods, however, and some internal vertical rod designs require that the door be removed in order to adjust the rods.
Another difficulty with the lower vertical rod is that the bottom latch must engage a strike plate in the floor. The floor mounted strike plate poses a tripping hazard which is a liability concern.
Removal of the lower rod, however, compromises the security of the door as the door is now latched only by the upper latch. The length of the door allows significant force to be exerted against the single upper latch. One solution to this security problem is to use a center latch mechanism in combination with the upper vertical rod latch. While this arrangement (a single vertical rod latch at the top and a center latch) is effective in single door applications, the center latch causes difficulties in double door applications.
The principal difficulty with prior art double door applications has been in coordinating operation of the center latch when the two doors are used independently. In double door designs with only vertical rod latches and no center latch, the double doors may be identical mirror images, with each one operating independently of the other. In double door designs using a center latch, however, one of the two doors will be an active door, including a latch bolt which extends out from the active door and engages an opening in the passive door. It is this active latch bolt that causes the difficulty because it needs to be retracted when either door is being opened or closed.
In one design for center latched vertical rod double doors, the latch bolt on the active door is retracted by the opening mechanism on the active door (usually a push rail) and is spring loaded with an inclined strike surface so that it automatically retracts when the active door closes against an angled strike plate on the closed passive door. In this design, the passive door is manually latched in position at the top and bottom and can only be opened or closed when the active door is being held open. Because the passive door lacks a push rail opening mechanism, and cannot be closed when the active door is closed, it cannot function as a conventional door and is of limited value in an emergency.
Other improved designs allow the passive door to be opened regardless of the state of the active door, as needed in an emergency, but the passive door still cannot be closed unless the active door is held open. Thus, these designs do not allow the passive door to be used for normal operation. Heretofore, all double door vertical rod systems employing a center latch mechanism have had some limitation on the order of opening or closing the passive door relative to the open or closed position of the active door.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a mortise style center latch mechanism suitable for use in single and double door applications and for use in combination with single or double vertical rod latch mechanisms which allows each door of a double door combination to be operated independently without regard to the open or closed position of the other door.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mortise style center latch mechanism which can operate a concealed vertical rod located inside the door.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a mortise style center latch mechanism which allows a concealed vertical rod located inside the door to be adjusted vertically without removing the door.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mortise style center latch mechanism which can operate a single vertical rod, or dual vertical rods that are located inside the door.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a mortise style center latch mechanism which can be operated by a rotary handle on one side of the door and a push handle or push plate on the opposite side of the door.

Mortise latch and exit device with concealed vertical rods


There is provided a portable storage medium, based on USB standard, connected to a USB port of a host computer applying UFI protocol. The portable storage medium comprises a USB connector through which the storage medium is physically connected to the USB port of the host computer; at least one nonvolatile flash memory for storing data transmitted from the host computer; a program storage for storing a predetermined operation program based on USB and UFI; and a controller for controlling the entire operation of the storage medium based on the operation program stored in the program storage. The operation program of the program storage includes a memory processing block for checking and updating header block information of the flash memory, a device recognition processing block for transmitting device descriptor information and interface descriptor information for loading a UFI driver to the host computer, and a UFI processing block for generating predetermined UFI response packets by UFI commands sent from the host computer to transmit them to the host computer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a portable storage medium using a flash memory and, more particularly, to a portable storage medium based on universal serial bus (USB) standard and a control method therefore, which can be simply recognized and driven by a host computer through USB and UFI (USB floppy interface), facilitates the extension of the flash memory capacity and ensures high speed of data writing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional portable storage media, which supplement a fixed type storage medium such as a hard disk. Include a floppy disk, CD-ROM and zip drive disk, etc. However, a host computer using this portable storage medium must have an additional drive for the medium. The floppy disk is not widely used because of its small storage capacity. The CD-ROM of large capacity has a weakness that its surface is easily damaged.
Accordingly, a portable storage medium using a flash memory such as a flash drive having large storage capacity has been recently developed and being rapidly popularized. It is easily connected with the host computer and employs USB standard that guarantees high rate of data transmission. The USB standard is a computer port standard proposed by Intel, Microsoft and Compaq in order to develop plug and play. It does not require rebooting of the host computer when a peripheral device is connected to the host computer and ensures fast transmission rate, 12 Mb/s, for example.
Meantime, U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,354 entitled xe2x80x9cArchitecture for a universal serial bus-based PC flash diskxe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,103 entitled xe2x80x9cBus interface system and methodxe2x80x9d, and Korea Patent No. 2001-35042 entitled xe2x80x9cPortable storage medium using USB interface and flash memoryxe2x80x9d disclose the configuration of the USB-based portable storage medium and bus interfacing method.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram that roughly illustrates the configuration of the conventional USB-based portable storage medium. Reference numeral 10 represents a host computer having an operating system applying USB standard protocol, and 11 denotes a USB port through which a USB-based peripheral device is physically connected to the host computer. Reference numeral 12 designates a USB host controller for detecting a peripheral device being connected to the USB port 11 and controlling transmission and reception of data between the host computer 10 and the peripheral device based on the USB standard.
Reference numeral 13 denotes an inner storage medium of the host computer 10, such as hard disk, which has the operating system of the host computer 10 and a predetermined client driver. The client driver is provided by a USB flash drive manufacturer, which will be described below. A microprocessor (not shown) of the host computer 10 controls the entire operation of the host computer according to the operating system and the operation routine of the client driver.
The host computer 10 in FIG. 1 may be a computer device having the operating system installed the inner storage medium thereof, such as personal computer, servers and mobile communication terminal. The operating system is a general operating system such as Window 95, 98. ME, XP, MAC OS, including USB standard protocol.
The operating system recognizes the peripheral device connected to the host computer 10 to load a corresponding driver, assigns a USB bus address and system resource to the peripheral device, and operates the USB host controller 12 according to the USB standard. The client driver is loaded by the operating system to prepare a USB flash drive connected to the USB port 11, which will be described below, for operation. In addition, the client driver is compatible with firmware stored in the inner storage medium of the USB flash drive to execute various driving commands for operation of the USB flash drive.
Reference numeral 20 designates the USB flash drive containing a nonvolatile memory that is connected with the USB port 11 of the host computer 10 to store data transmitted from the host computer 10, and write, read and delete data through the host computer 10. Reference numeral 21 denotes a USB connector connected with the USB port 11 of the host computer 10 physically, and 22 represents a memory for storing data sent from the host computer 10, which includes at least one flash memory 221xcx9c22n that is a nonvolatile memory. The flash memory 221xcx9c22n has two kinds of NOR and NAND types. The USB flash drive 20 employs the cheap NAND type flash memory.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 23 represents a decoder for decoding predetermined memory address information inputted from a processor that will be described below to output a chip select signal for selectively driving the flash memory 221xcx9c22n. Reference numeral denotes a program storage in which a USB flash drive driving program, that is, firmware, is stored, and 25 is the processor for controlling the entire operation of the USB flash drive 20 according to the driving program of the program storage 24.
Hereinafter, the operation of the conventional USB-based portable storage medium constructed as above will be explained.
First of all, when the USB flash drive 20 is connected to the USB port 11 of the host computer 10 to be provided with operation power, the processor 25 in FIG. 1 initializes the flash memory of 221xcx9c22n of the memory 22 according to the operation program of the program storage 24. In addition, the processor 25 transmits predetermined device descriptor information including a manufacturer ID and product ID to the host computer 10 at the host computer""s request for device identification information to inform the host computer of initialization of the operation of the USB flash drive 20. The device descriptor information is basic information based on the USB standard, by which the host computer 10 recognizes the USB flash drive 20.
The host computer 10 receives the device descriptor information through the USB host controller 12, and then inquires peripheral device driver information contained in the operating system to confirm if a driver corresponding to the manufacturer ID and product ID is registered. Here, when the driver of the USB flash drive 20 is confirmed as registered, the host computer 10 loads the client driver according to the operation routine of the operating system and, simultaneously, allocates a USB bus address and system resource to the USB flash drive 20 to prepare its operation.
When it is determined that the driver of the USB flash drive 20 is not registered, on the other hand, the host computer 10 displays a request for installation of the client driver through a monitor (not shown). If a user installs the client driver provided by the manufacturer, the host computer 10 assigns the USB bus address and system resource to the USB flash drive 20 to prepare its operation. Then, the user operates the host computer 10 to store data in the USB flash drive 20, read or delete data from the host computer, or copy data into the host computer 10. At this time, the operating system of the host computer 10 and the operation program of the client driver and USB flash drive 20 work with each other to provide operation routines of data writing/reading/deletion operations of the flash memory 221xcx9c22n.
With the conventional USB flash drive 20, the client driver of corresponding manufacturer should be installed in the host computer 10 for the initial operation thereof. In case where a user uses a plurality of host computers, the client driver should be installed in each of them in terms of the characteristic of the portable storage medium.
Furthermore, with the NAND flash memory 221xcx9c22n used in the USB flash drive 20, data is read or written in pages of the flash memory when it performs xe2x80x9cwritexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9creadxe2x80x9d instruction. In addition, before data is written in an arbitrary page, it is required that the entire page of the block including the corresponding page is deleted and then the data is written.
In case where data is written in N pages ranging from block 0 to block 3, represented in black, as shown in FIG. 2, the data is written in the pages of the blocks 1 and 2 after deletion of that blocks because the data can be written on previous data stored therein. In case of the blocks 0 and 3, however, pages P1 required to be preserved exist therein. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3, all pages in the original block are copied into a predetermined temporary area block before the deletion of previous data (ST301), and then all of the pages in the original block are deleted (ST302). Subsequently, pages required to be preserved, stored in the temporary area, are restored to a corresponding memory address of the original block (ST303), and data required to be written is written in pages (ST304). This procedure (ST301xcx9cST304) is repeated by the number of pages of the blocks 0 and 3 where the data is written (ST305). Thus, data writing speed becomes considerably slow in case of the conventional NAND type flash memory 221xcx9c22n.
Moreover, FAT (File Allocation Table) of the flash memory may be damaged due to erroneous operation of the USB flash drive 20 or host computer 10 when the flash memory executes data xe2x80x9cwritexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9creadxe2x80x9d operation. In this case, the user should reformat the damaged FAT using a cure program (scan disk of Windows, for instance) of the host computer 10 or a predetermined cure program provided by the manufacturer. However, the user cannot appropriately cope with this situation if he is not experienced in handling the program.
Furthermore, in the conventional USB flash drive 20, the decoder 23 outputting the chip select signal to the flash memory 221xcx9c22n is fixed thereto as hardware so that the flash memory cannot be easily added and production cost increases.
An object of the present invention is to provide a portable storage medium based on USB standard and a control method therefor, which can be simply recognized and driven by a host computer through USB and UFI without having an additional client driver, facilitates the extension of the flash memory capacity and ensures high speed of data writing.
To accomplish a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable storage medium, based on USB standard, connected to a USB port of a host computer applying UFI protocol, comprising: a USB connector through which the storage medium is physically connected to the USB port of the host computer; at least one nonvolatile flash memory for storing data transmitted from the host computer; a program storage for storing a predetermined operation program based on USB and UFI; and a controller for controlling the entire operation of the storage medium based on the operation program stored in the program storage, wherein the operation program of the program storage includes a memory processing block for checking and updating header block information of the flash memory, a device recognition processing block for transmitting device descriptor information and interface descriptor information for loading a UFI driver to the host computer, and a UFI processing block for generating predetermined UFI response packets by UFI commands sent from the host computer to transmit them to the host computer.
The flash memory is a NAND type flash memory, and the storage medium includes a USB controller for transmitting and receiving data to and from the host computer based on USB standard, an SMC controller for controlling the operation of the flash memory using an SMC interface signal, and a microprocessor connected to the USB controller and SMC controller to control the operation of the USB controller and SMC controller based on the operation program of the program storage and a UFI command transmitted from the host computer.
The portable storage medium further includes a toggle switch for operating a low-level-formatting operation when FAT information of the flash memory is damaged, wherein the program storage further includes a format processing block for deleting a block 0 of the flash memory when the number of times of switching operations of the toggle switch exceeds a predetermined number of times.
The SMC controller is connected to the flash memory through a data/address bus to transmit data read or written and address information of the data, the program storage includes a memory driving block for selectively driving the flash memory based on memory address information contained in xe2x80x9cwritexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9creadxe2x80x9d commands transmitted from the host computer, and the microprocessor is connected to the flash memory through a system bus to apply a chip select signal for driving the flash memory according to the operation routine of the memory driving block.
To accomplish a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for controlling the recognition of a portable storage medium which is connected to a USB port of a host computer applying UFI protocol and USB standard, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting device descriptor information, containing a manufacturer ID, a product ID and a first class information for selecting a UFI method, to the host computer in response to the request of the device descriptor of the host computer; transmitting interface descriptor information, containing a second class information for selecting UFI protocol, to the host computer in response to the request of the interface descriptor of the host computer; loading a UFI driver of the host computer according to the selected UFI protocol; transmitting a UFI response packet, including predetermined device information and capacity information, to the host computer in response to the request of identifying device and capacity of the host computers; and sending FAT information stored in a flash memory to the host computer in response to the request of FAT information of the host computer.
To accomplish a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling data writing operation of a portable storage medium adapting USB standard, comprising: a first step of confirming if a xe2x80x9cwritexe2x80x9d command is transmitted from a host computer to which the storage medium is connected; a second step of confirming if the transmitted xe2x80x9cwritexe2x80x9d command is the first xe2x80x9cwritexe2x80x9d command; a third step of confirming if the memory address of the current xe2x80x9cwritexe2x80x9d command follows the memory address of the previous xe2x80x9cwritexe2x80x9d command, when the transmitted xe2x80x9cwritexe2x80x9d command is not the first xe2x80x9cwritexe2x80x9d command; and a fourth step of writing a new page, after the previous page, when the memory address of the previous xe2x80x9cwritexe2x80x9d command follows the memory address of the current xe2x80x9cwritexe2x80x9d command, the first to fourth steps being performed in a memory block where pages into which data will be written and pages into which data was written exist concurrently.

Portable storage medium based on universal serial bus standard and UFI standard


A modular fence system. The system includes fence planks designed for insertion into open channels of upper and lower fence rails. The fence rails are supported in a horizontal orientation between intermittent fence posts, with the open channels facing toward a vertical direction and with the fence planks extending vertically between the rails and into the channels. The planks preferably include resilient protrusions at their upper ends. The protrusions of the planks are designed to fit into internal passages formed in the open channels of the upper fence rail, into engagement with ledges defining the passages, to inhibit inadvertent removal of the planks from the upper rail. The fence rails can also be used in a different way and in a different position, in which the open channels face toward a horizontal direction, with an elongate cap coupled to the rail to cover the open channel. Plank members are coupled to the cap such that the cap resides between the plank members and the rail.

Not Applicable
1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to modular fence systems, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a fence system having a multi-position rail that can be used in various positions in constructing different fence designs.
2. Description of Related Art
The prior art modular fence systems are characterized by a number of disadvantages. Some systems require the laborious and time consuming practice of manufacturing modular components that are useable only with one design. Some of the more decorative-oriented fence systems are difficult to install.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fence system that is simple in design and easier to assemble.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a fence system that utilizes a support rail capable of being used in at least two orientations as part of at least two different fence system designs.
The above objects and others not specifically recited are realized in a specific illustrative embodiment of a modular fence system. The system includes fence planks designed for insertion into open channels of upper and lower fence rails. The fence rails are supported in a horizontal orientation between intermittent fence posts, with the open channels facing toward a vertical direction and with the fence planks extending vertically between the rails and into the channels. The planks preferably include resilient protrusions at their upper ends. The protrusions of the planks are designed to fit into internal passages formed in the open channels of the upper fence rail, into engagement with ledges defining the passages, to inhibit inadvertent removal of the planks from the upper rail. The fence rails can also be used in a different way and in a different position, in which the open channels face toward a horizontal direction, with an elongate cap coupled to the rail to cover the open channel. Plank members are coupled to the cap such that the cap resides between the plank members and the rail.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention without undue experimentation. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Fence system with variable position rail


A 3D tablet terminal (100) which is an example of a stereoscopic image display control apparatus includes: a most projecting position determination unit (104) which determines a most projecting position at which an object projects most from a display surface and a most receding position at which the object recedes most therefrom; and a display control unit (105) which causes a display device to display the object, wherein the display control unit (105) adjusts a display position of the object so that an amount of projection at the most projecting position is equal to a proper amount of projection, and processes, by a predetermined method, a portion of the object on a far side relative to the display surface when an amount of recession at the most receding position after adjusting the display position exceeds a proper amount of recession.

In recent years, the three-dimensional (3D) market in the mobile field has being rapidly expanding, and the proportion of autostereoscopic 3D mobile terminals to the entire market is predicted to constitute about 12%. The number of autostereoscopic 3D mobile terminals is predicted to increase by 130 million from 2011 to 2015, and it is expected that more and more tablet terminals having future potential will adopt 3D autostereoscopy.
Tablet terminals are generally small in size, and thus a touch input method is adopted for inputting information by a user touching a screen part of a graphical user interface (GUI) such as an icon displayed on the display using a touch pen or his or her finger. In the touch input method, screen parts which include a plurality of icons are displayed on the display screen, and the user can select an icon by touching such a screen part using a touch pen or his or her finger, thereby activating an application program assigned to the icon.
In addition, an input operation is now being three dimensionally performed along with the 3D display of images. Specifically, it is now conceivable that 3D objects displayed in space are directly controlled (touched) with a finger.
Patent Literature (PTL) 1 discloses, for instance, a stereoscopic video display method for a plurality of viewpoints, with which adults can enjoy stereoscopic video content together with children without worrying about safety of the children's eyes.

Stereoscopic image display control apparatus, and stereoscopic image display control method

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


Apparatus is provided for introducing a consistent series of small and localized rotary impacts to a PDC bit during drilling, to improve PDC drill bit performance. Rotary impact supplements the nominal torque supplied by the rotary drive thereby avoiding lockup and potentially damaging energy storage in the drill string following windup, should the bit slow or hang up when drilling in difficult formations. The apparatus comprises a rotary hammer which is rotated about a bit shaft""s anvil, preferably by a drilling fluid driven turbine. As the hammer rotates, potential energy is built up. When the hammer and anvil connect, the energy is released into the bit shaft and thus into the bit, increases its instantaneous torque and allows it to more effectively cut through difficult formations.

The present Invention relates to rotary Impact, torque intensifying apparatus for use with drill bits, particularly polycrystalline diamond compact xe2x80x9cPDCxe2x80x9d bits and methods of use applied to subterranean drilling.
Conventional drill bits include roller bits which use compression to crush rock at the toolface when drilling a wellbore in a subterranean formation. It is known to apply axial impact assemblies for enhancing the compressive breaking action of percussive bits.
PDC bits, however, use a shearing action to break the material of the formation. Excessive axial force on a PDC bit is a known cause of failure of the cutters.
The PDC cutters and inserts of PDC bits are subject to failure through vibration and impact. Ideally, a PDC bit has continuous loading while shearing material at the toolface. However, when the rate of penetration suddenly slows, or when a hard interface is encountered, such as a stringer, the bit slows or hangs up, possibly even temporarily ceasing to rotate. Despite slowing or cessation of rotation of the drill bit, the drill string continues to rotate. Whether the bit is at the end of a rotating drill string, or at the end of a coiled tubing BHA, the rotary drive continues to wind up the drill string, building up torque and potential energy. Typically, the torque reaches a certain elevated level and the bit finally releases and spins violently, either due to the energy built up or due to a shortening of the drill string as it winds up. The sustained release of energy as the bit spins causes chatter or repeated impacts of the PDC cutters against the rock facexe2x80x94causing significant damage to the PDC bit cutters.
It Is an expensive process to trip out and replace a damaged PDC bit.
It is believed that PDC bit failure is caused by the chatter and impact associated with the sustained and violent release of the built up torque. Nevertheless, the lock up of a PDC bit is a known and persistent problem resulting in expensive down time and equipment cost
In a surprising discovery, PDC bit performance is improved and incidences of failure can be reduced by repeatedly applying increased torque at the PDC bit through the use of a rotary impact tool. So as to avoid large build up of torque and to suffer the associated sustained impact damage to a PDC bit on release, an assembly is provided for introducing a consistent series of smaller and localized rotary impacts to the bit, avoiding lockup and potentially damaging energy storage in the drill string.
The present invention implements a method and apparatus for increasing the drilling effectiveness of PDC bits while minimizing failures due to the release of energy following windup.
Simply, the method comprises increasing the effective torque of the drill bit by repeatedly and periodically intensifying the torque at the PDC drill bit. The periodic increases in torque avoid the potential for build-up of torque on bit lockup or sustained high torque incidences which are associated with PDC bit failure when the built-up of torque is released. Preferably, introduction of rotary impact is applied only during drilling.
In an apparatus aspect, a rotary torque impacting assembly is positioned between the drill bit and the rotary drive such as a rotary drill string or a downhole motor. The drill bit is adapted for rotation by the assembly which provides the nominal torque necessary to develop the shear forces used by the PDC bit to cut the formation. An energy source in the impacting assembly supplements the nominal torque provided by the rotary drive. Preferably, a drilling fluid driven turbine in the assembly drives a rotary hammer for periodic impacts with an anvil connected through to the drill bit.
The assembly comprises an output bit shaft for connection to the drill bit, and a housing for connection to the rotary drive. The bit shaft has a lower connection to the bit and an upper shaft end which projects into the downhole end of the housing and is rotatably driven thereby. The upper shaft end is fitted with a rotary anvil. The housing further houses a motor which rotates a hammer about the bit shaft""s anvil. The motor spins the hammer and builds up its potential energy. When the anvil and hammer connect, the potential energy is released into the upper shaft end and thus into the drill bit, increasing its instantaneous torque and hence to cut through the difficult formation. For increased effectiveness, the bit shaft is adapted for permitting limited rotational freedom relative to the driving housing so that the bit shaft receives substantially all of the rotary impact. Preferably, the hammer""s motor is impeded from operation when the bit is off bottom and not drilling.


The present invention relates to a method for transmitting signals in a heterogeneous network, the method comprising: a step wherein a base station determines a value-added vector for forming a beam pattern to be applied to a subsidiary carrier; a step wherein carrier operation information including information related to the determined value-added vector is transmitted via a primary carrier; and a step wherein the subsidiary carrier is transmitted by applying the determined value-added vector.

Wireless communication systems have been widely deployed to provide various types of communication services such as audio or data services. A wireless communication system is generally a multiple access system which can support communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources such as bandwidth and transmission power. Examples of the multiple access system include a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, a Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) system, a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) system, an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) system, a Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) system, and a Multi-Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (MC-FDMA) system. In the wireless communication system, a User Equipment (UE) can receive information from a Base Station (BS) through a downlink (DL) and transmit information to the BS through an uplink (UL). The information transmitted or received by the UE includes data and various control information and various physical channels are provided depending on the types and usages of the information transmitted or received by the UE.

Method and apparatus for transmitting signal using spatial silencing


A method and a device for the simplified inspection of the compatibility of the positions of bore bushings in a drilling template with respect to the positions in a predetermined plan in a computer model. The position parameters are detected by a measuring device which is arranged at distance from the bore bushings. The position parameters are transferred to a measurement plane on a reference seat. The drilling template is held to the reference seat at at least one of a predetermined orientation or a predetermined distance from the measurement plane.

The invention relates to a method and a device for controlling the position of bore bushings in drilling templates which are used in the field of tooth implantation and serve to guide a drill which is used to create bores in a patient's jaw, for anchoring implants in these.
Drilling templates of this type are generally produced in the following way: First, a dentist takes an impression of a patient's jaw. The impression is used to produce a plaster model for creating a bite splint. The latter is worn by the patient while his jaw is recorded by computed tomography in order to permit a three-dimensional implant plan. To ensure that the plan can be transposed back to the patient, the drilling template typically contains registration markings. This plan ensures that the implants are disposed in the jaw bone such that, when creating the required bores for the implants, no nerves are damaged and there is no perforation of the paranasal sinuses. After establishing the course and arrangement of the drill channels and the drilling depth in the jaw bone, bore bushings are introduced into the bite splint. These preferably are made of titanium and are arranged such that they can be used to guide a drill with which the planned drill channels can be formed in the jaw. The angle disposition of the bore bushings is used to allow the drill channel to be formed at the desired orientation in the jaw bone. The drilling depth is fixed by the bore bushing edge which serves as an abutment for the drill and which surrounds the bushing inlet into which a drill is later inserted.
The bite splint which is provided with the bore bushings, and which now serves as a drilling template, is fitted in a patient who is to receive one or more implants. The bore bushings fixed in the bite splint or drilling template now act as a mechanical guide for the operator, and as an abutment for a drill with which holes are formed in the jaw in order to receive implants.
It has been found that, when introducing bore bushings into the bite splint, i.e. when producing the drilling template, deviations from the plan may arise in the positions of the bore bushings, e.g. as a result of human operating errors. Moreover, the bore bushings may be incorrectly axially introduced wrongly into the bite splint serving as the drilling template. The operator may be able to notice obvious errors from the arrangement of the bore bushings and by comparison with the images created by means of computed tomography. But, of course, not all errors can be picked up in this way, and so patients are endangered to the extent that the orientation of the bores formed in the jaw for the implants and the depth of the bores are sometimes determined incorrectly.
In the text below, "position" is understood, in each case with respect to a defined coordinate system, as the parameter values of the 6 degrees of freedom of a rigid object in three-dimensional space.
In a rotationally symmetrical bushing, the position is accordingly described unambiguously by 5 parameters.
A derived position parameter is obtained by conversion from parameter values of another coordinate system or by projection of the parameter values into a new coordinate system.
The terms "angle position and/or axial position" are used here synonymously for position parameters or for a subset of position parameters.

Method and device for controlling the position of bore bushings


Disclosed is an arthroscopic cannula to solve the problem of more wounds being created due to the use of a plurality of cannulas in a conventional arthroscopic surgery. The arthroscopic cannula includes a cannula body, a spacer provided inside the cannula body and extending axially along the cannula body to divide an internal space of the cannula body into a first chamber and a second chamber, and a joint connected to one end of the cannula body. The interior of the joint intercommunicates with the first chamber and the second chamber.

Current techniques for arthroscopic repairing surgery generally use a suture anchor rope tying for the surgery. The suture anchor having a thread penetrates the soft tissues, allowing the soft tissues to be tied and fixed by the thread. Among them, to reduce the amount of the suture anchors used, each suture anchor is generally provided with four threads. Therefore, special attention must be paid in regard to the entangling of the threads to avoid surgical failure.
As shown in FIG. 1, it is a conventional arthroscopic cannula 9, which includes a hollow tube 91 and a plug cap 92 connected to one end of the hollow tube 91. One embodiment similar to the conventional arthroscopic cannula 9 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,377,089.
To avoid the entangling of the threads mentioned above which takes place during the surgery, at least two conventional arthroscopic cannulas 9 (which are described as "first cannula 9a" and "second cannula 9b" hereinafter) should be used in the current arthroscopic surgery. That is, after the suture anchor N is inserted into the soft tissue B of the patient, the body of the patient has four threads R1, R2, R3 and R4 connected to the suture anchor N. Among them, the two threads R1 and R2 are two segments of the same thread, and the other two threads R3 and R4 are two segments of the other thread. In the beginning, an instrument is used and inserted through the first cannula 9a into the patient's body to clamp and thread the thread R1 through the soft tissue T. Then, the thread R1 is pulled into the second cannula 9b, allowing a free end of the thread R1 to be pulled out of the patient's body.
As shown in FIG. 2, the instrument is used and inserted through the first cannula 9a and into the patient's body to clamp and thread the thread R3 through the soft tissue T. Then, the thread R3 is pulled back into the first cannula 9a, allowing a free end of the thread R3 to be pulled out of the patient's body.
As shown in FIG. 3, an instrument is used and inserted through the first cannula 9a and into the patient's body to clamp and thread the thread R4. Then, the thread R4 is pulled into the first cannula 9a, allowing a free end of the thread R4 to be pulled out of the patient's body for tying the thread R3 and the thread R4 into a knot. Then, the knot is pushed back into the patient's body through the first cannula 9a. As shown in FIG. 4, the soft tissue T is pulled towards the suture anchor N by the thread R3 and the thread R4 and is fixed in place.
As shown in FIG. 5, an instrument is used again and inserted through the first cannula 9a into the patient's body to thread the thread R1 and the thread R2 at the same time, and the thread R1 and the thread R2 are pulled into the first cannula 9a, allowing the thread R1 and the thread R2 to be tied into a knot outside the patient's body. Then, the knot is pushed back into the patient's body through the first cannula 9a. As shown in FIG. 6, the thread R1, the thread R2 and the soft tissue T are pulled towards the suture anchor N and are fixed in place.
Accordingly, the entangling of the threads may be effectively avoided. However, since this requires at least two current arthroscopic cannulas, an incision should be created on the patient's body for each arthroscopic cannula. This leads to long surgery time and damage to the joint tissue and increases the hurt area. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the arthroscopic cannula.


A trusted device is positioned within a private consensus network. The trusted device includes a memory and processing circuitry in communication with the memory. The processing circuitry is configured to obtain, from a private distributed ledger associated with the private consensus network, rules associated with the private consensus network, the private distributed ledger being accessible only to devices positioned within the private consensus network, to identify one or more other trusted devices positioned within the private consensus network, to receive, from an unidentified device positioned within the private consensus network, an identity verification request to identify the unidentified device within the private consensus network, to determine, based on the obtained rules, whether to approve or deny the identity verification request, and to communicate, to the one or more other trusted devices, a vote indicative of the determination of whether to approve or deny the identity verification request.

A distributed ledger is a data structure that may be shared and synchronized across a network spanning multiple sites, institutions, and/or geographies. Changes or additions made to the ledger are reflected and copied to many (if not all) computing devices (or nodes) on the network. Often, a distributed ledger is implemented as a consensus network, where nodes on the network implement one or more consensus algorithms intended to achieve reliability or agreement among nodes on the network, even where the network might include multiple unreliable or untrustworthy nodes.
Distributed ledgers can be limited in scope to a single entity (e.g., a "private" context ledger), or may bridge different entities (as in the case of "consortium" context ledgers). A blockchain (e.g., the technology underlying various cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum and Bitcoin) can be considered a distributed ledger that is managed by distributed computers on a peer-to-peer (P2P) network. Blockchain technology has also permeated the management of other types of computer networks, including local area and wide area networks (LANs and WANs).
Each peer (node) on the network maintains a copy of the ledger, and also uses additional measures to help maintain a consensus (which may, in various examples, represent a predetermined quorum) among a number of the nodes on the network. A smart contract is a computer program typically implemented on a consensus network as part of a blockchain or distributed ledger. Smart contracts may be used on a consensus network to facilitate, verify, and/or enforce the negotiation and/or performance of an agreement, contract, or other set of rules.

Decentralized verification of devices using distributed ledger technology


A battery test circuit for testing batteries in a working circuit having a plurality of batteries includes a DC step up converter. The DC step up converter may be selectively interconnected between a first one of a plurality of batteries and a second one of a plurality of batteries, to draw a test current from the first battery and to supply current at an elevated voltage to the second battery. The test circuit further includes an indicator output for providing a signal indicative of whether the first battery provides the test current substantially at its rated voltage.

In systems which rely on batteries, such as power backup systems, electric vehicles and the like, it is often necessary to test the condition of the batteries therein.
A typical procedure for testing batteries is to connect a load to a battery such that a desired test current is drawn from the battery and measure parameters of the battery output, such as voltage. A voltage below a certain expected value indicates deterioration of the battery being tested.
Unfortunately, during this type of testing, energy is drawn from the battery being tested. This energy is typically passed through and dissipated by the test load, for example, as heat. Further, the battery under test may need to be removed from the circuit it drives, interrupting operation of the circuit.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved battery testing systems and methods.

Battery test circuit with energy recovery


An RF quadrature detection coil for interventional MRI comprises two nested orthogonal coils having generally rectangular shape in profile, each coil providing one "channel" of signal for quadrature detection. Each rectangular coil has two conductor windings and a common side in which the two conductors along that side are displaced apart in a common plane orthogonal to the plane of the coil to form a circular opening. The two individual coils are configured such that their rectangular conductor winding portions lie in planes perpendicular to each other but their arcuate conductor winding portions coincide in the same plane. Four paralleled conductors are arranged around the shared circular opening while two paralleled conductors form the three sides of the rectangular portion of each individual coil. With this arrangement, the circular opening allows for entry of a body part for MR imaging while the spaces between the orthogonal rectangular sides of the two coils provide large open access areas for one or more instruments during interventional procedures.

Magnetic resonance (MR) images acquired during surgery assist a surgeon to accurately locate tissue malignancies, obtain a biopsy from desired surgical sites on the patient, and assist in the successful removal of tissue from the patient. Interventional MRI is the magnetic resonance imaging technique (often involving real-time imaging) that allows a surgeon to perform MRI-guided tissue biopsy or surgical procedures.
To provide a surgeon with open access to surgical sites during MR imaging, conventional MR reception coils often have to sacrifice their signal reception performance. For interventional MRI guided surgery, it is desirable that the MR reception coil have a large opening to receive the body part to be imaged and wide-open access to provide a surgeon access to the surgical site with a biopsy needle or other surgical devices. To provide open surgical access, conventional interventional MRI coils generally have had a simplified RF coil structure. These simplified coils have large openings and provide good access during surgery. However, these simple coils also have compromised field homogeneity and signal reception efficiency. Because of these shortcomings, conventional interventional MRI reception coils have had limited usefulness as viable surgical tools.
An example of a simplified coil configuration previously used in interventional MRI is a flat single-loop surface coil arrangement used to image breasts. The flat signal-loop coil typically is placed near the chest wall of the patient, and around all or at least a portion of a single breast. A significant disadvantage of such a single-loop coil is that it has poor field homogeneity, and provides poor signal quality, especially with respect to breast tissue not immediately adjacent the RF reception coil loop. When using a single-loop reception coil, a surgeon experiences difficulty in clearly viewing or positively identifying malignancies of the breast that are more than a short distance from the RF coil.
Improving coil performance, such as the signal-to-noise ratio and uniformity of interventional MR reception coils, would increase the depth to which tissue can be clearly imaged. If the signal reception efficiency could be improved, then signal quality would be improved and good, clear interventional MR images would be available of the surgical site and surrounding tissue. Providing a clear image of a surgical or biopsy site would allow a surgeon to make better informed decisions during MRI guided surgery.
RF quadrature detection coil can improve signal detection efficiencies effectively. A quadrature detection coil arrangement consists of two orthogonal RF reception coils. If the two coils are resonant at the same frequency, then MR signals induced in one coil (channel A) will have a 90.degree. phase shift with respect to the signals induced in the other coil (channel B).
In an MRI quadrature detection arrangement, a pair of MR signals (one from each coil-channel) are processed and combined to obtain one combined MR signal having a better signal-to-noise ratio than either of the single signals from the individual coil-channels of the quadrature arrangement. Where the two coils of the quadrature detection arrangement are identical (except for their orientation), the resultant signal should be about 40% better than that of either coil individually or of an equivalent single-loop coil arrangement.
While quadrature detection coils offer superior signal efficiency, they have in the past been difficult for use in interventional MRI devices. Providing open access to a tissue site is a significant constraint on the design of interventional quadrature detection coil. Compared to open structure single channel RF reception coils, the structure of a quadrature detection coil (having a pair of orthogonal coils) is more complex. The structural constraints of a quadrature coil arrangement present an imposing and perplexing problem which has made quadrature coils less applicable to interventional MRI, at least until the present invention.

Quadrature detection coil for interventional MRI


The present invention discloses the use of generalized queries, referred to as query templates, obtained by generalizing individual user queries, as the semantic basis for low overhead, high benefit directory caches for handling declarative queries. Caching effectiveness can be improved by maintaining a set of generalizations of queries and admitting such generalizations into the cache when their estimated benefits are sufficiently high. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the admission of query templates into the cache can be done in what is referred to by the inventors as a “revolutionary” fashion—followed by stable periods where cache admission and replacement can be done incrementally in an evolutionary fashion. The present invention can lead to considerably higher hit rates and lower server-side execution and communication costs than conventional caching of directory queries—while keeping the clientside computational overheads comparable to query caching.

Various directory systems have been used in the prior art to organize electronically-stored information in a communications network and to facilitate subsequent retrieval by a user. Hierarchically structured directories, such as X.500, have recently proliferated with the growth of the Internet, and are being used to store not only address books and contact information for people but also a range of other types of information—such as personal profiles, network resource information, and network and service policies. These directory systems provide a means for managing scale arid heterogeneity, while allowing for conceptual unity and autonomy across multiple directory servers in the network, in a way far superior to what conventional relational or object-oriented databases offer. For example, network directory services based on the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) have proven quite popular recently. See "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol," RFC 1777, Network Working Group, IETF 1994; "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (v3)," RFC 2251, Network Working Group, IETF 1997.LDAP is a "lighter" version of X.500's Directory Access Protocol and, like X.500, organizes directory entries into a hierarchical namespace that can be accessed by a distinguished name or by using declarative (i.e. database-style) queries. The LDAP model enables highly distributed management of entries across directory servers in the network, while still permitting a conceptually unified view of the data.
To achieve fast performance and high availability to systems on a network, it is desirable to cache information close to the client applications that access the server information. Caching is used extensively on the Internet today, e.g. in proxy servers and client browsers, to reduce user-perceived latency and improve overall network performance. Co-pending, commonly-assigned utility application, "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPTIMIZING QUERIES ON NETWORK DIRECTORY CACHES," Ser. No. 09/448,811, filed on Nov. 24, 1999, (Received Notice of Abandonment dated Feb. 4, 2003 which is incorporated by reference herein, disclosed that cached directory entries can be reused in answering certain declarative queries. The use of semantic information in the client cache—although shown to be advantageous for efficient handling of declarative queries—also imposes a very high cost when individual user queries select just one or a few directory entries, as is often the case in many real LDAP applications. The storage overhead of maintaining the meta data that semantically describe the directory entries in the client cache becomes comparable to the size of the cached data, and the computational overhead of searching the meta data to determine if a user query can be answered from the cache becomes prohibitive.

Method for using query templates in directory caches


The present invention provides a method for forming thin films, wherein thin films with a uniform thickness can be formed on substrates as objects such as spheroids, even when the films are formed by conventional film-formation methods using an incident particle beam coming from a specific direction (e.g., evaporation and sputtering). In the method, thin films are formed on substrates such as spheroids with an incident particle beam coming from a particle source located in a specific direction by performing a spin motion together with a swing motion. The spin motion is a rotation of the substrate at a constant angular velocity about the spheroidal axis. The swing motion is a rotational oscillation of the same substrate for rotationally oscillating the axis at a constant cycle in one surface, where the center of the rotational oscillation is in the vicinity of the midpoint between two focal points on the axis of the spheroid. As a result, thin films with a uniform thickness in both the peripheral direction of the substrate and in the rotational axis direction of the spin motion can be formed even on substrates including spheroids.

The present invention relates to a method for forming infrared reflection films used for light sources such as incandescent lamps or tungsten-halogen lamps. The present invention relates also highly efficient light sources as light bulbs provided with the infrared reflection films.
xe2x80x98Journal of Illuminating Engineering Societyxe2x80x99, July 1980 (p.197-203) or some other documents have suggested methods for providing low power incandescent lamps and tungsten-halogen lamps. For this purpose, light bulbs are coated with infrared reflection films to substantially pass only visible light that is selected from light beams emitted from filament portions of the light bulbs.
In this method, a maximum proportion of the infrared reflection light, which appears to compose 70-80% of the radiation energy, can be reflected inside of the light bulb. The reflected light is focused on the filament coil portion to heat the same portion. Since the filament coil portion is reheated in this manner, the consumed power is reduced by 20-30% in comparison with a conventional light bulb when the illuminance (total value of luminous flux) from the filament portions is equivalent.
Such an infrared reflection film includes an interference multilayer film having a laminate of transparent dielectric thin films with high refractive index and low refractive index. The interference multilayer film decreases infrared rays escaping as heat rays from the light bulb, and it selectively passes visible light only, so that the infrared rays can be reflected effectively.
To form infrared reflection films with the best uniformity on three-dimensional objects (in many cases, spheroids) such as light bulbs, various methods such as CVD, evaporation or sputtering are used.
In the above-mentioned interference multilayer films, the films are required to be coated with an accurate thickness while they have desired refractive indices. Evaporation and sputtering are useful in forming thin films with a controlled thickness on conventional flat substrates. However, the methods are not suitable for forming thin films with a uniform thickness on three-dimensional objects including spheroids such as light bulbs.
In a case of a three-dimensional object, generally, the distance from the object to either an evaporation source or a sputtering target can vary. Moreover, the other side (the side away from the evaporation source or the target) of the object should be also coated with a film. As a result, the film has a considerably uneven thickness, and the multilayer film cannot show its functions, and the efficiency of the infrared ray reflection will deteriorate.
Furthermore, visible light of a wavelength to be transmitted is reflected excessively due to the film with uneven thickness. As a result, problems such as coloration and color unevenness will occur in the electric light source.
CVD is used for forming thin films by using starting molecules which are supplied as a gas flow from substantially all directions rather than a specific direction. This method can provide comparatively uniform film thickness without any special difficulties. However, CVD also presents several problems, for example, the absolute value of the film thickness cannot be controlled sufficiently. In addition, the object will be heated inevitably, and the material gasses or the conditions should be changed for the respective films composing a laminate.
To solve the problems, the present invention provides a method for forming thin films with a uniform thickness on substrates including spheroids even by film-forming methods such as evaporation or sputtering. In evaporation or sputtering, incident particles as film materials will be supplied from a specific direction. The present invention also provides a spheroid coated with a film of the method, a light bulb including the spheroid and equipment for film formation.
In order to achieve the purpose, the method for forming thin films according to the present invention includes forming a thin film on a substrate including a spheroid with an incident particle beam coming from a particle source located in a specific direction when viewed from the substrate. In this method, a spin motion and a swing motion are performed together. The spin motion is a rotation of the substrate at a constant angular velocity about the spheroidal axis. Here, xe2x80x98spheroidal axisxe2x80x99 refers to the central axis of the rotation of a spheroid. The swing motion is a rotational oscillation of the same substrate for rotationally oscillating the axis at a constant cycle in one surface, where the center of the rotational oscillation is in the vicinity of the midpoint between two focal points on the axis of the spheroid.
In the method using a spin motion and a swing motion together, a thin film that has a uniform thickness in the peripheral direction of the substrate and in the rotational direction of the spin motion can be formed even if the substrate comprises a spheroid.
It is preferable in the method that the swing motion is performed to get the part of the substrate below the midpoint of the axis positioned away from the particle source when the upper part of the same axis approaches the particle source, so that the uniformity of the thin film in the rotational axis direction is further assured.
It is also preferable that the particle source is a flat plate and the swing motion is performed to rotationally oscillate the axis at a constant cycle in a surface perpendicular to the flat plate surface, so that the uniformity of the thin film in the rotational axis direction is further assured.
It is preferable that the rotational angular velocity of the rotational oscillation of the swing motion is varied continuously, so that the rotational velocity of the swing motion can be set to be suitable for the distance distribution between the substrate surface and the particle source surface.
It is preferable that the rotational oscillation is varied intermittently by setting plural stationary positions within the rotational oscillation range and also stationary times at the respective positions, so that the swing motion can be performed easily.
It is preferable that the thin film is formed by either sputtering or evaporation.
It is preferable that the thin film is at least one selected from the group consisting of an infrared reflection film and a frost film.
It is also preferable that the substrate including a spheroid is a light bulb.
It is preferable that the center of the rotational oscillation of the swing motion is in the vicinity of the longitudinal center of the filament portion of the light bulb.
A spheroid of the present invention is coated with a thin film, and the thin film is formed with an incident particle beam coming from a particle source located in a specific direction when viewed from the spheroid as an object. The spheroid is subjected to a spin motion together with a swing motion in order to form a thin film thereon. The spin motion is a rotation of the spheroid at a constant angular velocity about the spheroidal axis. The swing motion is a rotational oscillation of the same spheroid for rotationally oscillating the axis at a constant cycle in one surface, where the center of the rotational oscillation is in the vicinity of the midpoint between two focal points on the axis of the spheroid. The thin film has a uniform thickness at least in the rotational direction of the spin motion and also in the rotational oscillation direction of the swing motion.
The spheroid coated with the thin film is useful for light bulbs due to the uniformity in the film thickness.
It is preferable in the spheroid that the swing motion is performed to get the part of the spheroid below the midpoint of the axis positioned away from the particle source when the upper part of the same axis approaches the particle source, so that the uniformity of the thin film in the rotational axis direction is further assured.
It is also preferable that the particle source is a flat plate and the swing motion is performed to rotationally oscillate the axis at a constant cycle in a surface perpendicular to the flat plate surface, so that the uniformity of the thin film in the rotational axis direction is further assured.
It is preferable that the thin film is formed by sputtering or by evaporation.
It is also preferable that the thin film is at least one selected from the group consisting of an infrared reflection film and a frost film.
It is preferable that the spheroid is a light bulb.
It is preferable that the center of the rotational oscillation of the swing motion is in the vicinity of the longitudinal center of the filament portion of the light bulb.
A light bulb of the present invention includes a spheroid coated with a thin film. The film on the light bulb is substantially uniform in thickness, since it is formed with an incident particle beam coming from a specific direction while the spheroid (light bulb) is subjected to a swing motion together with a spin motion. In order to meet the requirement for the uniformity, the film thickness on the spheroidal substrate in a range of xc2x160xc2x0 from the vertical angle (see the upper right-hand in the graph of FIG. 1) is at least 88% of the maximum film thickness, i.e., xc2x16% to the medium value. When the thin film is a laminate comprising transparent dielectric thin films differing in their refractive indices, the light bulb can be prevented from being colored or having color unevenness, and the energy will be saved considerably.
Film-formation equipment of the present invention is used to form thin films having a uniform thickness on substrates comprising spheroids with an incident particle beam coming from a particle source located in a specific direction when viewed from the substrates. The equipment is provided with a rotational mechanism to perform a spin motion together with a swing motion. The spin motion is a rotation of the spheroid at a constant angular velocity about the spheroidal axis. The swing motion is a rotational oscillation of the same spheroid for rotationally oscillating the axis at a constant cycle in one surface, where the center of the rotational oscillation is in the vicinity of the midpoint between two focal points on the axis of the spheroid.
It is preferable that the equipment uses RF (radio frequency) sputtering or DC (direct current) sputtering in the film formation process.

Method for forming thin film, spheroid coated with thin film, light bulb using the spheroid and equipment for film formation

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A fistula bandage comprising a bandage and an adjustment device for adjusting a tension of the bandage, where the adjustment device comprises: a first engagement portion connected to a first end of the bandage; and a second engagement portion connected to a second end of the bandage; wherein the second engagement portion comprises: a base having a first sliding slot and connected to the second end of the bandage; a moving member slidingly engaged with the base and connected to the first engagement portion; a driving mechanism supported on the base and driving the moving member to slide in a first direction relative to the base; and a stopping mechanism connected to the driving mechanism. The driving mechanism drives the first engagement portion to move relative to the second engagement portion, thereby achieving the purpose of adjusting the tension of the bandage.

For long-term hemodialysis treatment (2-3 times/week), patients with vasomotor arteriovenous fistula (hereinafter referred to as fistula) is the most commonly used vascular access. Most patients in China is treated using this method. Fistula is considered the lifeline of patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment. In the hemodialysis patients, the arteriovenous fistula is located in the forearm or upper arm of the upper limb of the patient and is composed of a vascular graft or an autologous blood vessel. At the end of each hemodialysis treatment, it is important for the patient selects an appropriate method for compression hemostasis of the puncture injury. At present, artificial compression or bandage compression is used as hemostasis method globally. The existing bandage only relies on hook and loop fastener (Velcro™) for sticking. When the bandage is too tight or too loose, direct fine tune is impossible. It is necessary to tear the hook and loop fastener (Velcro™) apart for re-adjustment, and the tightness of the adjustment is not well controlled.


A knotter system of a baler for performing a knotter cycle including at least a first knot forming cycle and a second knot forming cycle. The knotter system includes a needle; a tucker arm; a billhook assembly including a billhook with a lower lip and an upper lip mounted pivotally with respect to lower lip; and a driver to make the billhook perform at least a first full rotation and a second full rotation. The billhook assembly is configured to position the upper lip away from the lower lip in a first angular range and to position the upper lip away from the lower lip in a second angular range of at least one of the first and second full rotation. The first angular range is located within a range between 0° and 160°, and the second angular range is located within a range between 160° and 360°.

Rectangular bales are able to maintain their shape by means of a series of parallel extending twine loops, provided lengthwise around the bales. Known balers typically use automatic knotters by which two knots are made on every loop for binding a bale. An example of such a knotter system for a baler is disclosed in US 2006/0012176 in the name of the Applicant, the disclosure of which is included herein by reference. The knotter system disclosed in US 2006/0012176 has the advantage that two consecutive knots can be formed during one operation cycle, without the formation of twine tails.
Similar improved knotter systems are disclosed in patent applications in the name of the Applicant with publications numbers WO2015/014616 and WO2014/060245, the disclosure of which is included herein by reference.
It has been noticed that during the forming of the first and the second knot of the knotter cycle the twines are not always draped correctly over the billhook, resulting in a first and/or a second knot with a reduced quality.


A system and method for editing ink objects recognized in ink input is provided. An ink parser may recognize an ink object in ink input and then an ink editing user interface may edit the ink object recognized by the ink parser. The ink parser may include a chart detector, shape recognizer, and various ink object recognizers such as a chart recognizer, a list detector and a table detector. The various ink object recognizers may recognize particular ink objects. The ink editing user interface may edit the ink object recognized by the ink parser. The ink editing user interface may include a chart editor, list editor, table editor, mode switcher, and a visualizer. The mode switcher may switch the ink editing system between inking mode and ink editing mode.

The ability to recognize various types of ink objects is important for users to be able to draw directly on their computers using ink input or ink notes. Current hardware and software may be able to capture ink representing handwriting reasonably well but is currently unable to similarly recognize and represent the meaning of diagrams, charts, lists and tables hand-drawn in ink input. As a result, users instead use menu-based application programs to create drawings of ink objects such as diagrams and charts. Various diagrams, charts, lists, and tables may be presented by such application programs for a user to select and copy onto a drawing grid or into a document for editing. For example, a drawing application may include a menu option for inserting a diagram, organization chart, or table in a document for editing.
Research focused on recognition of hand-drawn objects has yielded marginal results to date. For instance, incremental recognition algorithms have been used that may recognize simple geometric shapes such as a circle or a box from a specific number of strokes made in a particular order. However, such incremental algorithms rely on stroke order and/or assume a particular number of strokes in order to recognize a particular hand-drawn object. Such an approach fails to be robust for several reasons. For one, none of the incremental algorithms solves the grouping problem of deciding which collection of strokes belongs together because those strokes represent a specific shape or hand-drawn object such as a chart or list. Without the ability to group strokes together that belong to a shape or hand-drawn object, incremental algorithms may not accommodate multi-stroke shapes or hand-drawn objects such as a diagram, chart, list, table, and so forth.
What is needed is a way for recognizing and representing the meaning of hand-drawn objects that is insensitive to stroke input order and/or the number of strokes required to form any given drawing object. Any such system and method should be able to detect multi-stroke hand-drawn ink objects and be able to decide which collection of strokes belong together that represent different ink objects such as a diagram, chart, list, table and so forth. Furthermore, such a system and method should be able to provide a way to edit recognized ink objects.

System and method for editing ink objects


A water-proof connector has a inner housing, a wire seal, and an outer housing. The outer housing has a plurality of electrical wire insertion passageways and a plurality of first boss pins disposed along an outer periphery of a region in which electrical wire insertion passageways are formed. The plurality of first boss pins include tip end parts with a tapered surface only in a portion facing outward from the region in which the electrical wire insertion passageways are formed.

A known water-proof connector is provided with a wire seal or a collective rubber stopper disposed in a connector housing in order to prevent entry of water or the like from the outside (see Japanese Patent No. 3174261, for example). The wire seal has a plurality of contact insertion passageways at positions corresponding to a plurality of cavities in the connector housing. When a contact is inserted into the cavity through the contact insertion passageway, the inner periphery of the contact insertion passageway comes into close contact with an electrical wire connected to the contact to provide waterproofness.
The connector housing typically includes an outer housing and an inner housing. With the water-proof connector, the inner housing is fitted into a recess positioned in the outer housing, and the wire seal is interposed between the outer housing and the inner housing.
Generally, the connector housing is made of a resin material, and the wire seal is made of a rubber-based material. In order to align the cavities formed in the outer housing and the inner housing and the contact insertion passageways formed in the wire seal with each other, the wire seal is secured in the inner housing and positioned with pins with respect to the outer housing. That is, pin-shaped bosses are formed on the outer housing, and recesses into which the bosses are inserted are formed in the wire seal fitted in the inner housing. The wire seal is positioned in the outer housing by inserting the bosses into the recesses of the wire seal. However, the aforementioned conventional techniques have problems, as described below.
During assembly of the water-proof connector, the wire seal to be fitted into the inner housing has a predetermined fastening margin in order to ensure sealability between the wire seal and the inner housing. Therefore, when the wire seal is fitted into the inner housing, the wire seal is inwardly compressed and deformed. The compression and deformation of the wire seal may result in a displacement of the recesses formed in the wire seal from the original positions. In this case, the bosses on the outer housing cannot be inserted into the recesses of the wire seal, and the assembly of the water-proof connector fails.
Even if the wire seal is not properly positioned in the recess of the outer housing, the outer housing and the inner housing may be forcedly fitted with each other, because the wire seal is made of a rubber-based material. However, in such a case, the contacts cannot be inserted into the contact insertion passageways in the wire seal or are bent, and the connector cannot carry out its function as a connector.

Waterproof connector and method of assembly of waterproof connector


Methods and apparatus related to peer to peer communication networks are described. A wireless communications device supports peer to peer communications with multiple peers. The wireless communications device determines its transmit timing synchronization based on a reference signal received from a node such as a base station, a satellite, or a beacon transmitter which does not transmit user data. The wireless communications device determines a plurality of different receive timing adjustments corresponding to different peer communications devices based on signals received from those peer communications devices. The wireless communications device stores the plurality of determined receive timing adjustment information corresponding to the different peer communications devices. The wireless communications device retrieves and applies stored receive timing adjustment information which matches the particular device which transmitted the signal attempting to be recovered.

Wireless communications devices are common place. Many cellular systems use centralized controllers and/or other network based control mechanisms to control wireless device operation so that cellular devices operate in an efficient and relatively synchronized manner. Unfortunately, in peer to peer systems such centralized control and/or network based synchronization mechanisms are normally lacking.
In the case of peer to peer systems, it would be desirable if a certain level of device synchronization and/or predictability could be achieved so that peer devices can anticipate the time at which particular activities may be performed by other peer devices allowing the peer devices to operate in a structured and/or loosely synchronized manner with regard to particular activities.

Methods and apparatus supporting multiple timing synchronizations corresponding to different communications peers


A locomotive propulsion system onboard a locomotive platform includes a traction motor, a propulsion electrical storage device, an ancillary electrical storage device, and a controller. The propulsion electrical storage device is electrically connected to the traction motor via a propulsion circuit, and the ancillary electrical storage device is electrically connected to the traction motor via an ancillary circuit. The controller is configured to direct the ancillary electrical storage device to supply electric current to the traction motor via the ancillary circuit to power the traction motor during an elevated demand period. At an end of the elevated demand period, the controller is configured to control the ancillary circuit to stop conducting electric current from the ancillary electrical storage device and to direct the propulsion electrical storage device to supply electric current to the traction motor via the propulsion circuit to power the traction motor.

Some locomotives are beginning to utilize electrical storage power sources, such as batteries, for providing energy to propel the locomotive, instead of or in addition to fuel-powered engines. The electrical storage power sources may be more efficient, more reliable, quieter, and/or produce fewer emissions than diesel engines and other fuel-powered engines. For example, some locomotives may include electrical storage devices, such as lithium ion batteries, that provide electric current to one or more alternating current (AC) traction motors. The traction motors convert electric current into mechanical energy that is used to rotate wheels and/or axles of the locomotive. Relying on a single type of electrical storage device for powering all tractive loads and demands of a locomotive, however, may exert stress on the electrical storage device that reduces the efficiency and/or operational lifetime of the electrical storage device.
For example, certain elevated demand situations along the course of a trip, such as initiating movement of the locomotive from a stationary position, accelerating, motoring along an incline grade, and the like, may apply a greater load on the electrical storage device than other situations such as cruising, braking, and traveling along a decline grade. For large freight trains, for example, that can weigh in excess of thousands of tons, the large inertial forces present during such elevated demand situations results in significant electric current drawn from the electrical storage device. Supplying the electrical current to meet the large demands during such elevated demand situations may significantly deplete the current supply within the electrical storage device, reducing operational efficiency and reducing the available travel range before recharging. Furthermore, the stress exerted on the electrical storage device and the heat generated during the elevated demand situations may degrade the electrical storage device and/or associated components, reducing the operational lifetime of these parts before replacement.


An organic electroluminescence device with a low reflectivity includes organic electroluminescence layers, a transparent electrode, a thin metal electrode, a control layer, and an auxiliary electrode. The transparent electrode and the thin metal electrode are sited on both sides of the OEL layer, respectively, in order to excite it to emit light. The auxiliary electrode and the thin metal electrode are mostly separated by a control layer. Both the auxiliary electrode and the thin metal electrode are locally connected to maintain electrically connected. Therefore, the control layer is not necessarily conductive and its material selection is not restricted by the requirement of work function matching with adjacent layers. The disclosed OLED device with a low reflectivity does not require a circular polarizer. It can be used for both active-matrix and passive-matrix OLED displays. The reflection of ambient light can be largely reduced to increase the contrast of the display panel.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an organic electroluminescence device and, in particular, to an organic electroluminescence device with a low reflectivity.
2. Related Art
The organic electroluminescence device which is also named organic light-emitting diode (OLED) has the advantages of both LCD and inorganic LED, such as thin, light-weight, high-resolution, power-saving, self-emission and high-response, etc. However, the conventional OLED needs to be deposited a metallic electrode, the contrast of OLED panel will greatly reduce due to the reflection of the ambient light. The legibility for a conventional OLED panel is thus relatively poor.
A conventional method so far is to attach a layer of circular polarizer (CP) on an OLED by changing the phase of the incident ambient light to reduce the reflection. As described in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,596,246 and 6,211,613, the CP is attached on the display. This method has been adopted in mass production for OLED. However, the use of CP will increase the production cost. One may also use optical absorption and optical interference to reduce the reflectivity of the metallic electrode. The U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,185,032, 6,558,820, 6,545,409, and the early disclosure No. 2002/0043928 proposed another method, which coats a thin layer of dark-colored or black light-absorbing material before the reflective metallic electrode of the OLED. This method reduces the reflectivity of the metallic electrode and increases the panel contrast. Moreover, one can also use the method of using optical absorption along with the destructive interference to reduce the device reflectivity, as disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,411,019, 6,545,409, 6,429,451, and 6,608,333. The device structure disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,411,019 is to insert an interference layer in the OLED. The interference layer is between the electrode and organic electroluminescence (OEL) layer of the device to reduce the reflectivity due to optical absorption and destructive interference. To excite the OEL layer between the anode and the cathode, the inserted interference layer has to be made of a conductive material. The work function difference between the interference layer and the electrode has to be extremely small in order not to reduce the carrier injection and increase the device operation voltage. This reduces the selection of the interference layer materials. In order to satisfy both the conductivity and the work function requirements, one usually selects indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), or a mixture of aluminum and silicon oxide as the interference layer. The device structure disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,545,409 is to use the thin cathode/light-absorbing layer/dielectric layer/metal layer structure in the OLED and the cathode and the metal layer are electrically connected. By controlling the conditions of the light-absorbing layer, the dielectric layer and the thin cathode, the reflectivity is also reduced due to the optical absorption and destructive interference. However, it is necessary to use the light-absorbing layer with an absorption coefficient greater than 104 cm−1 and the dielectric layer. Thus, it is limited for choosing materials, and it is also a little complicated in manufacturing and condition controls.

Organic electroluminescence device having transparent control layer with low ambient reflection and enhanced contrast

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A system for transferring a fluid between a fixed or floating facility for producing or storing the fluid, and a vessel. The system includes at least one hinged arm arrangement that includes an inner arm hinged at one end to a support structure, so as to pivot in a vertical plane, and an outer arm hinged on the outer end of the inner arm. The hinged arm arrangement further includes a rotary seal having an axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the hinged arm. The rotary seal is disposed at the hinge linking the inner arm to the support structure.

A transfer system of this type is already known from French patent application FR 2,903,653. In the system described in this document, the rotary joint whereof the axis extends in the longitudinal direction of the arm is positioned at the articulation to the outer arm, which has the drawback that a relatively significant weight is placed at the free end of the inner arm. Furthermore, a heavy and cumbersome part of the system, comprising at least one rotary joint, is transferred to the liquid natural gas carrier or is mounted on the manifold.
Another major drawback lies in the fact that the outer arm is not balanced.
Added to these drawbacks is also that due to the architecture of the arm device, the emergency disconnect device is vertical, such that, in case of emergency disconnect, the part of this device abandoned on the liquid natural gas carrier may tilt.

System for transferring fluid between a facility and a vessel


An in vitro process for preparing 6((1R)-hydroxyethyl) penem acids by hydrolyzing the carboxylic ester derivative thereof using an enzyme capable of selectively hydrolyzing the ester group at the 3-position of the carboxylic acid ester using an esterase, acylase or lipase enzyme, wherein the enzymatic hydrolysis is effected at a pH in the range of from 5 to 8 and at a temperature in the range of 20.degree. C. to 40.degree. C.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Compounds of the formulas I and II are known as antibacterial agents as described in UK Patent Applications No. 2043639-A, 2097786-A, 2118181-A, 2133010-A, EP 0167100-A, EP 0166972-A, EP 0199446-A, EP 02011206-A and in European Patent Application No. 87 102825.4, filed on Feb, 27, 1987. ##STR1##
As described in the above cited patent applications and also in UK Patent Application No. 2144743 and in EP 0188247-A, compounds of formula I and II are prepared by different chemical syntheses. Alternatively, compounds of formula II can be prepared by esterification of compounds of formula I.
However, no practical method is presently available to transform compounds of formula II into compounds of formula I in good yield.
In order to avoid side reactions during the penem syntheses described in the above cited prior art, it is necessary to protect the 2-carboxy group. For this purpose, a group of formula --CHR.sub.3 --OCO--R.sub.4 may be employed.
In the above formula --CHR.sub.3 --OCO--R.sub.4, R.sub.3 is a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl group, and R.sub.4 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, phenyl, phenylalkenyl or phenylalkyl group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms.
Moreover, such compounds of formula II are useful as orally adsorbed esters, as described in UK 2133010-A.
A simple conversion of compounds of formula II into compounds of formula I would allow for the preparation in a few steps of both the useful "in vivo+ hydrolyzable esters and the corresponding acids.
Further, it would also be desirable to have a method for converting a stored amount of a stable oral antibiotic drug of formula II into the corresponding acid or salt thereof, which could be formulated as a useful parenteral drug.
However, at present, no method is known which satisfies the above conditions.