Methods and systems for providing and managing training through/over networks to remote multimedia device users are disclosed. Training can be provided through networks to computers and portable hand held devices. Handheld devices can include PDAs, pagers, and wireless phones. Training can be received by a remote trainee through electronic data networks for completion at a wireless device. Methods and systems are also disclosed for managing remote training. Remote training can be tracked and recorded when completed by a remote user of a wireless hand held device. Completed training can be transmitted through an electronic network to course provider servers by a remote hand held device. Remote users authentication and certification of completed training received from a hand held device through an electronic network can be conducted by a training provider's server. Training providers can identify and/or authenticate users of completed instruction and training received from a hand held device and transmitted through an electronic network using biometrics. Completed training can certified by sending certification of training results to trainees and associated third parties. Certification can be provided via electronic means that can include e-mail receipt and/or automatic generation of paper-based communication (e.g., letter/certificate).

Today, seemingly more than in the past, companies are discovering that the general work force is ill-equipped and ill-trained, through a lack of formal training, prior work experience, or participation in apprenticeship programs, to perform necessary job-related tasks. Companies are also discovering that ill-trained workers fall into two major categories including a first category of workers who are new to a company's industry and who have none of the necessary skills to perform tasks of interest on behalf of their companies.
In order to accomplish the task of providing training to employees, many companies send their employees to training programs, which are generally developed and conducted by an in-house training department or may be a function under contract to an outside firm to deliver company-specific content designed to meet company-defined training objectives. A company may also send its workers to training programs, conducted by outside firms or organizations that are designed to generically train employees of a certain industry in a particular subject or task associated with their employment.
Regardless of who develops, designs, and/or conducts a training program, such programs typically require that an employee attend a number of training sessions at a selected training site. Unfortunately, the training site is often distant from the employee's normal workplace (particularly when the training program is conducted by an outside firm or organization not under contract to the employee's company) and the training sessions are often on days and at times that do not conveniently fit into the employee's schedule. As a result, the employee may have to travel between the training site and the workplace and may possibly have to stay overnight near the training site.
By requiring the employee to travel and to attend training sessions on inconvenient days and at inconvenient times, the employee's personal and professional lives can also be interrupted, potentially upsetting or distracting the employee and reducing his/her ability to learn new skills. Additionally, the employee's company typically incurs direct expenses related to the employee's travel and indirect expenses associated with the opportunity cost of work not being accomplished while the employee is at the training site or while the employee travels to and from the training site.
The professional ranks are also seeing a need for a more efficient means to undergo training. For example, Continuing Legal Education ("CLE") had found its way to the Internet with well-known service providers such as LawyersLearn.com, Inc. LawyersLearn.com is currently delivering online continuing legal education to attorneys, whom are well known as a group to have limited time to attend live courses. Online CLE is a very reasonable alternative to live CLE seminars as a means for attorneys to complete their annual Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) requirements (required by most State Bars).
Training material offered by typical training programs can generally include presentations by individuals having certain relevant knowledge or expertise, "how-to" demonstrations, and "hands-on" training exercises. Such training sessions, especially if conducted without adequate company control, are often too long in duration and present too much training material, thereby causing many trainees to lose concentration and, otherwise, causing them to fail to comprehend and absorb the material. To make matters worse, it can be impossible to evaluate a trainee's comprehension and understanding of the training material provided in such training sessions without evaluation. Without feedback, it can be difficult to determine whether or not additional training is necessary and, if so, it can be difficult to conduct immediate reinforcement training. Furthermore, unless a training program is developed in-house or under contract, the content of such training sessions may include material not relevant to, or up to date with, the objectives of a company.
Many companies have also attempted to overcome disadvantages associated with trainees having to travel to attend training programs by offering satellite-based instruction at the trainee's place of business. Unfortunately though, satellite-related equipment for satellite-based instruction is relatively expensive and is, therefore, often only available to a trainee in a specially equipped training room. As a result, the trainee must still leave his/her work site (i.e., desk, workstation, etc.) to perform training. Also, because a company may only have one specially equipped training room, the trainee generally must schedule use of the room or attend a scheduled satellite-based training session at time. Some companies have attempted to overcome this scheduling difficulty by recording the satellite-based training sessions on videotape for later playback. Unfortunately though, the use of videotape does not alleviate the need for a trainee to leave his/her workstation in order to travel to a specially equipped training room to view the videotape.
With regard to the profession ranks, LawyersLearn.Com, Inc. is among a few CLE providers currently addressing the need for online training and education for busy legal professionals. But the legal community is not alone when it comes to training and educational needs. The medical, financial and technical professions also have a need for continuing education typically delivered through live training seminars, but which could be fulfilled through alternative, remote means.
Computers have become pervasive in all aspects of the business and educational worlds. Computers allow for the generation, storage, retrieval, and interaction with data in useful ways. For example, business uses allow for large amounts of data to be correlated together in the form of databases or spread sheets that allow a user to categorize and view relationships more rapid than was previously possible without the aid of the computer. Computers have also allowed for the dissemination of information either to limited groups or to large audiences via such communication channels as local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and the Internet. Within this transmission of information, multimedia presentations have expanded to broaden the information dissemination and training opportunities available over LANs, WANs, and the Internet. The Internet has also provided interactivity where an Internet user is able to browse among various web sites for information. Upon finding a site of interest to the user, that site at times is able to glean information from the user that would be helpful for the web provider in a commercial or social context.
Hand held computing devices (i.e., hereinafter referred to as "hand held devices" or "handheld devices") are becoming increasingly popular for storing and maintaining information. One of the first major advances in handheld mobile computer technology was the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). A PDA allows a user to access computer related information, yet it can fit into the palm of the user's hand. Utilizing a PDA a user can organize personal affairs, write notes, calculate equations, and record contact numbers in an address book. In addition, PDA's are usually capable of interfacing with a desktop computer, typically through a wired connection. The connection allows the PDA to download information and upload information, with the desktop computer. Later developments have given the PDA wireless capabilities. Wireless capabilities allow PDAs to remotely interact with other PDA's/computers that are not physically connected to the PDA.
Although PDA's may be connected to a desktop personal computer or other PDA's via infrared, direct wire, or wireless communication links, PDA's and similar hand held devices can also be linked remotely to networks such as the Internet via local wireless resources, such as RF broadcasts or through available wireless communications techniques.
The most advanced data- and video-enabled wireless communication devices currently available in the marketplace take the form of a PDA (e.g., Palm Pilot™, Handspring Visor™, and Windows CE compatible hand held computers, such as the iPAQ™). Unlike personal computers, which are general-purpose devices geared toward refining and processing information, PDAs are designed to capture, store and display information originating from various sources. Additionally, while a certain level of skill is required to use a personal computer effectively, PDAs are designed with the novice and non-computer user in mind.
The present inventor has recognized the convenience that online training and education is bringing to busy workers and professional since the advent of the Internet. The present inventor, however, has also recognized that vast improvements in wireless technology can further enhance current offerings in online education and current training applications that are primarily focused on a "connected" or "wired" world, but physically connected systems and training application will also continue to experience an explosion of growth and improvement as more people begin to fully realize to positive impact that data networks have on everyday life.
The present inventor has realized that, what is needed in the training field is an interactive process that enables wireless education, instruction and/or professional development via portable, wireless handheld computer systems. The current invention enables users of hand held computers wirelessly coupled to a network (e.g., Internet) to engage in training (e.g., via a multimedia presentation), be evaluated on the understanding gained by the user after the training (e.g., interactive questioning), and allow for reporting (e.g., certification of course completion) of the results of a user's activity and evaluation to a course administrator. Training data can also be used to verify, evaluate, and enhance training, course, student and/or teacher performance and/or development. Training data can also be used for not only for professional or technical development, but could also be used as credit towards certification or even college credit. The present inventor has therefore developed new methods and systems for providing and managing the provision to and execution of training by users via handheld wireless devices as well as improvements for use of fixed, networked computers (wired devices) already deployed and familiar in the field of online education and training.

Methods and systems for managing the provision of training provided remotely through electronic data networks to users of remote electronic devices


A layered combination of porous material mounted over the edge of a drum to siphon water from the top of the drum over the edge thereof. The porous material is in two spaced layers with a groove between. A nonporous cover makes the groove into a siphon tube to enhance the speed of drainage.

The storage of bulk liquids in fifty-five gallon drums on the exterior of buildings is well-known. The drums might contain diesel fuel, pesticides, paint thinner or hundreds of other liquids. The problem is that when a painted metal drum is exposed to the elements for a sustained period of time, rust will begin to form in the cracks of the paint and the chipped areas. Ordinarily such drums are stored in the upright position and water will collect in the top depression, up to the level of the rim. The top of the drum and the rim form a shallow container where rain will collect and snow will settle and melt. The result is a wetting by precipitation and drying by sun evaporation in a sequential but non-uniform pattern.
Various remedies have been suggested for overcoming the problem of water collecting on the top of the drum. The first and most obvious solution is to store the drums on their sides and that is certainly satisfactory in some circumstances, but it will certainly take more time and it will certainly reduce the available storage space and increase the cost of apparatus for holding the drums in place. Obviously, a drum in the upright position is not going to move on a slightly inclined floor, but the same cannot be said for the cylindrical drum on its side.
There is another reason for storing the drums in upright position and it is the conventional practice today to move the filled drums by a fork lift which is designed to engage the upper rim of the barrel. Should the barrel be stored in horizontal position, the forklift engagement would not be possible. Using the forklift to transport filled drums by lying on their sides requires a pallet with wedges. The wedges would keep the drum from rolling off the pallet. The pallet is required to insure that the prongs of the lift do not accidentally puncture the drum side as they slide beneath the drum.
Another mechanism for keeping liquids from collecting in the top of the barrel is to apply a plastic lid over the top thereof. At the present time, the cost is $5.00 per barrel lid. In addition to the obvious problem of cost, the lid is easily broken, particularly in cold weather.
Neither of the suggested systems for maintaining water out of the barrel top is satisfactory, and accordingly, the invention described herein includes an inexpensive, easily applied, automatic siphon mechanism which may be applied to the top of the drum manually and reused with an additional drum if desirable.


Generally, this disclosure describes a method and system for automated check-out and drop-off return of products using a mobile device. A method may include purchasing at least one product of a plurality of products wherein each product is located at a respective associated product location in a store that sells the plurality of products and a point of sale of each purchased product corresponds to the respective associated product location.

Today, when a shopper buys product(s) from a store, he/she will typically put all the products to be purchased in the shopping cart and proceed to a centralized checkout register to pay for the products. The centralized checkout may be staffed by a store employee who performs the checkout process or may be automated, allowing the shopper to perform the checkout process. Often, there will be a checkout line and the shopper will then wait in line to purchase the products. Time spent by a shopper in the checkout line typically depends on a total duration of a plurality of activities for each of a plurality of other shoppers that are ahead of the shopper in the checkout line. The activities may include unloading each shopper's cart (or basket), placing product(s) to be purchased on a conveyer belt, scanning each product (by the shopper or a store staff person), bagging the scanned product(s), reloading the cart with the bagged product(s) and paying for the product(s). At least a portion of these activities are performed serially both for a specific shopper and between the plurality of shoppers in the checkout line. When the shopper walks out of the door, if there is any item in the bag that the checkout register missed, it may trigger an alarm, which can be embarrassing for the shopper. On the other hand, if a customer wants to return a product, he/she will need to go to customer service and wait in line for the next available staff member. Waiting in line is undesirable resulting in a less than ideal customer experience.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Automated secure check-out and drop-off return of products using mobile device


A lens barrel includes an operation member adapted to be movable to a first position and a second position and turnable at each of the positions, a turning member adapted to turnably engage with the operation member at the second position, and disengage from the operation member at the first position, a first detection unit adapted to detect a turning position of the turning member configured to turn in engagement with the operation member, a second detection unit adapted to detect a turning amount and a rotational direction of the operation member when the operation member is disengaged from the turning member, and a moving unit adapted to move the focusing lens along the optical axis based on an output from the first detection unit or the second detection unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens barrel which allows a moving position of a focus lens to be specified by rotating an operation member as well as to a camera system which uses the lens barrel. More particularly, the present invention relates to a lens barrel which allows a user to switch among plural manual focusing modes by moving the operation member used to specify the moving position of the focus lens along an optical axis as well as to a camera system which uses the lens barrel.
2. Description of the Related Art
A lens barrel is known which is equipped with a turnable operation ring on the lens barrel and is adapted to align distance information indicated on the operation ring with aperture stop information indicated on a fixed member when the operation ring is rotated, determine a moving position of a focus lens, and move the focus lens to an absolute in-focus position using an actuator. Also, a lens barrel is known which displays subject distance information in an information display window during manual focusing and hides the subject distance information during automatic focusing.
For example, a lens barrel disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-33795 includes: a manual focus ring 43 used to drive a lens barrel 6 to adjust focus when turned during automatic focusing or manual focusing; and a focus switching ring 47 adapted to rotate around an optical axis and thereby move an intermediate ring 46 and a distance indicator ring 45 along the optical axis, where the intermediate ring 46 is connected to the focus switching ring 47 via a cam and the distance indicator ring 45 is turnably coupled to the intermediate ring 46, wherein during automatic focusing, the distance indicator ring 45 and the manual focus ring 43 are decoupled from each other, making distance information no longer visible in an information display window of the focus switching ring 47, and during manual focusing, the distance indicator ring 45 and the manual focus ring 43 are coupled to each other, making the distance information visible in the information display window of the focus switching ring 47.
With the lens barrel disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-33795 described above, switching between an automatic focusing state and a manual focusing state is done by turning the focus switching ring 47, and focus adjustment settings during automatic focusing or manual focusing can be made using a manual focus ring 43 provided separately from the focus switching ring 47.


In an embodiment, a scheduler implements a first dependency array that tracks dependencies on instruction operations (ops) within a distance N of a given op and which are short execution latency ops. Other dependencies are tracked in a second dependency array. The first dependency array may evaluate quickly, to support back-to-back issuance of short execution latency ops and their dependent ops. The second array may evaluate more slowly than the first dependency array.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to the field of processors and, more particularly, to tracking dependencies for instructions and scheduling instructions for execution in a processor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Processors frequently implement out-of-order execution to improve instruction execution performance. In order to obtain additional performance benefits, it is desirable to have a large "scheduling window." The scheduling window is the window of instructions in the instruction stream being executed from which the processor can schedule instructions for execution. Typically, the size of the scheduling window is determined by the amount of buffering implemented by the processor for fetched instructions awaiting execution in the processor. Instructions which are not dependent on one another can execute in any order as a general rule, although some instruction sets do implement ordering rules with respect to some instructions (e.g. memory reference instructions such as loads and stores, synchronizing instructions, etc.). Accordingly, the larger the scheduling window, the more likely the processor will find instructions which can be executed at any given point in time. However, the larger the scheduling window, the longer the scheduling process takes.
A scheduling mechanism typically includes tracking dependencies between instructions, determining instructions that are available to execute (i.e. the instructions which have their dependencies satisfied), and scheduling instructions for execution from the instructions that are available to execute. Once instructions are scheduled, based on the execution latency of the scheduled instructions, dependent instructions on the scheduled instructions become available to schedule. Generally, a instruction is dependent on another instruction if that instruction uses the result of the other instruction as a source operand. In some cases, an instruction may be dependent on another instruction if the other instruction is required to execute first, even if the instruction does not use the result of the other instruction as a source operand.
For short execution latency instructions (e.g. many integer instructions, in most processor instruction set architectures (ISAs)), the delay from scheduling a given instruction to determining that its dependent instructions are eligible for scheduling and scheduling those instructions is critical to performance. That is, the result of the short execution latency instruction is available quickly, and thus the delay in scheduling dependent instructions may unnecessarily delay the execution of the dependent instructions. In the case that no other instructions in the scheduling window are schedulable during the delay, performance is lost.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Processor employing split scheduler in which near, low latency operation dependencies are tracked separate from other operation dependencies


A high efficiency exhauster which is capable of attaining operating efficiencies of up to 70% when employed in a solid fuel pulverizer firing system that includes a pulverizer which is operative to effect the pulverization therewithin of the solid fuel supplied thereto and a furnace into which the pulverized solid fuel is injected for combustion therewithin. The high efficiency exhauster includes a casing, an inlet ring supported on the casing, a rotor mounted on the casing for rotation therewithin, a multiplicity of blades, each of a preestablished length and width, mounted in spaced relation one to another on the circumference of the rotor so as to extend at a preestablished angle, and an outlet formed in the casing.

This invention relates to solid fuel pulverizing and firing systems for fossil fuel furnaces of the type, wherein the fossil fuel furnace and a substantial portion of the solid fuel pulverizing and firing system by means of which solid fuel and air is supplied to the fossil fuel furnace, are operated at a predetermined pressure, and more specifically, to a high efficiency exhauster employable in such solid fuel pulverizing and firing systems for fossil fuel furnaces.
There are three basic types of solid fuel pulverizer firing systems in use today. These are the direct-fired system, the semi-direct fired system, and the bin storage system. The simplest and most commonly used of these three systems, and the one to which the present invention is directed, is the direct-fired system. The nature of this latter system is such that solid fuel, e.g., coal, is fed in a suitable manner along with hot gases to a pulverizer. The solid fuel is simultaneously ground and dried within the pulverizer. The drying of the solid fuel is effected by the hot gases as the latter sweep through the pulverizer. As the hot gases sweep through the pulverizer they are cooled and humidified by means of the evaporation of the moisture contained in the solid fuel. Often, an exhauster is employed for purposes of removing the hot gases and the entrained fine solid fuel particles, i.e., the solid fuel that has been ground within the pulverizer, from the pulverizer. Moreover, this exhauster, when so employed, is located on the discharge side of the pulverizer and is operative to effect the delivery of the mixture of hot gases and entrained fine solid fuel particles to a fossil fuel furnace. The main advantages of the direct-fired system are simplicity, low cost and maximum safety. To this end, the fine solid particles, which can be subject to spontaneous combustion and thus are considered to be potentially hazardous, go directly to the fossil fuel furnace at high velocities, and thus are not given the opportunity to collect and possibly ignite spontaneously. Accordingly, the direct-fired system can be operated at the maximum temperatures that safety will permit.
One prior art form of such a direct-fired solid fuel pulverizer firing system is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,843 entitled "Pulverized Coal Firing System", which issued on Sep. 14, 1965 and which was assigned to the same assignee as the present patent application. In accordance with the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,843, solid fuel passes through the inlet chute 23 of the pulverizer 26 on to the rotating bowl 32 thereof. The solid fuel thus admitted to the pulverizer 26 is pulverized therewithin by means of the grinding rollers 36 of the pulverizer 26, which are mounted within the pulverizer housing to provide a grinding action between the grinding rollers 36 and the grinding ring provided on the rotating bowl 32 of the pulverizer 26. Air passes up through the pulverizer 26 between the housing thereof and the rim of the rotating bowl 32 and as the air passes the rotating bowl 32, pulverized solid fuel is entrained in this air with the air-pulverized solid fuel mixture passing up into the classifier 40 of the pulverizer 26, which is located in the upper portion of the pulverizer 26. The classifier 40 is effective to separate the coarse solid fuel fractions and return these fractions to the rotating bowl 32 of the pulverizer for regrinding, while the fines retained in the air stream pass through the outlet 42 of the pulverizer 26, which is located at the upper end of the classifier 40. From this outlet 42 of the pulverizer 26, the air-pulverized solid fuel mixture is conveyed to the inlet of the exhauster 46 via conduit 44. The air-pulverized solid fuel mixture in mm is conveyed from the exhauster 46 to the fossil fuel furnace 10 through the ducts 48.
Another prior art form of such a direct-fired solid fuel pulverizer firing system is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,076 entitled "Coal Fired Furnace Light-Off and Stabilization Using Microfine Pulverized Coal", which issued on Nov. 12, 1985 and which is assigned to the same assignee as the present patent application. In accordance with the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,076, solid fuel is delivered to the load-carrying pulverizer 20 wherein the solid fuel is ground to pulverized solid fuel and dried by hot air. The pulverized solid fuel is entrained in the pulverizer 20 in the hot air passing therethrough to dry the solid fuel and is drawn from the pulverizer 20 by exhauster 22 and conveyed through the main fuel pipes 24 to the load-carrying burners 18 for combustion in the fossil furnace 10.
With further reference to the teachings of the prior art, there is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,250,844 entitled "Centrifugal Fan", which issued on Jul. 29, 1941 and which was assigned to the same assignee as the present patent application, an exhauster of the type designed to be employed in a solid fuel pulverizer firing system. In accordance with the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 2,250,844, solid fuel, which is delivered to the bowl 4 of the pulverizer 1, is thrown centrifugally against a grinding ring 8, crushed under rollers 9 and spills over the top edge of the grinding ring 8. Thence it is carried by an air current flowing upward around the grinding ring 8 through space 14 into a classifier 17. The coarse material travels downwardly through the bottom 18 of the classifier 17 back into the interior of the pulverizer 1, while the fine material passes upwardly in a current of air into a conduit 21 leading to an exhauster 22. The material after passing through the intake of the exhauster 22 into the interior thereof passes across the blades 20 thereof. The mixture of pulverized solid fuel and air is then delivered by the exhauster 22 through a conduit 23 to the place of use, i.e., a fossil furnace (not shown).
Although solid fuel pulverizer firing systems constructed in accordance with the teachings of the three issued U.S. patents to which reference has been made heretofore have been demonstrated to be operative for the purpose for which they have been designed, there has nevertheless been evidenced in the prior art a need for such solid fuel pulverizer firing systems to be further improved, and more specifically, a need for the exhauster employed therein to be improved. Exhausters constructed in accordance with the present day designs commonly have operating efficiencies that are on the order of 55%. A limiting factor insofar as the operating efficiency of exhausters is concerned has heretofore been the need to facilitate maintenance particularly on the rotor portion thereof. The need for such maintenance is occasioned principally by the fact that the material which is transported through the exhauster is extremely abrasive. To this end, a need has thus been evidenced in the prior art for a new and improved solid fuel pulverizer firing system, and more specifically for a new and improved exhauster for such solid fuel pulverizer firing systems that would be capable of operating at efficiencies of up to 70%.
Moreover, there has been evidenced in the prior art a need for such a new and improved exhauster for such solid fuel pulverizer firing systems that would further be characterized in a number of additional respects. One such additional characteristic which such a new and improved exhauster for such solid fuel pulverizer firing systems would desirably possess is the capability to vary the position in which the blades are mounted therewithin. Another such additional characteristic which such a new and improved exhauster for such solid fuel pulverizer firing systems would desirably possess is the capability, by virtue of varying the position in which the blades are mounted therewithin, of attaining optimum airflow therewith. A third such additional characteristic which such a new and improved exhauster for such solid fuel pulverizer firing systems would desirably possess is the capability of realizing therewith such optimum airflow with little or no increase in power consumption. A fourth such additional characteristic which such a new and improved exhauster for such solid fuel pulverizer firing systems would desirably possess is the capability, by virtue of varying the position in which the blades are mounted therewithin, of reducing therewith the amount of erosion to which the interior surfaces of the exhauster are subjected. A fifth such additional characteristic which such a new and improved exhauster for such solid fuel pulverizer firing systems would desirably possess is the capability of achieving therewith an even greater reduction in the amount of erosion to which the interior surfaces of the exhauster are subjected by applying a coating of high abrasion resistant material to such surfaces. A sixth such additional characteristic which such a new and improved exhauster for such solid fuel pulverizer firing systems would desirably possess is the capability of realizing therewith a reduction in the amount of leakage of airflow therefrom as contrasted to that from which prior art forms of exhausters are known to suffer. A seventh such additional characteristic which such a new and improved exhauster for such solid fuel pulverizer firing systems would desirably possess is that the exhauster would be capable of embodying all of the above-enumerated characteristics while yet retaining the existing casing of an exhauster.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved exhauster for use in solid fuel pulverizer firing systems.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a new and improved exhauster for solid fuel pulverizer firing systems which is characterized by its high efficiency as compared to that which has been attainable heretofore with prior art forms of exhausters.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a new and improved exhauster for solid fuel pulverizer firing systems which is characterized in that it is possible therewith to vary the position in which the blades thereof are mounted therewithin.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a new and improved exhauster for solid fuel pulverizer firing systems which is characterized in that by varying the position in which the blades thereof are mounted therewithin it is possible to attain therewith optimum airflow.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a new and improved exhauster for solid fuel pulverizer firing systems which is characterized in that it is possible therewith to realize such optimum airflow with little or no increase in power consumption.
A still another object of the present invention is to provide such a new and improved exhauster for solid fuel pulverizer firing systems which is characterized in that by varying the position in which the blades thereof are mounted therewithin it is possible to reduce therewith the amount of erosion to which the interior surfaces of the exhauster are subjected.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a new and improved exhauster for solid fuel pulverizer firing systems wherein it is possible to achieve therewith an even greater reduction in the amount of erosion to which the interior surfaces of the exhauster are subjected by applying a coating of high abrasion resistant material to such surfaces.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a new and improved exhauster for solid fuel pulverizer firing systems wherein it is possible to realize therewith a reduction in the amount of leakage of airflow therefrom as contrasted to that from which prior an forms of exhausters are known to suffer.
Yet an object of the present invention is to provide such a new and improved exhauster for solid fuel pulverizer firing systems which is characterized in that it is possible therewith to achieve all of the foregoing within the existing casing of an exhauster.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide such a new and improved exhauster for solid fuel pulverizer firing systems which is characterized in that use may be made thereof either in retrofit applications or in new applications.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a new and improved exhauster for solid fuel pulverizer firing systems which is characterized in that it is relatively simple in construction, relatively easy to operate, yet is relatively inexpensive to provide.

High efficiency exhauster for a solid fuel pulverizing and firing system


In a logic circuit where clock gating is performed, the standby power is reduced or malfunction is suppressed. The logic circuit includes a transistor which is in an off state where a potential difference exists between a source terminal and a drain terminal over a period during which a clock signal is not supplied. A channel formation region of the transistor is formed using an oxide semiconductor in which the hydrogen concentration is reduced. Specifically, the hydrogen concentration of the oxide semiconductor is 5×1019 (atoms/cm3) or lower. Thus, leakage current of the transistor can be reduced. As a result, in the logic circuit, reduction in standby power and suppression of malfunction can be achieved.

In a general circuit including transistors manufactured by using a Si wafer or SOI (silicon on insulator), as the operation voltage is reduced by progress of microfabrication, consumed power is reduced.
Consumed power is a sum of dynamic power and static power (hereinafter, also referred to as standby power): the dynamic power is power consumed mainly by charge and discharge of the gate capacitor of transistors and the parasitic capacitor formed with wirings connecting transistors and circuit blocks, and the like; the static power is power consumed when circuits do not operate.
As one of methods for reducing the consumed power, there is a technique called clock gating (for example, see Patent Document 1). Clock gating is a technique by which supply of a clock signal to a circuit is stopped in a period during which the circuit does not operate. By the method, the power consumed in parasitic capacitor of wirings supplied with a clock signal or the like can be reduced.

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


An endoscopy device is configured with a flexible cannula or tube for nasal insertion and has multiple parallel and adjacent lumens that provide sub-chambers configured to provide means to diagnose and treat Barrett's esophagus, such as by spray cryo-therapy with no further insertion of tubes. The lumens are configured to impart a small diameter with sufficient flexibility for nasal insertion into a patient's esophagus and accommodate a means any treatment modality. In the case of cryo-therapy, a lumen provides gas pressure relief, and is along the tube, with separate lumens for the delivery of a liquid freezing agent and an imaging means, which includes a source of illumination. Outer lumens may support guide wires used to steer the tube tip and aim the camera to determine the where to immobilize tip before the start of the treatment and/or to correct strictures formed in prior procedures.

The field of inventions is endoscopes and related catheter devices, and more specifically such endoscopes configured for treatment of various medical conditions.
Endoscopes are well known in the art for diagnostic, treatment and surgical purposes.
Depending on the route of entry and the need for surgical incisions to create entry routes other than natural body cavities, a treatment may require sedation to keep the patient still an/or avoid pain and discomfort. Endoscopes generally refer to tubular and catheter type devices that are inserted via natural body cavities, whereas similar devices inserted through surgical opening are generally referred to as laparoscopes.
It would be advantageous to perform many procedures without sedation in a clinic, but rather in the office of the treating physician to save both patient and physician time and reduce costs.
Sterilization of endoscopes and catheters, tubes and lumens they deploy is a barrier to office treatment, requiring special equipment and multiple devices.
Some treatment modalities use multiple catheters and a single endoscope for finding and viewing the tissue of interest for treatment, adding to the complexity of treatment, and the need for multiple sterile devices on hand.
According it has been recognized that there are multiple barriers to enabling more in office treatments.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide for endoscopic procedures without a needs for sterilization by configuring the catheters, tubes and lumens associated therewith so that they can be made at least partially disposable in a compact form that is easy for the treating physician to manipulate.
The above and other objects, effects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings

Endoscopy tube and device for cryotherapy


A method of reinforcing the bone in an acetabulum for receiving a prosthetic acetabular implant includes preparing a surface of the acetabulum to receive an acetabular implant. At least one porous generally cylindrical bone reinforcement element is provided. At least one bore is drilled in an area of the acetabulum receiving the prosthetic acetabular implant for receiving at least one and preferably more reinforcement elements in the form of cylindrical pilings. The cylindrical porous bone reinforcement element is inserted in the bore such that an exposed surface of the porous bone reinforcement element is adjacent the surface of the acetabulum. The acetabular implant is then implanted with an outer surface of the acetabular implant supported by the reinforcement members.

Revision hip surgery poses many challenges for the orthopedic surgeon and is sometimes associated with poorer long term outcomes for the patient than primary surgery. One such challenge is related to the loss of bone that results from the erosion of bone that is caused by a loosened primary implant and/or the process of removing the initial implant.
As is the case for primary surgery, the durability of implant fixation relies on the ability of the host bone to support the prosthesis over the longer term. In revision surgery, the host bone may be compromised and it is incumbent upon the surgeon to recreate a supportive bed for the revision prosthesis. Common techniques that are used to achieve this include bone grafting (autograft and allograft), the use of custom designed prosthesis that intend to fill the space once occupied by host bone and by adding shaped implant augments to a standard implant such as, for example, an acetabular cup.
Each of these techniques have limitations and problems. Autograft bone is in limited supply and often difficult to harvest creating comorbidities for the patient. Allograft bone is expensive and may or may not incorporate with the host and poses the potential for an immune response by the patient. On the other hand, custom prostheses are expensive, inexact, owing to limitations with pre-operative imaging and design. Custom prosthesis replace natural tissue with bulky, stiff implant materials that shield the host bone from stress necessary to maintain bone mineral density for the long term. Augments, like custom prosthesis, may not fit precisely and present additional bulk that can irritate soft tissue and are challenged with having adequate host bone support themselves. Surgical placement of these relatively bulky implants is often complicated and requires extensive undesirable patient exposure.
Implants of this type for the acetabulum are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,314,490; 5,702,477; 5,871,548; 6,306,173; and 7,713,306. The supplemental support structure shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,447, for example, has segments extending outside the acetabulum for attachment to pelvic bone. Fixation is difficult to achieve and this rather bulky implant invades soft tissue space.


The present invention relates to a cracking catalyst composition for cracking heavy hydrocarbon and processes for preparing the catalyst. The process can include treating zeolite with sodium free basic compound with or without phosphate, treating an alumina with a dilute acid, acidifying a colloidal silica, preparing a fine slurry of clay with a source of phosphate, adding alumina slurry and/or acidified colloidal silica to clay phosphate slurry, adding treated zeolite and spray-drying the slurry and calcining the same to obtain a cracking catalyst having adequate ABD and attrition resistance property.

Catalytic cracking is widely used today to reduce heavy hydrocarbons into lighter and more useful products. One commonly used cracking catalyst is a type of crystalline inorganic synthetic products called "Y zeolites." The Y zeolites typically contain silica having discrete pores in the range 6.5 to 13.5 Å. The Y zeolites also have higher surface area and acidity as compared to other types of catalyst such as amorphous silica-alumina based catalysts. As a result, Y zeolites can generate improved catalytic activity and selectivity towards gasoline.
When preparing Y zeolites, retaining catalytic activity can be difficult. For example, the Y zeolites can be sensitive to extreme pH conditions and other process conditions. Current solutions include using basic phosphate source to improve catalytic activity of the catalyst, but at the same time, attrition resistance of the catalyst has to be sacrificed. Hence, there is a need to develop a process for maintaining catalytic activity of high silica zeolites without sacrificing attrition resistance and apparent bulk density (ABD) of resulting catalyst.

Process for preparation of liquefied petroleum gas selective cracking catalyst


Presented are flush-mounted fluid inlets, methods for making/using such fluid inlets, and aircraft equipped with flush-mounted air inlets for engine intake/cooling, bleed air flow, etc. A fluid inlet device is presented for improving vehicle aerodynamic performance. The fluid inlet device includes an inlet base that rigidly mounts to the vehicle, laying substantially flush with a washed outer surface across which fluid flows. The inlet base has a mouth that fluidly couples with a vehicle duct. Two sidewalls are attached to the inlet base, extending between leading and trailing edges of the inlet mouth. An inlet ramp, which is interposed between and attached to the sidewalls, projects inward at an oblique angle from the mouth's leading edge. A highlight is attached to the inlet base, projecting forward from the trailing edge towards the leading edge of the mouth. The highlight has a waveform plan-view profile and undulating outer surface.

Fixed-wing aircraft, such as airplanes and gliders, achieve flight using wings that are immovably attached to the aircraft's airframe and generate aerodynamic lift through a positive angle of attack during forward travel through the air. The wing's airfoil cross-section deflects air downward as the aircraft is propelled forward; this produces a dynamic pressure-gradient on the wing that, in turn, lifts and buoys the airplane during flight. In contrast to conventional fixed-wing aircraft, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft are, as the name implies, capable of vertical takeoffs and landings as well as intermittent hovering flight. The most recognizable example of VTOL aircraft is the helicopter, which is a rotary-wing aircraft (rotorcraft) with engine-driven rotor blades that provide lift and thrust to the aircraft. Tiltwing and tiltrotor aircraft are hybrid-type VTOL that incorporate features of both fixed-wing and rotary-wing vehicles for flight operations.
Many current production aircraft are equipped with stock body hardware that is engineered to improve the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle. Most fixed-wing aircraft, for example, utilize an aerodynamically efficient cruise wing configuration for steady-state flight, such as cruising operations, and a modified high-lift wing configuration to modulate lift forces for transient-state flight, such as takeoff and landing operations. Another available type of passive flow control (PFC) feature used in the aerospace industry for drag reduction and noise mitigation is the flush fluid inlet, which exhibits improved aerodynamic recovery properties while inlet air is flowing and low losses when inlet air is not flowing. In a turbofan engine, for example, air is drawn into the engine nacelle via flush-mounted main and auxiliary air inlets. This air flow is pressurized for transmission through the engine core, through a fan duct that surrounds the core, and to supply a "bleed flow" for auxiliary aircraft systems, such as precooler and climate control systems.
During certain flight operations, such as a cruise phase of flight, bleed air intake may not be needed by the auxiliary aircraft systems. Thus, bleed air flow may be reduced during these flight conditions to a low-flow state, which significantly reduces auxiliary air intake, or a no-flow state, which altogether stops auxiliary air intake. A flow control valve inside the internal ductwork of the nacelle and fluidly downstream from the flush air inlet may be used to modulate airflow through the inlet. However, in a low-flow or no-flow state when air flow is restricted or eliminated, a vortex may shed across the face of the air inlet. In particular, when fluid flows across an open end of a passage with a closed or nearly closed downstream end, amplified resonant pressure waves can form in what is colloquially known as the "Coke Bottle Effect". This coherent shedding may cause pressure oscillations in the inlet duct; these pressure oscillations may peak when the frequency of the shedding aligns with the natural frequency of the duct cavity.

Flush fluid inlet designs for aero-acoustic tone mitigation of aircraft


In a servo system using a discrete signal relative to a position, a time delay and an error upon detecting a speed due to lack of positional information are eliminated to achieve a positioning to a target position in a short time. A pulse signal X.sub.P relative to a position is used to establish synchronization with an observer which is adjusted to match with an actual apparatus comprising a load, a motor and so on, and an estimated speed value or an estimated position value generated by the observer are used to determine an operating signal for the servo system.

The present invention relates to a servo system using a position detector for converting an analog amount such as a physical amount and an angular position of a shaft to a digital amount, for example, a pulse generator like an encoder. Particularly, the servo system according to present invention is suitable for use in business machines, household electric appliances, information machines, working machines, measurement machines, industrial robots and so on, in addition to being suitable for use in a magnetic disk drive unit, an optical disk drive unit, a magnetic tape drive unit and so on, the position and speed of which are digitally controlled by a digital computer.
An apparatus described in JP-A-63-92283 is provided with an electronic circuit having characteristics of a speed detector and a motor which are approximated by a first-order low pass filter. This electronic circuit is constructed so as to serve as an observer for the motor, where a speed signal without phase delay is extracted from the observer to form a speed feedback signal and a phase feedback signal for controlling the speed of the motor. Also, JP-A-63-271728 discloses that an observer is constituted within a controller for interpolating a discontinuous position signal outputted from a position detector for converting an analog amount such as a physical amount and an angular position of a shaft to a digital amount, and an estimated signal generated by the observer is used for a positioning control.
The speed detector disclosed in the above-mentioned official gazette detects an approximate speed, not an instantaneous speed, so that a detection error and a delay are increased particularly in a low speed range, which results in degrading the estimation accuracy of the observer.
Also, when an estimated value generated by the observer includes an error, the foregoing prior art does not consider synchronously extracting an actually detected value and the estimated value in an adjusting process of the observer for reducing the error in the estimated value. Specifically, as a result of extracting a discrete detected value (the same meaning as quantization) and a continuous estimated value and comparing them with each other without considering time synchronization of both, a false speed deviation (error) is generated, and the adjustment of the observer becomes insufficient and unstable, whereby a highly accurate condition estimation by the observer is not expected, and accordingly the control of the servo system is insufficient.


A rotary control valve with a variable area orifice (or orifices) which communicate with a bypass channel in order to provide infinite control of flow across the valve. The bypass channel may contain a silencing means. This arrangement allows for in-line maintenance of, or modification to, either the silencing means or the valve body itself through top entry of the valve. The cross-sectional void area of the bypass channel may be sized to be the same as the cross-sectional area of the upstream and downstream valve ports in order to provide silencing without throttling the flow through the valve.

The present invention relates to a rotary control valve with a variable area orifice that communicates with a bypass channel. This arrangement effectively eliminates cavitation and noise in the valve in any intermediate position. More specifically, the invention relates to a rotary control valve with a variable area orifice in the control element that communicates with a bypass channel in any intermediate or modulated position. Variable area rotary control valves are widely used in the petroleum refining and chemical industries. Several types of these valves with rotary control elements have been disclosed including the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,443,793, 3,558,100, 3,612,102, and 4,212,321.
The present invention may be described as an improvement over the known valves that control flow velocity and pressure drop of fluids through various connected flow conduits. The current technology uses rotary valves, which, when rotated through predetermined angular rotation, provide a controlled variation of the How path from the fully open position to the shut position. The full open position provides maximum flow with variable flow decreasing to the completely shut position.
In addition to controlling the flow characteristics (i.e., velocity and pressure), the rotary valves currently used often contain a noise reduction means to suppress the noise inherently created by the restriction of the high velocity flow of fluids through a rotary control valve. These noise suppression means are primarily diverters of the fluid flow through a labyrinth of multiple pathways forming a tortuous path that creates a restricted flow coupled with a dissipation of energy, resulting in substantially reduced noise levels.
The '321 patent provides means to vary a flow path using two opposed divergent spiral grooves, one of which is in register with the upstream port and the other of which is in register with the downstream port. When the spiral grooves are rotated in the flow path, flow is diverted into a tortuous path thereby creating a controlled restriction of flow and resultant noise suppression. When the valve in the '321 patent is open, the valve provides an unrestricted flow path. The '321 patent also describes a valve in which noise is further reduced by placing other noise silencing means within the flow valve element of the valve as well as within the two opposed divergent spiral grooves.
The noise suppression of the '321 patent presents several difficulties. Primarily, the noise suppression means are subject to wear, erosion, and clogging. Valves employing these flow control and noise suppression means require substantial, periodic maintenance. Maintenance often times requires replacement of the control member or the noise silencing means. At a minimum, because the design of the rotary valves described in the prior art precludes the design of a top entry valve body, maintenance to such a valve requires that the valve be completely removed from the line, disassembled, retrimmed and then reinstalled at considerable expense with interruption of the line.

Rotary control valve with variable area orifice


Systems and methods for improving regeneration of a particulate filter located in an exhaust system of a vehicle are presented. In one example, the particulate filter is regenerated when the vehicle is expected to operate in a stationary electric power generating mode where the vehicle supplies electric power to off-board electric power consumers.

Gasoline engines and diesel engines may produce carbonaceous soot during some operating conditions. The soot may be stored in a particulate filter that is included in an exhaust system that is coupled to the engine. After an amount of soot stored in the particulate filter exceeds a threshold, the carbonaceous soot may be combusted within the particulate filter, which may be referred to as particulate filter regeneration. Exhaust flow through the particulate filter may improve after the particulate filter is regenerated, thereby reducing exhaust system backpressure and improving engine efficiency. For gasoline powered engines, the particulate filter may be regenerated by operating the gasoline engine with a lean air fuel mixture. The lean air-fuel mixture may provide excess oxygen to the particulate filter so that the carbonaceous soot may be combusted when the particulate filter reaches a threshold temperature. However, if the vehicle's human driver is requesting a high engine load during particulate filter regeneration, the engine may misfire and engine power output may be reduced. Therefore, it may be desirable to selectively regenerate a particulate filter during conditions when regenerating the particulate filter is less likely to result in an engine misfire. As such, there may be fewer opportunities to regenerate a particulate filter and the engine may become less efficient when the particulate filter is loaded with soot.
The inventor herein has recognized the above-mentioned disadvantages and has developed a method of operating a vehicle, comprising: regenerating a particulate filter including operating an engine with a lean air-fuel ratio and retarded spark timing via a controller when a transmission shifter is locked in a park position, the transmission shifter locked in the park position when the vehicle is operating in a stationary electrical power generating mode.
By providing regeneration of a particulate filter when a vehicle is operating in a stationary electrical power generating mode, it may be possible to reduce the possibility of an engine misfiring during particulate filter regeneration. For example, a vehicle may generate a threshold amount of electrical power via an engine rotating an electric machine. Because the engine has capacity to output power that is significantly greater than an amount of electrical power that may be generated by the electric machine, the engine may be operated at a low engine load when the vehicle is operating in the stationary electrical power generating mode. Operating the engine at a low load may allow the engine to operate with a lean air-fuel ratio to facilitate particulate filter regeneration without the engine misfiring since engine output power may be limited in the stationary electrical power generating mode.
The present description may provide several advantages. Specifically, the approach may improve particulate filter regeneration. Further, the approach may reduce the possibility of engine misfires. Further still, the approach may improve vehicle drivability since engine torque may not be reduced by operating the engine lean to regenerate a particulate filter.
The above advantages and other advantages, and features of the present description will be readily apparent from the following Detailed Description when taken alone or in connection with the accompanying drawings.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Methods and systems for regenerating a particulate filter


There is provided a fault tolerant system capable of adequately performing error processing, synchronization processing, and resynchronization processing for realizing a fault tolerant function in accordance with the system state. The fault tolerant system comprises at least two systems including: a CPU subsystem; an IO subsystem connected to the CPU subsystem; an FT controller to be connected between the CPU subsystem and IO subsystem; and crosslinks connecting own system and other system through the FT controller. The CPU subsystem operates at the same timing with a CPU subsystem of other system in lock-step. The FT controller manages a plurality of system operations, according to which both systems perform error processing, duplication processing, and resynchronization processing for fault tolerant, by associating a plurality of states corresponding to the system operations with predetermined event signals. According to these event signals, the FT controller selects the system operations while changing the states for every system and allows the CPU subsystem to perform the selected system operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fault tolerant system and a controller, operation method, and operation program used in the fault tolerant system and, more particularly, to a management of a state that specifies a system operation for realizing a fault tolerant function in a computer system and a control using the state.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally known is a fault tolerance computer system (hereinafter, referred to as "fault tolerance system") in which all components, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory, PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect), disk, power source, and the like, that constitute a computer hardware are multiplexed (for example, duplicated or triplicated). In such a computer system, even if a failure occurs in any of components, the system can continue operating without interruption.
In the fault tolerant system, a multiplexed plurality of CPUs (processors) executes the same operation at the same timing while constantly establishing synchronization between them (which is referred to as "lock-step synchronization"). Even if a failure occurs in one of the plurality of CPUs that execute the same operation in lock-step synchronization, other CPUs continue normal operation. That is, if any failure occurs, the fault tolerant system can continue operating without adversely affecting the operation of software such as an operating system or application software executed by the CPU.
As related arts concerning such a fault tolerant system, U.S. patent application publication No. 2002/0152418 A1 discloses an apparatus and method for executing instructions in lock-step synchronization, U.S. patent application publication No. 2002/0152419 A1 discloses an apparatus and method for accessing a mass storage device in a fault-tolerant server, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,742 discloses a technique of making a memory copy between a plurality of processing sets each including a processor that operates in lock-step synchronization to establish high-speed resynchronization.
However, in the abovementioned fault tolerant systems of the related arts, it has been difficult to adequately perform error processing, duplication (synchronization) processing, and resynchronization processing for realizing a fault tolerant function in accordance with the system state such as CPU operation state (agreement or disagreement between operations of CPU buses), or access permission state (agreement or disagreement between IO accesses).

Fault tolerant system and controller, operation method, and operation program used in the fault tolerant system


A device for loading a fishing reel with line from a line supply spool by a single person. This device has a base with two side walls with corresponding holes, a plastic bendable tension rod, and suction cups attached to the bottom of the base. The tension rod produces downward pressure on supply spool when threaded through side wall hole, then through center hole of supply spool, then through corresponding through hole on the other side wall, holding it in place. The tension rod when in place as above also produces tension on fishing line which can be loaded to reel by attaching line to reel through rod guides and turning reel crank. The suction cups attached to base allow line loader to be used by one person anywhere you have a non-porous surface.

(A) This invention is a new and unique way to load fishing line onto a fishing reel when by yourself.        (B) Many times a fisherman will find themselves alone at home or alone in the field and have to reload a fishing reel spool and have no means to do so without help. There are several problems involved when trying to fill a fishing reel spool, especially when by yourself or alone in the field. It is hard to keep the line supply spool stationary and difficult to be able to put pressure on a line supply spool to allow tight winding onto a fishing reel spool. Also it is hard working with different sized line supply spools. There are many different sizes both in width and height. Additionally, a fishing reel line loader should be able to be used with all types of fishing reels and line test.


A sheet conveying apparatus with a skew feed correcting device including a first guide supporting one side edge of the sheet, an aligning device provided in the first guide and having an abutment portion and a first roller pair for causing the sheet to abut the abutment portion, a contact-separation device for separating and contacting the first roller pair, a second guide supporting the other side edge of the sheet, a positioning device for moving the first guide in a direction substantially perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction, a second roller pair downstream of the first and second guides, a slide device for moving the second roller pair in the direction, and a sheet detector. When conveying the sheet, the positioning device moves the first guide such that the abutment portion is at a predetermined distance from the side edge of the sheet, the sheet is conveyed while aligned by abutted against the abutment portion by the first roller pair, the first roller pair is separated by the contact-separation device based on the detection of the sheet detector, and the sheet is moved by the slide device so as to be returned by the predetermined distance while held by the second roller pair.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a printer or a copying machine, and, in particular, to a sheet conveying apparatus equipped with a skew feed correcting device for correcting skew feed of a sheet.
2. Related Background Art
Generally, an image forming apparatus, such as a printer or a copying machine, is equipped with a sheet conveying apparatus for conveying a sheet as a transfer material. In the sheet conveying apparatus, a phenomenon called skew feed may occur during conveyance due to misalignment of the conveying roller, distortion of a sheet guide, etc. that are attributable to inadequacy in the assembly precision of the components. If image formation is conducted with skew feed neglected, the resultant image is naturally distorted with respect to the sheet. In particular, in an image forming apparatus with a two-side printing function, there may be involved a marked deviation between the transfer image on the first side and the transfer image on the second side.
In view of this, many image forming apparatuses are equipped with a skew feed correcting device for correcting skew feed of a sheet. The known skew feed correcting devices may be roughly classified into two types.
First, a sheet correction system utilizing registration rollers as a reference as disclosed, for example, in JP H01-053886 A, will be described. A pair of registration rollers are arranged so as to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction. On the upstream side of the registration roller pair, there is arranged a blocked sheet guide. A sheet is caused to abut the registration roller pair, with the rotation of the registration rollers at rest, and the conveyance of the sheet is continued, whereby a loop is formed in the sheet. As a result, the leading edge of the sheet is in conformity with the nip line of the registration rollers, thus making it possible to correct skew feed.
Then, the registration roller pair conveys the sheet toward a transfer means in synchronism with a toner image formed by an image forming means. That is, in this conventional construction, the registration roller pair effects positioning on the sheet with respect to the two directions of the sheet rotating direction (skew feed) and the sheet conveying direction.
Next, a side-registration-type skew feed correcting device as disclosed, for example, in JP H11-189355 A, will be described. In a part of a blocked sheet guide, there are provided a reference wall parallel to the sheet conveying direction and a diagonal feed roller whose rotating surface is inclined toward the reference wall. Sheet conveyance is effected while causing a sheet side edge portion to move along the reference wall, whereby skew feed correction is effected.
The system utilizing the registration rollers as a reference is adopted in many image forming apparatuses of the type which use the sheet center as a reference and in which the sheet conveyance is divided in the middle portion of the conveying path, whereas the side-registration-type skew feed correction system is adopted in many image forming apparatuses of the sheet-side reference type, in which a reference is provided on one side of the apparatus and in which a side edge portion of a sheet is aligned with this reference.
The above-described conventional skew feed correcting devices, however, have the following problems.
First, the problem in the registration-roller-type skew feed correcting device will be discussed. This skew feed correcting device, which corrects skew feed by using the sheet leading edge as a reference, is capable of correcting skew feed of the trailing edge of a sheet, but is incapable of correcting deviation in the sheet width direction (the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction). Further, since the sheet is caused to abut the registration roller pair, it is necessary to effect temporary stopping, which makes it difficult to achieve an improvement in productivity. Further, when effecting correction on a thick-fore-edge sheet, such as the cover of a booklet, it may occur that a loop cannot be formed due to the high rigidity of the sheet. Further, in some cases, the sheet may penetrate the nip of the registration rollers, thus making it impossible to perform the alignment itself. Further, in an image forming apparatus with a two-side printing function, when effecting switch-back reversal on the sheet, the leading edge of the first surface is replaced by that of the second surface, so that a deviation in parallelism between the leading and trailing edges of the sheet manifests itself as an image deviation.
Next, the problem in the side-registration-type skew feed correcting device will be discussed. As is characteristic of a sheet-side-reference type conveying system, the sheet holding position is deviated to the side-reference side with respect to the center of the conveying path (sheet side reference). Normally, the conveying roller is rotatably supported by a side plate through the intermediation of bearings, and receives a pressure for holding and conveyance from an opposing pressurizing roller. When the pressure is applied from the pressurizing roller to the conveying roller, deflection is generated in the conveying roller, and the pressure tends to be relatively high at the ends of the conveying roller and relatively low in the middle portion thereof. Thus, in a sheet-side-reference type conveying system, the holding pressure is relatively high on one side of the sheet (an end portion of the conveying path), and relatively low on the other side thereof (the side near the center of the conveying path). A high holding pressure results in an increase in conveying speed, which leads to skew feed.
Further, due to the irregularity in holding pressure, the roller undergoes uneven wear, which is also liable to cause skew feed in the conveying path. In particular, when the uneven wear progresses as a result of long-term use, it is to be expected that, sooner or later, the skew feed amount will increase beyond the permissible amount for the skew feed correcting device. On the other hand, provision of a pressure adjustment mechanism for making the holding pressure in the width direction of the conveying roller uniform would complicate the device construction and adjusting operation and lead to an increase in production cost, which is not desirable.

Sheet conveying apparatus and image forming apparatus


A communication apparatus performs communication while suppressing an increase in power consumption. The communication apparatus includes a periodic signal generating unit, a clocking unit, a multiplication unit, and a communication processing unit. The periodic signal generating unit generates a predetermined periodic signal. The clocking unit clocks time in synchronization with the predetermined periodic signal generated by a frequency signal generating unit. The multiplication unit multiplies the predetermined periodic signal generated by the frequency signal generating unit to supply the signal as a multiplied signal. The communication processing unit performs predetermined communication processing in synchronization with the multiplied signal generated by the multiplication unit.

In recent years, along with the evolution of technologies related to sensors, wireless communication, and cloud computing, development of Internet of Things (IoT) devices using these technologies has been advanced. Many of these IoT devices are required to be small in size and low in cost. For this reason, the IoT device is equipped with a low-capacity battery as a power supply, and various circuits and parts are commonly used from the viewpoint of reducing power consumption.
In addition, in the IoT device, a wireless signal is processed in synchronization with a clock signal from a crystal oscillator whose oscillation frequency is on the order of megahertz. As the oscillation frequency of the crystal oscillator, an integer multiple of 13 megahertz (MHz) or 19.2 megahertz (MHz) common in mobile phones, 20 megahertz (MHz) in Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and the like are used.
For example, a communication apparatus has been devised in which a clock signal from a crystal oscillator is multiplied by a phase-locked loop, and a wireless signal is transmitted and received with the multiplied clock signal (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The communication apparatus reduces power consumption by stopping each circuit except a real-time clock in a sleep mode.

Communication apparatus and method for controlling communication apparatus

SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION


Embodiments of golf club heads with loft-based weights and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Typically during a golf shot, energy may be transferred from the club head of a golf club to the golf ball. Several factors including initial velocity, backspin rate, and launch angle may affect the flight of the golf ball (i.e., ball flight). In addition to club head speed, club head shape and structure may affect the initial velocity, the spin rate, and/or the launch angle of the golf ball. The initial velocity of the golf ball may be a function of the club head speed at impact between the club head and the golf ball. With all other factors held constant, a higher initial ball velocity may result in the golf ball traveling farther.
The physical geometry and structure of the club head may define a loft angle (e.g., club loft). In particular, the loft angle may be an angle between a front end plane and a loft plane (e.g., a plane parallel to the club face). When the club head impacts the golf ball, spin may be imparted on the golf ball. Ball flight and flight distance of the golf ball may vary based on the spin imparted by the club head. For example, a club head with a relatively higher loft angle may impart a relatively higher ball flight but may provide a relatively shorter flight distance. In contrast, a club head with a relatively lower loft angle may provide a relatively farther flight distance but impart a relatively lower ball flight. Thus, a set of golf clubs may include a progression of loft angles to provide an individual with a range of ball flights and flight distances.

Golf club heads with loft-based weights and methods to manufacture golf club heads


One embodiment of the present disclosure may be directed to a wrapped bandage. The wrapped bandage may include a wrapper having a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion and the bottom portion each may include a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge. Each edge may be continuous and straight along its entire length. The wrapped bandage may also include a bandage including an adhesive area and a pad. The wrapped bandage may also include a cover covering the adhesive area and a portion of the pad. The wrapper may surround the bandage and the cover. The edges of the top portion may be sealed to the edges of the bottom portion providing substantially no separation between the edges of the top and bottom portions.

Adhesive bandages are frequently used for covering skin wounds. The bandages are usually packaged in paper wrappers and are removed by separating portions of the wrapper that overlie both major sides of the bandage after removing tabs at the ends of the wrapper and/or pulling a tear string. An embodiment of such a bandage wrapper is shown in FIG. 1. The bandage 10 is withdrawn from its wrapper 12 by removing end tabs 14a, 14b, and peeling away cover strips 16a, 16b on the bandage 10 to expose a wound dressing pad 18 and pressure sensitive adhesive areas 20a, 20b of the bandage. The removal and preparation of the bandage 10 for application to a wound thus requires the user to have both (a) visual acuity to locate the end tabs 14a, 14b and/or tear string on the wrapper, and (b) manual dexterity to grasp and remove the tabs and to pull a tear string if also provided.


A communications system comprises a terminal, and network resources. The terminal is operable to transmit substantially simultaneously a data portion and a data transfer request for that data portion to the network resources.

In wireless radio frequency (RF) communications networks, multiple users communicate using a number of specific radio channels. FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a part of RF communications network 1 that includes network resources 3 which communicate with mobile terminals 5, using an air interface 7. The air interface 7 defines a number of radio channels for enabling transfer of data between the network resources 3 and the mobile terminals 5. Transmissions from the network resources 3 to the user 5 are 'downlink' communications, whilst transmissions from the mobile terminals 5 to the network resources 3 are 'uplink' communications. It will be readily appreciated that the term "network resources" is intended to encompass any suitable equipment in the mobile telecommunications network. For example, the network resources may be provided by a base station, a radio network controller (RNC) a network server, or any combination of these and other units.
When the network supports multiple users, it is necessary to control transmissions on the radio channels to avoid signal and data loss. Downlink transmissions are relatively straightforward to control since the network resources 3 have all relevant information concerning the users which it is serving, and so can control transmissions to the users itself. However, uplink communications are more difficult to control, since an individual user does not have information concerning the other users that are in communication with the network resources 3. It is therefore desirable to provide a technique that controls transmissions by the mobile terminals 5.
A Multiple Access Control (MAC) protocol is such a technique. Desired characteristics of a MAC protocol include low delay and high aggregate throughput or capacity. Previously considered MAC protocols can be divided into two groups: conflict-free, or 'scheduled' protocols, and contention-based protocols. Conflict-free protocols ensure that transmissions do not interfere with one another. With contention-based protocols collisions between transmissions can occur, and principles for resolving such conflicts must be defined.
Conflict-free protocols typically involve some signalling before data is transmitted to ensure that the transmission will not conflict with other transmissions. Although the duration of this signalling phase may be short, the delay may represent large fractions of the total transmission time, especially for transmission of small amounts of data. For large amounts of data the duration of the signalling phase is of less importance. However, since many data transmissions may be short, the signalling delay can be significant. One benefit of conflict-free protocols is that full medium usage can be achieved. This results in a high capacity potential.
Contention-based protocols allow direct transmission attempts, without previous signalling to ensure that the medium is free. This leads to very low delays. However, the risk of collisions between transmission attempts increases as load increases. Such collisions increase possible delays. Collisions also lead to the radio channels being frequency occupied by non-successful transmission attempts, which in turn results in poor aggregate throughput.
For low traffic loads the contention-based protocols generally yield lower delays, whereas for high traffic loads, the conflict-free protocols are better. Recent developments aim at combining the positive properties of both types of schemes by using two modes, i.e. contention-based transmission is used at low load and scheduled transmission is used for high load.
Currently work is ongoing to design the system concepts for a long term evolution of WCDMA (wideband code division multiple access) networks. This work is also referred to as evolved UTRAN, or E-UTRAN. A strong candidate for the air interface in E-UTRAN is Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) for the downlink and FDMA (frequency division multiple access) with variable bandwidth for the uplink. In the following, reference will be made to OFDMA and E-UTRAN, but these references should not be construed at limiting.
The E-UTRAN uplink is likely to rely mainly on scheduling, i.e. the network allocates certain chunks to each user for uplink data transmission through scheduling grants transmitted in downlink. The network typically base the issued grants on received scheduling requests from the users. That means that a request phase is needed prior to uplink data transmission that creates some delay. Still, some ways to send at least scheduling requests without a prior request will be needed.


A method and an apparatus for setting a time for a tick interrupt are disclosed. The method includes performing a compensation for a system time when a tick interrupt is executed; setting a time of a next tick interrupt according to a timeout task and a compensated system time if the timeout task exists when the tick interrupt is executed; and when a system enters into a low power mode after the tick interrupt is executed, correcting the time of the next tick interrupt according to the timeout task that is updated when the low power mode is entered. The present disclosure can decouple logic relationships between tick interrupts and Idle tasks, thereby reduces the number of division operations that involve rounding, reduces such accumulated error associated with compensation time, and improves the accuracy of the system time, as compared to the existing technologies.

With the development of technology, an increasing amount of attention is being paid to low power consumption requirements of RTOS (Real Time Operating System) systems. At first, low-power design ideas thereof are as follows: 1. Enter into a low-power mode when an Idle task is running; 2. Wake up an MCU (Microprogrammed Control Unit, an essence thereof being a single-chip device, which refers to integrating a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, a timing counter, and various types of I/O interfaces of a computer onto a single chip to form a chip-level computer) through a tick interrupt or an external event under an appropriate condition. An Idle task is a task having the lowest priority level in a system, and is executed when no other tasks are present. A tick interrupt is a time slice benchmark of the system time.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of task scheduling of the above system. In FIG. 1, the vertical axis is the task axis, and the horizontal axis is the time axis, T1, T2, T3, and T4 are tick interrupts of four equidistant time slices. As can be seen from FIG. 1, four idle periods, Idle1, Idle2, Idle3, and Idle4, exist among these five task schedules of TaskA, TaskB, TaskC, TaskD, and TaskE. In order to reduce power consumption, an Idle task is in a low power mode during operation, and tick interrupts are generated at T1 and T4 positions during operations of Idle1 and Idle4 to awaken the MCU, which enters into a low power mode after waking up. Therefore, as can be seen from the second point, each time when a clock source counter of a RTOS system generates a tick interrupt, the MCU will also wake up from the low power mode, and then enters into the low power mode again. Awakening from the low power mode makes the MCU being unable to enter into a deep sleep, and this is also unreasonable for low power consumption design.
In order to avoid the above situation, in existing technologies, the time of a next tick interrupt is dynamically calculated and set in an Idle task. An execution process in the Idle task is: 1. System preemption is turned off; 2. The time for a next tick interrupt is calculated and set based on the current system time; 3. A CPU (Central Processing Unit) sleeps, so that a MCU enters into a low power mode; 4. The CPU makes compensation for the system time after being woken up by any interrupt other than a tick interrupt; 5. The system preemption is turned on. After the system preemption is turned on, tasks with higher priority levels can be executed.
In the above-mentioned scheme of dynamically calculating and setting the time of a next tick interrupt in an Idle task in the existing technologies: any interrupt of a system other than a tick interrupt will wake up a MCU, and an action of time compensation is then performed. Such action of time compensation involves a division operation, which involves rounding. If the system is interrupted frequently, an error associated with such time compensation will be very large, which increases the inaccuracy of the system time.

Clock tick interrupt configuration method and apparatus


A system for generating a user-adjustable furnace profile, comprises a user interface configured to receive one or more materials properties from a user, a processor, and a memory with computer code instructions stored thereon. The memory is operatively coupled to the processor such that, when executed by the processor, the computer code instructions cause the system to implement communicating with a furnace to ascertain one or more thermal processes associated with the furnace, identifying one or more object characteristics associated with an object to be processed by furnace, and determining a thermal processing parameter profile of at least one thermal processing parameter corresponding to each of the thermal processes, based on (i) the one or more part characteristics and (ii) the one or more materials properties, the thermal processing parameter profile characterizing a cycle of the one or more thermal processes.

Additive manufacturing systems generally comprise several processing steps, each of which may be accomplished by a different subsystem. For example, an additive manufacturing system may comprise a printing subsystem, one or more post-processing subsystems and a furnace subsystem. The specific post-processing procedures may vary depending upon the type of printing employed (e.g., extrusion printing, binder jet printing, etc.).
The furnace subsystem may utilize a thermal processing parameter profile that consists of one or more predetermined thermal processing parameter profiles, each of which characterizes an aspect of the processing that occurs in the furnace subsystem.

Method and system for software defined metallurgy


A coil component having a magnetic core, a bobbin accommodating the magnetic core, and at least one pair of coils wound around the outer part of the bobbin. The bobbin is implemented as a heat radiating member comprising: a polymer matrix; and graphite-nano metal composites which are provided in a plurality, are dispersed on the polymer matrix, and have nano-metal particles bonded to the surface of graphite. Accordingly, the heat generated from a coil component due to an applied current can most quickly and efficiently be conducted and radiated outside, and thus degrading of common-mode-noise rejection function is prevented and a differential signal can substantially be passed without attenuation. In addition, in spite of the heat generated from the coil component or external physical and chemical stimulation, heat radiating properties can last for a long time.

A coil component means a component assembled with a magnetic core and a coil. The coil component is used as a circuit component such as an inductor, a choke, a transformer, a reactor, or the like by changing physical properties exhibited by adjusting a material and a magnetic property of the magnetic core, a wire diameter and a material of the core, and the like.
In an example, when the coil component is used as the transformer, the coil component functions to change a value of a current or voltage of power applied to the coil by using an electromagnetic induction phenomenon and thus is applied in an electric transformer or the like. In addition, in an example, when the coil component is used as the inductor, the coil component functions as a filter for preventing damage to a circuit due to an abrupt change in applied current and for filtering electrical noise and thus is applied in an oscillation circuit, a power circuit, and the like of various electronic products.
On the other hand, when power is applied to the coil, heat is generated due to a resistance or the like of the coil. When the applied current or voltage is increased, higher heat is generated to cause an increase in resistance value of the coil. Thus, initially set physical properties of the coil component may not be fully exhibited.
In addition, commonly, in a coil component, a magnetic core and a wound coil are separated, the magnetic core is accommodated in an outer case in order to protect the magnetic core, and then the coil is wound on the outer case. However, a current applied to the coil may generate heat in the magnetic core due to an eddy current, and the generated heat may not be radiated to the outside due to the outer case. Thus, a heating problem of the coil component may become more serious. The heat generated in the coil component may affect the other components of various devices equipped with the coil component, resulting in malfunction of the devices.
Accordingly, it is urgent to research a coil component in which heat radiation performance is improved and is maintained for a long time.


Apparatus for coating the surface of an object with a coating material are disclosed. The apparatus comprise a vacuum chuck assembly suitable for holding the object to be coated in a downward, i.e., inverted position, and a coating material applicator movably positioned beneath the vacuum chuck assembly to traverse the surface of the object in a generally parallel direction to the surface. The vacuum chuck assembly provides a means for temperature control as well as a means for establishing a vacuum for holding the object in the inverted position.

The application of thin coatings of coating materials, i.e. less than about 10 microns, has become an increasingly important step in the manufacture of various products including, for example: fiat panel displays, such as those used in lap top computers, high definition television and cathode ray tubes; optical devices, such as, lenses, color filters and mirrors; hybrid circuit boards; silicon wafers and germanium wafers.
One particularly useful apparatus for applying thin coatings to objects is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,356, issued Jan. 25, 1983. The patent discloses an apparatus for coating the surface of an object with a coating material. The apparatus comprises a vacuum chuck assembly which is pivotably mounted in the apparatus between an upward position, wherein the object can be placed onto the vacuum chuck assembly such that the surface of the object faces generally upward, and a downward position, wherein the surface of the object faces downward in a generally horizontal plane and the object is held in place by vacuum. The apparatus further comprises an applicator, i.e., a coating material applicator, which is movably positioned beneath the vacuum chuck assembly in order to traverse the surface of the object in a generally parallel direction to the surface of the object. When the coating material applicator is traversed beneath the surface of the object, coating material is transferred from the applicator to the surface of the object. The patent also discloses a means for introducing the coating material through the applicator onto the surface of the object, e.g., a pump. In addition, the patent discloses that the vacuum chuck assembly is movably positioned within the frame of the apparatus to move from a loading position, wherein the object can be loaded onto the vacuum chuck assembly, to a coating position, wherein the coating is conducted, and finally to a heating or drying position, wherein volatile components in the coating material can be removed.


A support stand includes a base plate having first and second support plates, having respective first and second slots for adjustably mounting respective first and second mounting plates, that in turn include respective first and second top walls that are coplanar with a bridge plate extending orthogonally between the mounting plates, with the bridge plate and the first and second top walls arranged to position a keyboard assembly in an adjustable relationship relative to the base plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to computer support structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved computer keyboard support stand wherein the same is arranged for the adjustable mounting of a keyboard assembly relative to a work station.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In various computer use environments, orientation of the keyboard structure is significant in the efficient and effective use of such a terminal arrangement. Particularly when computer aided drafting programs are employed, displacement of the keyboard relative to an underlying support table is desired. The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by providing for a keyboard support stand arranged to accommodate and position a computer keyboard relative to an underlying support and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
Prior art patent structure has heretofore failed to provide this adjustability, wherein U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,150 is indicative of prior art structure to this extent.