A secondary battery includes a first electrode plate including a first active material coated area in which a first substrate is coated with a first active material and a first non-coated area not coated with the first active material; a second electrode plate including a second active material coated area in which a second substrate is coated with a second active material and a second non-coated area not coated with the second active material; and a separator interposed between the first and second electrode plates, wherein at least one of the first and second electrode plates includes an electrode assembly having a waveform boundary section between one active material coated area and one non-coated area. A manufacturing method of such secondary battery is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
An embodiment of the present invention relates to an electrode assembly and a secondary battery including the electrode assembly, and more particularly, to a secondary battery in which safety and reliability are improved.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, because secondary batteries may be charged and discharged over multiple cycles of use, the demand for secondary batteries that can be easily adopted for use as power supplies to drive portable electrical apparatus has increased concurrently with the fast development of electrical, electronic, communication, computer industries, and the related fields. Intensive research in various fields has been made in order to improve performance and safety due to the increasing number of applications for the batteries.
Further, the demand for miniaturization and for higher capacity of the secondary batteries has increased. The sizes of the secondary batteries have generally increased in order to increase the capacity of the secondary batteries. Concomitantly, various effort needs to be made to minimize the size of the rechargeable batteries in order to conform to the miniaturization of the portable electrical apparatus. Consequently, competing efforts for miniaturization and greater power capacity may be problematic in terms of safety; when the secondary battery is used as a power supply for an external electronic apparatus, a synergy effect created by the electronic apparatus may cause a higher risk of an impairment in the safety of the battery.

Secondary battery including waveform boundary section


A reflective liquid crystal display device and a fabricating method thereof are disclosed in the present invention. The reflective liquid crystal display device includes a substrate having first and second pixel regions, a gate line on the substrate, a data line crossing the gate line and defining the pixel regions, a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line, wherein the thin film transistor comprises a gate electrode, an active layer, and source and drain electrodes, first and second reflective electrodes over the thin film transistor, wherein the first and second reflective electrodes are separated from each other by a first gap, the first and second reflective electrodes are located at the first and second pixel regions, respectively, and completely cover the data line at the pixel regions, and a patterned spacer filling the first gap between the first and second electrodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to a reflective liquid crystal display device and a fabricating method thereof. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for providing a reflective liquid crystal display device with a high aperture ratio and a high brightness.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, liquid crystal display (LCD) devices are classified into two categories according to a method of using a light source: transmissive LCD devices using a backlight unit and reflective LCD devices using an external light source. The transmissive LCD devices use a backlight unit, which consumes more than two thirds of the total power. On the other hand, since the reflective LCD devices use an external light source instead of a backlight unit, power consumption is reduced. However, the reflective LCD devices have low contrast ratio and low brightness because of the absence of a bright light source such as the backlight unit. To improve contrast ratio, a black matrix is generally used for the reflective LCD devices. However, the black matrix reduces a reflection area, thereby brightness is reduced.
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a reflective liquid crystal display device according to a related art.
In FIG. 1, first and second substrates 6 and 23 face into and are spaced apart from each other. A gate line 5 and a data line 17 crossing each other are formed on an inner surface of the first substrate 6. The gate line 5 and the data line 17 define a pixel region "P". A thin film transistor (TFT) "T" adjacent to each intersection of the gate line 5 and the data line 17 is connected to the gate line 5 and the data line 17. A reflective electrode (a pixel electrode) 18 connected to the TFT "T" is formed in the pixel region "P". The reflective electrode 18 may be made of a conductive material having high reflectance. For example, aluminum (Al) or Al alloy can be used for the reflective electrode 18.
A black matrix 21 and a color filter layer 22 including red, green, and blue sub-color filters 22a, 22b, and 22c are formed on an inner surface of the second substrate 23. Each sub-color filter 22a, 22b, and 22c is formed in a region corresponding to the pixel region "P". A transparent common electrode 24 is formed on the black matrix 21 and the color filter layer 22. A liquid crystal layer 20 is interposed between the reflective electrode 18 and the common electrode 24.
Even though not shown in FIG. 1, a spacer is used to maintain a cell gap between the first and second substrates 6 and 23. A ball spacer having a round shape is generally used. After a fabrication process of the first substrate 6 is finished, the ball spacer is dispersed through a specific method.
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a spacer of a liquid crystal display device according to the related art.
In FIG. 2, a spacer 40 is interposed between first and second substrates 6 and 23. A liquid crystal layer 20 wraps the spacer 40. Liqud crystal molecules 20a adjacent to the spacer 40 have a different alignment property from that of liquid crystal molecules 20b remote from the spacer 40 due to an influence of the spacer 40. As a result, light "L" passing through the adjacent liquid crystal molecules 20a causes light leakage in case of a dark state. Moreover, the ball spacer 40 is not uniformly distributed and tends to be concentrated. Sometimes, the ball spacer 40 moves infinitesimally to cause damage to a surface of alignment layers. Further, a very thin cell gap is requested for high-speed response of an LCD device. However, it is difficult to minimize a spacer for the very thin cell gap. Therefore, in order to resolve such problems, a patterning method of a spacer is suggested.
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal display device including a patterned spacer according to the related art.
In FIG. 3, first and second substrates 50 and 60 face into and are spaced apart from each other. A thin film transistor (TFT) "T" including a gate electrode 52, an active layer 54, and source and drain electrodes 56 and 58 is formed on an inner surface of the first substrate 50. A pixel electrode 59 is connected to the drain electrode 58. A black matrix 62 corresponding to the TFT "T" and a color filter layer 64 corresponding to a pixel region "P" are formed on an inner surface of the second substrate 60. A transparent common electrode 66 is formed on the color filter layer 64.
A patterned spacer 68 having a columnar shape is formed between the pixel electrode 59 and the common electrode 66 through patterning an organic layer (not shown). Although the patterned spacer 68 can be formed on the first substrate 50 or the second substrate 60, the patterned spacer 68 is generally formed on the second substrate 60 (i.e., color filter substrate) because of its flat surface. The patterned spacer 68 may be disposed in a desired region and maintain a firm and stable cell gap by contacting the substrate. Moreover, since the patterned spacer 68 is not formed in the pixel region "P", light leakage may be prevented. The patterned spacer 68 can be made of a photosensitive organic layer having a negative type or a positive type.
FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic cross-sectional views showing a fabricating method of a patterned spacer using a negative type photosensitive organic layer according to the related art.
In FIG. 4A, a black matrix 82 is formed on a substrate 80 and a color filter layer 84 including red, green, and blue sub-color filters 84a, 84b, and 84c is formed on the black matrix 82. Each sub-color filter 84a, 84b, and 84c corresponds to a space between the adjacent black matrices 82. A transparent common electrode 86 is formed on the color filter layer 84, and an organic layer 88 is formed on the common electrode 86 through coating a negative type photosensitive organic material (i.e., a negative photoresist). The negative type photosensitive organic material includes solvent, sensitizer, and resin. Generally, the sensitizer initiates a cross-link of the resin by ultra violet (UV) light. The cross-linked resin is insoluble in a developing solution.
A mask "M" including transmissive and shielding portions "C" and "D" is disposed over the organic layer 88. The transmissive portion "C" corresponds to the black matrix 82. After the light is irradiated onto the organic layer 88 through the mask "M", the organic layer 88 is developed. Since a portion of the organic layer 88 corresponding to the shielding portion "D" is not exposed to the light, the unexposed portion is eliminated and a patterned spacer 90 of a desired shape is obtained, as shown in FIG. 4B.
FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic cross-sectional views showing a fabricating method of a patterned spacer using a positive type photosensitive organic layer according to the related art.
In FIG. 5A, a black matrix 82 is formed on a substrate 80 and a color filter layer 84 including red, green, and blue sub-color filters 84a, 84b, and 84c is formed on the black matrix 82. Each sub-color filter 84a, 84b, and 84c corresponds to a space between the adjacent black matrices 82. A transparent common electrode 86 is formed on the color filter layer 84 and an organic layer 88 is formed on the common electrode 86 through coating a positive type photosensitive organic material (i.e., a positive photoresist).
A mask "M" including transmissive and shielding portions "C" and "D" is disposed over the organic layer 88. The shielding portion "D" corresponds to the black matrix 82. After the light is irradiated onto the organic layer 88 through the mask "M", the organic layer 88 is developed. Since a portion of the organic layer 88 corresponding to the shielding portion "D" is not exposed to the light, the unexposed portion remains and a patterned spacer 90 of a desired shape is obtained, as shown in FIG. 5B.
The patterned spacer 90 has different shapes depending on the type of the organic layer 88.
FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic cross-sectional views showing a shape of a patterned spacer using a positive type photosensitive organic layer according to the related art, and FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic cross-sectional views showing a shape of a patterned spacer using a negative type photosensitive organic layer according to the related art.
In FIG. 6A, after a positive type photosensitive organic layer 88 (i.e., a positive photoresist) is formed on a substrate 80, a mask "M" including transmissive and shielding portions "C" and "D" is disposed over the photosensitive organic layer 88. When light "L" is irradiated onto the mask "M", the light passing through the transmissive portion "C" is diffracted at a boundary of the shielding portion "D" toward an inner portion of the shielding portion "D". Accordingly, a portion of the photosensitive organic layer 88 corresponding to the shielding portion "D" is exposed to the diffracted light. As a result, after the photosensitive organic layer 88 is developed, a patterned spacer 90 of a round shape is obtained, as shown in FIG. 6B.
In FIG. 7A, after a negative type photosensitive organic layer 88 (i.e., a negative photoresist) is formed on a substrate 80, a mask "M" including transmissive and shielding portions "C" and "D" is disposed over the photosensitive organic layer 88. When light "L" is irradiated onto the mask "M", the light passing through the transmissive portion "C" is diffracted at a boundary of the shielding portion "D" toward an outer portion of the transmissive portion "C". Accordingly, a portion of the photosensitive organic layer 88 corresponding to the shielding portion "D" is exposed to the diffracted light. As a result, after the photosensitive organic layer 88 is developed, a patterned spacer 90 having a width greater than a desired width is obtained, as shown in FIG. 7B.
The black matrix 21, as shown in FIG. 1, corresponds to the gate line 5, the data line 17, and the TFT "T" in a reflective LCD device. Since the black matrix 21 is designed to include an alignment margin reflecting upon an attachment error of the first and second substrates 6 and 23, the black matrix 21 has an area larger than that of the gate line 5, the data line 17, and the TFT "T".
FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line VIII—VIII of FIG. 1, and FIG. 9 is a schematic magnified view of portion "F" of FIG. 8.
In FIGS. 8 and 9, first and second substrates 6 and 23 face into and are spaced apart from each other. A first insulating layer 10 is formed on an inner surface of the first substrate 6, and a data line 17 is formed on the first insulating layer 10. The data line 17 is disposed between adjacent first and second pixel regions "P1" and "P2". A thin film transistor (TFT) "T" is also formed on the first substrate 6, and a second insulating layer 16 is formed on the TFT "T" and the data line 17. A reflective electrode 18 is formed on the second insulating layer 16. A black matrix 21 is formed on an inner surface of the second substrate 23, and a color filter layer 22 including red, green, and blue sub-color filters 22a, 22b, and 22c is formed on the black matrix 21. The black matrix 21 corresponds to the data line 17, and each sub-color filter 22a, 22b, and 22c corresponds to the each pixel region "P1" and "P2".
A patterned spacer 30 having a round shape is formed between the reflective electrode 18 and the common electrode 23. When a distance between the adjacent reflective electrodes 18 over the data line 17 is "a", the black matrix 21 is formed such that a width of the black matrix 21 is "a+2b", which is greater than "a", where "b" is a length of an overlapped portion of the reflective electrode 18 and the black matrix 21. Contrary to a liquid crystal layer 20 over the reflective electrode 18, a uniform electric field is not sufficiently applied to a liquid crystal layer 20 corresponding to "a". Thus, light can pass through the liquid crystal layer 20 corresponding to "a" even when a voltage for black state is applied to the reflective electrode 18 in a normally white mode. Accordingly, the portion corresponding to "a" should be shielded with the black matrix 21, and the minimum width of the black matrix 21 is "a". However, since the first and second substrates 6 and 23 are attached with a misalignment, the width of the black matrix should be determined while taking an alignment margin into consideration. Therefore, the width of the black matrix 21 is designed to be "a+2b", which is greater than "a". As the width of the black matrix 21 increases, an effective reflection area is reduced. Accordingly, aperture ratio and brightness are also reduced.

Reflective liquid crystal display device


A system and method for reducing the transient responses in a phase lock loop (PLL) (100) with variable oscillator gain is disclosed. The system includes a charge pump (104) having an adapt mode and a normal mode of operation. The charge pump (104) also includes controlled trickle currents from current sources (208), (210) which are applied to the output (105), (107) of charge pump (104) to minimize the transient responses of the PLL (100). A programmable delay is provided in the charge pump (104) and is configured using a controller (122) based on the variable oscillator gain for the PLL (100). The configured programmable delay is used in the adapt mode of operation for adding a trickle current from the current source (210) to the adapt mode output (107).

Phase lock loop (PLL) circuits are used in high-speed communication devices and electronic testing instruments to generate a continuous wave signal at a precise and stable frequency. Phase lock loop circuits generally include a reference frequency, a synthesizer and a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). Two known synthesizers used in PLL circuits are the integer N synthesizer and fractional N synthesizer. Integer N synthesis utilizes whole integer multiples of a reference frequency to synthesize the output frequency thus providing a coarser resolution than fractional N synthesis, which utilizes fractional levels for a finer resolution.
Reducing lock time in a PLL circuit is always of importance in the design of high-speed communication devices. Reduction of lock time requires minimization of transient responses occurring in the PLL circuit. One technique for reducing lock time includes the use of a regular speed (normal) charge pump and a faster speed (adapt) charge pump in a fractional N synthesizer to provide for speedier signal acquisition. Unfortunately, the use of two different charge pumps generates a transition discontinuity, also referred to as a transition glitch, which can negatively impact lock time. The transition glitch increases the transient response for the PLL circuit, thereby also increasing the lock time for the PLL circuit.
Approaches have been suggested to overcome the problem of reducing the transient response in the PLL circuit. However, so far these approaches have been limited to PLL circuits having a constant VCO gain. PLL circuits using the abovementioned technique may exhibit different transient responses when the PLL circuit uses multiple VCOs. Furthermore, for some oscillators, the transient response of the PLL may vary depending on VCO gain (Ko) variation through the band of operation of the VCO. Thus, the reduction of transient responses requires additional efforts for PLL circuits having variable VCO gain.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a system and method for reducing transient responses occurring in a phase lock loop with variable oscillator gain.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.

System and method for reducing transient responses in a phase lock loop with variable oscillator gain


In one embodiment, the present invention is a computer implemented method for assigning a back-off interval to an intermediary network access device in a Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) network. The number of client devices concurrently attempting to access said network via said intermediary network access device is first determined. The back-off interval is then determined based upon the number of client devices concurrently attempting to access the network via the intermediary network access device and is assigned to the intermediary network access device.

Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) is a network access method which is frequently used in state of the art computer networks. CSMA methods for conflict resolution are based upon a system in which each conflicting device randomly draws a "back-off" interval within a time period known as a contention window. In a collision detection method, this back-off interval is the time period each conflicting device will wait after the detection of a transmission collision before attempting to access the network medium again. Thus, the device which draws the shortest back-off interval will be the first device to access the network medium after the collision. In a collision avoidance method, the back-off interval is the time period a device will wait after the detection of network activity before attempting to transmit.
Currently, CSMA methods use a uniform distribution of probability to assign a back-off interval to each device directly accessing the network medium. This means that each device accessing the network medium has an equal chance of drawing the lowest back-off interval. However, it can happen that one direct access device accesses the network medium as an intermediary for multiple indirect access devices. In such an instance, even though the intermediary access device is acting on behalf of multiple indirect devices, it still competes with other direct access devices on the network as if it were a single, direct access device. Consequently, devices indirectly connected to the network via these intermediary access devices do not have equitable opportunity to access to the network medium compared to other devices directly accessing the network. This is a problem in wireless or Radio Frequency (RF) networks due the limited available bandwidth and especially in networks using two or more wireless workgroup bridges to link LANs together.
As an example, in a CSMA network with 2 competing direct access devices, each device has a 50% chance of drawing the shortest back-off interval because each device uses the same uniform distribution of probability. The direct access device which draws the shortest back-off interval will be the next to access the network after the back-off interval expires. This is expressed mathematically as:P=1/D where P is the probability of drawing the shortest back-off interval and D is the number of direct access devices attempting to access the network. In the example of 2 direct access devices, the probability is 1/2 that a given device will draw the shortest back-off interval.
If one of the direct access devices is acting as an intermediary network access for N indirect access devices, the number of competing devices is actually 4 (the direct access device and the 3 indirect access devices). Therefore, in this situation, the probability should be:P=(D+N)−1.
Because the intermediary network access device is not attempting to access the network on its own behalf, but is acting on behalf of the N indirect access devices, it should not be a factor in determining the distribution of probability. Therefore, each competing device should actually have a 1/4 probability of drawing the shortest back-off interval. However, due to the uniform distribution of probability being applied to the direct access devices only, each direct access device still gets a 1/2 probability of accessing the network next. Thus, the direct access device has a 1/2 probability accessing the network next while each of the 3 indirect access devices only gets a 1/6 probability of accessing the network next. This discrepancy in network access opportunity increases with the number of direct or indirect access devices in the network.
Therefore, prior art methods for assigning a back-off interval to an intermediary network access device are disadvantageous because they do not give the indirect access devices coupled to it equitable access opportunity to a CSMA network. Specifically, the uniform distribution of probability used to assign back-off intervals does not account for a plurality of multiple indirect access devices which may be competing with direct access devices for network access via an intermediary device. This is problematic because it slows communications for devices which attempt to access a CSMA network via an intermediary device.

Computer implemented method for assigning a back-off interval to an intermediary network access device


According to an aspect of the invention, a method for handover of a mobile terminal from a source node to a target node in a wireless telecommunications network includes the steps of making data forwarding of fresh data optional irrespective of the RLC mode, which may involve RLC-UM or RLC-AM bearers.

Currently, 3GPP is considering development of E-UTRA and E-UTRAN as set out in the technical specification 3GPP TS 36.300 v 8.1.0 (2007-06), incorporated herein by way of reference, and related documents. 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) aims to enhance the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) standard, for example, by improving efficiency and services.
In E-UTRAN, user equipment (UE) communicates with a network node, NodeB (eNB), with data being sent on radio bearers (RBs) over a radio link between them. The eNB interfaces with a Mobile Management Entity/System Architecture Evolution Gateway (MME/SAE GW) via an interface designated as S1. An E-UTRAN network includes a plurality of eNBs and MME/SAE GWs.
In LTE, all the Radio Access Network (RAN) functions are integrated in each node, eNB. Downlink user data, that is Internet Protocol (IP) packets, are transmitted from the SAE GW to the eNB. As the UE is handed over from a first, source, eNB to a second, target, eNB, the SAE GW is updated with the second eNB address and the SAE GW starts to send data to that target eNB.
However, to avoid data loss, any data that is already buffered in the source eNB must be forwarded to the target eNB. Also, data that has been sent to the source eNB during the handover (HO) procedure, before the SAE GW is updated with the new eNB address, is also forwarded by the source eNB to the target eNB.
To preserve the order of packets sent to the UE, the target eNB must strive to send data over the radio in the same order as sent by the SAE GW. That is, firstly data buffered by the eNB is sent to the target eNB, followed by data in transit from the SAE GW during the HO process, and only when these have all been sent should the target eNB send to the UE fresh data that it receives directly from the SAE GW.
The message flow for the HO process applied to a UE 1 is shown in FIG. 1 which illustrates a network including a source eNB 2, a target eNB 3 and an MME/SAE GW 4. When the source eNB 2 makes a handover decision based on measurement reports from the UE 1, it sends a Handover Request message to the target eNB 3. At the Admission Control step 5, the target eNB 3 configures the required resources and sends a Handover Request Acknowledge message to the source eNB 2. Following the handover command from the source eNB 2 to the UE 1, the UE 1 detaches from the old cell and synchronises to the new cell associated with the target eNB 3. Also, data packets buffered at the source eNB 2 and any in transit are forwarded to the target eNB 3 over an interface designated X2. Following the handover confirm message at step 10 from the UE 1 to the target eNB 3, a handover completion message is sent to the MME/SAE GW 4 by the target eNB 3. Data packets from the source eNB 2 continue to be delivered to the target eNB 3. The target eNB can then send fresh data arriving over S1 from MME/SAE GW once all the forwarded data from source eNB 2 has been received by it.
Forwarded data from the source eNB to the target eNB may take two forms for LTE: forwarding of data buffered at the source eNB and forwarding of freshly arriving packets at the source eNB over S1. Lossless HO requires that both these types of data are forwarded from the source to the target eNB. 3GPP RAN2 has discussed and agreed the data forwarding principles to provide lossless inter-eNB handover. However, the conditions when lossless HO should be applied have not been discussed so far.
It cannot be assumed that all data received at the source eNB before the HO Command is delivered to the UE is considered "buffered" data and has accordingly been allocated Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) sequence numbers (SNs). Incoming packets may be provided with a PDCP SN as soon as they are received by the eNB or, alternatively, a PDCP SN may be provided just before delivery to the UE in near real time. Any packets that have not been actually sent to the UE can be treated as fresh data over S1 as long the last used PDCP SN is used correctly.
It was also agreed by 3GPP RAN 2 that forwarding of buffered packets should be carried out based on radio link control (RLC) status reports. RLC status reports are provided where the RLC acknowledged mode (RLC-AM) is selected for a radio bearer. The acknowledged mode (AM) provides enhanced reliability as it allows retransmission of incorrect or lost data packets, and is suitable for non-real time services, for example.
In RLC unacknowledged mode (RLC-UM), no retransmission protocol is used and there are no RLC status reports, and thus data forwarding is not envisaged for RLC-UM. The unacknowledged mode may be used, for example, for certain radio resource control (RRC) signalling and voice over IP (VoIP). The choice as to which RLC mode to adopt is based on the residual bit error rate (BER) required for the bearer and the Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) operating point.

Handover method and apparatus in a wireless telecommunications network

Abstract: The method may include providing an explicit instruction to the mobile terminal for each bearer on whether a bearer is subject to data forwarding or not. This may then be used by the mobile terminal to handle the buffered packets and PDCP SNs.


An optical alignment system for controlling the position of a laser beam through an optical train. The optical alignment system includes a semiconductor laser source for the generation of an alignment beam, and a beam steering device to manipulate the position of the alignment beam on a multi-element detector. The semiconductor laser is driven to mode hop at a frequency greater than the upper frequency limit of the multi-element detector. Driving the semiconductor laser to mode hop at a frequency greater than the upper frequency limit of the multi-element detector results in a more uniform alignment beam as seen by the detector, as the alignment beam becomes an average of all the operational modes of the semiconductor laser. A more uniform alignment beam results in improved accuracy of the alignment system.

The present invention relates generally to optical alignment systems, and more particularly to high precision optical alignment systems.
Electro-optical systems exist which employ active auto-alignment techniques using miniature two-axes mirror technology. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,955 (incorporated herein by reference) describes an electro-optical system including a pseudo on-gimbal automatic alignment and stabilization system. Such alignment and stabilization systems dynamically boresight and align one or more sensor input beams and a laser output beam using automatic control closed-loop feedback, a single photodetector and stabilization mirror, two off-gimbal optical reference sources and two alignment mirrors.
The alignment system includes an optical apparatus for use in auto aligning line-of-sight optical paths of at least one sensor and a laser. The optical apparatus includes at least one alignment reference source for outputting a laser reference beam that is optically aligned with the line-of-sight of the sensor, and a laser reference source for outputting a laser reference beam that is optically aligned with the line-of-site of the laser.
A laser alignment mirror adjusts the line-of-sight alignment of the laser beam, and a sensor alignment mirror adjusts the alignment of the at least one sensor. Combining optics couple the plurality of reference beams along a common optical path. A gimbal apparatus houses the photodetector which detects the plurality of reference beams. Also within the gimbal apparatus is a fine stabilization mirror, which adjusts the line-of-sight of the optical paths of the at least one sensor and the laser. A processor is coupled to the photodetector, the laser alignment mirror, the sensor alignment mirror, and the fine stabilization mirror for processing signals detected by the photodetector and outputting control signals to the respective mirrors and combining optics to align the line-of-sight optical paths of the sensor and the laser.
The alignment reference source is typically a semiconductor laser such as a laser diode. Applicants have found, however, that a disadvantage of such a configuration is that the semiconductor laser output may experience non-uniformities. For example, the semiconductor laser may dynamically change modes, or mode-hop. Mode-hopping within a semiconductor laser introduces non-uniformities in the alignment reference source. Non-uniformities in the alignment reference source can in turn degrade the accuracy of the alignment system.
Accordingly, there is a strong need in the art for an auto alignment system wherein the alignment reference source is more uniform so as, for example, not to be adversely affected by mode-hopping within the semiconductor laser.
In the light of the foregoing, one aspect of the invention relates to an optical alignment system which includes a semiconductor laser for generating an alignment beam. A photodetector detects the position of the alignment beam, wherein the photodetector provides a position feedback signal indicative of the position of the alignment beam. An optical system directs the alignment beam, wherein the optical system includes at least one beam steering device, and a controller for controlling the at least one beam steering device to control the position of the alignment beam on the photodetector based on the position feedback signal. A modulated drive current source provides a modulated drive current to the semiconductor laser, wherein the modulated drive current is modulated at a frequency and amplitude which causes the semiconductor laser to mode-hop at a frequency which is greater than the upper frequency limit of the photodetector.
A second aspect of the invention is a method for creating an optical alignment system. The method includes the step of generating an alignment beam from a semiconductor laser. A second step includes detecting the position of the alignment beam on a photodetector, wherein the photodetector provides a position feedback signal indicative of the position of the alignment beam. A third step includes using an optical system to direct the alignment beam, wherein the optical system includes at least one beam steering device, and a controller for controlling the at least one beam steering device to control the position of the alignment beam on the photodetector based on the position feedback signal. A fourth step includes providing a modulated drive current to the semiconductor laser, wherein the modulated drive current is modulated at a frequency and amplitude which causes the semiconductor laser to mode-hop at a frequency which is greater than the upper frequency limit of the photodetector.


An arrangement of intake and exhaust system components in a fuel cell powered vehicle makes it easier to install those components on a vehicle body. The arrangement also improves power generating efficiency, and eases maintenance. The arrangement, which includes a fuel cell, intake system components such as an air cleaner, compressor, intercooler, and humidifier, and exhaust system components including an exhaust pipe which exhausts emission gas from the fuel cell through an exhaust port, is such that the intake system components and the exhaust system components are both located on one side of the fuel cell, for example behind the fuel cell. The air cleaner, compressor, intercooler, humidifier and fuel cell may be substantially linearly sequentially arranged, to reduce air flow resistance. The pipes between the air cleaner and the compressor, and between the intercooler and the humidifier are short.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an arrangement of fuel cell intake and exhaust system components in a fuel cell powered vehicle, where the vehicle is provided with an air cleaner for taking in and filtering ambient air, and a compressor for compressing filtered air and generating reactive gas.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, fuel cell powered vehicles have been developed, in which electric power generated by a fuel cell system is supplied to a motor, and wheels of the vehicle are driven by the motor. In this fuel cell system, electric power is generated by a chemical reaction in a fuel cell stack between hydrogen, as a fuel gas, and oxygen as a reactive gas (hereinafter called simply a "fuel cell").
In this system, while the fuel gas is stored at high pressure in a fuel cylinder, reactive gas must be generated by taking in ambient air and compressing it to make it high-pressure air. In addition, it is desirable that reactive gas to be supplied to the fuel cell does not contain impurities. Therefore, a supercharging mechanism (for example, as disclosed in JP-A No. 216986/2001) may be employed, and impurities are removed from the air by an air cleaner before the air is compressed by a compressor, to generate reactive gas which is then supplied to the fuel cell.
In a conventional fuel cell powered vehicle in which a vehicle driving motor is driven by electric power supplied from a fuel cell, the fuel cell is located almost in the center of the vehicle body. The air for supply to the fuel cell is taken in through an intake port (duct) provided at the front part of the vehicle body, namely in front of the fuel cell and exhausted through an exhaust port (duct) at the rear part of the vehicle body, namely behind the fuel cell. This arrangement is disclosed in, for example, JP-A No. 231108/2001.
In the above conventional structure, intake system components such as an air cleaner and a supercharger may be positioned so as to be considerably distant from exhaust system components such as a dilution box and a muffler, with the fuel cell between them. In this arrangement, the components are difficult to install and maintain.
As mentioned above, the supercharging mechanism of the fuel cell system has an air cleaner and a compressor where the air cleaner, the compressor, and the fuel cell are connected by piping. Depending on the arrangement of these devices, the piping may have to be long or large and weighty, and also there is concern that increased air-flow resistance in the piping might deteriorate the power generating efficiency of the fuel cell system. Particularly in a fuel cell powered motorcycle, the installation space for the devices is limited and reduction in the size of the piping used in the supercharging mechanism is anticipated for space saving.
Therefore, the present invention provides an arrangement of intake and exhaust system components in a fuel cell powered vehicle which makes it easier to install the intake system components and exhaust system components of a fuel cell to a vehicle body, and improves their maintainability.
The present invention also has an object to provide a fuel cell powered vehicle in which the weight and size of a supercharging mechanism of a fuel cell system are reduced and the air-flow resistance in the supercharging mechanism is decreased to improve the power generating efficiency of the fuel cell system.

Arrangement of intake and exhaust system components in a fuel cell powered vehicle


The present disclosure discloses a multi-mode dimming circuit configurable to operate in a first dimming mode, a second dimming mode and a third dimming mode. The present disclosure also discloses separate dimming circuits for respectively realize the three dimming modes. In one embodiment the multi-mode dimming circuit may comprise a first input terminal, a second input terminal, a third input terminal, an output terminal, a resistive device, an oscillation circuit and a pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit. Users may flexibly configure the multi-mode dimming circuit to operate in one of the three different dimming modes by varying the external devices and/or signals coupled to each of the first, second and third input terminals.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present invention and may not constitute prior art.
Dimming for light emitting elements is desired in most application circumstances. Currently, pulse-width modulation (PWM) dimming is commonly used for light emitting element dimming. Generally, a PWM dimming signal having a frequency and a duty cycle is applied to control a driving circuit of the light emitting elements to illuminate/extinguish the light emitting elements periodically, so that the illumination of the light emitting elements could be adjusted to a desired level by varying the frequency and/or the duty cycle of the PWM dimming signal.
A need therefore exists for a dimming circuit that could be conveniently configured by the users to obtain desired dimming signals for controlling the light emitting elements at a desired illumination level. To this end, one embodiment of the present invention provide a dimming circuit that is configurable to operate in different dimming modes so that the users could obtain desired dimming signals by providing a few external devices, such as resistors and/or capacitors, to the dimming circuit.

Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.


A computer system having a chief system control program running in a real machine as a host where the host controls standard system control programs (SCP's) and controls virtual machines (Domains) called guests. Guests operate with interpretive execution as second-level guests. Control is transferred from a second-level guest to the guest SCP or to the chief SCP with only one control interception. Control is transferred directly between the second-level guest and the Chief SCP bypassing the first-level guest.

The present invention relates to the field of computers and particularly to computers having central processing units (CPU's) that operate in accordance with the IBM ESA/390 architecture and particularly to host computers that have interpretive execution of guests.
ESA/390 architecture computers are controlled in part by a Program Status Word (PSW). The program-status word (PSW) includes the instruction address, condition code, and other information used to control instruction sequencing and to determine the state of the computer. The active or controlling PSW is called the current PSW. It governs the program currently being executed.
The CPU has an interruption capability, which permits the CPU to switch rapidly to another program in response to exception conditions and external stimuli. When an interruption occurs, the CPU places the current PSW in an assigned storage location, called the old-PSW location, for the particular class of interruption. The CPU fetches a new PSW from a second assigned storage location. This new PSW determines the next program to be executed. When it has finished processing the interruption, the interrupting program may reload the old PSW, making it again the current PSW, so that the interrupted program can continue.
The status of the CPU can be changed by loading a new PSW or part of a PSW. Control is switched during an interruption of the CPU by storing the current PSW, so as to preserve the status of the CPU, and then loading a new PSW.
A new or modified PSW becomes active (that is, the information introduced into the current PSW assumes control over the CPU) when the interruption or the execution of an instruction that changes the PSW is completed.
A storage key is associated with each 4K-byte block of storage that is available in the configuration. The storage key has the following format. ##STR1## The bit positions in the storage key are allocated as follows: Access-Control Bits (ACC):
If a reference is subject to key-controlled protection, the four access-control bits, bits 0-3, are matched with the four-bit access key when information is stored, or when information is fetched from a location that is protected against fetching. Fetch-Protection Bit (F):
If a reference is subject to key-controlled protection, the fetched protection bit, bit 4, controls whether key-controlled protection applies to fetch-type references are monitored and that fetching with any access key is permitted; a one indicates that key-controlled protection applied to both fetching and storing. No distinction is made between the fetching of instructions and of operands.

Computer system with two levels of guests


An improved concealed sprinkler head including a frame having a outlet that is connected to a water line and a valve cap encloses the outlet and is held in the closed position by a thermally responsive mechanism, such as a glass bulb. A preassembled cover plate unit is mounted to the frame after the frame is installed with the water line. The cover plate unit includes an outer tubular sleeve that surrounds the frame and a spring is located within the sleeve and is maintained in a compressed condition by a ring having tabs which engage a recess in the sleeve. The lower edge of the sleeve carries a cover plate which is connected to the sleeve via a fusible metal, such as solder. The ring is provided with a pair of opposed guide channels which receive the side edges of the arms of the frame as the cover plate unit is slid upwardly over the frame. The ring is also provided with a pair of downwardly extending legs carrying spring clips which engage notches in the lower ends of the arms to maintain the cover unit in position on the frame.

The conventional pendant-type automatic sprinkler head includes a body or frame that has an outlet which is normally enclosed by a valve cap, and the cap is held in the closed position by a releasable lever assembly which includes a thermally responsive element, such as a low-melting-point fusible link or a glass bulb. With a pendant-type sprinkler head, the lever assembly extends downwardly beneath the ceiling of the building, and when the temperature increases to a predetermined level, the thermally responsive element will melt, enabling the water pressure in the line to release the valve cap and discharge the water.
In residential dwellings and commercial buildings, it is often desired to utilize a sprinkler head that is located above the ceiling, so that the operative parts are not exposed to view. With this type of construction, the sprinkler head is concealed within the ceiling by a decorative plate that is mounted flush against the undersurface of the ceiling, so that the operative parts are not visible. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,633,676, 3,714,898 and 4,015,665 describe concealed sprinkler heads.
A typical concealed sprinkler head includes a cylindrical sleeve or cup, which is positioned around the cast metal frame or body, and a decorative cover plate is attached to the sleeve and encloses the sprinkler head as well as the opening in the ceiling. In normal practice, the sleeve is preassembled in the factory with the frame. At the location of use, the sprinkler head, along with the attached sleeve, is installed with the water pipe line and after installation, the sprinkler head is tested for possible leakage. Because of the presence of the cylindrical sleeve, small leakage at the threaded joint may not be readily visible, with the result that the time required for the pressure testing procedure is substantially increased.
In order to properly position the cover plate of the concealed sprinkler head with respect to a suspended ceiling, the body or frame of the sprinkler head must be installed a precise distance from the lower surface of the ceiling. Concealed sprinkler heads, as used in the past, have had minimum provisions for adjustment, with the result that if the critical distance between the body and the ceiling is not maintained, the cover plate would not be positioned flush with the ceiling, thereby resulting in an unsightly gap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,792 discloses a concealed sprinkler head having a preassembled cover plate unit which is attached to the frame of the sprinkler head after the frame is connected to the water line. The frame includes a pair of arms which extend downwardly from the base of the frame and are joined together at a junction. A valve cap normally encloses the outlet in the frame and a releasable thermally responsive mechanism interconnects the junction and the valve cap. When the thermally responsive mechanism is exposed to a predetermined elevated temperature, the mechanism will release and open the valve cap.
In accordance with the description of the above mentioned patent, after the sprinkler head has been installed with the water line and tested for possible leakage, the preassembled cover plate assembly is installed with the sprinkler head. The cover plate assembly includes a cup-shaped outer shell and a mounting ring or disc is located within the shell. Interposed between the upper end of the shell and the ring is a compression spring. In the pre-assembled unit, the ring is held in position within the shell by the engagement of peripheral projections on the ring with notches in the upper portion of the shell. The lower peripheral edge of the shell is connected via a fusible metal, such as solder, to a cover plate.
To assemble the cover plate unit of the aforementioned patent, the sprinkler head of the unit is slipped upwardly over the frame. with the arms of the frame being received within a central opening in the disc. As the unit is moved upwardly on the frame, flexible tabs on the ring engage a groove in the frame. The sleeve and cover plate are then rotated relative to the ring which brings the projections on the ring into registry with elongated slots in the shell. With the projections in registry with the slots, the force of the spring will then bias the shell and cover plate upwardly relative to the ring thus urging the cover plate into engagement with the undersurface of the ceiling.


An interactive electronic instructional system is a teaching interface between a teacher and students where data is transmitted from the teacher""s terminal to the student terminals. The data is received at the student terminals and is separated into execution data and instructional data. The student terminals are grouped into teams allowing student teams to interact with a group decision. This encourages team participation by shy or otherwise reluctant students. Team answer data is transmitted from one of the student terminals in the team to the teacher""s terminal. The teacher monitors team answer data to infer class progress towards a goal. The teacher may modify the instructional data based on the progress.

The present invention relates to instructional systems for industrial environments and more particularly to a thin client solution for deploying educational systems utilizing existing computer and communication infrastructure.
Many industrial environments have a requirement for deploying information through a computing medium without replacing computer and networking hardware. This need is perhaps greatest felt in manufacturing facilities striving for flexibility and classrooms where environmental considerations and budget constraints dictate the reuse of existing networking and computer equipment. IBM and Apple have been very active in this marketplace offering various educational solutions that utilize CD ROM technology to provide effective multimedia educational platforms for schools and factories.
The present invention relates to a computer-based teaching system employing networking and computer assisted interactive techniques for enhancing a teacher""s efficiency and effectiveness in a classroom. As will be discussed below, among its various attributes, the inventive system enables a teacher:
(1) to monitor progress of a class more closely during each classroom session, and over each section of a course, than has been possible in the past;
(2) to stimulate active participation by all students in a class;
(3) to automate rollkeeping and the giving and grading of quizzes and homework; and
(4) to utilize instructional videos and associated peripheral hardware interactively with the system. The invention thus integrates computers into the mainstream of the learning and grading process at educational institutions, with significant benefit to the classroom environment, including facilitated knowledge of student performance, and associated savings in routine paperwork.
There have been numerous techniques devised for enabling a teacher to more easily convey information and understanding to a class, and ultimately to relieve the teacher, to the greatest extent possible, of a number of the burdens associated with conveying that information to the class. Various electronically-based techniques have been implemented, but these have proved to be quite limiting or otherwise disadvantageous. In one sense, the techniques have been limiting in that interaction between the student and the teacher may be limited to responses to multiple-choice type questions, or to questions requiring only numerical answers. Examples of such systems include those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,656,243; 3,694,935; 3,716,929; 4,004,354; 4,785,472; 5,002,491; 5,176,520; 5,303,042; 5,590,360; 5,812,668; and 5,815,657. Such systems have been further limiting in that they have not provided any way of keeping accurate, detailed records for individual students for the duration of a given class.
Other more recently-proposed systems have taken advantage of advances in technology to interconnect a number of students in the same classroom, or in different classrooms, for purposes of gathering information, or facilitating access to instructional programs. One example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,174, which enables students to download instructional programs from a central computer, which acts as a sort of file server. In this system, the student, rather than the teacher, has control over system access and operation.
Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,717, which discloses detailed networking structure for connecting conventional personal computers. However, there is at most only limited teacher-student interaction contemplated. Rather, this system is directed more toward providing, at a central location, an instructional program which may be downloaded locally so that students can learn various types of computer programs. Yet another example of a conventional student response system is U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,120. This system is intended to collect data of a limited nature (e.g., responses to multiple-choice questions) from a number of classrooms. There is no provision of statistical analysis to inform the teacher of how well a class is learning the concepts being conveyed. This feature also is absent from the other two just-mentioned U.S. patents.
One of the important services an electronically-based classroom teaching system can provide is to enable a teacher to monitor progress of the class and of individual students, and to focus effort in areas where students seem to have the most trouble understanding the concepts being taught. An electronic classroom teaching aid also should assist a teacher in breaking through the reluctance that students have to participating actively in class. Some of this reluctance derives from basic shyness, or fear of seeming different, or fear of seeming superior (or less intelligent, for that matter). Enabling students to respond individually and confidentially by electronic means to questions posed by the teacher can help to break through some of the shyness or reluctance a student otherwise may exhibit.
However, this confidentiality by itself does not suffice to satisfy all students, at all levels, in all teaching situations. Sometimes active participation and motivation can be encouraged better by combining students in small teams (by twos or threes) and requiring that they respond to questions as a team. In this way, students can learn from the insights and difficulties of their peers. The teacher can infer class progress from the responses of the teams. In still other situations it is important to enable students to proceed, if possible, in a self-paced manner, to learn concepts conveyed in the classroom, while still having the teacher present to monitor the situation and to concentrate in areas where the class seems to be having difficulty. Here, it is important that the interactive electronic classroom system advise the teacher, as soon as possible, what percentage of the class grasps the concepts being taught. Certain of the above-mentioned U.S. patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,354, describe systems which provide the teacher with a readout of the percentage of students answering a question correctly. However, the types of questions still are limited to multiple choice, and do not provide a vehicle for further discussion and exploration of concepts which appear to be difficult to grasp.
It is desirable to have a system in which students could respond to a wider range of questions, with different types of responses required (for example, a narrative response of limited length). It also is desirable to enable a student to take a quiz at his or her own pace, with questions requiring answers other than multiple choice or simple numerical answers. Further, it is desirable for students to be able to run short didactic programs which are designed to enable students to experiment immediately and actively with the concepts which are being taught in that class, and which simultaneously give feedback to the teacher. Those students who have succeeded in a task may be assigned more advanced work while others may receive remedial instruction. It follows that different portions of a class should be able to work at one time, on different tasks, under control and supervision of the teacher. Such a system would be in complete contrast to conventional computer-based instruction which has tended to have the effect of replacing, rather than assisting teachers.
In summary, it is desirable to have a system which provides networked deployment of instructional information without replacing existing computer and communication infrastructure.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a computer-based, networked electronic classroom system in which the teacher can monitor class progress, ask questions including those requiring narrative or other more complicated responses, and generally focus efforts in areas where more instruction appears to be needed. It also is an object of the invention to provide classroom facilities for students to perform computer based instructional exercises, run didactic software and simulations, and compete as groups in games or other computer based instructional activities under the close direction and supervision of the teacher, while retaining the benefits of individual feedback associated with single user stand-alone systems.
It is another object of the invention to provide facilities for fully or partially automating the giving and grading of quizzes, class attendance, rollkeeping, grading of homework and other routine paperwork associated with monitoring student progress and recordkeeping. To accomplish these and other goals, the novel, inventive electronic classroom herein described includes a central computer and display at the teacher""s desk, a plurality of terminals at desks of individual students and network connection between the central computer and the terminals. The terminals may range in complexity from a simple dedicated keypad with rudimentary display, to a hybrid version of a calculator/terminal with numeric and function keys, to a rudimentary hand-held computer with a full keyboard and single or multi-line display, having a number of other possible functions such as those of calculator, typewriter, organizer, appointment diary, phone directory, thesaurus, and dictionary, up to a full-fledged personal computer capable of operating in a stand-alone mode. The student terminals may be fixed in the classroom, or may be carried by students as portable devices with numerous possible ranges of applications outside a classroom context.
Thus, the inventive system encompasses a range of possible hardware and software embodiments, enabling a range of cost and functionality in its possible implementations. This range also is evident for permissible connections between the central computer and the student terminals. The network connection between the central computer and student terminals consist of a full local area network (LAN), enabling equal connectivity among all stations and any industry accepted physical topology, or (in the preferred embodiment) may consist of one of many possible lower cost network options with unequal connectivity where a special higher level protocol ensures that all messages from student terminals pass through the central computer or through a special network server connected directly to it.
Another component of the inventive system is an electronic display for displaying textual and graphic information for instructional purposes by a teacher to a class. As with other components, this display may take several forms. It may be a liquid crystal display which lies on top of an overhead projector and is driven by the display output from the central computer; it may be a projection video device which also is driven by a display output from the central computer. The information to be displayed may be divided into two categories. The first category consists of any instructional material, such as normally is displayed by teachers in conventional classrooms, and includes questions, directions, or activities. The second category includes student responses and statistical or graphic analyses (or other orderings, sortings or summaries) of the same. The display of all such information in both categories is under control of the teacher, who may view selectively such information privately on the central computer monitor before sending it out for viewing by the students.
Software and hardware that provide the following features are also provided: a communication protocol, associated with the central computer, the network and the plurality of student terminals, for allowing the transmission of command data from the central computer to one or more of the student terminals (selectively or collectively), for allowing the downloading of programs from the central computer to one or more of the student terminals in similar fashion, and for allowing the transmission of student responses or other data from the student terminals to the central computer; a timing environment, associated with the central computer software, the student terminals, and software operating on both the central computer and the student terminals, for allowing each of the terminals to proceed through a sequence of student tasks (those tasks consisting of one or a combination of questions, quizzes, tests, classroom exercises, didactic programs, instructional games, simulations, homework, and other instructional activities) either at each student""s own pace, or in lockstep with all other students in the class. If the teacher assigns different tasks to different groups of students in the class, then students within each group may proceed either individually or in lockstep with others in that group, at the selection of the teacher. In all cases the responses would be transmitted and monitored by the central computer, with the teacher retaining control of the pacing of student tasks via the central computer; a command language, with an optional associated menu driven command language generator, for enabling an instructor to prepare a series of student tasks (as described above) prior to a classroom session, and for storing this information or subsequent retrieval and use, for example using non-volatile memory or removable media such as floppy discs; a control program, optionally utilizing menu driven facilities, for enabling a teacher during a class to enter a new student task, or to retrieve and view previously prepared student tasks which then may be executed; a log-on facility for students to identify themselves personally, and by classroom location, to the system; a database facility for storing information input to the system.
This information may be input by the teacher directly via the central computer, by the students via student terminals, by reading from removable storage media (such as floppy disks) or by other means (such as networking between a teacher""s private computer and the electronic classroom system). The types of information which might be stored in the database would include class records, student rolls, questions, tests, or other tasks asked during each class, and student responses transmitted to the central computer. The actual repository may be fixed media within the central computer of the electronic classroom system, or it may be removable storage media which may be transferred between the classroom system and another computer outside the classroom (possibly the teacher""s private computer). This transferal also may take place via a local area network between the central computer and other computers; presentation and analysis facilities to enable a teacher to view and analyze information gathered by the system. During a classroom session, these facilities would allow a teacher to view and analyze student data and responses. They also would permit the teacher selectively to show certain of these responses and analyses of such responses to the class via the electronic display. Outside a classroom session, probably on a separate computer (possibly, one located in a teacher""s office), these facilities would allow a teacher to examine student responses further for a variety of purposes. Such purposes might include a search for weaknesses, or strengths, in areas of understanding for individual students, or for the class as a whole. The might include the tracking of progress of individual students, or the grouping of students with particular weaknesses or strengths. They may include assessments of attendance, class performance, homework performance, or the assignment of grades, possibly with automatic facilities for grading the various components of student performance to a selectable curve. They also may include facilities for directly transmitting student grades to administrative databases via a network.
The range of overall contexts in which the present invention may be installed and used is almost unlimited. However, emphasis on particular features of the system may vary from one context to another. For example, at the primary level there is likely to be more emphasis on the additional variety in activities provided by the system and its capability for instructional feedback to students and teacher. In addition to these factors, at the high school level automatic testing and record keeping become more important, since one teacher instructs many more students. Also, the diagnostic and early warning features become more significant. At the college level, with huge classes, all these features are important, and a professor is likely to have his or her own computer outside the classroom to assist with the preparation of materials and with data management. Thus, it would be desirable to have a flexible industrial communication and education system that could make use of existing hardware and software to deploy applications without requiring replacement of existing computer and networking environments.

Instructional system grouping student terminals


A foldable cardboard desk organizer made of corrugated cardboard for use in standard elementary school desks. The desk organizer includes a base to which are attached a front wall, a back wall and two side walls. The walls are formed by folding the wall elements upon themselves and securing by a tab and slot system to create strong, two-layer walls. The wall elements further include wing portions that, when assembled, overlap and link separate wall elements together to provide structure and support for the desk organizer. One or more divider sections may be installed within the base by attaching them to the walls to create two or more compartments within the base and defined by the divider sections. The divider sections include three overlapping layers for increased strength.

The traditional elementary school desk includes four legs and a fixed desktop with an open shelf or book box underneath. This design has been standard for decades due to its simplicity and ruggedness. However, the book box generally includes a single, open-fronted shelf for students to store their books and supplies. Without a proper way to organize available to them, many children's school desks rapidly become incredibly disorganized and messy.


A light emitting device includes: a substrate; an electrode pattern formed on the substrate; a light emitting element connected to the electrode pattern; a ridge-shaped resin covering portion which covers a part of the electrode pattern, and which includes a first and second outer edge portions; first and second through holes formed to penetrate through the electrode pattern such that the substrate is exposed; and first and second hole arrays including the first and second through holes arranged along the first and second outer edge portions, respectively. The first and second outer edge portions cover at least a part of the first and second through holes, respectively, and are bonded to the substrate in the first and second through holes, respectively.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a light emitting device and, more particularly, to a light emitting device including a resin covering portion which covers a part of an electrode pattern formed on a substrate.
2. Related Art
Patent Document 1 describes a light emitting apparatus including: an electrically insulating base member; a pair of electrically conductive pattern portions formed on an upper surface of the base member; a light emitting element electrically connected to the pair of electrically conductive pattern portions; and a resin portion that surrounds the light emitting element and partially covers the pair of electrically conductive pattern portions. Each of the pair of electrically conductive pattern portions extends toward a periphery of the base material from resin-covered parts covered by the resin. At least the resin-covered part of each of the pair of electrically conductive pattern portions has through holes. The through holes have an elongated shape extending in a direction in which the electrically conductive pattern portions such that a surface of the base material is exposed in the through holes. Both ends in a longitudinal direction of the through holes are exposed from the resin-covered part. Each of the electrically conductive pattern portions has a plurality of through holes. The through holes have a substantially rectangular shape with a longer side of the through holes extending in a direction in which the electrically conductive pattern portions extend.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2012-99545


An indoor gardening appliance includes a cabinet defining a grow chamber within the cabinet. The gardening appliance further includes an artificial lighting system configured to illuminate one or more back portions of the grow chamber. The gardening appliance also includes a controller. The controller is configured for, and/or methods of operating the gardening appliance may include, operating the artificial lighting system according to a first profile for a first period of time and operating the artificial lighting system according to a second profile for a second period of time after the first period of time.

Conventional indoor garden centers include a cabinet defining a grow chamber having a number of trays or racks positioned therein to support seedlings or plant material, e.g., for growing herbs, vegetables, or other plants in an indoor environment. In addition, such indoor garden centers may include an environmental control system that maintains the growing chamber at a desired temperature or humidity. Certain indoor garden centers may also include hydration systems for watering the plants and/or artificial lighting systems that provide the light necessary for such plants to grow.
Conventional artificial lighting systems provide light according to a static schedule, such as providing light over the same portion of each twenty-four hour period throughout the operation of the artificial lighting system. However, the optimal lighting, e.g., the optimal intensity and wavelength of the light, varies from one type of plant to another and varies over different stages of growth of the same plant. Thus, the static lighting schedule may not provide optimal lighting at all phases of plant growth or for all plants and/or may overuse the lights during certain growth phases or for certain plant types.
Accordingly, an improved indoor garden center would be useful. More particularly, an indoor garden center with a lighting system that facilitates versatile and efficient light application would be particularly beneficial.

Grow lighting profiles for indoor garden center


A baggage conveyance tray suitable for a sorting conveyor system for conveying baggage at airports has raised wall plate portions protruding on the front and rear both end portions of the tray in the length (conveyance) direction thereof extending in the right-left width direction of the tray. A baggage placement surface located between the front and rear both raised wall plate portions is concave along the length direction such that the central portion in the right-left width direction is lowered while the right and left both sides are raised. Elongated protrusion portions extending along the right-left width direction of the tray are disposed on the baggage placement surface at intervals in the length direction of the tray.

As described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,039 (Patent Literature 1), this kind of baggage conveyance tray is used for safely conveying and sorting a variety of baggage different in shape, size, weight, etc., on a sorting conveyor. This tray is provided with raised wall plate portions protruding along the right-left width direction at front and rear both end portions of the tray of a rectangular shape whose length in the front-rear direction, which is the conveyance direction, is longer than the width in the right-left direction. A baggage placement surface between the front and rear both raised wall plate portions is concave along the length direction such that a central portion in the right-left width direction is lowered and right and left both sides are raised. That is, in the sorting conveyor system for conveying baggage for example, at airports, the baggage on the tray needs to be slid and discharged onto a sorting chute juxtaposed on a lateral side portion of a conveyor line. Therefore, the tray cannot be configured to have four, i.e., front, rear, right and left sides protrudingly provided with the raised wall plate portions to enclose the baggage, and the right and left both sides of the tray are opened. As a result, there is a possibility that the baggage being conveyed to the right-left laterally slides and falls off from the tray or comes in sliding contact with guards juxtaposed on right and left both sides of the conveyor line at a horizontal curve path, etc. To avoid such a situation, the baggage placement surface between the front and rear both raised wall plate portions of the tray is concave along the length direction such that the central portion in the right-left width direction is lowered and the right and left both sides are raised.


A system for measuring heart rate variability (HRV) of a patent comprises:

The present invention relates to a method and a system for measuring heart rate variability (HRV).
The study of HRV has been in use for many years as part of clinical, prognostic work; there are international guidelines for evaluating conventional HRV parameters. The conventional parameters are partly frequency domain parameters (power spectra), and partly time domain parameters (various RMS estimates). These methods, though in general successful, are not always conclusive.
Over the last few years, new methods of analyzing Rxe2x80x94R intervals of PQRS plots representative of the human heartbeat wave have appeared, all of them showing improved diagnostic and prognostic performance. It has been shown that so-called scale dependent methods outperform scale-independent measure with respect to separating healthy subjects from patients suffering from certain cardiac dysfunctions. But in clinical practice, it is of interest to examine whether, within a group of heart patients, one can extract a subgroup of patents who are at risk, e.g., with respect to sudden cardiac death, rather than to verify the presumably known fact that they do not belong to a group of healthy subjects. It has been shown that, while scale-dependent methods worked in the former case, one had to use scale-independent measures in the latter case.
In practical medicine, recurrence plots of the Rxe2x80x94R intervals are used for diagnostic purposes by visual inspection. Since the density of the points is ignored in a visual presentation of the plot, sometimes similar patterns are found for recordings with different HRV""s. Although some attempts have been made to include the density of points, this procedure is performed manually and is thus dependent on the performer""s skins. Hence, crucial information about the topology of the recurrence plot might be lost.
FIG. 1 illustrates an ECO signal wave. The electro-physiological features of the heart are generally measured by an electrocardiograph, and the electro-physiological recording of the heart function is known as the ECG or EKG. The six features P, Q, R, S, T, U (FIG. 1) describe the sequence of two cycles wherein the R potential is the highest peak. It is therefore easy to distinguish the other five features and the R-peak of the next sequence. The Rxe2x80x94R distance is measured in milliseconds and represents the inverse heart rate (HR). The HR is normally not constant, but continually oscillates around its mean level. These short-term cyclic changes are primarily caused by cardiac autonomic modulation.
The calculation of HR and its variability can be used to estimate autonomic activity as and in particular, to evaluate autonomic nervous system influences on heart functions. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) comprises all of the efferent nerves through the visceral organs, including the cardiovascular system, the and the peripheral involuntary muscles. The ANS is generally described as a combination of two main systems that balances and interacts; the sympathetic, regulated by adrenergic activities, and the parasympathetic, cholinergically regulated. One of the main nerves controlling the activity of the heart is the fast-acting, parasympathetic Vagus nerve.
It is generally accepted today that HRV measurement is also a valuable took for the determination of the status of the ANS. Changes in vagal activity cause immediate large changes in instantaneous HR, whereas changes in sympathetic activities are associated with more gradual, slow changes.
The measurement of HR and its rhythmicity, HRV, are only used as a diagnostic tool in cardiology. A stable heart rate is a sign that the heart does not respond to external influences, which responses are mainly regulated by the ANS. Such a situation is dangerous for the individual and is considered to be a pathological symptom. Research has indicated that a quantification of HRV, the discrete beat-to-beat variability in the heart, plays an important prognostic role as an indicator of risk associated with a large variety of diseases, behavioral disorders, mortality and also aging, independent of other risk factors.
Depressed, low HRV has been shown to be a powerful predictor of cardiac events after myocardial infarct. It is therefore crucial to establish a measure of HRV and to quantitatively classify the HRVs of different pathological cases, in order to discriminate between healthy HR profiles and those of patients at risk.
The commercially available medical device for detection of HVR is the Holter 24-hour recording and analysis instrument. A Holter instrument monitor continuously records heart patterns from electrodes attached to the patient for a 24-hour period. The Holter recording technique records the ECG on analog magnetic tape, and a Holter scanner analyzes the tape 60 or 120 times to produce a final report. A Holter scanner report may contain statistical calculations of the heart activity and a detailed report of abnormal cardiological events, such as sinus pauses and propped beats. A limited factor of this technology is the long, 24-hour measurement time and the lack of a graphic print-out summarizing the entire examination period as well as a material evaluation of the total measurement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,901 (Kamen) discloses a method and apparatus for measuring autonomic activity of a patient during a short duration. The method utilizes a visual description of the recurrence plot and separates between direct pathological states, according to different patterns. The method, however, suffers from the fact that the figures of the recurrence plots do not allow the inspection of the density of the data points, which varies over the whole contour, but only renders information of the general shape of the plot. The method and apparatus of Kamen include performing a calculation of the correlation dimension in order to quantify the degree of heart failure, but such a calculation necessitates a dimension that is partly bases on a visual, subjective inspection. Such a visual inspection is known to be unreliable.
It is therefore a broad object of the present invention to provide an accurate method and system for measuring HRV over a relatively short period of time of 60 minutes or less.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and a system for measuring HRV, giving results which are more precise and easier to evaluate.
It is a still object of tie present invention to provide a method and system enabling a prognosis of the status of a patient with a history of heart failure or impaired heart function, by quantification of the degree of heart failure or heart function impairment.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide a method and a system allowing for the classification of patients with a history of heart failure or impaired heart function into the following three groups, ordered according to the risk of death due to heart failure: (1) patients with a minimal risk of sudden death, comparable to that of healthy individuals; (2) patients with an increased risk of sudden death, and (3) patients with a high risk of sudden death.
In accordance with the present invention, there is therefore provided a system for measuring heart rate variability (HRV) of a patient, comprising recording means for obtaining and recording heartbeat-to-heartbeat intervals for a predetermined period of time; process means for digitizing said intervals, forming a recurrence plot, and assigning a unit mass to each point on the plot representing a measured interval, and calculating the determinant by the expression
Qdet=QxxQyy
wherein:
Qxx is the quadrople moment relative to the X axis of the principal coordinate,
Qyy is the quadrople moment relative to the Y axis of the principal coordinate; and
Qdet is the product to Qxx and Qyy.
The invention further provides a method for measuring the heart rate variability (HRV) of a patient, comprising collecting data of heartbeat-to-heartbeat intervals; determining the intervals during a predetermined period of time; generating a recurrence plot from said determined intervals, and calculating the determinant by the expression
Qdetxe2x88x92QxxQyy
wherein:
Qxx is the quadrupole moment relative to the X axis of the principal coordinate,
Qyy is the quadrupole moment relative to the X axis of the principal coordinate; and
Qdet is the product of Qxx and Qyy,
The invention will now be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments with reference to the following illustrative figures so that it may be more fully understood.
With specific reference now to the figures in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of like preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspect of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

Method and system for measuring heart rate variability

Abstract: recording means for obtaining and regulating heartbeat-to-heartbeat intervals for a predetermined period of time;

Abstract: processing means for digitizing said intervals, forming a recurrence plot, and assigning a unit mass to each point on the plot representing a measured interval, and calculating the determinant by the expression

Abstract: Qdet=QxxQyy

Abstract: wherein:

Abstract: Qyy is the quadrupole moment relative to the Y axis of the principal coordinate; and

Abstract: Qdet is the product of Qxx and Qyy.

LEV-EL Diagnostics of Heart Disease Ltd.


In one embodiment, a system and method include determining bandwidth of a link that connects a local modem to a remote router. A first percentage of the bandwidth is assigned to a first class of data and a second percentage of bandwidth is assigned to a second class of data. The remaining percentage of the bandwidth is assigned for nominal excess capacity. The flow of first class of data and second class of data are controlled to below respective percentages of the bandwidth.

Best-effort (BE) delivery describes a network service or link in which the network or link does not provide any guarantees that data is delivered or that a user is given a guaranteed quality of service (QoS) level or a certain priority. In a best-effort network all users obtain best-effort service, meaning that they obtain unspecified variable bit rate and delivery time, depending on the current traffic load.
These BE/non-QoS Internet Service Provider (ISP) customer connections do not prioritize different flows that originate from different "Internet sources" to the customer. This lack of prioritization causes many "real-time" packets, which need to traverse the ISP to the customer quickly, to be caught behind other customer traffic that does not have such a time sensitive delivery constraint. A bottleneck link is often the last link to the customer from a service provider and is generally a BE/non-QoS link. The packets may be dropped from the bottleneck link or a queue may form at the service provider when volume on the bottleneck link is too high.

Maximizing bottleneck link utilization under constraint of minimizing queuing delay for targeted delay-sensitive traffic


A robot controller that controls a tandem arc welding system according to the present invention includes a leading-electrode correcting section that calculates a leading-electrode correction amount, used for correcting a displacement in a left-right direction and an up-down direction, from a leading-electrode changing amount calculated by a leading-electrode processing section; a leading-electrode correcting section that calculates a trailed-electrode correction amount, used for correcting a displacement in a rotational direction, from a trailed-electrode changing amount calculated by a trailed-electrode processing section; a rotational-displacement correction controlling processing section that calculates a rotational-center correction amount for correcting the displacement of the leading electrode; and a robot trajectory planning processing section that corrects a teaching position and a position of a rotational center of a welding torch during tracking correction. By such a structure, even if arc tracking is carried out at any rotational center, displacement of the leading electrode does not occur, so that defective welding does not occur.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a robot controller that controls a tandem arc welding system that performs arc welding by causing a welding torch to move so as to track a weld line while the welding torch is caused to weave leftwards and rightwards using a robot along a V-shaped or an L-shaped groove or a groove that is similar to the V-shaped or the L-shaped groove. The welding torch includes two electrodes. In addition, the present invention relates to an arc tracking controlling method using the robot controller, and a tandem arc welding system.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a related technology regarding arc tracking when carrying out related tandem arc welding, for example, a technology discussed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-93670 is provided. In this technology, arc tracking is performed by calculating a correction amount from amounts of electrical changes of a leading electrode and a trailed electrode in one weaving period. In addition, in this technology, the arc tracking is carried out by rotating the trailed electrode around the leading electrode. That is, in the related arc tracking performed during the tandem arc welding, the arc tracking of the trailed electrode is carried out to perform correction around a leading electrode torch. Accordingly, it is necessary to set the rotational center, that is, a tool center point (TCP) at the leading electrode.
Here, the tandem arc welding that is performed using a robot that performs the welding is carried out by previously teaching a work trajectory and reproducing the stored trajectory. The teaching of the work trajectory is performed after specifying the aforementioned TCP. In a tandem arc welding system, the position of a wire end of the leading electrode, the position of a wire end of the trailed electrode, and a position between the electrodes are previously set as angles and distances from a flange surface of the robot, and are changeable according to the conditions.
In the tandem arc welding, setting the TCP at an intermediate position between the leading electrode and the trailed electrode may be advantageous from the viewpoint of operation. For example, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, changing a direction of operation of the robot applies to such a case. As shown in FIG. 9A, when the TCP is set at the leading electrode 2a and this is taught, if the direction of operation is changed to the opposite direction without changing a teaching position, an end point changes by a distance S. Therefore, the welding torch and a welded structure interfere with each other, thereby making it necessary to correct the teaching position. In contrast, as shown in FIG. 9B, when the TCP is set at an intermediate position between the leading electrode 2a and the trailed electrode 2b, and this is taught, even if the direction of operation is changed to the opposite direction without changing a teaching position, an end point does not change. Therefore, the amount of correction of the teaching position is reduced.
However, when, for example, in the arc tracking discussed in the aforementioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-93670, the TCP is set at a position other than where the leading electrode 2a is disposed, such as an intermediate position between the leading electrode 2a and the trailed electrode 2b, the following occurs. That is, as shown in FIG. 10A, the arc tracking of the trailed electrode 2b rotates around the intermediate position between the leading electrode 2a and the trailed electrode 2b (corresponding to the TCP) as a rotational center, so that the position of the leading electrode 2a changes as a result of the arc tracking of the trailed electrode 2b. When the position of the leading electrode 2a changes during arc welding in this way, locations that actually need to be welded are not welded. This may result in defective welding, such as weld penetration. Therefore, in the arc tracking discussed in the aforementioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-93670, in order to minimize defective welding, it is necessary to set the TCP at the leading electrode 2a and correct the teaching position as shown in FIG. 10B.

Robot controller that controls tandem arc welding system, arc tracking controlling method using the robot controller, and the tandem arc welding system


A packaging cushion includes a first liner and a second liner opposite one another and each defining an inner surface. A transverse liner axis extends normal to the inner surfaces. The packaging cushion includes a mesh bonded to and disposed between the first and second liners. The mesh has a top mesh surface and an opposed bottom mesh surface. The mesh defines a plurality of nodes and a plurality of legs interconnecting the plurality of nodes. Each of the plurality of nodes defines 1) a top node surface defined by the top mesh surface, 2) a bottom node surface defined by the bottom mesh surface, and 3) a transverse node axis extending substantially normal to the top and bottom node surfaces. The transverse node axes of at least some of the plurality of nodes are each oriented at an oblique angle relative to the transverse liner axis.

The present invention relates to packaging, and more particularly to structure and function of packaging structures for shipping products.
Many common packaging products, such as, for example, padded envelopes (e.g, "jiffy mailers" or "bubble mailers"), are made from a combination of paper-based materials and plastic-based materials bonded together. While the paper-based materials of the packaging product may be recyclable in a paper-based recycling facility and the plastic-based materials may be recyclable in a plastic-based recycling facility, such products need to be separated into their paper-based and plastic-based materials prior to depositing them into a recycling bin, at least in most areas or municipalities. Thus, such products, as received by a consumer or other recipient, are not considered "curbside recyclable." Unfortunately, such packaging products often find their way into landfills or other garbage disposal sites.
The inventors of the present disclosure have identified that imparting deformations in prior art paper-based packaging products, such as rigid corrugated paperboard (also referred to as "cardboard" or "corrugate"), results in impairment of performance of such products because rigidity becomes compromised. After rigid corrugated paperboard is folded, creased, and/or bent, portions thereof have localized weaknesses that can impair its protective functionality which relies substantially on rigidity. For example, certain types of corrugate possess a high compressive strength yet, should a crease be formed therein, the corrugate no longer exhibits protective functionality because its strength is compromised. Moreover, while certain features can be incorporated into paper-based packaging products to enhance strength, such features add complexity, and thus cost, to such packaging products.

Packaging products and associated material


A rolling type 3D printing device for recycling powders and an operation method thereof are provided. The rolling type 3D printing device has a rolling mechanism, at least one optical module, and a powder conveying module. The rolling mechanism holds a workpiece and receives powders. Cylindrical or cone workpieces can be laminated by the rolling type 3D printing device through the design of the rolling mechanism.

In laminating manufacturing technology, data and material are put into a 3D printing device. The workpiece is stacked in the layers so that the complex structure of the workpiece can be completed. The technology of 3D printing device includes selective laser sintering (SLS), selective laser melting (SLM), direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), and electron beam melting (EBM). In SLS, low temperature melting polymer powders are fused by using a low-power laser. In SLM, metal powders are melted by using a high-energy laser. In DMLS, metal powders are fused into a solid part by melting it locally using a focused laser beam. In EBM, metal powders are melted by using an electron beam.
However, in traditional laminating manufacturing technology, the process of feeding powders, flattening powders, feeding and inhaling gas, and melting by lasers are limited by the working range of an f-theta lens. Only one plane is laminated to form a workpiece, and cylindrical or cone workpieces cannot be laminated through the traditional laminating manufacturing technology. In addition, gas is inhaled or fed onto the layers and cannot effectively provide the powders recovery for a long time. The working range is limited by a flowing distance and wind speed of a gas field.
As a result, it is necessary to provide an improved a rolling type 3D printing device and an operation method thereof to solve the problems existing in the conventional technologies, as described above.

3D printing device and operation method thereof