In a signal demultiplexing device formed by a probe light source, a wavelength converter, and a wavelength demultiplexer, the probe light source is formed by a plurality of sub-probe light sources configured to respectively generate the sub-probe lights with the prescribed different wavelengths for respective time-slots, a multiplexer configured to multiplex the sub-probe lights generated by the plurality of sub-probe light sources, and a phase different giving unit configured to give phase differences corresponding to time-slot positions to the sub-probe lights multiplexed by the multiplexer, and to sequentially output the sub-probe lights with the phase differences in correspondence to respective time-slots.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a signal demultiplexing device and a signal routing device in a high speed transmission system, for time division demultiplexing a series of high speed multiplexed signal lights in which signal lights with a prescribed identical frequency, i.e., identical wavelength, are time division multiplexed in terms of time-slots, by converting them into low speed wavelength division multiplexed signal lights, and outputting signal lights of desired wavelengths that constitute the low speed wavelength division multiplexed signals by distributing them in desired time-slots.
2. Description of the Background Art
A conventional signal demultiplexing device of this type is as shown in FIG. 11, for example. In this conventional signal demultiplexing device of FIG. 11, high speed multiplexed signal lights constituting a series of signal lights that are time division multiplexed in terms of time-slots T1, T2, T3 and T4 are distributed by a distributor 61 and a plurality of distributed signal lights are respectively supplied to a plurality of separators 63a, 63b, 63c and 63d.
On the other hand, a prescribed phase difference xcex94T corresponding to a time interval between adjacent time-slots is sequentially given by phase difference giving elements 67a, 67b and 67c such as delay lines, with respect to a series of signals sequentially outputted from an oscillator 65, so as to sequentially generate time division demultiplexing signals with phases coinciding with those of the time-slots. This series of time division demultiplexing signals are respectively supplied to the plurality of separators 63d, 63c, 63b and 63a where signal lights of the respective time-slots are extracted by using the time division demultiplexing signals, and the signal lights of the respective time-slots T1, T2, T3 and T4 are received by a plurality of receivers 69a, 69b, 69c and 69d respectively.
The conventional signal demultiplexing device in such a configuration requires a plurality of separators 63a to 63d which are time division demultiplexing elements for the purpose of extracting the respective time-slots, and there is a need to align phases of the respective time-slots with phases at respective separators, while the time-slot demultiplexing speed is limited by the separators 63a to 63d that are the time division demultiplexing elements.
FIG. 2 shows a configuration of a signal demultiplexing device using a wavelength converter. This signal demultiplexing device of FIG. 2 has a wavelength converter 1 into which signal lights with a prescribed identical wavelength xcexs that are high speed time division multiplexed signal lights multiplexed in terms of time-slots T1, T2, T3 and T4 are inputted, and probe lights that are low speed wavelength division multiplexed signal lights comprising a series of sub-probe lights with prescribed different wavelengths xcex1, xcex2, xcex3 and xcex4 for respective time-slots T1, T2, T3 and T4 that are synchronized with the high speed time division multiplexed signal lights are also inputted. In this wavelength converter 1, the prescribed wavelength xcexs of each signal light in each time-slot is converted into a desired wavelength xcexi (i=1, 2, 3, 4) of the probe light in the corresponding time-slot Ti (i=1, 2, 3, 4), and resulting wavelength division multiplexed signal lights are supplied to a wavelength demultiplexer 9.
Then, at the wavelength demultiplexer 9, the wavelength division multiplexed signal lights from the wavelength converter 1 are demultiplexed, and as outputs of the wavelength demultiplexer 9 shown in FIG. 2, a signal light with a wavelength xcex1 is outputted to the time-slot T1 from a first port of the wavelength demultiplexer 9 and received by a receiver 11a, a signal light with a wavelength xcex2 is outputted to the time-slot T2 from a second port of the wavelength demultiplexer 9 and received by a receiver 11b, a signal light with a wavelength xcex3 is outputted to the time-slot T3 from a third port of the wavelength demultiplexer 9 and received by a receiver 11c, and a signal light with a wavelength xcex4 is outputted to the time-slot T4 from a fourth port of the wavelength demultiplexer 9 and received by a receiver 11d.
Note that the probe lights constituting the low speed wavelength division multiplexed signal lights are applied with a clock modulation at a divided frequency of the high speed time division multiplexed signal lights, and a phase relationship adjustment such that bits are in complementary relationship, thereby converting the high speed time division multiplexed signal lights into the wavelength division multiplexed signal lights which are them wavelength demultiplexed and received by the respective receivers 11a, 11b, 11c and 11d.
In the signal demultiplexing device using the wavelength converter described above, the probe lights that are low speed signals can be generated conventionally by an individual modulation scheme using electrically generated phase differences, an individual modulation scheme using optically generated phase differences, or a collective modulation scheme, and each of these schemes will be described next.
FIG. 12 shows a circuit configuration of a conventional probe light source for realizing the individual modulation scheme using electrically generated phase difference mentioned above. The probe light source of FIG. 12 has a plurality of sub-probe light sources 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d for respectively generating sub-probe lights with prescribed different wavelengths xcex1, xcex2, xcex3 and xcex4 for respective time-slots T1, T2, T3 and T4, and the sub-probe lights with wavelengths xcex1, xcex2, xcex3 and xcex4 outputted from these sub-probe light sources 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d are respectively supplied to modulators 71a, 71b, 71c and 71d.
On the other hand, a prescribed phase difference xcex94T corresponding to a time interval between adjacent time-slots is sequentially given by electric phase difference giving elements 67a, 67b and 67c such as delay lines, with respect to a series of signals sequentially outputted from an oscillator 65, so as to sequentially generate phase adjustment signals with phases coinciding with those of the time-slots. This series of phase adjustment signals are supplied to the respective modulators 71a, 71b, 71c and 71d where phases of the sub-probe lights from the sub-probe light sources 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d are adjusted, and the phase adjusted sub-probe lights are multiplexed by a multiplexer 73, and the probe lights comprising a series of sub-probe lights with different wavelengths xcex1, xcex2, xcex3 and xcex4 for the respective time-slots T1, T2, T3 and T4 which are synchronized with the respective time-slots T1, T2, T3 and T4 are outputted from the multiplexer 73.
FIG. 13 shows a circuit configuration of a conventional probe light source for realizing the individual modulation scheme using optically generated phase difference mentioned above. The probe light source of FIG. 13 uses a plurality of optical fibers 75a, 75b, 75c and 75d with different lengths for optically generating phase differences, instead of the electric phase difference giving elements 67a, 67b and 67c used in the conventional probe light source shown in FIG. 12, such that a sub-probe light with a wavelength xcex1 transmitted from the sub-probe light source 13a through the modulator 71a is inputted into the multiplexer 73 without any delay by an optical fiber 75a, a sub-probe light with a wavelength xcex2 transmitted from the sub-probe light source 13b through the modulator 71b is inputted into the multiplexer 73 with a delay of xcex94T by an optical fiber 75b, a sub-probe light with a wavelength xcex3 transmitted from the sub-probe light source 13c through the modulator 71c is inputted into the multiplexer 73 with a delay of 2xcex94T by an optical fiber 75c, and a sub-probe light with a wavelength xcex4 transmitted from the sub-probe light source 13d through the modulator 71d is inputted into the multiplexer 73 with a delay of 3xcex94T by an optical fiber 75d. Then, the probe lights comprising a series of sub-probe lights with different wavelengths xcex1, xcex2, xcex3 and xcex4 for the respective time-slots T1, T2, T3 and T4 are outputted from the multiplexer 73.
FIG. 14 shows a circuit configuration of a conventional probe light source for realizing the collective modulation scheme mentioned above. The probe light source of FIG. 14 multiplexes the sub-probe lights with wavelengths xcex1, xcex2, xcex3 and xcex4 from the plurality of sub-probe light sources 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d at a multiplexer 77, and applies a collective modulation to the multiplexed sub-probe lights at an oscillator driven modulator 79. Then, these sub-probe lights are wavelength demultiplexed at a demultiplexer 81, and necessary phase differences are given to the respective wavelength demultiplexed sub-probe lights by optical fibers 83a, 83b, 83c and 83d. Then, these sub-probe lights are multiplexed at a multiplexer 85, and the probe lights comprising a series of sub-probe lights with different wavelengths xcex1, xcex2, xcex3 and xcex4 for the respective time-slots T1, T2, T3 and T4 are outputted from the multiplexer 85.
Now, the conventional probe light sources used for the signal demultiplexing device using the wavelength converter described above are associated with problems that there is a need to adjust a phase of the optical wavelength signal with respect to the respective time-slot individually, and that there is a possibility for increasing a scale of hardware regarding the wavelength multiplexing and demultiplexing.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a signal demultiplexing device and a signal routing device in a high speed transmission system capable of handling the high speed multiplexed signal lights for which a processing using electric signals is impossible, by using a relatively simple circuit configuration.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a signal demultiplexing device in a high speed transmission system, for time division demultiplexing high speed multiplexed signal lights in which signal lights with a prescribed identical wavelength are time division multiplexed in terms of time-slots, by converting the high speed multiplexed signal lights into low speed wavelength division multiplexed signal lights, the signal demultiplexing device comprising: a probe light source configured to generate probe lights formed by a series of sub-probe lights with prescribed different wavelengths for respective time-slots, in synchronization with the high speed multiplexed signal lights; a wavelength converter configured to receive the probe lights from the probe light source and the high speed multiplexed signal lights, and to convert the prescribed identical wavelength of the high speed multiplexed signal lights in each time-slot into a prescribed wavelength of a probe light in a corresponding time-slot so as to obtain wavelength division multiplexed signal lights; and a wavelength demultiplexer configured to wavelength division demultiplex the wavelength division multiplexed signal lights obtained by the wavelength converter, and to output demultiplexed signal lights; wherein the probe light source has: a plurality of sub-probe light sources configured to respectively generate the sub-probe lights with the prescribed different wavelengths for respective time-slots; a multiplexer configured to multiplex the sub-probe lights generated by the plurality of sub-probe light sources; and a phase different giving unit configured to give phase differences corresponding to time-slot positions to the sub-probe lights multiplexed by the multiplexer, and to sequentially output the sub-probe lights with the phase differences in correspondence to respective time-slots.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a signal routing device in a high speed transmission system, for time division demultiplexing high speed multiplexed signal lights in which signal lights with a prescribed identical wavelength are time division multiplexed in terms of time-slots, by converting the high speed multiplexed signal lights into low speed wavelength division multiplexed signal lights, and for outputting signal lights by distributing signal lights with desired wavelengths that constitute the low speed wavelength division multiplexed signals into desired time-slots according to routing control signals, the signal routing device comprising: a probe light source configured to generate probe lights formed by a series of sub-probe lights with variable desired wavelengths for respective time-slots, in synchronization with the high speed multiplexed signal lights; a wavelength converter configured to receive the probe lights from the probe light source and the high speed multiplexed signal lights, and to convert the prescribed identical wavelength of the high speed multiplexed signal lights in each time-slot into a prescribed wavelength of a probe light in a corresponding time-slot so as to obtain wavelength division multiplexed signal lights; and a wavelength demultiplexer configured to wavelength division demultiplex the wavelength division multiplexed signal lights obtained by the wavelength converter, and to output demultiplexed signal lights; wherein the probe light source has: a plurality of sub-probe light sources configured to respectively generate the sub-probe lights with prescribed different wavelengths for respective time-slots; a multiplexer configured to multiplex the sub-probe lights generated by the plurality of sub-probe light sources; and a phase different giving unit configured to give phase differences corresponding to time-slot positions to the sub-probe lights multiplexed by the multiplexer, and to sequentially output the sub-probe lights with the phase differences in correspondence to respective time-slots, such that a sub-probe light with a desired wavelength is outputted in correspondence to a desired time-slot according to the routing control signals.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Signal demultiplexing device and signal routing device in high speed transmission system


A new and distinct x Mangave plant named ‘Pineapple Punch’ characterized by moderate to rapid growth rate and compact habit of stiff, upright to outward pointing, succulent foliage gray-green coloring and burgundy speckling in the leaf centers and cherry red in the margins. The leaves have a yellowish margin that varies from chartreuse to bright gold.

The present invention relates to the new and distinct X Mangave plant, X Mangave 'Pineapple Punch' discovered by the inventor at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich., USA as a single, individual, whole-plant mutation in a tissue culture batch of x Mangave 'Pineapple Express' U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,613. The mutation was found on Oct. 17, 2017. Through repeated trials beginning in 2018 at the same nursery the new plant was referred to by the breeder code 18-SP-MANG-751. The new plant has been successfully asexually propagated by division at the same nursery in Zeeland, Mich. Asexually propagated divisions have been found to produce stable and identical plants that maintain all the unique characteristics of the original plant.


A computer implemented method and system for converting schematic diagrams. The method includes accessing a first set of schematic diagrams, wherein the schematic diagrams represent an integrated circuit design to be realized in physical form. A plurality of a first type of circuit elements in the first set are converted into a second type of circuit elements. The conversion is implemented in accordance with a set of conversion rules. A second set of schematic diagrams representing the integrated circuit design and including the second type of circuit elements are then output.

As the operating voltages for CMOS transistor circuits have decreased, variations in the threshold voltages for the transistors have become more significant. Although low operating voltages offer the potential for reduced power consumption and higher operating speeds, threshold voltage variations due to process and environmental variables often prevent optimum efficiency and performance from being achieved. Body-biasing is a prior art mechanism for compensating for threshold voltage variations, and functions by introducing a reverse bias potential between the bulk and the source of the transistor, allowing the threshold voltage of the transistor to be adjusted electrically. The application of body-biasing techniques to an existing semiconductor device may require schematic edits because the schematics may have been drawn assuming implicit and static electrical connections on the bulk nodes. Alternatively it may be desirable to have the same schematics be targeted both for non body-biasing and body-biasing techniques.

Method and system for automated schematic diagram conversion to support semiconductor body bias designs


Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide a staggered multichannel transducer in a ranging system configured to perform remote sensing. The staggered multichannel transducer may extend in a first direction and one or more transducer elements of the array may offset from the other transducer elements in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The staggered arrangement of the transducer elements may improve remote sensing performance to produce accurate remote sensing data and/or imagery. The staggered arrangement also may reduce a number of transducer elements used in the transducer array which reduce the cost and complexity of the transducer array. Further, the staggered arrangement in a linear transducer array also allows for two-dimensional beam forming.

Ranging systems, such as radar, sonar, lidar, and/or other remote sensing systems, are often used to assist in navigation by producing data and/or imagery of the environment surrounding a mobile structure, such as imagery representing above-surface and/or subsurface features critical to navigation of aircraft, ground vehicles, or watercraft. Conventional ranging systems often include a display configured to provide remote sensing imagery to a user.
Higher quality remote sensing imagery has conventionally been associated with relatively large and unwieldy transducer assemblies. Ranging systems incorporating such assemblies are typically expensive and cannot be used with a large portion of non-commercial watercraft. At the same time, consumer market pressures and convenience dictate smaller and easier to use systems that include more features and produce higher quality resulting imagery. Thus, there is a need for an improved transducer assembly to provide compact yet feature-rich and flexible-use ranging systems, particularly in the context of providing relatively high quality enhanced sensing data and/or imagery.

Ranging systems and methods with staggered multichannel transducers


A computer-implemented method of setting a parameter. The method comprises detecting a first user input on a first location on a graphical user interface, displaying on the graphical user interface a pie menu centered on the first location, the pie menu comprising at least one angular sector that is associated with a customizable parameter. The method also comprises detecting a second user input on a second location on the graphical user interface in the at least angular sector, the second user input being maintained. The method further comprises selecting among a set of values, a value of the customizable parameter by displacing the second user input from the second location to a third location.

Pie menus are widely used in graphical user interface for performing the selection of an action or for triggering a function. Pie menus are also referred to as radial menus because the menu items are displayed in a substantially circular arrangement around a center point. Each of the menu items, in addition to the icon or text representing the item, has a selectable area that is a pie menu sector, i.e. a sector of the entire pie menu. Pie menus are commonly implemented with a pie menu activation input that starts their operation. Subsequent input may then be interpreted as a pie menu selection input, i.e. an input that selects one of the pie menu sectors. Once a pie menu sector has been selected, usually the action associated with the pie menu item assigned to that sector is executed. The action associated with the pie menu item can be the selection of one value associated with the item, or it can be the triggering of a function, for instance adding texture on a 3D modeled object.
Pie menus suffers several drawbacks. The first one is that user interactions that are not pointer-based can be problematic. Notably, touch screens are problematic because the appendage (e.g. a finger) in contact with the touch screen performs both the position of the user interaction and the user user interaction.
The second drawback is that the selection accuracy in a pie menu is related to the number of items the menu offers. Higher numbers of menu items require more angular precision for selection. For that reason, a pie menu involves a trade-off between the number of menu items and the ease of selection from the menu. This is more particularly an issue in contexts of selection of continuous values (within a range); for instance, the size of a pie menu is limited in order to keep the user working area clear.
A solution to problem is to implement a pie menu wherein each menu item leads to sub-menu items, themselves leading to sub-menus item until the user finds the value he is looking for. However, this kind of solution is not satisfactory as the successive selections of a menu item go against the principles of operation of a pie menu: a faster and more reliable selection that depends on the distance between the cursor and the menus item, a large menu slices in size and near the pointer for fast interaction, use selection without looking at the menu while performing a selection.
Within this context, there is still a need for an improved method for setting the value of a parameter that is selected among a range of continuous values.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An array of titanium dioxide nanostructures for solar energy utilization includes a plurality of nanotubes, each nanotube including an outer layer coaxial with an inner layer, where the inner layer comprises p-type titanium dioxide and the outer layer comprises n-type titanium dioxide. An interface between the inner layer and the outer layer defines a p-n junction.

In recent years, the activity in solar cell research has considerably increased due to the need for solar-to-electricity and solar-to-fuel conversion with increased efficiency. TiO2 is widely recognized as one of the most promising photocatalysts for solar energy utilization, but its energy conversion efficiency has been severely limited by its intrinsic band gap of 3.2 eV, which can be excited only by ultraviolet light (small fraction of the sunlight). Researchers have employed various strategies to make TiO2 more responsive to visible light, including incorporating a dye or sensitizer on TiO2 particles or films and also doping TiO2.
Dye-sensitized solar cells (Gratzel cells) based on TiO2 have emerged as a viable technology for photovoltaics, which have traditionally relied on solid-state junction devices based on silicon. These hybrid organic-inorganic devices separate the two tasks of light absorption and charge carrier transport. An organic sensitizer or dye attached to the surface of a wide band gap semiconductor (e.g., TiO2) absorbs light, and charge separation occurs at the interface by photo-induced electron injection from the dye into the conduction band of the semiconductor. Charge carriers move from the conduction band to the charge collector, and conversion of incident photons into electric current may be achieved over a large spectral range extending from the ultraviolet to the near infrared region. The use of dyes having a broad absorption band in conjunction with high surface area TiO2 films allows a large fraction of sunlight to be harvested. Values exceeding 11% efficiency using mesoporous anatase TiO2 at one sun illumination were achieved by Gratzel in 2006.
A downside of dye-sensitized solar cell technology, however, is that the dye must be regenerated with electrons, and the typical approach involves using a redox electrolyte that includes corrosive media in an organic solvent. Over time, the electrodes may become corroded as a consequence of the regeneration process and may degrade, thereby diminishing the performance of the solar cell. Accordingly, improved technologies are needed to avoid long-term stability problems as well as sealing issues with dye-sensitized TiO2 cells.

Array of titanium dioxide nanostructures for solar energy utilization


The invention provides a surface capacitive touch panel and an electronic device, said surface capacitive touch panel comprising: a resistive film, on which an electrode setting area divided into at least two layers is set; and a plurality of conductive electrodes, set in said electrode setting area; said plurality of conductive electrodes including at least one set of electrodes; wherein, said set of electrodes includes: a first strip electrode; a second strip electrode, in parallel with said first strip electrode, but in a different layer; a third strip electrode, in parallel with said first strip electrode, but in a different layer; said second strip electrode and said third strip electrode being located on the same side of said first strip electrode; a fourth strip electrode, both ends of which are connected with said first strip electrode and said second strip electrode, respectively; and a fifth strip electrode, both ends of which are connected with said first strip electrode and said third strip electrode, respectively. The invention enhances the linear degree of the electrical field applied to the resistive film, thereby enhancing the positioning accuracy.

The present invention relates to touch panel technology, and in particular, to a surface capacitive touch panel and an electronic device.
The advantages of capacitive touch panel lie in that the sensitivity is high, no pressure is needed for sensing, and it can provide a good user experience.
Now, the capacitive touch panels are mainly divided into two types: projected capacitive touch panels and surface capacitive touch panels. Among these, the surface capacitive touch panels only support single-point touch, but do not support multiple-point touch; while the projected capacitive touch panels support multiple-point touch. The surface capacitive touch panels may have a structure of single-layer Indium-Tin Oxide (ITO), the cost of which prevails over that of the resistive touch panels, so the surface capacitive touch panels may replace the resistive touch panels in the future, as main touch panels used in low end and medium electronic products.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the electrode distribution of one corner of a surface capacitive touch panel, As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of electrodes are set on a resistive film, and said electrodes can include: a ladder-shaped electrode 11; a strip electrode 12 with a first length; a strip electrode 13 with a second length; right angle electrodes 14 located at four corners.
Of course, there may be Z shaped electrodes, triangle electrodes and so on.
During implementing embodiments of the invention, the inventor discovered that the existing surface capacitive touch panels have at least the following problems.
In the surface capacitive touch panels, the detection accuracy depends on the linearity of the electrical field applied to the resistive film. Therefore, in order to enhance the positioning accuracy, more uniform and more linearized electrical field is required. The current solution of the existing surface capacitive touch panel is to distribute the linear pattern outside the touch area of the touch panel to realize a linear electrical field, but the linear degree of the electrical field obtained by the existing electrode pattern can not satisfy the requirement for high accuracy positioning, and this greatly limits the application of the surface capacitive touch panel, and this phenomenon is prominent especially in a wide touch panel.

Surface capacitive touch panel and electronic device


A method and apparatus for configuring and entering bids in an auction is disclosed. The method includes displaying a bid adjustment mechanism configuration interfaced to a bidder. Thereafter, a bid adjustment value for the bid adjustment mechanism is set using the configuration interface. Following the setting step, upon actuation of the bid adjustment mechanism, a bid is adjusted by the bid adjustment value previously set using the configuration interface.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosed invention relates generally to conducting electronic auctions, and in particular to a method of adjusting bids in electronic auctions.
2. Description of Background
Procurement of goods and services has traditionally involved high transaction costs, especially information search costs. The introduction of electronic commerce has introduced new methods of procurement that lower some of the transaction costs associated with procurement. Online procurement, in particular business-to-business electronic commerce, matches buyers and suppliers so that transactions can take place electronically.
Four models of online procurement have been developed: catalog, buyer-bidding auctions, seller-bidding auctions and exchange marketplaces.
The "catalog" model was the earliest form of online procurement. Initially, catalogs were developed by sellers, typically suppliers, to help customers obtain information about products, and order supplies electronically. These first electronic catalogs were single-source; i.e. they only allowed customers to obtain information and products from that supplier.
Although these first electronic catalogs greatly reduced the information search costs associated with procurement, customers were disadvantageously "locked in" to one supplier at each electronic catalog. Customers were thus unable to compare a number of competing products in a single catalog. Therefore suppliers with single-source catalogs began including competitors' products in their systems. The inclusion of competing products in electronic catalogs reduced procurement information search costs even further. By offering competing products, electronic catalogs became "electronic markets".
However, many of these catalog systems are biased toward the supplier offering the electronic catalog. Therefore, third-party "market makers" have developed unbiased markets for many standard products and services. By having a market maker develop a market for certain products by offering an unbiased electronic catalog, procurement costs are further lowered by promoting competition between suppliers as well as reducing information search costs for buyers.
Electronic commerce using the electronic catalog model typically involves one buyer and one seller at a time. When many buyers compete for the right to buy from one seller, a buyer-bidding auction model, or forward auction is created.
In a forward auction, various goods or services may be simultaneously placed for auction. As in an offline auction, bid prices start low and move upward as bidders interact to establish a closing price. Typically, the auction marketplace is one-sided, with one seller and many potential buyers, although multiple-seller auctions are possible.
The catalog and buyer-bidding auction models have limitations and do not work in every situation. For example, if a buyer requires a custom product, it is not possible for suppliers to publish set prices for a catalog market. Therefore, when a buyer requires a custom or hard-to-find product, pricing for that product typically will not be found in a catalog. Likewise, it is difficult to specify a custom product and identify buyers who might use that custom product for a buyer-bidding auction. There are fewer suppliers and no standard product and pricing information available for the buyer of custom industrial products.
Traditionally, when a company requires a custom product, a buyer for the company procures the product by searching for potential suppliers, then acquiring price quotes from the potential suppliers for the needed custom product. The search is slow and random, and typically relies heavily on personal relationships. The costs associated with locating vendors, comparing prices, and negotiating a deal are therefore large. The cost of switching suppliers is also very large, which means that an incumbent supplier's quoted price is most likely not the lowest price he could offer because the incumbent supplier knows the buyer would face switching costs to use another supplier. As a consequence, new suppliers have a difficult time entering the market.
Therefore, supplier-bidding auctions for products and services defined or specified by a buyer have been developed. The assignee of the present application has developed a system in which sellers downwardly bid against one another to achieve the lowest market price in a supplier-bidding auction.
In both forward and reverse auctions, the dynamics of bidding in an auction work to the advantage of the sponsor of the auction. For example, in a forward auction, bidders may bid more than they would have paid otherwise for a product or service during the final "going, going, gone" stage of the auction because of the time pressure and excitement of the auction atmosphere. Likewise, in a reverse auction, bidders may bid less than they would have bid on a supply contract outside the auction.
To take full advantage of these types of bidding dynamics, an electronic auction should facilitate bid entry. If the process of submitting a bid to the electronic auction is difficult or cumbersome, the bidder may be less likely to make a bid. Additionally, in the final stages of an auction, bids are made very rapidly, and a bidder must be able to enter a competitive bid quickly and easily in order to "beat the clock".
Additionally, in many auctions, bids are dependent on more than price. For example, in a reverse auction for custom industrial supplies, a bidder may be bidding both price and volume. Thus, it would be desirable to have a system that allowed a bidder to easily and quickly change any aspect of his bid, not just price.
Therefore, what is needed is a method of entering and adjusting bids that allows the bidder to easily set or change any aspect of the bid and submit the bid into an electronic auction.

Method and apparatus for configurably adjusting a bid in an online auction


A solar power generation system includes a storage battery, a solar power generation device that is provided on the side of the storage battery and outputs solar generated power, and a power control device. The power control device includes a variation component extraction unit that extracts a shade variation component from a generated power signal measured by the solar power generation device, a smoothing unit that smoothens the shade variation component obtained by the variation component extraction unit, a system output correction unit that obtains a system output power target value which is a combined output between a discharge output of the storage battery and the solar generated power on the basis of an output signal from the smoothing unit, and a charge/discharge output correction unit that corrects a charge/discharge target value which is a difference between the system output power target value and the generated power signal on the basis of a current time and a state of charge of the storage battery.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solar power generation system, and particularly to a solar power generation system having a storage battery system which is suitable for minimizing a variation in solar generated power.
Background Art
In recent years, introduction of a solar power generation system has been promoted due to environmental problems and the like. However, output power generated through solar power generation greatly varies depending on the weather, and this causes a voltage variation or a frequency variation of an associated power system. As a countermeasure therefor, a storage battery system for minimizing the variation is also provided in the solar power generation system, and an output from the power system is smoothed by charging and discharging the storage battery system.
JP-A-2010-22122 has proposed such a solar power generation system. JP-A-2010-22122 discloses a configuration in which effective power output from a natural energy power source including solar power generation is detected, and a charge/discharge command value for a storage battery is obtained on the basis of a difference between the detected effective power and a combined output value which is obtained for the effective power via a change-rate limiter. In addition, a primary delay filter is provided between an effective power detector and the change-range limiter so as to smoothen an effective power detection value. Further, it is disclosed that delay operators which are connected in series to each other are provided instead of the primary delay filter, items of effective power obtained during a plurality of sampling cycles are added together, an average value thereof is obtained and is input to the change-rate limiter, and thus even in a case where an output of the natural energy power source periodically varies in a spike shape, this case is handled by reducing the capacity of the storage battery.

Storage battery system and solar power generation system having the same


A freezer component stores and removes frozen food in response to a signal. The freezer component includes a rotatable portion, a loading side and a feeding side. Two raiseable platforms are located in each of the loading side and the feeding side. Food is loaded into the freezer component by placing food onto the platforms positioned in the loading side. The rotatable portion then rotates 180xc2x0 to position the food-loaded platforms in the feeding side. The empty platforms now located in the loading side are loaded with additional food. When a signal is received, food in the feeding side is removed from the freezer component by alternately raising the two platforms holding the food. When the feeding side is empty and contains no more food, the rotatable portion rotates 180xc2x0 in the reverse direction. The food loaded platforms are now located in the feeding side. The empty platforms are located in the loading side and ready for loading of additional food.

The present invention relates generally to a freezer component which stores frozen food and automatically removes the frozen food from the freezer component in response to a signal
Freezers are used to keep objects, such as food, frozen. Freezers are commonly used in residences, grocery stores, and restaurants to keep food frozen. In the restaurant or food service industry, food is often stored in a freezer prior to preparation and serving. The food is usually manually placed into the freezer by an employee for storage. When the food is to be prepared and served, the food is manually removed by an employee and prepare for serving.
A drawback to the prior art freezers is that additional labor is needed to remove the food from the freezer prior to preparation for serving as the food is manually removed by an employee. It would be beneficial to use a freezer that automatically transfers frozen food from a freezer component to a preparation area in response to an operator request.
The freezer component of the present invention automatically removes frozen food from the freezer component in response to a signal. The freezer component includes a rotatable portion, a loading side and a feeding side. The rotatable portion is rotatable by a carousel. Two raiseable platforms are located in each of the loading side and the feeding side. Food is loaded into the freezer component by placing the food onto the platforms positioned in the loading side. The carousel then rotates the rotatable portion 180xc2x0 to position the food-loaded platforms in the feeding side. Rods around the platforms prevent the food from falling from the platforms during rotation. The empty platforms now located in the loading side are loaded with additional food.
When a signal is received, food in the feeding side is automatically removed from the freezer component by alternately raising the two platforms holding the food. When a sensor detects that the feeding side is empty and contains no more food, the rotatable portion rotates 180xc2x0 in the reverse direction, positioning the recently food-loaded platforms in the feeding side and the empty platforms in the loading side. Stops in the freezer component prevent over-rotation of the carousel.


A circuit for protecting a power amplifier from electrostatic discharge (ESD) that comprises a clamp circuit connected between a first power line and a connection line, and a detecting circuit connected between the connection line and a second power line for detecting whether an ESD event occurs at a conductive pad coupled to the power amplifier and activating the clamp circuit in response to an ESD event, wherein an ESD current due to the ESD event is conducted by the clamp circuit to the first power line.

In a wireless communication apparatus such as a cell phone, a power amplifier circuit device is usually provided at a transmission side for amplifying signals to be transmitted. The power amplifier circuit device includes semiconductor amplification elements such as metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors ("MOSFETs") formed as an integrated circuit ("IC".)
A semiconductor IC, however, is generally susceptible to an electrostatic discharge ("ESD") event, which may damage or destroy the IC. An ESD event is an electrical discharge of a current (positive or negative) for a short duration during which a large amount of current is provided to the IC. The high current may be built-up from a variety of sources, such as the human body and machines, referred to as the human body model ("HBM") and machine model ("MM"), respectively. An IC is particularly susceptible to the HBM and MM built-up during fabrication, transportation, or handling.
Diodes have been generally used for ESD protection in ICs because they can be easily implemented with relatively simple manufacturing processes. However, an ESD protection circuit using diodes alone may not be suitable for protecting a power amplifier circuit device from ESD events, as is explained below by reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system 10 using a conventional ESD circuit for protecting a power amplifier. System 10 includes an ESD protection circuit 12, a conductive pad 14, and a power amplifier 16. ESD protection circuit 12 includes a first diode 12-1 coupled between a first power line VDD and conductive pad 14, and a second diode 12-2 coupled between conductive pad 14 and a second power line VSS. Conductive pad 14 is connected to a matching circuit 16-1, for example, an RLC circuit, of power amplifier 16 for receiving an output voltage of power amplifier 16. Power amplifier 16 is connected between first power line VDD and second power line VSS. The voltage level of VDD line is approximately 2.5 volts (V). Power amplifier 16 may output a voltage of approximately 2 VDD or 5V to conductive pad 14 during normal operation. The output voltage of 5V, greater than VDD plus the cut-in voltage (for example, 0.7V) of first diode 12-1, turns on first diode 12-1, which should not become conductive during normal operation. The unexpected turn-on of first diode 12-1 may cause malfunction of power amplifier 16.
Other examples of ESD protection for power amplifier circuit devices can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,459,340 to Apel et al., entitled "Power Amplifier Mismatch Protection with Clamping Diodes in RF Feedback Circuit" ("the '340 patent") and U.S. Pat. No. 6,624,999 to Johnson, entitled "Electrostatic Discharge Protection Using Inductors" ("the '999 patent"). The '340 patent discloses a circuit including a set of clamping diodes formed between terminals of a transistor acting as a power amplifier. The circuit may not quickly respond to an ESD event due to low conduction speed of the multiple diodes. The '999 patent discloses a circuit including an inductor coupled between an IC to be protected and an ESD clamping device. Since the inductor is formed external to the IC, the IC itself is not provided with ESD protection and may be exposed to an ESD event during transportation and handling.

Electrostatic discharge protection for power amplifier in radio frequency integrated circuit

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A segmented coaxial laser shell assembly having at least two water jacket sections, two pairs of interconnection half rings, a dialectric break ring, and a pair of threaded ring sections. Each water jacket section with an inner tubular section that defines an inner laser cavity with water paths adjacent to at least a portion of the exterior of the inner tubular section, and mating faces at the end of the water jacket section through which the inner laser cavity opens and which defines at least one water port therethrough in communication with the water jackets. The water paths also define in their external surface a circumferential notch set back from and in close proximity to the mating face. The dielectric break ring has selected thickness and is placed between, and in coaxial alignment with, the mating faces of two of the adjacent water jacket sections. The break ring also defines an inner laser cavity of the same size and shape as the inner laser cavity of the water jacket sections and at least one water passage through the break ring to communicate with at least one water port through the mating faces of the water jacket sections.

Voltage break/coupler assemblies are an integral part of the shell of a laser that operates at high voltage, typically tens of kilovolts, and at high average power. In order to operate successfully under these conditions, a segmented water jacket is employed for several reasons. One of those reasons is to provide cooling for the interior of the laser shell. The coupler in question is used to join segments of the water jacket which are at vastly different electrical potentials.
From an electrical standpoint, the break assembly must maintain voltage hold-off while allowing the inductance of the coaxial laser assembly to be minimized. This requires that all components of the coupler be dielectric materials and, furthermore, that the maximum diameter of the assembly be as small as possible. Mechanically, the couplers must be sufficiently strong to act as a structural member in a laser that is several meters long and weighs several hundred kilograms.

The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy


A shingle assembly for installation on a roof structure is provided. The shingle assembly can include an insulative substrate, a surface sheet coupled to and extending across a substantial portion of the insulative substrate, and a hook-and-loop fastening system comprising a hook portion and a loop portion. The hook portion or the loop portion can be coupled to and extend along the insulative substrate adjacent the surface sheet. The other of the hook portion or the loop portion can be coupled to and extend along the surface sheet. The hook portion can be configured to mate with a loop portion of a first adjoining shingle assembly and the loop portion can be configured to mate with a hook portion of a second adjoining shingle assembly.

There are various forms of roofing applications. For example, asphalt shingles are very common. Asphalt shingles are generally individually secured to the roof structure and overlap the previously installed, down-roof, shingle. Other forms of roofing include metal roofing, tile roofing, and cedar shake roofing. These other forms of roofing similarly include individual shingles that are individually secured to the roof structure and overlap the previously installed shingle.


A method and apparatus for saving power in a receiver includes a power savings mode selector for enabling a user input power savings mode or an automatic power savings mode based on detected battery life. When in power savings mode, a lower resolution time-advanced stream is selected and processed. The normal stream (generally at a higher resolution) is not decoded thereby requiring less power at the receiver decoder.

1. Technical Field
The present principles relate to the principle of redundant time-staggered content transmission to enhance robustness. This technique is termed "staggercasting". More particularly, they relate to a power savings method and apparatus for use in a staggercasting environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Current digital television transmission standards in the United States, as proposed by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) dated Sep. 16, 1995, use a single carrier modulation technique: eight level vestigial sideband modulation (8-VSB). Because The 8-VSB signal is susceptible to signal degradation in the communications channel, such as fading caused by multipath and other signal attenuation. While some such fading may be compensated by channel equalization techniques, if the fade is long enough and severe enough, then the receiver will lose the signal and the demodulator system will lose synchronization. Reacquiring the signal, and resynchronizing the demodulator can take several seconds and is quite objectionable to a viewer.
To overcome this problem, a first ATSC proposal permits creation of a second communications channel by permitting use of a more robust modulation technique for a limited period of time, e.g. less than 10%. For example, a 2 or 4-VSB modulation technique may be used for selected frames. A second ATSC proposal permits a more robust encoding technique, e.g. trellis encoding, while maintaining an 8-VSB modulation technique. Such a system permits improved performance with compatible receivers while maintaining backwards compatibility with existing receivers.
Another technique for overcoming fading is staggercasting [references from our earlier patent applications]. Staggercasting communications systems transmit a composite signal including two component content representative signals: one of which is offset in time with respect to the other. Put another way, one of the component content representative signals is advanced with respect to the other. The composite signal is broadcast to one or more receivers through a communications channel. At a receiver, the advanced-in-time component content representative signal is delayed through a delay buffer so that it becomes resynchronized in time with the other component content representative signal. Under normal conditions, the undelayed received component content representative signal is used to reproduce the content. If, however, a signal fade occurs, then the previously received and advanced-in-time content representative signal in the delay buffer is used to reproduce the content until either the fade ends and the composite signal is available again, or the delay buffer empties. If the delay period, and the associated delay buffer, is large enough then most probable fades may be compensated for. As such, it will be apparent that staggercasting allows the receiver to substitute or reconstruct lost portions of a main signal with a correctly received time-staggered supplemental signal.
Staggercasting improves robustness of reception of a terrestrially transmitted signal by overcoming fades. As mentioned above, the method calls for substituting or reconstructing faded (and hence lost) segments of a program from a time-advanced version of the program that was correctly received. However, in order to process and store both versions of the program (i.e., both the main/normal signal and the supplemental/staggercast signal), additional processing power and memory for storage is required.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a power savings system that addresses this increased power requirement in a staggercasting scenario.

Method and apparatus for power savings in staggercasting


The addition of an alkyl alkoxyalkylxanthate and a metal thiophosphate to a lubricating oil results in an unexpected synergistic improvement in the antiwear performance of the oil. Butyl ethoxyethylxanthate and zinc dialkyldithiophosphate are most preferred additives.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a lubricating oil composition having improved antiwear performance due to the presence of an alkyl alkoxyalkylxanthate and a metal thiophosphate.
2. Description of Related Art
Engine lubricating oils require the presence of additives to protect the engine from wear. For almost forty years, the principal antiwear additive for engine lubricating oils has been zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP). However, ZDDP must be used in concentrations of 1.4 wt. % or greater to be effective. Since phosphates may result in the deactivation of emission control catalysts used in automotive exhaust systems, a reduction in the amount of phosphorus-containing additives (such as ZDDP) in the oil would be desirable. In addition, ZDDP alone does not provide the enhanced antiwear protection necessary in oils used to lubricate today's small, high performance engines.
Certain alkyl alkoxyalkylxanthanes are also known. For example, s-hexyl 0-(2-methyoxyethyl) ester, which has the formula: ##STR1## has a Chemical Abstracts Registry Number (RN=27098-36-8), but has not been used in lubricating oils. In addition, ethylene diisopropyl xanthate has been used in lubricants (see, for example, Russian Patent 655,717).
However, none of these publications suggest that the antiwear performance of a lubricating oil can be synergistically enhanced when certain alkyl xanthates and a metal thiophosphate are present therein.

Lubricating oil containing an alkyl alkoxyalkylxanthate and zinc dialkyldithiophosphate


An N-hydroxyformamidine compound of the following formula or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof:

Prostaglandins produced by cyclooxygenase and leukotrienes produced by lipoxygenase are widely known as physiologically active substances produced from arachidonic acid. However, recent studies have been clarifying a wide variety of in vivo functions of 20-HETE which is produced from arachidonic acid by the action of enzymes belonging to the cytochrome p450 family. Previous reports have indicated that 20-HETE causes microvascular constriction or dilation in major organs (e.g., kidneys, cerebral blood vessels) and induces cell proliferation, thus suggesting that 20-HETE plays an important physiological role in vivo and is deeply involved in the development of various conditions such as kidney diseases, cerebrovascular diseases and cardiovascular diseases (J. Vascular Research, vol. 32, p. 79, 1995, Am. J. Physiol., vol. 277, p. R607, 1999, Physiol. Rev., vol. 82, p. 131, 2002).
Under these circumstances, it has been reported that some N′-hydroxyphenylformamidine derivatives and carboxylic acid derivatives have a strong inhibitory effect against 20-HETE-producing enzymes (International Patent Publication Nos. WO0132164, WO01096309 and WO0168610, Japanese Patent Publication Nos. JP2001354658 and JP2001354656).

Abstract: wherein R1, A and R are as defined herein. The compounds inhibit 20-HETE-producing enzymes, 20-HETE being involved in the effects of causing microvascular constriction or dilation in major organs (e.g., kidneys, cerebral blood vessels) or of inducing cell proliferation.


A calibration device for an imaging device includes an imaging data acquisition unit that acquires imaging data of a known external target installed at a known position outside a work range of work equipment, the imaging data being obtained by imaging of at least one imaging device provided in a work machine including the work equipment, an external target position acquisition unit that acquires a position of the known external target, and a calibration unit that calibrates the imaging device based on the position of the known external target, which is acquired by the external target position acquisition unit, and the imaging data of the known external target, which is acquired by the imaging data acquisition unit.

Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique of calibrating an imaging device in a work machine including work equipment and the imaging device. Specifically, in a calibration system disclosed in Patent Literature 1, the imaging device images a target provided on the work equipment, a positional relation between the imaging device and the target is obtained from the image, and the imaging device is calibrated based on the posture of the work equipment and the positional relation obtained from the image.

Calibration device for imaging device, monitoring device, work machine and calibration method


The invention is concerned with a process for producing an .alpha.-lactalbumin-enhanced fraction from a liquid containing whey protein including .alpha.-lactalbumin and .beta.-lactoglobulin which comprises subjecting said liquid to ultrafiltration using a membrane having a molecular weight cut off of essentially 100,000 to form a permeate having a protein content in which the proportion of .alpha.-lactalbumin is enhanced relative to the proportion obtaining in the protein content of said liquid.

The present invention relates to the production of whey protein concentrates having an enhanced .alpha.-lactalbumin content.
The isolation of individual proteins from various starting materials is well known. Most individual proteins are recovered from a mixture thereof by using differences in the physical and/or chemical properties of the proteins to advantage. Such isolation processes have usually required a multi-stage process with its attendant expense and difficulty in scaling up to an industrial process.
Whey contains many proteins with excellent properties which are also of a high nutritional value. Their large scale production in the form of wey protein concentrates only became possible with the advent in the early 1970s of ultrafiltration technology, and they have become increasingly important in satisfying the needs of the food, dietetic and pharmaceutical industries. Whey protein concentrates in power form containing all the whey proteins are currently produced by membrane ultrafiltration followed by spray drying. The concentrates generally have a protein content ranging from 35% to 85%, although lesser or greater amounts of protein can be present.
Such concentrates contain residual non-centrifugeable lipids, principally phospholipids, together with milk lipids and some phospholipoproteins. These lipoproteins concentrate at the same rate as the other proteins and have amphoteric and amphiphilic properties which lead to their being strongly adsorbed on membrane materials used in ultrafiltration, which was reported to cause irreversible fouling. For this reason Lee and Merson (J.Food Sc.41, 402-410) suggested prefiltration of whey to reduce this fouling.
Numerous methods have already been proposed to separate individual whey proteins, but most have not been capable of scaling up to industrially viable processes because of their complexity, their cost in energy, their very low yield and the irremediable degradation of the products due to the use of intensive heat treatments (Nielsen et al., J.Dairy Science 56 76-83 1973) very alkaline pH (Harris and Yoell, 1985) or of high amounts of salts (Kuwata et al., J.Food Science 50 605-609 1985).
Pearce (Aust.J.Dairy Technol. 38 144-149 1983) has proposed purification of .alpha.-lactalbumin based on the low pH solubility of .alpha.-lactalbumin under a light heat treatment. However, the .alpha.-lactalbumin fraction produced by this process has been reported by J.L. Maubois et al. of the Dairy Research Laboratory I.N.R.A. at the WPI/IDF International Whey Conference in Chicago, 27th-29th Oct. 1986 to be unsatisfactory due to the high degree of association of the whey lipids and lipoproteins with .alpha.-lactalbumin.
J.L. Maubois et al proposed a clarification process which produces a clarified whey which, when subjected to ultrafiltration produces a whey protein concentrate which they suggest is the right product for separation of individual proteins therefrom.
The clarification process has as its object the removal of the lipoproteins using their ability to aggregate through calcium bonding under heat treatment. The clarification process involves six stages which are:
1. cooling the whey to a temperature of 2.degree. C.; PA1 2. adjusting the calcium content to 1.2g/kg by addition of CaCl.sub.2; PA1 3. raising the pH of the so-treated whey to 7.3 by addition of NaOH; PA1 4. rapidly raising the temperature of the so-treated whey to 55.degree. C.; PA1 5. maintaining the whey at this temperature for a period of eight minutes; PA1 6. separating the supernatant from the precipitate by tangential microfiltration (Maubois et al indicated that tangential microfiltration was resorted to because filtration through screen plates led to loss of lipoproteins to the filtrate, and centrifugation was found to be hopelessly inefficient).
The whey, clarified in the above rather complex manner was then subjected by Maubois et al to ultrafiltration to produce a whey protein concentrate. To obtain .alpha.-lactalbumin from this concentrate they chose the method described by Pierre & Fauquant in Lait (1986). The details are fully set out in the Maubois et al publication. The method involves the gelling of .alpha.-lactalbumin by heating to 55.degree.-65.degree. for 30 minutes at a pH of .about.4 for concentrates having an .alpha.-lactalbumin content of more than 2g/kg. Maubois et al observed that the supernatant resulting from the gelling contained .beta.-lactogloubulin and that this could be realized in high purity by diafiltration on a UF membrane having a molecular weight cut off of 50,000. For separation of .beta.-lactoglobulin from the gelled .alpha.-lactalbumin however, they suggested only that the tangential membrane microfiltration technique used by them for clarification of the heat treated whey might be attempted.
Thus, whilst ultrafiltration has been suggested as one step in a process which involves a number of other physicochemical methods, for the separation of fractions containing enhanced concentrations of individual whey proteins, the method of purification as a whole has also involved a variety of other procedures which, when scaled up to produce an industrial process, become both complex and expensive to run.
Thus the provision of a simple and commercially viable process for fractionating whey proteins and in particular .alpha.-lactalbumin, has eluded the researchers.

Process for obtaining concentrates having a high .alpha.-lactalbumin content from whey


In one general aspect, a computing device can include a base, and a lid coupled to the base. The lid can house a display section including a first side and a second side. The display section can include a display device having a first side and a second side. The first side of the display device can be located on the first side of the display section and the second side of the display device can be located on the second side of the display section. An enclosure can surround the display device. The enclosure can include a fluid, a plurality of particles suspended in the fluid, and a layer of circuitry disposed on a surface of the enclosure. The computing device can be configured to control movement of the particles within the fluid by applying an electric field to the layer of circuitry.

Computing devices (computing systems) can vary in shape and size, and can include laptop computers, netbook computers, and tablet computers. The computing devices can include a display device (e.g., an integrated monitor or touchscreen) among other elements, such as audio systems, wireless networking hardware, and user interface devices, such as keyboards and pointing devices. In some implementations, the display device of a computing device can be a touchscreen display that can also function as an input device.
A user may be able to use a computing device in multiple modes of operation. For example, the computing device can include a lid that houses the display device and a base that can include one or more input devices, such as a keyboard, a pointing stick, mouse buttons, a touchpad, and/or a trackpad. The lid can be attached to the base such that the lid can be moved and/or rotated with respect to the base so that the computing device can be placed into multiple positions. For example, in a closed position, the front of the lid of the computing device (the front of the touchscreen display) can face, and/or be in contact with, the top of the base of the computing device. In this position, the computing device can be used in a tablet mode if a user can interact with the side of the touchscreen display (the rear of the touchscreen display) not facing the base of the computing device. In some implementations, however, the lid that houses the display device may be constructed of an opaque material that could prevent a user from interacting with the computing device in a tablet mode when the computing device is placed in a closed position, even if the side of the touchscreen display (the rear of the touchscreen display) not facing the base of the computing device permitted such interactions.
In an open position, for example, a user of the computing device can view and interact with both the front of the touchscreen display and the input devices included in the base. An open position for the computing device can be where the lid of the computing device is placed out of contact with and in a stationary position with respect to the base of the computing device. For example, the lid can be placed at approximately a 130 degree angle with respect to the base. This example open position can be considered a laptop mode of operation for the computing device.

Two way display for two-in-one convertible computer form factors


Stereolithography is used to fabricate directly a single-piece, missile-usable, accurate, flightweight igniter without the use of intermediate, non-operational molds or prototypes in the fabrication process. The same prototype-less, direct stereolithography can be used to produce other missile-usable parts by designing each such part to be of a single-piece configuration and by using material that is suitable for both stereolithography and functional missile application.

New functional parts to solve a particular problem are now frequently designed and modeled by rapid prototyping. This entails generating physical models directly from a 3-D computer drawing created with computer aided design software. The model design is then electronically transmitted to a rapid prototyping system. Stereolithography (SL) is such a system.
The stereolithography apparatus (SLA) consists of a vat of a liquid polymer in which there is a movable elevator table/platform that is capable of moving (i.e. lowering) in very precise increments, the increments depending on the requirements defining the type of model to be constructed. A helium/cadmium laser is then used to generate a small but intense beam of ultraviolet light that is moved across the top of the vat of liquid polymer by a computer-controlled optical scanning system. At the point where the laser beam meets the polymer, the polymer is changed into a solid. As the laser beam is directed across all surfaces of the three dimensions, the model is formed as a plastic object point by point and layer by layer. As each layer is formed, the elevator platform is lowered by the pre-determined increment, so that the next layer can be scanned in. As each additional layer is formed, it bonds to the previous one. What results is a model generated by a precise number of successive layers.
After the model is removed from the SLA, it is ultrasonically cleaned to remove any excess polymer from crevices and openings. Then the model undergoes a curing operation to finish hardening the polymer. The curing operation usually involves bathing the model in intense long-wave ultraviolet light which causes any uncured liquid polymer that may be trapped within the structure to harden. When the model is properly cured, the surface can be finished in a number of ways to meet the requirement.
Under the current practice, stereolithography process is used to produce a mold or other inoperative prototype which is then used as a master from which to fabricate functional parts using conventional casting or machining technology. The materials normally used to produce such master parts via SL process have special properties that render them suitable for SL but not for fully functional, flightweight parts, such as missile hardware.
An important piece of missile hardware is the igniter to boost the motor of the missile. Igniter 100 is normally positioned in throat 403 of nozzle 106 of missile 101, as illustrated in FIG. 1, and boosts motor 102 by directing burning pyrotechnics onto propellant fuel 104. Due to the limitations of conventional manufacturing processes and the complexity of removable missile igniters, typically such an igniter was made in several separate pieces that were then put together to form an assembly. In a conventional removable igniter, frangible fingers or tabs are used to hold the igniter secure in the missile nozzle until sufficient pressure builds inside the missile to eject the igniter. For the frangible tabs to work, a screw-in sleeve must be inserted into the throat of the igniter, thereby forcing the tabs into securing positions in nozzle throat 403. This technique is not desirable from a safety standpoint as it requires as least two parts of a fully loaded igniter to be rotated, screwed or otherwise moved, presenting a hazard of untimely ignition due to friction between moving parts, handling or electrostatic discharge.

Single-piece stereolithographically-produced missile igniter

United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


Consistent with an example embodiment a repeater device is provided for handling signal transmissions, in particular in a DisplayPort environment. The repeater is to be coupled with an upstream device and a downstream device, the repeater being adapted for transmitting signals received from the upstream device to the downstream device and for conditioning the signals before transmission. The repeater is configured to provide a transparent communication path between the upstream device and the downstream device for DPCD access transactions belonging to a second group of DPCD access transactions. For DPCD access transactions belonging to a first group of DPCD access transaction, the repeater is configured to process the DPCD access transactions by accessing one or more DPCD registers included in the repeater.

DisplayPort™ is a digital display interface standard put forth by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) since 2006. It presents an audio/video interconnection scheme used primarily between a computer and its display monitor, or a computer and a home-theater system. The first version was approved in May 2006, version 1.1a was approved on Jan. 11, 2008, and the current version 1.2 was approved on Jan. 5, 2010.
DisplayPort is a high speed digital display interface standard which is starting to be widely adopted within the computer industry. DisplayPort supports a variety of device types from sources (video sources), sinks (ultimate destination for video/audio) and branches (splitters, concentrators, matrix switches, I/O switches, and repeaters). In many applications, Graphics Processing Units (GPU) within a device that serve as DisplayPort video sources are located quite far from the DisplayPort connectors. The distance is quite often far enough to result in degradation in the DisplayPort (DP) signal to such an extent that some sort of redriver or repeater is necessary to restore the signal at the connector to an ideal level.
There is a need for re-driver/repeater devices that allow GPUs to be designed for lower cost, lower power, and can restore potentially somewhat non-DP compliant signals to valid DP levels.

Transparent repeater device for handling displayport configuration data (DPCD)


The invention relates to a detection apparatus (1) for detecting particles on or close to a particles detection surface (5) in a first optical detection mode and in a second optical detection mode, wherein a component of a light detection system (8) and/or a component of an optical system (9) of the detection apparatus is arranged to be used in the first detection mode and in the second detection mode. Since a component of the light detection system and/or a component of the optical system is arranged to be used in the first detection mode and in the second detection mode, this component does not need to be provided twice, i.e. for being used in the first detection mode and for being used in the second detection mode. This can lead to a reduced number of components and can make the detection apparatus technically less complex.

WO 2011/036634 A1 discloses a biosensor system comprising a biosensor cartridge with a sensor surface and first and second optical detection systems for detecting particles on the sensor surface. The first optical detection system is adapted to detect the particles by detecting intensity changes of reflected light, which has been reflected at the sensor surface, wherein the intensity changes are based on frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR). The second optical detection system is adapted to detect the particles by detecting light scattered by the particles.
JP 2008 058249 A discloses an apparatus and a method for viewing photometry. The apparatus comprises an observation system for observing an image of a sample and a photometry system that measures the strength of the light from the sample. Light from a lamp source illuminates a pinhole, and an image of the pinhole is projected on the bottom side of the sample via an optical path switching unit. Light reflected by the sample enters the switching unit again. A part of this light passes the switching unit and is detected on an imaging surface, and a further part is reflected in the switching unit and focused on a photodetector. In addition, the apparatus comprises a further light source device for illuminating the upper side of the sample for bright-field observation. Light transmitting the sample travels through the switching unit to the imaging surface.

Detection apparatus for detecting particles


Multi-layer films and labels are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a multi-layer film includes a core layer, a first intermediate layer disposed on a first side of the core layer, a second intermediate layer disposed on a second side of the core layer, a first skin layer disposed on the first intermediate layer and arranged such that the first intermediate layer is disposed between the core layer and the first skin layer, and a second skin layer disposed on the second intermediate layer and arranged such that the second intermediate layer is disposed between the core layer and the second skin layer, wherein the core layer includes first particles in an amount ranging from about 8 to about 20 wt %, based on the total weight of the core layer, the opacity is about 90 or greater, and the gloss ranges from about 60 to less than about 80.

Cavitation in BOPP films is a technique known in the art. The cavitation or voiding is achieved by using non compatible agents i.e. inorganics earths like CaCO3, SiO2, TiO2, Talcum or organic materials like PBT, PMMA, PA6, blended in polypropylene matrix and using a biaxially stretching process. Usually the cavitation agent is added to the core or any subsequent layer of a BOPP film to reduce overall unit weight, which translates in a higher yield of area per unit weight for the users of the film giving a higher number of packages or labels per unit weight. The core layer of a BOPP film is usually the thickest layer of the film and would result in the most improvement in yield during manufacturing, but also it will be discussed the use of cavitating agents in the subjacent layers to the core. On the other side, the use of cavitating agent reduce other physical properties of the BOPP film, such as the modulus and craze resistance. In some cases, such as in BOPP films used in packaging, this effect is desirable because the packaging is designed to be torn and easily removed from the article, such as a candy bar or other article wrapped in disposable packaging. However, in label applications, the reduction of such properties like modulus created by cavitation is undesirable.
Moreover, it is desired for the label to have a high glossy solid color finish. Cavitation introduces a pearlescent finish to the film due to the diffraction of the light on the surface of the particles used as cavitating agents. As used herein, 'pearlescent' is understood to mean 'having a luster resembling that of mother-of-pearl'. For example, cavitation may cause an otherwise solid glossy white film to appear as having multi-colored luster that is consistent with mother-of-pearl. Typically, pearlescent is based on customer preference on the appearance of the film.
The use of cavitating agents introduces a rough surface of the layer where it is included. This roughness is usually followed by the adjacent layers. This effect reduces the reflection of the light on the film reducing the gloss of the film. For example, the cavitation agent can create 'bumps' on the surface of the core which can be translated through successive layers disposed on the core to the surface of the label, making the surface of the label rough. As a general request in the market the surface of the label, should have a smooth glossy surface to be printed and/or coated. In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for BOPP films for label application that use cavitation agents and which have improved appearance and mechanical properties.

BOPP film and methods of making the same


An air-fuel ratio control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, implementing integral correction of the air-fuel ratio by an integral term edfii obtained by multiplying an integrated difference between a target air fuel ratio and the actual air-fuel ratio by an integral gain, wherein the upper and lower limit values of the integral term are set based on the actual intake air amount and the actual air-fuel ratio. This limits the range of the integral term edfii to prevent it from being set at an excessively high or low level removed from the realities of the intake air amount and the air-fuel ratio, and thereby to prevent erroneous air-fuel ratio correction by the integral term.

As is well known, some internal combustion engines for vehicles or the like clean up exhaust gas using a three-way catalyst that simultaneously enhances oxidation of unburned components (HC and CO) and reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOx). In order to maintain the purification performance of such a three-way catalyst, it is necessary to combust fuel at an air-fuel ratio that is close to the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. Therefore, an internal combustion engine equipped with a three-way catalyst performs feedback control such that the air-fuel ratio seeks the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, while detecting an air-fuel ratio obtained based on oxygen concentration of exhaust gas.
Recently, a three-way catalyst provided with oxygen storage capacity has been commercialized. Such a three-way catalyst stores excessive oxygen when the air-fuel ratio is leaner than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and the oxygen concentration in exhaust gas is high, and releases the stored oxygen to compensate for shortage of oxygen when the air-fuel ratio is richer than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and the oxygen concentration is low. This suitably maintains exhaust gas purification capacity for the catalyst even when the air-fuel ratio temporarily deviates from the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. However, because of limited oxygen storage capacity of the catalyst, it is necessary to keep the quantity of oxygen stored by the catalyst in a certain range (e.g., about half of its maximum capacity) to ensure that the catalyst can store or release oxygen on a steady basis.
Therefore, control apparatuses that perform air-fuel ratio feedback by PI control or PID control have been proposed for internal combustion engines, as disclosed by, e.g., Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-280038. Such a control apparatus controls air-fuel ratio by an integral action on a difference detected between a target and actual air-fuel ratios. A PI control system, for example, corrects an air-fuel ratio based on a correction amount obtained using the following formula (1):Air-fuel ratio correction amount=(Air-fuel ratio difference)×(Proportional gain)+(Integrated air-fuel ratio difference)×(Integral gain)  (1)
In the formula (1), the first term of the right-hand side [(Air-fuel ratio difference)×(Proportional gain)] is a proportional term, based on which deviation of air-fuel ratio from the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio is compensated. The second term [(Integrated air-fuel ratio difference)×(Integral gain)] is an integral term, based on which steady state deviation of the air-fuel ratio is compensated. More specifically, the integral term corrects air-fuel ratio in such a way as to equalize an integrated quantity of oxygen newly stored by a three-way catalyst with an integrated quantity of oxygen released from the catalyst. Therefore, integral correction of air-fuel ratio stably maintains the quantity of oxygen stored by a three-way catalyst.
It should be noted, however, that an integral term for integral correction of air-fuel ratio is determined based on the history of air-fuel ratios irrespective of the actual intake air amount or air-fuel ratio, which may lead to erroneous air-fuel ratio correction, as described below.
When an internal combustion engine whose air-fuel ratio tends to greatly deviate from the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio is operating at a high intake air amount, this may cause a relatively large absolute value of the integral term. When the engine is decelerated in this state, and the intake air amount is significantly reduced, a high absolute value of the integral term recorded so far at a high load is directly applied immediately after the deceleration, possibly leading to excessive correction of the air-fuel ratio.
Also, when the internal combustion engine is operating at a lower load and lean air-fuel ratio after the engine has been running at a richer air-fuel ratio than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for an extended period, the air-fuel ratio will be corrected to be excessively lean immediately since a correction using the integral term makes the air-fuel ratio even leaner. This may lead to misfire.
The erroneous correction of the air-fuel ratio by an integral term can be prevented to some extent by setting the integral gain so that the absolute value of the integral term is relatively small. Setting the integral gain at a small value, however, may deteriorate air-fuel ratio feedback convergence, possibly leading to problems, e.g., deteriorated exhaust emissions.

Air/fuel ratio control device for internal combustion engine


A stackable pallet system comprises a plurality of pallets used for holding and transporting various items, including potted plants such as potted trees, flowers, bushes, etc. When the pallets are to be stacked, two pairs of spacer pipes can be used on a first pallet extending upwardly therefrom. Two elongated saddles are then coupled, one to each pair of spacer pipes, such that the saddles extend between and unite the upper ends of the pairs of spacer pipes. The saddles comprise an upwardly facing, shallow channel which is sized to be slightly larger than at least a portion of the fork pockets contained on the pallet. A second pallet can be lowered down onto a first pallet with the fork pockets, or at least a portion of the fork pockets, being received in the saddle channels. Various containment rings can be coupled to the pipes, in place of or in addition to the saddles, to allow longer trees to be carried on the pallets or to allow double stacking of potted plants on a single pallet.

There are wholesale plant nurseries, such as Bailey Nurseries, the assignee of this invention, which grow large numbers of potted plants for distribution to various retail greenhouses. Such plants must be shipped in great quantities and often over large distances. This is done by shipping the plants in large semitrailer trucks or similar vehicles. The plants are shipped on pallets which are loaded into the trucks using forklifts.
Whenever potted plants are shipped on pallets, they cannot be directly stacked on top of one another on a single pallet without potentially crushing one another. Thus, potted plants are usually stacked in one level on a single pallet to minimize damage to the plants. It is difficult to stack three or four or more levels of plants on one pallet, as is often done for goods contained in boxes, without damaging at least some of the plants. Accordingly, when pallets carrying only one level of plants are loaded into semitrailer trucks, much of the interior volume of the trailer, i.e. the volume above the single level of plants, is wasted. As a result, placing potted plants in one level on pallets and then simply placing the pallets in a semitrailer truck is not an efficient shipping method.
To increase the efficiency of shipping potted plants on pallets, the assignee of this invention has previously developed and sold a stackable pallet system. This system better utilizes the interior volume of the trailer by allowing multiple pallets to be stacked on top of one another in a vertically spaced manner. While each pallet still contains one level of plants, the pallets themselves can be stacked three of four high within the trailer, thus allowing three or four levels of plants to be carried in the same volume where only a single pallet and a single level of plants was previously carried. This is obviously a much more efficient and desirable shipping method.
However, the pre-existing stackable pallet system had various disadvantages. First, the pallets could be stacked because vertical spacer pipes extended up from each pallet with the top of each pipe having an upwardly facing, mushroom shaped cap. The bottom of the next pallet had a plurality of downwardly facing, mushroom shaped cups. Each cup was designed to fit over and nest with a mushroom shaped cap on one of the spacer pipes.
To stack one pallet on top of another in this known pallet system, relatively precise longitudinal and lateral positioning is required to get the cups and caps to meet and mate with one another. This is difficult to do considering that the pallet being stacked is supported by a forklift. Thus, to position this pallet, the operator has to maneuver or jockey the forklift to move the pallet back and forth and from side to side until the cups overlie the caps. This requires a skilled operator and much practice. Accordingly, there is a need for a stackable pallet system in which the pallets can be quickly and easily stacked without the need for extremely precise positioning of the pallet being stacked.
Another problem with the prior stackable pallet system involved the fork pocket on the bottom of the pallet. This fork pocket was a simple tube extending across the pallet from the front to the back thereof. Again, it is relatively difficult to align the forks of the forklift with these tubes to pick up a pallet.
In addition, the mushroom shaped cups were carried on the bottom of each pallet adjacent the fork tubes such that these cups could be accidentally contacted by the forks of the forklift as the operator was attempting to insert the forks into the fork tubes. The cups could be deformed or damaged, making the pallet more difficult to stack or even rendering the pallet unusable. In addition, the need for separate cups in addition to the fork tubes added to the expense of manufacturing the pallets.


A method is provided for exchanging information to locate a key fob. The method comprises transmitting a wireless locator signal from a first portable wireless device, the wireless locator signal conveying the identity of the first portable wireless device and receiving a first once-adjusted wireless locator signal from a distant wireless device locator system, the first once-adjusted wireless locator signal comprising at least some information conveyed in the wireless locator signal.

Some vehicles are associated with portable remote devices, such as key fobs that can allow remote manipulation of the associated vehicle. As one example, a key fob can be configured to wirelessly communicate with a vehicle to remotely unlock one or more door locks of the vehicle. In other examples, the portable remote device can unlatch or open the trunk or lift gate of a vehicle, activate or deactivate an alarm system, and/or initiate any other useful actions.
Remote devices can be easy to carry and transport in personal containers, such as purses, pockets, wallets, and the like. Accordingly, as with other personal effects, key fobs and other portable remote devices can be lost or misplaced or can be otherwise difficult to find. Even with careful tracking of a remote device, children and pets, among other factors, can make location difficult. Moreover, multiple remote devices are often distributed with each vehicle. In the event that more than one remote device becomes lost or misplaced, finding them again can require additional effort.


This invention relates to a brake clip for use with a disc brake assembly. The brake clip includes a U-shaped section having a base leg with opposing first and second legs extending from the base leg. An abutment leg extends from at least one of the first and second legs of the U-shaped section. An extension leg extends from the abutment leg. The abutment leg is in contact with an anchor bracket of the disc brake assembly and the extension leg is in contact with a brake pad of the disc brake assembly when the brake clip is disposed therebetween.

This invention relates in general to vehicle disc brake assemblies and in particular to an improved structure for a brake clip for use in a brake pad assembly of a disc brake assembly and a disc brake assembly including such a brake clip.
Most vehicles are equipped with a brake system for slowing or stopping movement of the vehicle in a controlled manner. A typical brake system for an automobile or light truck includes a disc brake assembly for each of the front wheels and either a drum brake assembly or a disc brake assembly for each of the rear wheels. The brake assemblies are actuated by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure generated when an operator of the vehicle depresses a brake pedal. The structures of these drum brake assemblies and disc brake assemblies, as well as the actuators therefore, are well known in the art.
A typical disc brake assembly includes a brake rotor which is secured to a wheel of the vehicle for rotation therewith. The disc brake assembly further includes a caliper assembly that is slidably supported on pins secured to an anchor bracket. The anchor bracket is secured to a non-rotatable component of the vehicle, such as the axle flange or steering knuckle, which is connected to the vehicle frame. The caliper assembly includes a pair of brake pads which are disposed on opposite sides of the brake rotor. The brake pads are connected to one or more hydraulically or pneumatically actuated pistons for movement between a non-braking position and a braking position, wherein they are moved into frictional engagement with the opposed braking surfaces of the brake rotor. For example, when an operator of the vehicle depresses the brake pedal, the piston urges the brake pads from the non-braking position to the braking position so as to frictionally engage the opposed braking surfaces of the brake rotor and thereby slow or stop rotation of the associated wheel of the vehicle.
When the disc brake assembly is not actuated, the brake pads are normally spaced apart from the opposite sides of the rotor. Because they are not positively engaged with the rotor, the brake pads are free to move relative to other brake and vehicle components during vehicle operation. As a result, vehicle induced vibration loads are known to cause undesirable rattle or other noises between the brake pads and the other brake components. To prevent this from occurring, it is known to provide a brake clip between the anchor bracket and the brake pad.
A typical brake clip is embodied as a spring metal member having outwardly extending legs or walls which spring load each of the brake pads against a non-moving component of the disc brake assembly. The brake clip exerts a relatively small force against the associated brake pad which prevents it from rattling while limiting pad sliding resistance to an optimum level when the disc brake assembly is disengaged. However, it is known for debris (e.g. brake dust, corrosion, etc.) to accumulate between the brake clip and the anchor bracket. Over time, the debris can become packed and harden thereby compromising a predefined clearance between the brake pad and the brake clip which may, in turn, cause the brake pads to seize. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a brake clip that eliminates or substantially reduces rattle noise and the accumulation of debris between the brake clip and the anchor bracket.

Clip for use in a disc brake assembly and disc brake assembly including such a clip