A digitally-controlled power amplifier (DPA) with bandpass filtering includes a radio-frequency (RF) clock input, an amplitude control word (ACW) input, and a plurality of DPA cells. The RF clock input is arranged for receiving an RF clock. The ACW input is arranged for receiving a digital ACW signal. The DPA cells are coupled to the RF clock and the digital ACW signal, wherein at least one of the DPA cells is gradually turned on and off in response to at least one bit of the digital ACW signal.

The disclosed embodiments of the present invention relate to power amplification, and more particularly, to a digitally-controlled power amplifier with bandpass filtering/transient waveform control and related digitally-controlled power amplifier cell.
A polar transmitter offers some advantages, such as a potential for reducing complexity and current consumption in the modulator path as well as eliminating the problem of image rejection, thus the polar transmitter is more suitable for implementation in advanced complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) processing technologies. More specifically, the polar transmitter is a transmitting device that splits a complex baseband signal explicitly represented by an amplitude-modulated (AM) contented component and a phase-modulated (PM) contented component, instead of an explicit in-phase component and a quadrature component. These two orthogonal components are then recombined into a radio-frequency (RF) output signal to be transmitted over the air.
An all-digital radio-frequency (RF) transmitter front-end circuit may be employed by the polar transmitter to enhance power efficiency, reduce the hardware cost and reduce the chip size. One conventional implementation of the all-digital RF transmitter front-end circuit is a digitally-controlled power amplifier (DPA), acting as an RF digital-to-analog converter (RF-DAC). The DPA may include a plurality of DPA cells for combining the AM signal and the PM signal and delivering an integral signal having a desired RF carrier frequency and a required power level. Therefore, how to arrange and control these DPA cells to achieve the desired DPA functionality is a significant concern in the pertinent field.
Regarding a conventional design of a DPA cell, a high-efficiency switching-mode (inverse class-D/class-E) power amplifier is employed. However, current switching-mode DPAs are inductor-loaded. Thus, due to the inherent characteristics of the inductor-loaded switching-mode amplifier, the voltage swing will be greater than π×VDD, where VDD is the supply voltage. To reduce the voltage swing, a lower supply voltage VDD must be used. For example, a DC-DC converter and/or a low-dropout (LDO) regulator may be used to convert a high DC voltage provided by a battery into a low supply voltage VDD needed by the DPA. Unfortunately, the battery efficiency would be degraded due to the power conversion.
Besides, the AM sampling using a periodic sampling clock would introduce out-of-band (OOB) noise/replica. One conventional solution to reduce the OOB noise/replica is to use a higher sampling rate. However, this would lead to larger power consumption. Another conventional solution is to use a higher digital-to-analog converter (DAC) resolution. However, this would have layout and physical limit. Yet another conventional solution is to use an RF bandpass filter. However, such an RF bandpass filter has a low quality factor and consumes a large area.
Thus, there is also a need for an innovative DPA cell design which has improved efficiency and can effectively reduce the undesired OOB noise/replica.
Moreover, due to the feedback path established by magnetic coupling and/or direct coupling (e.g., coupling via the printed circuit board (PCB) ground and/or the package ground), the transmitter output may be fed back to a clock source in the transmitter, which may degrade the transmitter performance. Thus, there is also a need for a pulling mitigation mechanism employed to improve the transmitter performance.

Digitally-controlled power amplifier with bandpass filtering/transient waveform control and related digitally-controlled power amplifier cell


A locking clip assembly includes a clip body with a body clamping end, a rear portion and a body hinge portion between the body clamping end and the rear portion, an elongated arm member having a jaw portion, a lever arm portion and an arm hinge portion pivotally connected to the body hinge portion, and a locking member slidably disposed on the rear portion of the clip body where the locking member is movable between an arm member locked position and an arm member unlocked position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to clips. Particularly, the present invention relates to a locking clip assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Clip-type structures have been around for a long time. Ever since there was a need to connect two articles together, clips of various designs have been constructed. The most basic of clip designs is the paper clip, which is designed to hold two or more pieces of paper together without puncturing the surface of the paper.
There have been devised resilient clips, locking clips, spring clips, clips for garters, clips for suspenders, rug holder clips, clips for fabric, clips for canvas tarps or plastic sheets, clips for clothes hangers, and the like. Locking clips are a special category of clips that typically include a means for maintaining a clip in a locked position.
In one type of locking clip, two jaw members pivot relative to each other about a pivot axis. On one side of the pivot axis is a pair of jaws in opposed relationship to each other. On the other side of the pivot axis are the lever handles of the two jaw members. When the lever handles are squeezed toward each other, the jaws open. On one of the lever handles is positioned a clip structure spaced from the pivot axis. Pivotally connected to the clip structure is a locking member that is pivoted to capture the other lever handle and maintain the pair of lever handles at a relatively fixed, spaced position until the locking member is pivotally removed from its locking position.
Another type of locking clip is a clasp having a front member and a back member. The back member has one end formed into a tongue that is bent inwardly and rearwardly to present an inwardly directed hook. A slide is fitted on the front member and is configured to slide toward the tongue and to capture the tongue of the back member to the front member and to lock the front member to the back member until the slide is disengaged. The tongue and the front member at the point of capture by the slide are the "jaws" that hold the fabric placed between the front member and the back member.
A locking rug holder is another type of clip that has two arms. One is a long arm with a J-shaped member and the other is a swinging arm hingedly connected to the short arm of the J-shaped member. The ends opposite the J-shaped member of each of the long arm and the swinging arm include rubber pads in opposed relationship to each other. Each arm has a plurality of corrugations on its outer surface that extends between the J-shaped member and the rubber pads. A rectangular loop member has cross arms where each cross arm is provided with a roller for engaging the corrugations of the long arm and the swinging arm. In use, a portion of a rug is placed between the rubber pads and the loop member is forced forward toward the end with the rubber pads so that the rollers engage the corrugations thereby holding the long arm and the swinging arm together.
There is also a clip assembly that includes two gripping members that include jaws and arms that are joined by a pivot connection so that the jaws are forced into engagement when the arms are pressed together. A first arm is typically rectangular with an elongated slot. The second arm is made of a resilient material so that the arm bends as the jaws are forced into gripping engagement. There is a hook or other attachment portion on a terminal end of the second arm such that the hook is received through the elongated slot of the first arm thereby permitting the attachment of a rope or cord or the like to the hook after the hook is bent through the slot, thus preventing the arms from separating out of the forced gripping engagement.


A method, medium, and content switch device are provided for enhanced directory assistance. A GPS-enabled wireless phone generates directory assistance requests that are monitored and processed by the content switch and a directory assistance platform to generate results that satisfy the directory assistance requests. The content switch intelligently monitors the directory assistance sessions and dynamically invokes value-adding services that delivers rich content in addition to the results to the GPS-enable wireless phone or other registered client devices based on the directory assistance requests or results. The value-adding services may include pushing driving directions to the GPS-enable wireless phone, providing training video content corresponding to vendors associated with the directory assistance requests, or connecting the GPS-enabled wireless phone to a live video-conferencing session.

Often, the infrastructure of existing legacy systems is not readily compatible with the infrastructure of new web services. For instance, a legacy directory-assistance system conventionally operates over a public switched telephone network (PSTN). FIG. 1 is a network diagram that illustrates a conventional directory assistance system 100. The prior art directory-assistance system 100 includes a PSTN 110, a telephone 111, a directory assistance platform (DAP) 112.
Conventionally, a user operating the telephone 111 initiates a directory assistance call by depressing a numerical pattern, such as "411," on the telephone 111 to retrieve information associated with a specified entity. In turn, the conventional directory-assistance system 100 connects the telephone 111 to the DAP 112 and provides results that includes directory listings based on requests generated by the telephone 111. The conventional directory-assistance system 100, generates audible results that are related to the specified entity. For instance, the audible results may include contact information for the specified entity. The results do not provide a user with web services associated with the specified entity because the conventional infrastructure of the directory-assistance system 100 is not configured to communicate with web services associated with the specified entity. Thus, there is a need to leverage functionality of the existing legacy infrastructure, in order to provide telecommunication devices with richer results based on optional web services that are associated with the entities specified in the directory-assistance call.

Content switch for enhancing directory assistance


A sheet which entered between a first sheet conveying unit and a second sheet conveying unit is detected by a sheet detecting unit. A loop of the sheet formed with a difference of sheet conveying speeds between the first and second sheet conveying units is detected by a loop detecting sensor. After the sheet detecting unit detected the sheet, if the loop detecting sensor does not detect the loop, a control unit which controls the sheet conveying speed of at least one of the first and second sheet conveying units controls the sheet conveying speed of at least one of the first and second sheet conveying units, thereby reducing an amount of the formed loop.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and, more particularly, to a technique for conveying a sheet while forming a loop.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, in an image forming apparatus of one of an electrophotographic system and an electrostatic recording system, after a toner image was transferred onto a sheet, the sheet is conveyed to a fixing unit and the toner image is heated, pressed, and fixed by the fixing unit, thereby forming an image onto the sheet.
According to such an image forming apparatus, the sheet onto which the toner image formed by an image forming unit has been transferred passes through the fixing unit, is conveyed to a discharging unit, and is discharged from the image forming apparatus by the discharging unit. Among the image forming apparatuses, there is an apparatus in which after the toner image formed on a photosensitive drum was primarily transferred onto an intermediate transfer belt, it is transferred onto the sheet by a secondary transfer unit.
FIGS. 20A and 20B illustrate an example of a construction of a conventional image forming apparatus. In FIGS. 20A and 20B, a full color image formed on an intermediate transfer belt 131 is transferred onto a sheet P by a secondary transfer unit 130. In the secondary transfer unit 130, toner images of four colors on the intermediate transfer belt 131 are transferred in a lump onto the sheet P by a secondary transfer bias which is applied to a secondary transfer roller 132.
Subsequently, the sheet P onto which the toner images have been transferred as mentioned above is guided by conveying guides 140 and 141 provided between the secondary transfer unit 130 and a fixing roller pair 150. The sheet P is conveyed to the fixing roller pair 150 constructed by a fixing roller 152 and a pressing roller 151. Toner of respective colors is heated and pressed by the fixing roller pair 150, so that the toner is fused, color-mixed, and fixed as a full-color image onto the sheet P. After that, the sheet P on which the image has been fixed is discharged by a discharging roller pair 160 provided downstream of the fixing roller pair 150.
When the sheet P is conveyed from the secondary transfer unit 130 to the fixing roller pair 150, if a sheet conveying speed of the fixing roller pair 150 is higher than that of the secondary transfer unit 130 (secondary transfer roller 132), the sheet P is pulled by the fixing roller pair 150. When the sheet P is pulled, transfer noises (disturbance of an image upon transfer) are generated and a deviation of a copying magnification occurs.
Therefore, hitherto, the sheet conveying speed of the fixing roller pair 150 is set to be slightly lower than that of the secondary transfer unit 130 and a loop is formed in a conveying path 170 between the secondary transfer unit 130 and the fixing roller pair 150, thereby preventing the generation of the transfer noises or the like.
In FIGS. 20A and 20B, a heater 153 is provided in the fixing roller 152. Temperature control is made by the heater 153 so that a surface temperature of the fixing roller 152 is equal to a predetermined fixing temperature.
Quality of the image formed on the sheet P by the image forming apparatus having such a construction changes by one of a heat energy and a pressure energy which are received from the fixing roller pair 150. Particularly, in a color image which is formed by depositing a large amount of toner onto the sheet P, picture quality and glossiness are liable to be influenced by the heat energy and the pressure energy which are received from the fixing roller pair 150 as compared with the case of a black and white (monochromatic) image on which a toner deposition amount is small.
In the case of continuously executing the image forming operation, there is a case where the heat energy lost by the fixing process of one sheet is not sufficiently recovered and the fixing process of the next sheet is started in the state where the surface temperature of the fixing roller 152 decreased. In such a case, the picture quality also deteriorates.
As a countermeasure against the deterioration of the picture quality that is caused by the decrease in surface temperature of the fixing roller 152, hitherto, an electric power which is supplied to the heater 153 is increased (heater capacitance is increased). In this case, when considering an interval of a relatively long time, the supplied energy and the consumed energy can be balanced.
However, even in the case of taking such a countermeasure, if a material such as a heat resistant rubber or the like whose heat response performance is low is used for the surface of the fixing roller 152 in order to improve the picture quality, there is a case where the temperature of the fixing roller 152 decreases temporarily.
When the temperature of the fixing roller 152 decreases as mentioned above, an outer diameter of the fixing roller 152 changes due to such a temperature change. The conveying speed of the sheet P which passes through the fixing roller pair 150 changes. The picture quality and the conveying speed of the sheet also change depending on a difference of the heat capacitance of the sheet P, that is, a sheet type such as thin sheet, thick sheet, OHP film, or the like.
When the sheet conveying speed of the fixing roller pair 150 further decreases due to the temperature decrease of the fixing roller 152, a large loop is formed between the fixing roller pair 150 and the secondary transfer unit 130. When the large loop is formed as mentioned above, particularly, in the case of the image forming unit in which a distance between the secondary transfer unit 130 and the fixing roller pair 150 is small, as shown in FIG. 20B, the image surface of the sheet P is come into contact with the conveying guide 141 and is rubbed, so that a defective image and the transfer noises (disturbance of the image upon transfer) occur.
To solve such a problem, there is an apparatus in which the sheet conveying speed of the fixing roller pair (fixing unit) 150 is controlled by the first speed lower than the sheet conveying speed of the secondary transfer unit (transfer unit) 130 and by the second speed higher than the first speed.
When the sheet conveying speed of the fixing roller pair 150 is controlled by the first speed, in the case where a height of the sheet loop which is formed between the fixing roller pair 150 and the secondary transfer unit 130 is equal to a predetermined height or more, the speed is switched to the second speed. When the height of the sheet loop is equal to the predetermined height or less, the sheet conveying speed of the fixing roller pair 150 is switched to the first speed. In this manner, a size of sheet loop which is formed between the fixing roller pair 150 and the secondary transfer unit 130 is maintained within a predetermined range.
The techniques of switching the sheet conveying speed as mentioned above have been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. H05-107966, H07-234604, H10-097154, 2000-344385, 2001-282072, 2003-345150, and 2006-23655.
An example of the loop control will now be described with reference to FIGS. 20A and 20B. A flag 162 is arranged in the conveying path 170 between the secondary transfer unit 130 and the fixing roller pair 150. When the sheet P forms a loop, the flag 162 rotates around a rotary axis 161 as a rotational center by a pressure of the sheet P. A rotational angle of the flag 162 which changes depending on the loop of the sheet P is detected by a sensor 163. The loop control at the first speed and the second speed of the fixing roller pair 150 is made based on a detection signal from the sensor 163, thereby stabilizing the loop of the sheet P.
In the conventional image forming apparatus in which such a loop control is made, it is presumed that the loop which is formed in the sheet P between the transfer unit and the fixing unit has a loop shape in such an orientation that the surface on which the non-fixed toner of the sheet P is not transferred becomes a convex surface (hereinafter, such a loop is called a normal loop) as shown in FIG. 20A. That is, by inclining a nip direction of the secondary transfer unit 130 and a nip direction of the fixing roller pair 150 at a predetermined angle, the normal loop in such an orientation that the non-image surface side of the sheet P becomes a convex surface is formed.
However, in the case of a sheet on which a large amount of toner has been deposited upon creation of the image of the first plane, for example, in a duplex image forming mode, there is a case where the sheet is largely curled so as to become a concave shape toward the toner surface side after the fixing. In such a case, upon image creation of the second plane, there is a case where the sheet is conveyed in the state where the sheet is curled so that the surface on which the non-fixed toner has been transferred becomes a convex surface between the transfer unit and the fixing unit. When the sheet P is left in a high-temperature and high-humidity environment, there is a case where a large curl is caused by a difference between a moisture absorption situation of the moisture on the obverse surface of the sheet and that on the reverse surface. Depending on the obverse/reverse side of the curled sheet P which is set onto a sheet feeding tray, there is a case where the sheet is conveyed in the curled state so that the surface on which the non-fixed toner has been transferred becomes the convex surface between the transfer unit and the fixing unit.
After the image was transferred by the secondary transfer unit 130 onto the sheet in which such a curl that the surface on which the non-fixed toner is transferred becomes the convex surface had occurred as mentioned above and the sheet entered the fixing roller pair 150, if the loop control is made, there is a case where the sheet enters a state as shown in FIG. 20B. That is, such a loop shape that the surface on which the non-fixed toner has been transferred becomes the convex surface (hereinafter, such a loop is called a reverse loop) occurs suddenly. If such a reverse loop occurs, since the flag 162 does not light-shield the sensor 163, the sensor 163 cannot detect the sheet P. Therefore, since the detection signal is not input from the sensor 163, a control unit (not shown) erroneously determines that a loop amount of the sheet P is small.
If such an erroneous determination is made, the control unit continuously supplies a signal instructing that the sheet conveying speed of the fixing roller pair 150 is set to the first speed lower than that of the secondary transfer unit 130 so as to further increase the loop amount. Thus, an amount of reverse loop increases and the image surface side of the sheet P is soon come into contact with the guide 141 on the side opposite to the sensor 163. The non-fixed toner on the sheet is rubbed. Thus, the defective image of the sheet occurs.
According to the invention disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-23655, a sheet attracting unit for attracting the sheet in the orientation of the loop which is detected by a loop detecting unit is provided between the transfer unit and the fixing unit and an attracting force of the sheet by the sheet attracting unit is set to a value within a range where the reverse loop of the sheet can be eliminated.
However, when presuming the case where a large curled sheet whose image surface side becomes the convex surface is conveyed, an apparatus whose attracting force is very large has to be arranged in order to eliminate the reverse loop, resulting in an increase in size and costs of the apparatus. Moreover, if the attracting force is set to be too large, there is also a case where the toner in the apparatus is scattered, the sheet itself vibrates, and a trouble of the defective image occurs. Further, in order to solve such a problem, if the transfer unit and the fixing unit are arranged so that the image surface side is difficult to become the convex surface, there is such a problem that a degree of freedom upon designing of a layout construction of the conveying path and the whole apparatus decreases.

Image forming apparatus with loop detection and conveyance speed control


It is an object of the present invention to provide a finder prism capable of forming some in-finder information such as an automatic focus target mark and a short distance correction mark by virtue of extremely narrow lines. In detail, the finder prism is provided between an objective lens and an ocular lens, and is adapted to transmit an object image to a camera user under a condition where an automatic focus target mark and an short distance correction mark are overlapped on a photographing object image. In particular, the prism is made of a resin, a shouldered portion is formed on one surface of the prism from which the object light is allowed to exit during a photographing process, thereby forming some in-finder information such as an automatic focus target mark and an short distance correction mark.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a prism of a finder which is used in a camera, in particular a finder prism which is provided with a shoulder portion so that lines are formed so as to be visible within the field of view of the finder.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a finder of a camera is formed with some in-finder information formed on itself, such as automatic focus target marks and short range correction marks. Such marks are formed by virtue of special lines formed in predetermined positions on a surface of a certain plate-like element.
A commonly used means for forming such in-finder information has been disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2629690, which teaches that desired lines may be directly formed on a glass plate (i.e., a reticle) by means of an etching treatment.
Under the above-mentioned condition, however, since lines are formed on a glass plate by means of an etching treatment, when light passes therethrough, some problems occur which are associated with the depth of the etching treatment. Namely, when light passes therethrough, the reflectance from the surface of the glass plate will be different from the reflectance from the etched portions. As a result, it will appear to a person using the finder as if each single line is instead two lines.
In order to solve the above problem, Japanese Patent Publication 5-22890 has disclosed an improved finder prism in which the cross sections of convex portions (i.e., protrusions) and the cross sections of concave portions (i.e., grooves) are semi-circular, and the surfaces of the convex and concave portions are made to include a light dispersing structure.
However, when the cross sections of the convex portions and the concave portions are made into generally semi-circular shapes the corresponding manufacturing process becomes too complex, and thus the production cost is high.
Further, since the cross sections of the convex portions and the concave portions are substantially circular and since it is these cross sections that are then etched so as to be made visible to the user, it becomes difficult to avoid a problem of the width of the lines being large.


A sofa configured to be converted into various positions, including a sofa, lounge, bed and chaise position. The sofa includes a seat deck and a backrest. Further, the sofa includes a first type of click-clack mechanisms placed between the seat deck and backrest which are used to convert the sofa to the lounge or bed position. Also, the sofa includes a second type of click-clack mechanisms placed throughout the seat deck and backrest. These are used to convert the sofa to one of two possible chaise positions. In particular, these click-clack mechanisms enable the sides of the seat deck and backrest to be raised to various levels (e.g., 20 degrees, 40 degrees). As a result, opposing sides of the seat deck and backrest can be raised at the appropriate level thereby providing two individual chaises facing one another.

A sofa is an upholstered item of furniture for the comfortable seating of more than one person and typically has an armrest on both sides of the sofa along with a back rest. Sofas are usually to be found in the family room, living room, den or the lounge. They are covered in a variety of textiles or in leather.
Sofas may be converted into a bed. This type of furniture is often referred to as a "sofa convertible." However, traditional beds though typically cannot be converted into other different positions, such as a chaise, which allows the user to stretch out their legs while having their back and neck supported.
Furthermore, traditional beds do not currently have the feature of converting into other positions, such as a chaise position, that would allow multiple individuals to face one another in opposite directions while at the same time stretch out their legs. In this manner, two individuals facing one another in opposite directions could converse with one another while at the same time stretch out their legs and relax.

Sofa that converts to various positions using click-clack mechanisms, including chaise position with two individual chaises facing one another


A sealing device for a chamber including at least one rotary member and at least one static member of a jet engine and can contain a lubricating oil droplet suspension. The sealing device includes at least one brush seal that includes juxtaposed strands and is set to ensure sealing between at least one rotary member and at least one stationary member, a mechanism to recover part of the oil suspended within the inner space of the chamber, and a mechanism to deliver the recovered oil. The delivery mechanism is set up to generate a flow of oil along the strands of the brush seal, the oil flow being oriented in the direction of the rotary member. The brush seal thus provides better resistance to coking.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a turbojet and in particular a sealing device for a turbojet oil enclosure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A turboshaft for an aircraft generally comprises, arranged in the direction of the gas flow: a fan, one or more compressor stages, for example a low-pressure compressor and a high-pressure compressor, a combustion chamber, one or more turbine stages, for example a high-pressure turbine and a low-pressure turbine, and a gas exhaust nozzle. Each compressor may be associated with a turbine, the two elements being linked by a shaft, thereby forming, for example, a high-pressure core and a low-pressure core.
Turbojets generally have, substantially around the upstream extremity of the high-pressure core, an "upstream enclosure" containing bearing and gear members. They also generally have, substantially around the downstream extremity of the high-pressure core, a "downstream enclosure" containing oil-lubricated bearing and gear members. The oil, projected by these rotary parts , forms a mist (or suspension) of suspended droplets within the enclosures. Furthermore, they are traversed by a gas flow (air), in particular for ventilation purposes. To prevent the oil from being carried out of the enclosures by the gas flow, the gases are evacuated into "oil separators" generally formed by radial chimneys arranged in the low-pressure shaft, the oil being captured on the walls thereof and returned to the corresponding enclosure by centrifugal force. The oil separators communicate with a degassing tube (also rotary) concentric to the low-pressure shaft and in the enclosure of which the gases are carried from the oil separators to the outlet of the degassing tube where they are ejected, generally around the turbojet nozzle.
The upstream and downstream enclosures are formed and delimited by the walls of the stationary structure of the turbojet, but also by the walls of the rotary elements. They must enable the passage of a gas flow, but retain as much oil as possible therein, and for this reason the seal between the stationary elements and the rotary elements of an oil enclosure is a particularly delicate problem.
Traditionally, the seal is effected using a labyrinth joint, i.e. formed by ribs rigidly connected to a rotary part and an abradable material rigidly connected to a stationary part against which the ribs rub. This rubbing occurs with a given clearance to enable the passage of a gas flow coming from the low-pressure or high-pressure compressors; these gases oppose the egress of oil through the labyrinth joint; the flow rate thereof is dimensioned to be sufficient at slow speeds and is therefore excessive in other flight phases (in which the flow rate of the air aspirated by the fan of the turbojet is greater). This excessive flow in the other flight phases has at least two detrimental effects: firstly, it proportionately reduces the efficiency of the engine and, secondly, it tends to draw a greater quantity of oil out of the enclosure, around the oil separators.
It has therefore been envisaged to replace the labyrinth joints with "brush" seals, i.e. having a plurality of juxtaposed, substantially radial fibers that are attached to a stationary part, the free extremities of which are in contact with a rotary part (or very close thereto), the fibers being preferably slightly inclined in the direction of rotation of the rotary part; the fibers of the brush seal may for example be made of carbon. Such a device is in particular described in patent application US 2004/0256807 filed by General Electric.
Such brush seals have the advantage of needing to be traversed by a gas flow having a flow rate that is not too high to guarantee the oil seal thereof On the other hand, they have the drawback of tending to cause coking of the oil they come into contact with. Coking is the transformation of oil into a solid deposit; it is caused by reheating oil stuck to the carbon fibers; it reduces the effectiveness of the brush seal. Furthermore, the rubbing of the bristles on the track of the rotary part designed to touch the extremities thereof causes them to wear and therefore also reduces the effectiveness thereof over time.

Sealing device for jet engine oil chamber


Frames comprise odd fields and even fields. The frame sync segments of the odd fields contains a current map specifying the location of data in frames, a next map specifying the location of data in a future frame, and a frame count designating the future frame. The frame sync segments of the even field may contain the same information. Alternatively, the frame sync segments of the odd fields contain the current map and part of the frame count, and the frame sync segments of the corresponding even fields contain the next map and the rest of the frame count. A receiver uses the map and frame count information to find data in the fields of received frames.

The present invention relates to the coding and decoding of data, such as map data that indicate the distribution of first and second data segments in a transmitted data field.
The ATSC digital television standard presently provides for the transmission of successive data fields each comprising 313 segments extending over a 24.2 ms time interval. FIG. 1 discloses an exemplary format for a data field according to this standard. The first segment of each field is a field sync segment. The field sync segment is composed of four two-level segment sync symbols and space for 828 other two-level symbols. A portion of this space is used for a field sync, and another portion of this field is reserved. Except for the reserved portion, the information in the frame sync segment does not change from field to field. Each of the remaining segments of each field comprises four two-level segment sync symbols and 828 n-level data symbols where n is currently eight, although n could be other integers such as two, four, sixteen, etc. Except for the segment sync portion, it is highly likely that the data in the remaining segments of the fields change from field to field.
As indicated by U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/804,262 filed on Mar. 13, 2001, there is presently some interest in extending the ATSC digital television standard to allow a field to contain a mix of more robustly coded data (referred to herein as E-VSB data) and the data currently provided for in the standard (referred to herein as VSB data). Preferably, the data mix is employed on a segment-by-segment basis such that some segments of a field are used to transmit VSB data exclusively and the remaining segments of the field are used to transmit E-VSB segments exclusively. However, it is possible that all data segments of a field could contain either E-VSB data segments exclusively or VSB data segments exclusively. Moreover, it is also possible that the E-VSB data contained in some segments of a field may be coded with one robust coding rate and that the E-VSB data in other segments of the field may be coded at other robust coding rates.
As disclosed in the above mentioned ""262 application, a map that indicates which segments contain the more robust (E-VSB) data and which segments contain standard VSB data is preferably provided by the transmitter to the receiver so that the receiver can properly decode and otherwise process the received VSB and E-VSB data. Assuming that a field contains E-VSB data at different coding rates, the map in that case must also designate the coding rates that apply to the differently coded E-VSB data segments.
The ""262 application describes one mapping system. Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/011,900 filed Dec. 3, 2001 as well as the ""333 application describe another mapping system that reliably identifies which segments contain first data (such as VSB data) and which segments contain second data (such as E-VSB data).
Multipath distortion, commonly found on terrestrial television channels, can affect the ability of the receiver to properly receive and process the map. For example, in the case of map data transmitted in the reserved portion of the field sync segment, data that tends to be random from field to field will be superimposed on the map data if a ghost is a long ghost such that it occurs in the data of a data segment rather than in the field sync segment. If the map and its duplicate are transmitted in two successive field sync segments, the map and its duplicate add with a high degree of correlation when a map and its duplicate are averaged in a receiver, but the superimposed data add with a much lower degree of correlation. Thus, the map is more easily distinguished from the data. Accordingly, the map is readily detectable.
On the other hand, if the ghost is a short ghost such that it occurs in the frame sync segment of a field, frame sync symbols that may not vary from field to field are superimposed on both the map and the duplicate. Accordingly, while the map and its duplicate add with a high degree of correlation, the superimposed field sync symbols also add with a high degree of correlation. Thus, the map cannot be easily distinguished from the field sync symbols. Accordingly, the map is difficult to detect.
As indicated in the aforementioned ""394 application, interleaving is used to minimize the adverse effects of burst noise. However, as discussed more fully below, there is a latency that is inherent from the interleaving of the map that is used to indicate where in a frame the receiver can find the various data. This latency results because any one map, due to the interleaving, is spread out over a number of frames so that the map cannot be completely received until all of the frames over which it is spread are received. As a result, the latency associated with interleaving significantly increases receiver acquisition time.
Moreover, while interleaving generally protects against a noise burst impairing all of the map bits or symbols in a particular field, the effectiveness of such protection is reduced in the event of multiple noise bursts in that or subsequent fields. Repeated noise bursts could prevent effective reception of the map even though the robust and other data in the frame are received without appreciable degradation.
The present invention, in one of its embodiments, allows maps to be more easily detected even in the presence of noise bursts.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method of receiving successive fields of transmitted data is provided. Each field comprises a plurality of data segments and each data segment contains first E-VSB data, second E-VSB data, or VSB data, and the first and second E-VSB data are coded at different coding rates The method comprises the following: receiving a data field comprising one of a plurality of mixes of data segments distributed throughout the field and a map comprising map symbols that designate the data segment mix contained in the received data field, wherein each of the plurality of mixes denotes the number and locations of data segments containing first E-VSB data, second E-VSB data, and/or VSB data in a field, and wherein the number of map symbols in the map is insufficient to denote all possible different combinations of data segments in the field that may contain first E-VSB data, second E-VSB data, and/or VSB data; and, decoding the received map symbols to separate the received data segments containing first E-VSB data, second E-VSB data, and/or VSB data.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method of transmitting successive fields of data is provided. Each of the fields comprises plurality of data segments and each data segment contains-first E-VSB data, second E-VSB data, or VSB data, and the first and second E-VAS data are coded at different coding rates. The method comprises the following: generating a map for each of the fields, wherein the map comprises map symbols that define a plurality of mixes of the data segments, wherein each of the plurality of mixes denotes the numbers and locations of data segments containing first E-VSB data, second E-VSB data, and/or VSB data, and wherein the number of map symbols in the map is insufficient to denote all possible different combinations of data segments in the field that may contain first E-VSB data, second E-VSB data, and/or VSB data; inserting each of the maps into a corresponding one of the fields; inserting first E-VSB data into first E-VSB data segments of each of the fields, second E-VSB data into second E-VSB data segments of each of the fields, and/or VSB data into VSB data segments of each of the fields according to corresponding ones of the maps; and, transmitting the fields.

Robust system for transmitting and receiving map data


A liquid crystal display includes: an insulation substrate; pixel electrodes on the insulation substrate; a voltage auxiliary wiring on the insulation substrate and between adjacent pixel electrodes; a liquid crystal layer positioned in microcavities, where the voltage auxiliary wiring is exposed between adjacent microcavities; and a common electrode which overlaps the liquid crystal layer and the exposed voltage auxiliary wiring.

(a) Field
The invention relates to a liquid crystal display and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display having a liquid crystal display panel which includes a microcavity and a manufacturing method thereof.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display which is one of the most common type of flat panel displays, includes two sheets of display panels including field generating electrodes such as a pixel electrode, a common electrode and the like, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the field generating electrodes.
The liquid crystal display generates an electric field in the liquid crystal layer by applying voltage to the field generating electrodes, and determines the direction of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer by the generated electric field, thus controlling polarization of incident light so as to display images.
A liquid crystal display having an embedded microcavity ("EM") structure is a device in which a sacrificial layer is formed in a manufacturing method thereof by a photo resist and a support member is coated on an upper portion thereof, and then the sacrificial layer is removed such as by an ashing process and a liquid crystal is filled in an empty space formed by the removed sacrificial layer, thereby manufacturing a display panel. In order to remove the sacrificial layer, an opening process is performed such as by etching one side of the EM structure and thus a common electrode has a structure connected only in one direction by the process.
As a result, when a common voltage is applied through a portion of the common electrode connected in one direction, a crosstalk occurs due to the common voltage which is changed at another portion of the common electrode (e.g., a center portion) at a distance away from the applied portion.

Liquid crystal display and manufacturing method thereof


A host controller for a distributed wireless local area network (WLAN) includes: a communications interface connected to each of a set of wireless access points (APs); a memory storing (i) identifiers of each of the wireless access points, and (ii) a master identifier of the host controller; and a processor configured to: receive a notification, from a first one of the APs, that the first AP has completed an association with a client device; in response to receiving the notification: deploy association data, including an identifier of the client device, to each of the APs; initiate a handshake mechanism with the client device, via a selected one of the APs, to generate an encryption key; and provide the encryption key to each or the APs to enable data exchange between the client device and each of the APs.

Wireless local-area networks (WLANs), such as those based on the 802.11 family of standards, may be established using multiple access points to provide coverage extending over a larger area than can be achieved with a single access point. Further, such networks may be deployed by assigning a common network name to the full set of access points, allowing client devices to connect to the same WLAN throughout the coverage area. However, a client device travelling through the coverage area of such a network may be within range of distinct physical access points at different times. The client device may therefore be required to roam between such access points to maintain connectivity. Roaming may result in interruptions to communication sessions at the client device.

Distributed access points for wireless networks


In a fuel cell assembly, nickel-based anodes are readily oxidized when exposed to oxygen as may happen through atmospheric invasion of the assembly during cool-down following shutdown of the assembly. Repeated anode oxidation and reduction can be destructive of the anodes, leading to cracking and failure. To prevent such oxygen migration, check valves and oxygen getter devices containing oxygen-scavenging material such as metallic nickel are provided in the reformate passageways leading to and from the anodes. The check valves preferably are closed by gravity. Oxidation of the oxygen-gettering material is readily reversed through reduction by reformate when the assembly is restarted.

The present invention relates to hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells having a solid-oxide electrolytic layer separating an anode layer from a cathode layer; more particularly, to fuel cell stack assemblies and systems comprising a nickel-based anode; and most particularly, to such fuel cell assemblies and systems wherein the anode is protected from oxidation, especially during cool-down after the assembly has been shut down.
Fuel cells which generate electric current by the electrochemical combination of hydrogen and oxygen are well known. In one form of such a fuel cell, an anodic layer and a cathodic layer are separated by an electrolyte formed of a ceramic solid oxide. Such a fuel cell is known in the art as a xe2x80x9csolid oxide fuel cellxe2x80x9d (SOFC). Hydrogen, either pure or reformed from hydrocarbons, is flowed along the outer surface of the anode and diffuses into the anode. Oxygen, typically from air, is flowed along the outer surface of the cathode and diffuses into the cathode. Each O2 molecule is split and reduced to two Oxe2x88x922 anions catalytically by the cathode. The oxygen anions transport through the electrolyte and combine at the anode/electrolyte interface with four hydrogen ions to form two molecules of water. The anode and the cathode are connected externally through a load to complete the circuit whereby four electrons are transferred from the anode to the cathode. When hydrogen is derived from xe2x80x9creformedxe2x80x9d hydrocarbons, the xe2x80x9creformatexe2x80x9d gas includes CO which is converted to CO2 at the anode via an oxidation process similar to that performed on the hydrogen. Reformed gasoline is a commonly used fuel in automotive fuel cell applications.
A single cell is capable of generating a relatively small voltage and wattage, typically between about 0.5 volt and about 1.0 volt, depending upon load, and less than about 2 watts per cm2 of cell surface. Therefore, in practice it is usual to stack together, in electrical series, a plurality of cells. Because each anode and cathode must have a free space for passage of gas over its surface, the cells are separated by perimeter spacers which are vented to permit flow of gas to the anodes and cathodes as desired but which form seals on their axial surfaces to prevent gas leakage from the sides of the stack. The perimeter spacers include dielectric layers to insulate the interconnects from each other. Adjacent cells are connected electrically by xe2x80x9cinterconnectxe2x80x9d elements in the stack, the outer surfaces of the anodes and cathodes being electrically connected to their respective interconnects by electrical contacts disposed within the gas-flow space, typically by a metallic foam which is readily gas-permeable or by conductive filaments. The outermost, or end, interconnects of the stack define electric terminals, or xe2x80x9ccurrent collectors,xe2x80x9d which may be connected across a load.
A complete SOFC system typically includes auxiliary subsystems for, among other requirements, generating fuel by reforming hydrocarbons; tempering the reformate fuel and air entering the stack; providing air to the hydrocarbon reformer; providing air to the cathodes for reaction with hydrogen in the fuel cell stack; providing air for cooling the fuel cell stack; providing combustion air to an afterburner for unspent fuel exiting the stack; and providing cooling air to the afterburner and the stack. A complete SOFC assembly also includes appropriate piping and valving, as well as a programmable electronic control unit (ECU) for managing the activities of the subsystems simultaneously.
The anodes of cells in a fuel cell assembly typically include metallic nickel and/or a nickel cermet (Nixe2x80x94YSZ) which are readily oxidized. During operation of an assembly, the anodes are in a reduced state. A problem exists in that the anodes are vulnerable to oxidation by atmospheric oxygen which can enter the stacks via the reformate passageways during cool-down of the assembly. The anodes are still hot enough that oxidation of the nickel can occur readily, and gas compositions (reformate) which can prevent such oxidation are no longer flowing through the stack. The grain growth of the nickel in the anode cermet during operation can lead to severe stresses caused by the volume changes associated with the oxidation/reduction cycles experienced by the nickel in the cermet. Repeated oxidation and reduction of nickel in the cermet anodes can lead to severe mechanical stresses because of volume differences between metallic nickel and nickel oxide, and can result in catastrophic cracking of the anodes.
It is a principal object of the present invention to protect the nickel anodes of a fuel cell from structural degradation by periodic oxidation and reduction of the nickel.
It is a further object of the present invention, through such prevention, to improve the reliability and extend the lifetime of solid oxide fuel cells.
Briefly described, in a fuel cell assembly, for example, a solid-oxide fuel cell assembly, metallic nickel in a Nixe2x80x94YSZ anode is readily oxidized when exposed to oxygen as may happen through atmospheric invasion of the assembly during cool-down following shutdown of the assembly. Anodes are in an oxidized equilibrium state when the assembly is fabricated and are then reduced by fuel such as reformate when the assembly is first turned on. Repeated anode oxidation and reduction can affect the structure of the anodes and can lead to cracking and failure of the anodes and thus the entire assembly. To prevent such oxygen migration and re-oxidation, a set of passive devices are employed which are low in cost, simple to implement, and do not require any electronic controls or power.
First, oxygen intrusion is minimized by installation of check valves in the fuel flow passages upstream and down-stream of the anodes. The check valves include balls formed of high-temperature materials and are held in place on a valve seat by gravity. The weight of the ball and the size of the seat determine the pressure drop across the valve.
Second, because oxygen is bound to eventually leak around the check valves and into the anode passages given sufficient time, oxygen getter devices, containing oxygen-gettering material such as metallic nickel, are provided in the fuel passageways leading to and from the anodes. Oxidation of the oxygen-gettering material is readily reversed through reduction by fuel when the assembly is restarted.

Oxygen isolation and collection for anode protection in a solid-oxide fuel cell stack


A plastic closure comprising a base wall, a peripheral skirt, means on said skirt adapted to attach the closure to a container, and a sealing liner compression molded in situ on the interior of the base wall of the closure, said sealing liner comprising a blend of an ethylene vinyl acetate composition and a thermoplastic elastomeric composition.

Plastic closures have been commonly made by injection molding or compression molding In plastic closures made by compression molding as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,210,805, 4,434,754, and 4,418,828, incorporated herein by reference, it is also common to compression mold a sealing liner in place in the closure after the closure has been formed. Such sealing liners may comprise polyvinyl chloride plastic or thermoplastic elastomeric compositions. Polyvinyl chloride has a tendency to overheat during extrusion and further has inherent problems because of the removal torque when the sealing liner is used on a PET container. Thermoplastic polymeric compositions are more expensive, more difficult to produce in that the compounding necessary results in inconsistent quality and consistency. Furthermore, such compositions produce problems of torque removal on glass containers. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,807,772 and 4,846,362 disclose a compression molded liner being made of a blend of polyethylene or polypropylene and thermoplastic elastomeric copolymer so that the liner is removable.
As a result of the problems with both types of compositions, it has been necessary for a user to maintain costly inventories of closures with both types of sealing liners in order to accommodate use with both plastic and glass containers.
In order to produce a satisfactory sealing liner that would be applicable to both plastic and glass containers, it must be necessary to not only formulate the composition but also consistently extrude and cut off charges of the composition for compression molding in apparatus such as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,955,605, 4,080,136 and 4,277,431. The closure must also match other closure requirements including satisfactory removal torques, carbonation retention, carbonation retention under top load and satisfactory functioning on a container when cycled through environmental changes of temperature and humidity.
Accordingly, among the objectives of the present invention are to provide a compression molded plastic closure having a compression molded sealing liner which will overcome the problems inherent in the prior sealing liners; which will operate satisfactorily on both plastic and glass containers; which is relatively lower in cost; and which can be readily processed and meet the requirements for a satisfactory closure.

Plastic closure with compression molded sealing liner


A can opener that automatically opens a can and then signals when the can has been opened, upon the insertion of a can into the can opener and pressing a start button. The automatic can opener is useful for physically challenged individuals and/or individuals who are sight challenged.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general art of kitchen appliances, and to the particular field of can openers.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Metal cans are ubiquitous in modern society. Metal cans are used to store a multitude of items, including food as well as other items. All of these cans are used to ensure proper storage of the various items because of the secure nature of the sealing possible with metal cans. However, due to the secure nature of the sealing, it may be difficult to open a metal can. A can opener is often used for that purpose.
Can openers have been used for many years and take many forms, including a simple hand operated knife type device, a hand operated rotating knife device, handle operated devices, and the like. One thing that all of these can openers have in common is the need for some manual dexterity on the part of the user. Often, the user must hold the can in one hand and operate the can opener with the other hand. While this may sound elementary, it can be quite difficult, if not impossible, for a physically challenged person, such as one who has arthritis or who is sight-impaired. Such people may not be able to operate a can opener in the manner intended by a designer.
Furthermore, if a person is sight-impaired, he or she may have to actually feel the blade of a can opener with his or her finger to determine where to place the can to be opened. This is not desirable, since it is preferable that a person not be required to touch the opening blade, especially one that may have been used to open a can of food. Such physically challenged people often require the assistance of another person to perform the simple task of opening a can.
Therefore, there is a need for a can opener that can be manipulated by someone who is physically challenged.
The art does contain many examples of automatic can openers. However, these known automatic can openers are not easily manipulated by a physically challenged user. Even these automatic can openers often require a user to hold a can in a certain position and then fit the can against the opening blade and hold the can or manipulate the opener to open the can. Again, while this may sound elementary to some, it may be difficult if not impossible for someone who is physically challenged.
Therefore, there is a need for an automatic can opener that can automatically set a can with respect to a can opening knife without requiring the user to either manipulate the can or contact the blade.
It is a main object of the present invention to provide an automatic can opener.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a can opener that can be manipulated by someone who is physically challenged.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic can opener that can automatically set a can with respect to a can-opening knife without requiring the user to either manipulate the can or contact the blade.
These, and other, objects are achieved by an automatic can opener comprising a housing having a top end and a bottom end in the set-up configuration, a can-supporting unit located near the bottom end of the housing and including a can-supporting platform having a plurality of suction cups thereon, a lift mechanism located between the can-supporting platform and the bottom end of the housing, the can-supporting platform being movably connected to the housing having a lift mechanism for moving the can-supporting platform between a first location and adjacent to the bottom end of the housing and a second location spaced apart from the first location toward the top end of the housing, and a rotating mechanism for rotating the can-supporting platform about a vertically oriented longitudinal axis, and a control button on the top end of the housing and connected to the lift mechanism and to a power source and activating the lift mechanism when the control button is in an ON configuration; a can opener unit in the housing adjacent to the top end of the housing and having a fixed can-opening knife thereon.
The can opener of the present invention requires only that the user place the can to be opened into the can opener and press a start button. The can opener does the rest. The can opener moves the can up against a can-opening blade while rotating the platform in order for the fixed blade to open the can. Upon detection of completion of opening of the can by a sensor, the can-supporting platform automatically stops rotating and returns to the first location adjacent to the bottom end of the housing. The user then only has to remove the opened can from the device of the present invention. The user does not have to manipulate the can or the can opener, nor does the user have to locate the can-opening blade by touch. The can opener of the present invention is thus safe and easy to manipulate.


In a hybrid vehicle 20, when the ECO switch 88 is turned on, Step S140 determines whether or not a driving state is an economy driving state based on an ECO mode driving state determination map having a tendency not to regard the driving state as the economy driving state in comparison with a normal driving state determination map. A determination result of Step S140 is displayed on a meter display unit 90 in the form of an illumination or an extinction of an ECO mark 95 so as to inform the driving state is the economy driving state or not (Step S180).

Conventionally, there is well-known a vehicle including a display device disposed at a position easy to see for a driver, a driving state evaluating module that evaluates a present driving state from the view point of a economy driving, and a display control module that displays assist information for bringing the present driving state close to the economy driving state on the display device as necessary (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). In the vehicle, assist information includes at least one of a rotational speed, an accelerator opening, a vehicle speed and a shift position. Also, there is known a vehicle having a normal mode and an energy saving mode as operation modes and allowing drivers to freely select any one of the normal mode and the energy saving mode (for example, refer to Patent Document 2). With respect to the same predetermined output of an accelerator position sensor, in the vehicle, a supply of fuel to the internal combustion engine during selection of the energy saving mode is decreased in comparison with a supply of fuel during selection of the normal mode thereby improving fuel consumption during selection of the energy saving mode.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-289183    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-151039


A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that in an embodiment detect an event that will cause idle cycles in the processor and issue diagnostic instructions to the processor during the cycles that would be idle. In another embodiment, the processor is periodically interrupted and diagnostic instructions are issued to the processor, where the diagnostic instructions are selected based on a history of activity at the processor and a log of previous errors at the processor. In this way, errors may be detected at the processor without undue cost and impact on performance.

In the latter half of the twentieth century, there began a phenomenon known as the information revolution. While the information revolution is a historical development broader in scope than any one event or machine, no single device has come to represent the information revolution more than the digital electronic computer. The development of computer systems has surely been a revolution. Each year, computer systems grow faster, store more data, and provide more applications to their users.
A modern computer system typically comprises a central processing unit (CPU) and supporting hardware necessary to store, retrieve, and transfer information, such as communications buses and memory. It also includes hardware necessary to communicate with the outside world, such as input/output controllers or storage controllers, and devices attached thereto such as keyboards, monitors, tape drives, disk drives, and communication lines coupled to a network. The CPU is the heart of the system. It executes the instructions that comprise a computer program and directs the operation of the other system components.
From the standpoint of the computer's hardware, most systems operate in fundamentally the same manner. Processors are capable of performing a limited set of very simple operations, such as arithmetic, logical comparisons, and movement of data from one location to another. But, each operation is performed very quickly. Programs that direct a computer to perform massive numbers of these simple operations give the illusion that the computer is doing something sophisticated. What is perceived by the user as a new or improved capability of a computer system is made possible by performing essentially the same set of very simple operations, but doing it much faster and with different data. Therefore, continuing improvements to computer systems require that these systems be made ever faster.
The overall speed of a computer system (also called the "throughput") may be crudely measured as the number of operations performed per unit of time. Conceptually, the simplest of all possible improvements to system speed is to increase the clock speeds of the various components, and particularly the clock speed of the processor. E.g., if everything runs twice as fast but otherwise works in exactly the same manner, the system will perform a given task in half the time. Early computer processors, which were constructed from many discrete components, were susceptible to significant speed improvements by shrinking and combining components, eventually packaging the entire processor as an integrated circuit on a single chip. The reduced size made it possible to increase the clock speed of the processor, and accordingly increase system speed.
In addition to increasing clock speeds, it is possible to improve system throughput by using multiple copies of certain components, and in particular, by using multiple CPUs. The modest cost of individual processors packaged on integrated circuit chips has made this practical. While there are certainly potential benefits to using multiple processors, additional architectural issues are introduced. Without delving deeply into these, it can still be observed that there are many reasons to improve the speed of the individual CPU, whether or not a system uses multiple CPUs or a single CPU. If the CPU clock speed is given, it is possible to further increase the speed of the individual CPU, i.e., the number of operations executed per second, by increasing the average number of operations executed per clock cycle.
Most modern processors employ concepts of pipelining and parallelism to increase the clock speed and/or the average number of operations executed per clock cycle. Pipelined instruction execution allows subsequent instructions to begin execution before previously issued instructions have finished, so that execution of an instruction overlaps that of other instructions. Ideally, a new instruction begins with each clock cycle, and subsequently moves through a pipeline stage with each cycle. Because the work of executing a single instruction is broken up into smaller fragments, each executing in a single clock cycle, it may be possible to increase the clock speed. Even though an instruction may take multiple cycles or pipeline stages to complete, if the pipeline is always full, the processor executes one instruction every cycle.
Some modern high-performance processor designs, sometimes known as "superscalars," have extended the pipeline concept to employ multiple parallel pipelines, each operating concurrently on separate data. Under ideal conditions, each instruction simultaneously causes data to be operated upon in each of the parallel pipelines, and thus there is a potential throughput multiplier equal to the number of pipelines, although in reality this is only a theoretical limit, it being impossible to keep all pipelines full at all times.
In one variation of a parallel pipeline design, known as "Single Instruction, Multiple Data" (SIMD), each instruction contains a single operation code applicable to each of a set of parallel pipelines. While each pipeline performs operations on separate data, the operations performed are not independent. Generally, each pipeline performs the same operation, although it may be possible that some instruction op codes dictate that specific pipelines perform different specific operations.
In another variation of a parallel pipeline design, known as "Multiple Instruction, Multiple Data" (MIMD), each instruction contains separate and independent operation codes for each respective pipeline, each set applicable to a different respective pipeline. When compared with a SIMD design, the MIMD design permits greater flexibility during execution and generally higher utilization of the pipelines, because each pipeline can perform independent operations. But, the need to specify different operations for each pipeline in the instruction substantially increases the length of the instruction, and increases the complexity of the hardware necessary to support an MIMD design. As a result of these countervailing considerations, neither of these two approaches is clearly superior to the other, although SIMD designs appear to be more widely used at the present time.
A multiple parallel pipeline processor, whether employing a SIMD or MIMD design, is an enormously complex device. The multiple pipelines require relatively large integrated circuit chip areas of primarily custom logic. These circuits within these pipelines have a high degree of switching activity and consume considerable power at the operating frequencies typical of such devices. The power density, i.e., the amount of power consumed per unit area of chip surface, tends to be significantly greater within the pipelines than in many other areas of the processor chip, such as cache arrays and registers. This high level of activity and high power consumption makes the multiple pipeline area of the processor chip particularly susceptible to failure.
In a conventional multiple parallel pipeline processor, the failure of any part of a pipeline (even though the failure affects only a single pipeline) generally means that the processor is no longer able to process the instructions, since the instructions assume that all operands will simultaneously be processed by their respective pipelines. Therefore, the entire processor is effectively disabled. This may in turn cause system failure, although in some multiple-processor computer systems, the system can continue to operate, albeit at a reduced throughput, using the remaining functioning processors.
Since processor errors can be so critical, many techniques have been developed for error detection. For example, some error detection processes put parity on data flow, caches, and register files for error detection. Other error detection processes detect invalid states of the processor. For example, the decode logic of a processor may detect an invalid instruction or a latch state that is not valid in a state machine that is controlling long sequences. For more sophisticated machines and critical applications, such as government or space applications, a processor or processors may build two copies of an instruction and then compare the results to ensure that the results from both instructions are equal.
Unfortunately, all of the aforementioned error detection techniques suffer from poor performance, high cost, or both. Error detection techniques for floating point multiply/add operations in a processor are especially difficult to perfect. No processor has ever implemented a practical way to perform parity checking on floating point operations cheaply. Some processors have implemented a cumbersome technique for floating point error detection called "residue," which unfortunately costs about half as much as the base functional logic the residue technique is checking, which is very expensive.
Without a better way to detect errors, processors will continue to suffer from high cost and reduced performance.

Error detection during processor idle cycles

International Business Machines Corporation


Suture cutter embodiments include elements for cutting back the leads of a suture after the suture has been tied into a knot, e.g., as a result of drawing tissue portions together. The suture cutter may include mechanisms which can be used to push and position a knot, so that a single device may be used to both push a knot and trim the excess material therefrom.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to suturing incisions, and more specifically, to the use of sutures for closing incisions in vessels and organs within a body, and cutting the ends of a suture once it has drawn together tissue portions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Surgeons frequently encounter the need to close incisions, wounds, or otherwise join tissue portions with a suture. After passing the suture through the tissue portions, the surgeon must tie the suture to draw the tissue portions together and prevent them from separating. When sutures are tied in a region having restricted access, such as the end of a tissue tract leading to an artery, the surgeon is presented with special challenges. Typically, the knot is formed outside the patient and then is pushed towards those tissue portions to be joined together.
Once a knot has been positioned against tissue portions such that they are securely fastened together, however, the surgeon must cut back the ends of the suture. This procedure can be difficult when using conventional instruments, particularly where access is limited. A reliable suture cutting procedure is needed whereby a surgeon can rapidly and accurately trim back the strands from a knot.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of severing end portions of a suture which extend from a sutured tissue portion. The method includes holding the suture end portions, and positioning an elongate member such that a distal portion of the elongate member is adjacent the sutured tissue portion. The method further includes positioning the suture end portions within at least one receptacle disposed at the distal portion of the elongate member, and severing the suture while the suture end portions are within said at least one receptacle by activating a severing element disposed adjacent the receptacle.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus which includes a receptacle for juxtaposing portions of a suture to be connected to each other. The apparatus further includes a collar configured to surround the juxtaposed portions and a compression element positioned to compress the collar against the suture portions.


A method for processing radionavigation signals coming from satellites that broadcast the radionavigation signals on at least two distinct frequencies, comprises                receiving the signals for each satellite,        realizing, for each satellite, non-differentiated measurements of code and phase (10),        determining the widelane ambiguities in a coherent manner on the group of satellites (12, 13, 14) by using the widelane biases associated with the satellites, received from a reference system, and        global positioning of the receiver with the help of measurements of code and phase and the coherent widelane ambiguities (16, 18).

The satellite positioning systems such as GPS (Global Positioning System), Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS, Compass, IRNSS and others use modulated radionavigation signals called "spread spectrum modulation". These signals essentially carry pseudo random codes formed from periodically repeating numerical sequences, whose principal function is to allow Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and to supply a measurement of the signal propagation time transmitted by the satellite. Incidentally, the radionavigation signals can also carry a payload.
The radionavigation signals are formed by modulation of the central (carrier) frequencies. In the case of GPS, the radionavigation signals are transmitted in the frequency bands L1, centred on 1575.42 MHz and L2, centred on 1227.6 MHz. The band L5, centred on 1176.45 MHz, will be added when the GPS is updated. The satellites of the Galileo constellation will transmit in the bands E2-L1-E1 (the portion of the middle band L1 being the same as that of GPS), E5a (which, pursuant to the Galileo nomenclature, represents the band L5 destined for GPS), E5b (centred on 1207.14 MHz) and E6 (centred on 1278.75 MHz).
The basic measurements that can be carried out by a receiver include code measurements and carrier phase measurements. These basic measurements can, of course, be combined with each other. The code measurements are typically accurate to 1 meter whereas the phase measurements are accurate to some mm. However, phase measurements have the disadvantage that they provide only the fractional part of the phase difference of the carrier between the transmission by the satellite and the receiver. Consequently, the phase measurements are ambiguous in that the number of complete cycles between the satellite and the receiver is initially unknown. In order to be able to profit from the precision of the phase measurements, a receiver must resolve the ambiguities inherent in these phase measurements.
The phase ambiguities are usually resolved by differentiation of the phase measurements (simple or double differentiation) between satellites and/or receivers. This differentiation technique enables the (non modelled) causes of errors, which are common to a plurality of measurements, to be eliminated, and thereby reveals a complete information, which when taken into account, further improves the performance. However, this complete information consists of the differences from one or a plurality of basic ambiguities of phase, and in general does not enable the basic ambiguities of phase to be traced.

Processing of radionavigation signals using a wide-lane combination

Abstract: The global positioning comprises, for each satellite, the determination (16) of a pseudo distance by means of an ionosphere-free combination of the measurements of code and of the difference of the phase measurements, compensated for the widelane ambiguity, this ionosphere-free combination being optimized in terms of noise. The pseudo distance is determined by receiving the satellite clock values associated with the ionosphere-free combination from the reference system.


In at least one embodiment, the present invention relates to a gypsum composition suitable for use in the manufacture of construction materials comprising a) gypsum, b) water, and c) a water repellancy composition comprising a hydroxy-based cellulose and a siliconate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gypsum compositions for making gypsum containing materials, such as, "wallboard" and "drywall."
2. Background Art
Gypsum wallboard, sometimes referred to as "drywall" or "plaster board" is one of the most common materials used in the construction of walls and other barriers. A common method of producing wallboard is to sandwich a core containing an aqueous slurry of gypsum between two sheets of board cover paper. Gypsum is also commonly known as stucco and calcium sulfate hemihydrate. The term "gypsum", unless specifically stated otherwise, will be understood to include calcium sulfate hemihydrate, calcined gypsum, stucco and gypsum. In one wallboard manufacturing process, the aqueous slurry of gypsum and other wallboard ingredients are continuously deposited under high speed conditions to form a core between two continuously supplied moving sheets of cover paper. Various types of suitable cover paper are known in the art.
After the gypsum slurry is deposited between the two cover sheets, it is then allowed to set (react with water to form calcium sulfate dihydrate) to form the wallboard core. The continuously-produced board may then be cut into panels of a desired length (for example, eight feet). The boards may then be passed through a dryer to remove any excess water in the core and the gypsum is brought to a final dry state. After the core has set and is dried, the sandwich becomes a strong, rigid, fire-resistant gypsum wallboard. Other methods for the production of gypsum wallboard are described, for example, in the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Vol. 21, pages 621-24 (Second Edition 1970) and Vol. 4, pages 618-19 (Fourth Edition 1992), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,446 the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
In order to facilitate the production of wallboard and/or provide beneficial properties to the final product, various additives may also be included in the core gypsum slurry. For example, starch, set accelerators and/or set retarders, preservatives, and fiberglass may be included. Since wallboard is used in construction, it is desirable to prevent prolonged exposures of the wallboard to water and moisture. Certain "water repellancy," additives/agents, such as wax, have been used in order to improve the water repellancy of the wallboard. Wax, however, can be relatively unreliable and somewhat costly.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide wallboard having water repellancy without producing the deleterious effects found in the prior art.


A single pole magnetic recording head is provided according to the present invention for perpendicular magnetic recording on a recording medium. The magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole having a first end positionable adjacent the recording medium and a second end spaced from the first end. A coil is magnetically coupled to the main magnetic pole for producing a write flux. The magnetic recording head further includes a magnetic return pole forming first and second return paths for the magnetic flux. The magnetic return pole includes first and second return poles disposed on opposite sides of, and spaced from, the main magnetic pole, and a magnetic via connecting the first and second poles and extending over the main magnetic pole forming a back shield. The main magnetic pole is isolated from the magnetic return pole by a control gap of non-magnetic material between the second end of the main magnetic pole and the magnetic via to effectively isolate the main magnetic pole from the magnetic return pole.

The present invention is directed toward magnetic recording heads and, more particularly, toward magnetic recording heads designed to minimize write asymmetry.
The ability to increase the storage capacity in magnetic recording is an ongoing concern. As the amount of information to be stored continues to increase, demands for high density recording also continue to increase. In conventional longitudinal magnetic recording systems, as areal densities approach 100 Gbit/in2 it has become increasingly difficult to meet the requirements of thermal stability (the degradation of written information due to thermal fluctuations), SNR(Signal-To-Noise Ratio) and writeability. Improving on one of the requirements typically results in a tradeoff negatively effecting another requirement. For example, while the SNR can be increased by reducing the grain size of the recording medium, which is normally 200 xc3x85 thick, reducing the grain size of the media results in a decrease in thermal stability. While the thermal stability can be increased by increasing the anisotropy of the recording medium, e.g., using a different alloy, this results in a decrease in writeability. While reducing the Bit Aspect Ratio (BAR) has been proposed to extend longitudinal recording up to 100 Gbit/in2, the above-identified problems remain as fundamental limitations inherent in conventional longitudinal magnetic recording systems.
As the longitudinal magnetic recording technology reaches its limit in areal density due to thermal stability, SNR and writeability requirements, perpendicular magnetic recording systems (in which the recording medium is magnetized in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the recording medium) have been proposed to possess the potential for higher recording densities. Various modeling and simulations have suggested that perpendicular recording is superior to conventional longitudinal recording due to various reasons, including, but not limited to, larger optimal medium thickness, better write field efficiency, and less demagnetizing fields from the stored bit patterns. Perpendicular recording, coupled with the use of a soft under-layer media, is considered a strong candidate to extend recording densities by achieving sharp transitions, even with the use of a thicker magnetic recording layer. With the soft under-layer media, stronger recording fields can be generated, which in turn allow the use of higher anisotropy media. The higher anisotropy media, coupled with the thicker magnetic recording layer, is projected to provide a gain of a factor of 5-10 in recording densities for the same thermal stability criterion.
FIG. 2 illustrates a typical example of a conventional perpendicular magnetic recording head, shown generally at 10. The magnetic recording head 10 has a single (main pole) pole for generating field at the media 11, and is conventionally known as a single pole magnetic head. The magnetic recording head 10 includes a main pole 12, a return pole 14 and a magnetic via 15 connecting the main 12 and return 14 poles. An electrically conductive magnetizing coil 16 surrounds the magnetic via 15. The recording media 11 typically includes a substrate 18, a soft magnetic underlayer 20 formed on the substrate 18, and a perpendicularly magnetized recording layer 22 formed on the soft underlayer 20.
When writing, the magnetic recording head 10 is separated from the recording media 11 by a distance known as the xe2x80x9cfly heightxe2x80x9d. The recording media 11 is moved past the magnetic recording head 10 so that the recording head 10 follows the tracks of the recording media 11. The coil 16 is transversed by a current and produces a magnetic flux 24 channeled by the main pole 12 to produce an intense writing flux at the tip 26 of the main pole 12 which records the information in the magnetic recording layer 22. The flux 24 passes from the tip 26 of the main pole 12, through the magnetic recording layer 22, into the soft underlayer 20, and across to the return pole 14, which provides a return path for the flux, thereby forming a closed magnetic circuit in which the magnetic flux in the recording layer 22 directly under the poles of the magnetic recording head 10 is oriented perpendicular to the plane of the recording layer 22. The cross-sectional area of the return pole 14 is larger than that of the main pole 12 to ensure that the flux density at the return pole 14 is sufficiently reduced as not to magnetize the recording layer 22.
While perpendicular recording has its advantages over longitudinal recording, the use of the soft underlayer 20 poses some challenges during writing as well as reading. Because of the relatively high permeability of the soft underlayer, transitions previously recorded on adjacent tracks can influence the transitions being written at the main pole 12. Depending on the magnetization state of the tracks adjacent to the written track, an asymmetry is introduced in the written di-bit response. This is typically referred to as the xe2x80x9cneighborhood effectxe2x80x9d.
FIG. 1 shows two written di-bits, at 26 and 28, separated by an isolated transition, at 30, using a conventional single pole perpendicular recording head on a recording media with a soft underlayer. Three different states of magnetization of the neighboring track are illustrated in FIG. 1, namely, AC erase (neighboring track not magnetized), DC erase (+) (neighboring track magnetized upward) and DC erase (xe2x88x92) (neighboring track magnetized downward). As shown in FIG. 1, depending on the magnetization state of the neighboring track, i.e, DC erase (+) or DC erase (xe2x88x92), an asymmetry is seen in the corresponding di-bit pattern. This asymmetry is illustrated in both a change in amplitude of the measured flux and a time shift in the written di-bit pattern. The time shift asymmetry in the di-bit pattern and the amplitude asymmetry in the amplitude of the di-bits shows as a measurable time shift for an isolated transition. Since the magnetization pattern from the neighboring tracks changes depending on the data stored on the neighboring tracks, this will change the di-bit asymmetry. This asymmetry will effect the performance of linear channels and degrade the areal density that can be achieved by those linear channels. Further, the effects of the di-bit pattern asymmetry become even more evident at smaller track widths, i.e., higher areal densities.
Additionally, stray magnetic fields from the other components in the disc drive also can corrupt the recorded information. These stray magnetic fields couple with the main pole 12 of the recording head 10 and either add to or subtract from the write field, producing further written asymmetry and transition shifts.
The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the above-mentioned problems.
A single pole magnetic recording head is provided according to the present invention for perpendicular magnetic recording on a recording medium. The magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole having a first end positionable adjacent the recording medium and a second end spaced from the first end. A coil is magnetically coupled to the main magnetic pole for producing a write flux. The magnetic recording head further includes a magnetic return pole forming first and second return paths for the magnetic flux. The magnetic return pole includes first and second return poles disposed on opposite sides of, and spaced from, the main magnetic pole, and a magnetic via connecting the first and second return poles and extending over the main magnetic pole forming a back shield. The main magnetic pole is isolated from the magnetic return pole by a control gap of non-magnetic material between the second end of the main magnetic pole and the magnetic via to effectively isolate the main magnetic pole from the magnetic return pole.
In one form, the magnetic return pole is formed of a magnetic material having a first saturation magnetization and anisotropy, with the main magnetic pole formed of a magnetic material having a second saturation magnetization and anisotropy which may be greater than the first saturation magnetization and anisotropy.
In another form, the coil surrounds the main magnetic pole. The first and second return poles include first and second ends, respectively, positionable adjacent to the recording medium. The first and second return poles may include first and second front shields, respectively, adjacent the first and second ends, respectively. The first and second front shields are made of the same material as the magnetic return pole and extend toward the main magnetic pole such that the first and second front shields are disposed between the coil and the recording medium.
In yet another form, the coil includes first and second coils surrounding the magnetic via on opposite sides of the main magnetic pole.
In still another form, the magnetic return pole includes first and second symmetrical magnetic return poles forming symmetrical magnetic return paths for the magnetic flux. The symmetrical first and second return poles are positioned one upstream and one downstream of the main magnetic pole relative to the direction of movement of the recording medium.
In a further form, the main magnetic pole first end and the first and second ends of the first and second return poles lie in the same plane, such that with the magnetic recording head utilized for perpendicular magnetic recording the first end of the main magnetic pole and the first and second ends of the first and second return poles, respectively, are the same distance from the recording medium.
The field under the first and second return poles must be small as to not corrupt neighboring tracks and, therefore, the cross-sectional areas of the first and second return poles must be larger than the cross-sectional area of the main magnetic pole.
A magnetic recording head is also provided according to an additional embodiment of the present invention for magnetic recording on recording medium. The magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole having a first end positionable adjacent to the recording medium and a second end spaced from the first end. A coil is provided which is magnetically coupled to the main magnetic pole to produce a write flux. The magnetic recording head includes a magnetic return pole forming first and second return paths for the magnetic flux. The magnetic return pole includes first and second return poles disposed on opposite side of, and spaced from, the main magnetic pole, and a back shield connecting the first and second return poles. The back shield includes first and second magnetic vias extending from the first and second return poles, respectively, and a non-magnetic portion connecting the first and second magnetic vias. The second end of the main magnetic pole is disposed in the non-magnetic portion, such that the nonmagnetic portion surrounds the second end of the main magnetic pole. The main magnetic pole is separated from the magnetic return pole by a control gap of the non-magnetic portion material between the second end of the main magnetic pole and the first and second magnetic vias to effectively isolate the main magnetic pole from the magnetic return pole.
It is an aspect of the present invention to minimize write asymmetry in perpendicular magnetic recording.
It is further aspect of the present invention to reduce the effects of external stray magnetic fields in perpendicular magnetic recording.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from the study of the specification, the drawings, and the appended claims.

Single pole magnetic recording head for perpendicular magnetic recording