Substantially anhydrous electropolishing electrolyte solutions. The substantially anhydrous electropolishing electrolyte solutions described herein do not use water as a solvent; instead, such electropolishing electrolyte solutions use anhydrous alcohols and/or glycols as a solvent. For example, an electropolishing electrolyte solution, as described herein, may include an alcohol, at least one mineral acid, and at least one water sequestering agent. Suitable examples of water sequestering agent include, but are not limited to, polyfunctional alcohols. Methods of electropolishing metal articles using such electropolishing electrolyte solutions are disclosed herein as well.

The present disclosure relates generally to electrolyte solutions that can be used for electropolishing articles made from metals, and in particular, for electropolishing metallic medical devices (e.g., stents, closure devices, and the like) made of stainless steel, titanium, tungsten, nickel-titanium, tantalum, cobalt-chromium-tungsten, tantalum-nickel-tungsten, etc. While the electrolyte solutions described herein are mainly applicable to metallic medical devices, the disclosure is not limited to such medical devices. For example, the methods may be applied to electropolish metallic automotive or aerospace components.
Electropolishing is an electrochemical process by which some of the surface metal is electrolytically dissolved. In general, the metal article (e.g., a stent) is connected to an anode and connected to a power supply while immersed in an electrolyte solution. A metal cathode connected to the negative terminal of the power supply is also included in the electrolyte solution. Metal is removed from the anode surface by the action of the current and the electrolyte solution as current flows from the metal article (as the anode) to the cathode. The rate at which metal is dissolved from the metal article is controlled, at least in part, by the applied current and/or voltage, the positioning of the cathode relative to the metal articles, and/or distribution of the electrolyte around the article. According to the theory of electropolishing, the current density is highest at high points protruding from a surface and is lowest at the surface low points. Thus, the higher current density at the raised points causes the metal to dissolve faster at these points which thus levels the surface.
Stents are generally tube-shaped intravascular devices placed within a blood vessel to maintain the patency of the vessel and, in some cases, to reduce the development of restenosis. Stents may be formed in a variety of configurations which are typically expandable since they are delivered in a compressed form to the desired site. Example stent designs include, but are not limited to, helically wound wire, wire mesh, weaved wire, serpentine stent, a chain of rings, or laser cut tubular stents. The walls of stents are typically perforated in a framework design of wire-like connected elements or struts or in a weave design of cross-threaded wire. Some stents are made of more than one material. The stent may be, for example, a sandwich of metals having outer layers of a biocompatible material, such as stainless steel, with an inner layer providing the radioopacity to the stent needed for tracking by imaging devices during placement. In forming such stents from metal, a roughened outer surface of the stent may result from the manufacturing process (e.g., from processes such as tube drawing and laser cutting).
It is desirable for the surface of the stent to be smooth so that it can be easily inserted and traversed with low friction through the blood vessels toward the site of implantation. In addition, a rough outer surface may also damage the lining of the vessel wall during insertion. Furthermore, smooth surfaces decrease the probability of thrombogenesis and corrosion. Likewise, stents having a smooth, mirror-like finish generally have a better fatigue life because surface defects (scratches, burrs, inclusions, and the like) can be sites for crack propagation.
Since the processing to form metallic stents often results in a product initially having undesirable burrs, sharp ends or debris and slag material from melting the metal during processing, mechanical cleaning (e.g., interior and exterior grinding), chemical cleaning (e.g., descaling), or the like are generally performed. Following cleaning, further surface treatment such as electropolishing is generally performed. Electropolishing is able to provide a mirror-like, defect-free surface to the metal article (e.g., the stent).

Electropolishing solution containing a water sequestering agent and methods of use thereof


Systems and methods for capturing, logging, and diagnosing issues associated with web-based applications are disclosed. The systems and methods can include an interceptor application to intercept web-based (e.g., hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP)) requests and responses between web-based applications and third-party application servers. The systems and methods can also include an accumulator application to store request data and response data for a predetermined amount of time or until a predetermined number of requests and responses have been collected. The systems and methods can then send the accumulated data in a list or other data structure to a data logging server for storage in a database. The database can be used to diagnose issues arising on user equipment (UE), including issues caused by web-based applications.

A number of applications are available directly through web browsers and web portals. These applications can be accessed directly from a browser and generally do not need to be downloaded or installed on user equipment ("UE"). These applications can include webmail applications, like Gmail, online auctions sites, like eBay, and myriad other applications. These applications can run or otherwise exchange data using the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), WebSockets, and other protocols.
A shortcoming with these applications is that, when there is a problem with a web application, there is currently no way to track the problem via the UE. In other words, because the application is running remotely on an application server and is accessed via a web browser, the process essentially bypasses the UE. Thus, any error checking or logging applications on the UE do not "see" the transactions associated with the web application. Because of this bypass, when the UE malfunctions (e.g., freezes, reboots, etc.), receives an error code from a server or network entity, or experiences other issues caused by the web application, it is often difficult or impossible to identify the cause.

Systems and methods for capturing and logging web application traffic


In response to a reset condition, the state of a steady-state signal at an I/O pin of the serial communication port of an integrated circuit die is determined. The serial communication port is configured to support one of the plurality of serial communication protocols based upon the detected steady-state condition.

Many different types of serial buses are used today to provide communications between data processing devices. Two example serial buses include the I2C (I2C) bus, also referred to as the inter-IC bus, developed by Phillips Semiconductor and the Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) bus developed by Motorola, Inc. The I2C bus is a half-duplex two-wire synchronous data transfer serial bus and is used widely as a control and diagnostic bus. The I2C bus is a multi-master bus and thus can be controlled by more than one connected integrated circuit (IC). A slave device connected to an I2C bus is associated with an I2C slave address, which is unique to the system in which it resides, and monitors I2C transmissions over the I2C bus to determine whether or not it is the intended recipient of a particular communication.
The SPI bus is a full-duplex four-wire, synchronous data transfer serial bus. In slave mode, data transfers are synchronized by a shift clock from an SPI master device and can occur at frequencies up to that of the internal clock of the SPI master. In addition to the four-wire SPI bus, there are also three-wire variations of the SPI bus. According to one three-wire variation, the SPI bus operates as a half-duplex bus, wherein one of the data communication lines is not implemented. Another three-wire variation of the SPI bus omits the use of the chip select wire in applications where one SPI device is always selected as a slave SPI device.
The many choices amongst serial communication buses have resulted in some electronic devices having to support more than one bus in order to service a wider market.

Method to configure serial communications and device thereof


A chat system in which conversations by characters in plural channels are displayed, and of these conversations, a conversation in a main channel and conversations in other channels are displayed in individual regions 23, 24 on a display screen, and an inputted statement is displayed in an intermediate region 22 of the individual regions 23, 24. The chat system hence realizes a display method having a notice function for use while working in an office, and information extracting function enabled by electronic expression of conversations, along with a recording medium used for execution thereof.

The present invention relates to a chat system for exchanging information between terminal devices of a computer system, a terminal device of the chat system, a display method of the chat system, and a recording medium used for execution thereof.
A conventional chat system for exchanging information between terminal devices is known. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a structural example of such chat system. In the chat system, a chat server 2 which is a host computer, and plural terminal devices 3 to 6 are connected through a network 1 of public circuits, and the chat server 2, when receiving messages from the terminal devices 3 to 6, transmits them immediately to other terminal devices 3 to 6, so that conversations by characters among operators who operate the individual terminal devices are realized.
In the chat system, the statement and the corresponding speaker's name are displayed in the terminal devices 3 to 6. Therefore, when plural statements are uttered simultaneously, the speakers are not confused, and the content of the statement is securely transmitted to other operators, so that opinions may be exchanged smoothly. Besides, the statements displayed in the terminal devices 3 to 6 can be directly saved as text data, and proceedings may be easily configured from the text data.
On the other hand, as seen in the recent boom of intranet, the electronic revolution of office is progressing rapidly, but little has been discussed so far about electronic handling of office conversations playing vital roles in collaborative works (exchange of information, greeting, etc.).
The conventional chat system (for example, the real-time meeting of IRC or Nifty) is based on exclusive engagement in the meeting, but for use in such office conversations, the system must be designed to be used while doing work. Yet, the conventional chat system does not make the best of electronic conversations.

Chat system, terminal device therefor, display method of chat system, and recording medium


An electrical connector (1) for connecting an LGP (12) to a printed circuit board includes a housing having a bottom wall (100), side walls (101) and a number of contacts (11) mounted into the bottom wall. The side walls have a first side wall (1011) including a number of spring plates (104) assembled thereto, and a second side wall (1012) opposite to the first side wall having a guiding portion (102) disposed thereon. A receiving space (105) is defined between the guiding portion and the bottom wall for receiving the LGP.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an art of an electrical connector for connecting a land grid package (LGP) to a printed circuit board.
2. Description of Prior Arts
A China Patent No. 200972988 issued on Nov. 7, 2007, discloses an electrical connector for connecting an LGP to a printed circuit board. The electrical connector has a housing comprising a bottom wall, four side walls and a receiving room defined therebetween for receiving the LGP. The electrical connector comprises a plurality of spring plates assembled to the side walls for resisting against the LGP and a number of contacts mounted into the bottom wall. Each contact has a spring pin extending outward from the bottom wall for contacting with the LGP.
However, while the LGP is pressed downward, it is difficult to guide and control a horizontal movement of the LGP.
Hence, it is desirable to provide an improved electrical connector to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages.

Electrical connector with guiding portion


A laparoscopic surgical instrument is disclosed. The instrument generally comprises an elongated hollow shaft having at one end a pair of scissors and at the opposite end a pair of handles to control the scissors. The blades may be opened and closed when one handle is pivoted while the other handle is fixed. However, when both handles are rotated simultaneously the orientation of the blades relative to shaft changes so as to allow the blades to effectively cut or grasp curved tissues lying in a plurality of planes. Additionally, apparatus is provided to allow the blades to rotate about the longitudinal axis extending therethrough.. A depth gauge for laparoscopic scissors is also disclosed.

Laparoscopic surgery is a relatively new surgical method wherein the surgery is performed through several small incisions of an average length not exceeding 1/2", made in the patient usually in the abdomen. Because the need to make large incisions is avoided, both the operating and recovery time for the patient is significantly reduced, resulting in significantly less cost and physical trauma for the patient. For example, removing an inflamed gallbladder by traditional methods can cost about $10,000.00, require a 6" incision through the abdomen, and necessitate a four or five day stay in the hospital, followed by several weeks of painful recovery. Removal of a gallbladder using the laparoscopic method could easily permit the patient to return home the day of the surgery and result in a complete recovery in a few days.
Typically, laparoscopic surgery requires two or more small incisions, one of which is used to insert a laparoscope, a viewing instrument which allows the surgeon to see the patient's internal organs, or, alternatively, a specially designed camera through which images are transmitted to a nearby video screen. Use of a camera allows the procedure to be viewed by several surgical personnel simultaneously and to be recorded on video tape. One or more additional incisions are required so that other miniaturized surgical instruments such as cutting, grasping, suturing, and stapling devices can be used, if required. These instruments must be long and narrow to pass through the small incision and reach the appropriate organ located within the body cavity. Moreover, because these devices are difficult to sterilize, they usually must be disposable. Finally, the laparoscopic instruments should be constructed with a minimum number of small parts due to the risk of such parts breaking off and lodging in the patient's body.
The incisions are usually made with a trocar, a pointed instrument which punctures the abdominal wall and positions a tube or cannula in the abdominal wall so that the laparoscope or other instruments may be passed therethrough.
Surgical scissors, per se, designed specifically for laparoscopic surgery are known in the art, as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,736 to Bales Jr. et al.
A key disadvantage of the Bales, Jr. device in particular, and the prior art in general, is that the cutting plane of the blades is fixed relative to the shaft of the instrument thereby limiting the maneuverability and reach of the instrument. In laparoscopic surgery the shaft of the instrument is slidably received in a trocar tube so there is limited ability to orient the cutting plane and orientation of the blades of the conventional instruments. Conventional laparoscopic scissors are effective at cutting tissue in planes passing through the axis of the instrument shaft. However, most organs and tissue in the human body are curved and oriented along a multiplicity of planes. The prior art scissors have been found ineffective at reaching and cutting these tissues. Moreover, attempts to cut tissue without first orienting the cutting plane of the blades perpendicular to the tissue has often resulted in peripheral damage to adjacent arteries and other vital structures.
Hence, there is a strong need in the art for a laparoscopic surgical instrument having scissors, tweezers, forceps or the like which can be easily oriented into various planes to cut or grip the targeted tissue.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,669 to Jaeger discloses a surgical instrument having an adjustable angle of operation. This instrument, designed for obtaining biopsies and the like, is not suitable for laparoscopic surgery as it requires a two-handed operation. During typical laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon will simultaneously use one hand to operate a gripping device and the other hand to operate a cutting device. Hence, there is a need for such instruments wherein the scissors or the like can be operated and reoriented with the same hand. Another disadvantage with the Jaeger device is that the angle adjustment takes place only in a single plane, namely, the plane in which the grippers open and close.
Another problem frequently encountered during laparoscopic surgery stems from the fact that the surgeon cannot directly see the organ or tissue which is being cut, but rather must view the subject matter through a single lens scope or on a video screen. Since the image being viewed is two-dimensional, it is difficult to gauge the depth of cut being made.
Accordingly, there is a need for a scissors (or other elements) which can be used in laparoscopic surgery in a manner to help the surgeon ascertain the depth of cut being made.


A method for recording a display-independent computerized guidance script, the method comprising capturing a screenshot of a GUI of a computerized application, analyzing an area, in the screenshot, surrounding a determined cursor position, to identify a GUI control, recording a manual operation sequence of the computerized application, and assigning the GUI control to a step of the operation sequence.

A Personal Computer (PC) or a mobile device (such as a notebook computer, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) device, a cellular phone and/or the like) allows users to utilize various applications, for example, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, e-mail applications, games and the like. These applications may be able to perform various operations based on the user's command, for example, editing, calculating, formatting, file handling, data sorting, and/or the like.
A Graphical User Interface (GUI) of an application usually includes various controls (sometimes also referred to as "widgets") that operate different functions of the application. Such controls may include, for example, icons, texts, buttons, input boxes, menus, drop-down lists, sliders, scroll bars, bars and/or any other operable visual element. In various mobile devices, a control may also be embodied in a physical button and not in the GUI of the application itself. For example, a certain button may be used to perform a specific function in an application.
As applications become more and more complex and sophisticated and thus include many different controls, some users find it useful to attend a course or seminar which teaches users how to use one or more applications. Some users require assistance from other users (such as co-workers, customer support representatives and/or the like) in order to be able to complete particular tasks using an application. Furthermore, it may be difficult for the user to find out, or to remember, whether or not an application is capable of performing a particular task, or which sequence of user-initiated steps is required in order to execute a particular task.
Some applications include a "help" function, in which the user may utilize an index of pre-defined topics, or a search based on user-entered keywords, in order to retrieve pre-defined textual and/or visual descriptions which may assist the user in finding how a particular task is performed. Additionally, some applications are associated with a user's manual, or with a batch of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), which may further guide the user on how to perform particular tasks.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the figures.

Recording display-independent computerized guidance


A sensor arrangement structure for an engine for a personal watercraft for preventing an engine controlling sensor from being splashed with water so that the engine operates appropriately. An engine for driving a jet propulsion pump is provided in a watercraft body surrounded by a hull and a deck with a throttle body and a surge tank contiguous to the throttle body being provided on the intake side of the engine and forming a horizontal partition assembly A extending in a forward and rearward direction and extending in a substantially horizontal direction at an upper portion of the engine. A sensor for controlling the engine is disposed above the horizontal partition assembly. An intercooler is disposed just below the surge tank. The intake pressure sensor for detecting the intake pressure on the downstream side with respect to the throttle valve is disposed adjacent to a head cover and is attached in a state wherein it is spaced away from an upper face of the throttle body.

The present application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-213495 filed on Jul. 13, 2001 the entire contents thereof is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sensor arrangement structure for an engine for a personal watercraft.
2. Description of Background Art
Conventionally, a personal watercraft is known wherein an engine for driving a jet propulsion pump is provided in a watercraft body surrounded by a hull and a deck.
In a personal watercraft of the type described, an intake duct for supplying air into the watercraft body is provided. From an opening of the intake duct on the inner side of the watercraft body, water is sometimes admitted in the form of droplets into the watercraft body together with air. If an engine controlling sensor is exposed to the water, then there is the possibility that a wrong signal may be inputted from the sensor to a control apparatus for the engine to cause the engine to operate inappropriately.
In order to eliminate such a disadvantage as just described, a personal watercraft has been proposed wherein an engine controlling sensor is disposed above an opening of an intake duct on the inner side of a watercraft body as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 10-318014.
With the personal watercraft described above, since the engine controlling sensor is provided above the opening of the intake duct on the inner side of the watercraft body, even if water is introduced in the form of droplets into the space in the watercraft body when the atmospheric air outside the watercraft body is introduced into the space in the watercraft body through the intake duct during operation of the personal watercraft, the water is less likely to splash the sensor, and the engine is likely to operate appropriately.
Since usually a personal watercraft of the type described is frequently utilized for leisure, such a situation where some water enters the inside of the watercraft body occurs frequently.
Further, a personal watercraft frequently undergoes sudden turns or violent rolling because it is in most cases utilized for leisure.
In such a situation as just described, in the conventional personal watercraft described above, since the engine controlling sensor is merely disposed above the opening of the intake duct on the inner side of the watercraft body, if the personal watercraft turns suddenly or rolls violently in a state wherein some water is admitted in the watercraft body, then the water in the watercraft body is likely to splash the engine controlling sensor. Therefore, the conventional personal watercraft described above still has the possibility that the engine may be hindered from operating appropriately.
In other words, the prior art described above does not present a sufficient countermeasure for prevention of the engine controlling sensor from being splashed with water.
The object of the present invention resides in a solution of such a problem as described above and the provision of a sensor arrangement structure for an engine for a personal watercraft which takes a sufficient countermeasure for prevention of an engine controlling sensor from being splashed with water so that the engine operates appropriately.
In order to attain the object described above, a sensor arrangement structure for an engine of a personal watercraft for driving a jet propulsion pump is provided in a watercraft body surrounded by a hull and a deck with a throttle body and a surge tank contiguous to the throttle body being provided on an intake side of the engine. A horizontal partition assembly extends in a forward and rearward direction and extendes in a substantially horizontal direction at an upper portion of the engine formed from the throttle body and the surge tank with a sensor for controlling the engine is disposed above the horizontal partition assembly.
According to the present invention, the sensor arrangement structure for an engine of a personal watercraft is provided with a supercharger which communicates with the surge tank through an intercooler and a supercharged pressure sensor and/or a temperature sensor of air of the supercharger is provided above the surge tank with the intercooler being disposed just below the surge tank.
According to the present invention, the sensor arrangement structure for an engine for a personal watercraft includes an intake pressure sensor for detecting an intake pressure of the throttle body on the downstream side of the throttle that is disposed rather near to a head cover of the engine between the head cover and the surge tank.
According to the present invention, the sensor arrangement structure for an engine for a personal watercraft includes the intake pressure sensor attached to the head cover in such a state that the intake pressure sensor is spaced away from an upper face of the throttle body.
According to the present invention, the sensor arrangement structure for an engine for a personal watercraft includes an opening which is closed with a removable lid member provided in an upper portion of the deck, and the sensor is exposed to the opening.
According to the present invention, a sensor arrangement structure for an engine for a personal watercraft is structured such that an engine for driving a jet propulsion pump is provided in a watercraft body surrounded by a hull and a deck with a throttle body and a surge tank contiguous to the throttle body being provided on an intake side of the engine. A horizontal partition assembly extends in a forward and rearward direction and extends in a substantially horizontal direction at an upper portion of the engine and is formed from the throttle body and the surge tank. A sensor for controlling the engine is disposed above the horizontal partition assembly. Therefore, even if the personal watercraft turns suddenly or rolls violently in a state wherein some water is admitted into the watercraft body and the water in the watercraft body moves toward the sensor, the water is in most cases hindered by the horizontal partition assembly formed from the throttle body and the surge tank in such a state that it extends in a forward and rearward direction and extends in a substantially horizontal direction above the engine, and is less likely to splash the sensor.
Accordingly, such a situation wherein the sensor for controlling the engine becomes wet with water is less likely to occur. Thus, a situation wherein a wrong signal is inputted from the sensor to a control apparatus for the engine is less likely to occur. Therefore the engine is likely to operate appropriately.
According to the present invention, the sensor arrangement structure for an engine for a personal watercraft according to the present invention is structured such that the engine is provided with a supercharger which communicates with the surge tank through an intercooler and a supercharged pressure sensor and/or a temperature sensor of air of the supercharger is provided above the surge tank with the intercooler being disposed just below the surge tank. Therefore, even if the water in the watercraft body is excited and tends to move toward the sensor, it is hindered also by the intercooler disposed just below the surge tank and is less likely to splash the supercharged pressure sensor and/or the temperature sensor.
Accordingly, a situation wherein the sensor for controlling the engine with a supercharger becomes wet with water is less likely to occur. Thus, a situation wherein a wrong signal is inputted from the sensor to the control apparatus for the engine with a supercharger is less likely to occur. Therefore, the engine with a supercharger is likely to operate appropriately.
According to the present invention, the sensor arrangement structure for an engine for a personal watercraft includes an intake pressure sensor for detecting an intake pressure of the throttle body on the downstream side of the throttle valve that is disposed rather near to a head cover of the engine between the head cover and the surge tank. Therefore, the intake pressure sensor is disposed at a high position at substantially the center in the widthwise direction of the watercraft body.
Accordingly, even if the water in the watercraft body is excited and tends to move toward the intake pressure sensor, such a situation wherein the intake pressure sensor becomes wet with water is less likely to occur. Thus, a situation wherein a wrong signal from the intake pressure sensor is inputted to the control apparatus for the engine is less likely to occur. Therefore the engine is likely to operate appropriately.
According to the present invention, the sensor arrangement structure for an engine for a personal watercraft includes the intake pressure sensor attached to the head cover wherein the intake pressure sensor is spaced away from an upper face of the throttle body. Therefore, even if the intake pressure sensor should be splashed with water or some water should stay on the upper face of the throttle body, the water is retracted (removed) rapidly from around the intake pressure sensor.
Accordingly, even if the intake pressure sensor becomes wet with water, this state is eliminated in a short time, and a situation wherein there is the possibility that a wrong signal may be inputted from the intake pressure sensor to the control apparatus for the engine is likely to be eliminated in a short time, and the engine is likely to operate appropriately.
Further, since the intake pressure sensor is attached to the head cover, the intake pressure sensor can be attached readily in a state wherein it is accurately spaced away from the upper face of the throttle body.
According to the present invention, the sensor arrangement structure for an engine for a personal watercraft includes an opening that is closed with a removable lid member provided in an upper portion of the deck, and the sensor is exposed to the opening. Therefore, if the lid member is opened, then a checking operation of the sensor can be performed readily.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

Sensor arrangement structure for personal watercraft


Embodiments of the present invention provide an MTC device authentication method, an MTC gateway, and a related device, which are used to solve a problem that direct interaction between a large quantity of MTC devices and a network side brings a heavy load to a network when the MTC devices are authenticated in the prior art. The method includes: performing, by an MTC gateway, mutual authentication with a core network node; performing, by the MTC gateway, mutual authentication with an MTC device; reporting, by the MTC gateway, a result of the mutual authentication with the MTC device to the core network node; and providing, by the MTC gateway, a non access stratum link protection key K between the MTC device and the core network node according to a key K1 or a key K2.

A machine to machine (M2M, Machine to Machine) technology is integration of wireless communication and information technology, is used for two-way communication, and applies to fields such as security monitoring and detection, vending machines, and cargo tracking. According to a communication object, M2M may be divided to three communication modes: machine to machine, machine to mobile terminal (such as remote user monitoring), and mobile terminal to machine (such as remote user control). In M2M communication, an M2M device accessing a network is also called a machine type communication (MTC, Machine Type Communication) device.
Generally speaking, in a system supporting the M2M communication, the quantity of MTC devices is huge. If each MTC device is authenticated directly according to an authentication method in the prior art, there is a large quantity of signaling interaction in an authentication process between each MTC device and a network side. This kind of signaling traffic generated when a large quantity of MTC devices access a network and perform authentication is not ignorable to the network side. In addition, a large quantity of authentication processes consume a processing capability of the network side. These all bring a heavy load to the network.

MTC device authentication method, MTC gateway, and related device


In a position controlling apparatus and method for an elevator which controls a position of an elevator in accordance with a velocity command profile consisting of an acceleration region, a uniform velocity region and a deceleration region, a position controlling apparatus and method according to the present invention controls generation of a synchronization position error in the deceleration region. The position controlling method for the elevator of the invention includes the steps of: determining a deceleration starting point of a deceleration profile region; previously storing a command position corresponding to the time elapsed after the deceleration starting point; dividing the command position into a plurality of position regions; differently establishing computing formulas of a velocity command by each position region; determining the position region to which the command position at a present time belongs; computing a second velocity command value in accordance with a time using the computing formula corresponding to the determined position region at the present time; and controlling a position of the elevator car in accordance with the second velocity command value after the deceleration starting point.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a position controlling apparatus and method for an elevator, and more particularly to a position controlling apparatus and method for an elevator which minimizes a levelling error of a floor level and a car bottom level when an elevator arrives at an destination floor.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a conventional elevator system. As shown therein, an elevator car 101 moves along an hoist way in a building and in the elevator car 101, there are provided with a plurality of destination floor selecting buttons (not shown) for a passenger to select a desired floor according to the number of elevator operating floors. Also, although not shown in the diagram, there are provided with a plurality of hall call buttons to supply a signal which indicates a hall call of a passenger on a hall of each floor. A counter weight 102 and the elevator car 101 are connected to each other by a rope of which an end is fixed to the counter weight 102 and the other end to the elevator car 101. A sheave 105 moves the elevator car 101 by winding or releasing the rope. An AC (alternating current) motor 106 is coupled to the sheave 105 for thereby driving the sheave 105, and an encoder 107 supplies a pulse signal corresponding to the rotation of the AC motor 106. In addition, a position detector 103 which is arranged on an upper surface of the elevator car 101 detects that the elevator car arrives at a previously determined position of each floor and outputs a signal indicating the detection. Further, a shielding board 104 is provided at a predetermined position of each floor to operate the position detector 103. Generally, a switching device such as a photo coupler, which has a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit, is used for the position detector 103. When the shielding board 104 which is positioned between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit of the position detector 103 shields light, the switching device connected to the light receiving unit becomes on or off, thereby indicating the light shielding and accordingly indicating that the elevator car 101 has arrived at the predetermined floor. Here, an output signal of the position detector 103 is transmitted to an operation controller 108. The operation controller 108 determines a floor for the elevator car 101 to serve, when it receives hall call signal or a car call signal from one of the hall call buttons or the destination floor selecting buttons. Then, the operation controller 108 computes a distance-to-go in accordance with a distance of a present floor from a base floor for example a 1st floor and a distance of a destination floor from said base floor, and outputs velocity command signal corresponding to the computed distance-to-go.
The motor controller 109 outputs a current control signal or a voltage control signal corresponding to the velocity command signal from the controller 108. Since the current control signal or the voltage control signal from the motor controller 109 is a direct current signal or a direct voltage signal, when an alternating current motor is used as a driving motor for an elevator, above said direct current signal or direct voltage signal is outputted to the motor 106 via an inverter 110. The inverter 110 outputs an alternating control signal having variable amplitude and frequency to the motor 106 correspondingly to the control output of the motor controller 109.
In order to monitor whether a velocity and position of a car is being controlled correspondingly to said velocity command signal, pulse signal indicating rotation and rotating direction from said encoder 107 is fed back to said motor controller 109.
Here, in the conventional art, a technique of generating the velocity command signal by the operation controller 108 has several methods.
A first method is to multiply the distance to go by a gain value. However, according to the method, it is difficult to compute an accurate gain value because the distance and the velocity have different units, and such a method has a problem that the gain value should be always adjusted because the gain value varies in accordance with the motor, load of the elevator car, a standard speed thereof and kinds of traction machine (including a motor, a decelerator and a sheave).
A second method is to calculate a velocity command value using the formula, that is, the velocity command value=a current velocity command value+gain (a previous velocity command value-feedback speed). However, since such a method is to control actual speed of the elevator to follow the velocity command, it is more suitable to the controlling of the speed of the elevator, rather than the controlling of the position thereof, and also, similarly to the above first method, the problem of the adjusting of the gain still can not be solved.
Third, there is provided a method which computes a velocity command, corresponding to a distance-to-go, to follow velocity profiles of an acceleration profile region, a uniform velocity profile region and a deceleration profile region and, when having a synchronization position error between a position of the elevator car obtained by counting a pulse number of the encoder and an actual position thereof obtained by the position detector, obtaining a new distance-to-go by adding the error to the previous distance-to-go, and on the basis of the newly obtained distance-to-go computing a new velocity command value in ranges of only the acceleration profile region and the uniform velocity profile region. Such a method suggested by the applicant of the invention in U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,950. However, it is impossible to solve the problem of having a difference between a bottom level of the elevator car and a level of a landing in the arrival of the elevator at the desired floor, since according to this method when the synchronization position error is produced in the deceleration profile region, the error can not be corrected.
Lastly, there is a method for obtaining the velocity command value which sets up a database of a synchronization position error quantity with respect to an entire velocity region including the acceleration profile region, the uniform velocity profile region and the deceleration profile region by each item of the load, the moving direction, the starting floor and the stopping floor of the elevator car, and then continuously updating the database while operating the elevator. Such a method may solve a problem of a levelling error in the arrival of the desired floor due to the synchronization location error to the entire velocity profile region. But, a memory of a large capacity is required to accomplish the above method, and a complex program should be operated in order to correct the error and update the database, which results in high possibility of having an erroneous operation due to bugs or noises of the program.

Elevator position controlling apparatus and method


According to an embodiment, an die for routing signals in a plurality of metal layers of an integrated circuit device is disclosed. The die comprises a first pair of conductive lines (302A and 302B) having a first reference line and a first signal line, the first reference line having traces and crossover segments in a plurality of metal layers; and second pair of conductive lines (304A and 304B) having a second reference line and a second signal line, the second reference line having traces and crossover segments in the plurality of metal layers which are offset from the traces and crossover segments of the first reference lines; wherein a first signal trace (310) of the first signal line in a first metal layer is adjacent to a first reference trace (308) of the first reference line on a first side of the first signal trace and to a second reference trace (314) of the second reference line on a second side of the first signal trace. A method for routing signals in a plurality of metal layers of an integrated circuit device is also disclosed.

It is often necessary, in implementing an integrated circuit device, to route signals in the integrated circuit device, and more particularly from one or more die of the integrated circuit device to external contacts of the integrated circuit device. Signals are transmitted in an integrated circuit device on metal lines, often called metal traces, formed in metal layers separated by dielectric layers. Such metal lines may be found for example in a semiconductor die of the integrated circuit. Some integrated circuits may include multiple die which are implemented on an interposer layer which receives the multiple die. The interposer layer may enable the integrated circuit die to communicate with one another or transmit and/or receive signals from contacts of the integrated circuit package.
As integrated circuit devices continue to shrink in size, and the number of circuits for a given integrated circuit continues to increase, noise present in integrated circuits increases. Noise generated in the integrated circuit can lead to erroneous data being transmitted, for example. Such noise could lead to intermittent errors in the field, or in some cases, the failure of the integrated circuit device. In some applications, the failure of the integrated circuit device may lead to the failure of a system implementing the integrated circuit device. In order to minimize noise in circuits, various conventional techniques have been implemented. For example, the spacing between the conductive lines can be increased. However, such an increase in spacing may increase the size of the integrated circuit device. Accordingly, improved circuits and methods for routing data in an integrated circuit would be beneficial.

Circuit for and method of routing signals in a plurality of metal layers of an integrated circuit


The present invention provides a plate for mass spectrometry comprising a support and a PVDF-containing coating (that is, a PVDF-deposited thin layer) thereon, and a method of preparing a plate for mass spectrometry, which comprises coating the support surface with PVDF. The present invention also provides a method of analyte identification comprising subjecting an analyte-containing sample to gel electrophoresis to separate the analyte, blotting the separated analyte from the gel to the above-described plate for mass spectrometry, and subjecting the plate to mass spectrometry, whereby the transferred analyte is analyzed.

Owing to the advances in fundamental research into drug innovation, including molecular biology and genomics (genome science), the circumstances of drug innovation have changed dramatically over these several years, and new approaches to drug innovation, represented by genome drug innovation, are being developed.
However, it remains impossible to predict protein functions (physiological actions) from the nucleotide sequences clarified by genomics; there is a post-genome need for the establishment of techniques that link genetic information to new drugs. As such, proteomics (protein analysis science) is drawing attention, which aims at isolating and identifying all proteins (reportedly more than 100,000 kinds) translated from the aforementioned nucleotide sequences, and assigning their functions.
Although proteome means all proteins that constitute a single organism in a narrow sense, it sometimes means, in a broad sense, all proteins contained in a histologically or anatomically specified portion of an organism, like all proteins in the cell fluid of a particular cell, all proteins contained in serum, all proteins contained in a particular tissue, and the like. In the present specification, this term is used in the broad sense, but it is evident that the complete assembly of proteomes in the broad sense is the proteome in the narrow sense.
In proteome analysis, a method combining two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry has conventionally been used commonly, but the following problems remain unresolved. That is, in the conventional method, the migration gel must be divided into fractions, from each of which proteins must be extracted with a special solution, before the sample is subjected to mass spectrometry after migration. Due to the long time taken and the requirement of painstaking operation in multiple stages, measuring time shortening, apparatus size reduction, screening of a large number of analytes, and whole-apparatus automation have been extremely difficult.
Furthermore, there is another problem of what is called "low-abundance proteins". In yeast, for example, only 100 genes produce 50% of the total protein weight of the yeast. This means that the remaining 50% proteins are products of thousands of genes. A large amount of low-abundance proteins contains a large amount of proteins that are most important to the body, such as regulatory proteins and signal transmission proteins, including receptors. However, the situation with the conventional method is such that the large number and trace amount of protein samples separated by electrophoresis cannot be recovered.
In an attempt to overcome these limitations in the combined technology of electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, and to clarify protein-protein interactions, a variety of efforts are now being made. For example, the isotope-coded affinity tag method (ICAT: isotope-coded affinity tag; Nat. Biotech., 17: 994-999 (1999)), the two-hybrid system in yeast, BTA-MS-MS, the protein array method (solution, chip; Trends Biotechnol., 19: S34-39 (2001)), peptidomics by LC-MS-MS, and the like are available. In particular, as examples of the protein array method, the solid phase protein array method (chip method; Curr. Opin. Biotechnol., 12: 65-69 (2001)), the liquid phase array method (fluorescence-encoded beads; Clin. Chem., 43: 1749-1756 (1997); Nat. Biotech., 19: 631-635 (2001); barcoded nanoparticles; Trends Biotechnol. (2001), ibidem), wherein information has been incorporated in nano-particles, and the like can be mentioned.
Meantime, the present inventors have proposed a method of proteome analysis that enables simultaneous analysis of membrane proteins and compounds capable of interacting therewith by grouping them (WO 02/56026).
Aside from such improvements in measuring methods (systems), there are some reports of attempts for improvements in the field of protein mass spectrometry, though they are not intended for proteome analysis, or are technically difficult to apply to proteome analysis. Methods have been reported, which comprise blotting proteins separated by electrophoresis to a polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membrane, and taking measurements with the membrane immobilized to a stainless steel plate for MALDI type mass spectrometry using a double-coated tape (Electrophoresis, 17: 954-961 (1996)), a frame (Anal. Chem., 69: 2888-2892 (1997)) or grease (Anal. Chem., 71: 4800-4807 (1999); Anal. Chem., 71: 4981-4988 (1999); WO 00/45168). These methods are faulty in that not only the procedures are painstaking due to immobilization of the PVDF membrane to the plate for mass spectrometry in the midst of measurement, but also the background is high and the relative peak intensity is extremely low, so that they are unsuitable to proteome analysis, which requires high detection sensitivity.
Also, a method comprising blotting a gel after electrophoresis directly to a matrix-coated plate for mass spectrometry and conducting mass spectrometry, and a method comprising electrically blotting a protein to a PVDF membrane for blotting, and then diffusion-blotting the protein to a matrix-coated plate for mass spectrometry, have been reported (U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,636). However, in these methods, when electrical blotting is used, there is concern that the matrix dissolves in the blotting buffer during blotting and measurements themselves become impossible. On the other hand, when diffusion blotting is used, the blotting efficiency is low so that the detection sensitivity is insufficient particularly to blotting low-abundance proteins to a plate for mass spectrometry.
Furthermore, a method based on an improvement of the above-described method has been reported, which comprises applying a mixture of nitrocellulose (a membrane component for blotting use) and a matrix to a plate for mass spectrometry as (GB 2312782 A). However, even this method cannot be said to have completely resolved the problems, in the case of electrical blotting or diffusion blotting.
As plates for mass spectrometry, commonly used aluminum or stainless steel plates, as well as improvements thereof, such as plates for mass spectrometry coated with silica, or having a hydrophobic group added thereto, are commercially available (manufactured by Ciphergen, WO 94/28418). However, even these technologies and products do not always meet the research and development needs for conducting proteome analysis in large amounts, with quickness, and at high sensitivity.
An object of the present invention is to introduce a new technology to the conventional method of proteome analysis based on a combination of electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Specifically, the object of the present invention is to provide a technology that enables the conduct of proteome analysis in large amounts, with quickness, and at high sensitivity.

Plate for mass spectrometry, process for preparing the same and use thereof


A ceramic composition is described. The ceramic composition consists essentially of from about 84 to 96 w/o titanium diboride, from about 1 to 9 w/o chromium diboride, and from about 3 to about 15 w/o yttrium-titanium-oxide. A method of making the ceramic composition is also described.. The method of making the ceramic composition comprises the following steps: Step 1--A consolidated body containing stoichiometric quantities of titanium diboride and chromium diboride is provided. Step 2--The consolidated body is enclosed in and in contact with a thermally insulated package of yttria granules having a thickness of at least 0.5 inches. Step 3--The consolidated body enclosed in the thermally insulated package of yttria granules is heated in a microwave oven with microwave energy to a temperature equal to or greater than 1,900 degrees centigrade to sinter and uniformly disperse yttria particles having a size range from about 1 to about 12 microns throughout the consolidated body forming a densified body consisting essentially of titanium diboride, chromium diboride, and yttrium-titanium-oxide. The resulting densified body has enhanced fracture toughness and hardness.

Titanium diboride materials are potential candidates for applications such as cutting tools, armor for tanks and helicopters, wear components, nozzles, liners, electrodes and high temperature utensils. However, sintered articles of titanium diboride are very brittle. The applicability of this material could be enhanced by lessening the brittleness in sintered articles. Consequently, it is desirable to lessen the brittleness in sintered articles and still retain the desirable properties associated with titanium boride.

Titanium diboride-chromium diboride-yttrium titanium oxide ceramic composition and a process for making the same


An air conditioner and a method for controlling an air conditioner are provided. The air conditioner may include at least one indoor device, an outdoor device connected to the indoor device, the outdoor device including a compressor that compresses refrigerant, an engine generating a power using combustion gas, a generator that generates electricity using the power, a battery that receives at least a portion of the electricity, a first supply line that supplies the electricity stored in the battery into the outdoor device, and a second supply line that supplies the electricity stored in the battery into the at least one indoor device. The battery is charged by the generator, or the electricity stored in the battery is discharged into the indoor device or the outdoor device according to operation performance of each of the indoor device and the outdoor device.

1. Field
An air conditioner and a method for controlling an air conditioner are disclosed herein.
2. Background
Air conditioners are apparatuses that cool/heat or purify air in an indoor space in order to provide a more comfortable indoor environment for a user. Air conditioners may be classified into split type air conditioners, in which indoor and outdoor units or devices are separated from each other, and integral type air conditioners, in which indoor and outdoor units are integrally coupled to each other as a single unit or device. Air conditioners may also be classified into single type air conditioners having a capacity capable of operating one indoor unit or device so as to be used in narrow spaces, middle and large sized air conditioners having a very large capacity so as to be used in companies or restaurants, and multi-type air conditioners having a capacity capable of sufficiently operating a plurality of indoor units according to the capacity thereof.
Such a split type air conditioner may include an indoor unit or device installed in an indoor space to supply hot wind or cold wind into a space to be air-conditioned, and an outdoor unit or device, in which compression and expansion are performed to perform a sufficient heat-exchanging operation in the indoor unit or device. The split type air conditioner may be classified into an electric heat pump (EHP) air conditioner and a gas heat pump (GHP) air conditioner according to power sources for operating a compressor. The EHP air conditioner uses electricity as a power source for the compressor, and the GHP air conditioner uses a fuel, such as an LNG or an LPG, as a power source for the compressor. The GHP air conditioner operates an engine through fuel combustion to provide an output of a compressor motor.
A prior art relating to the GHP air conditioner is disclosed in Korea Patent Application No. 10-2012-0016202, which is hereby incorporated by reference. In the EHP air conditioner according to the related art, supply current is adjusted to easily control the compressor. Thus, the EHP air conditioner is adequate for response to a partial load and has high energy efficiency. However, the EHP air conditioner may have a limitation in that frost may form on an outdoor heat exchanger when low-temperature heating is performed.
On the other hand, the GHP air conditioner may have an advantage in that waste heat of the engine is used to improve defrosting performance. However, the GHP may have low engine efficiency due to heat loss.
Also, in the GHP air conditioner, a generator may be provided to generate power using a power source of the engine. The generated electricity may be used to operate the air conditioner.
However, in the GHP air conditioner according to the related art, the generated electricity may be lacking or excessive, reducing operation efficiency.

Air conditioner and method for controlling an air conditioner


A curved cable end connector for providing directional changes of a flexible control cable includes a male end adapted to be rotatably locked within a female receptacle at the end of a cable conduit. The connector is formed of relatively rigid plastic material and includes an enlarged male receptacle end having resilient locking tabs formed therein for receiving a similar connector or other type of cable end connector.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to end connectors or fittings for flexible control cable assemblies. Flexible control cables typically include a flexible outer conduit within which a cable or wire is axially movable. One end of the cable is typically attached to an operative member such as a control lever with the opposite end attached to a control device such as a heater door, hood release or other device in automotive applications. These devices have also found wide spread use in consumer products such as lawn mowers or snow blowers for throttle controls and other common applications.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
Control cable assemblies are often concerned with the connecting members at the terminal ends of the cable control. For example applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,805 is directed to an adjustable cable end coupling for providing adjustment of the cable travel at the end points. Similarly U.S. Pat. No. 3,444,701 to Randolph shows a curved mounting clip for providing a convenient means of attaching the ends of a flexible cable to a fixed mounting bracket. A similar curved end piece is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,647 to Carlson where a curved end member is provided for attachment of the end of the cable control. As shown by Randolph and Carlson, providing a curved terminal connector at the end of a control cable may be desired for routing purposes, and a relatively rigid curved coupling may be desired, as merely bending the cable housing could cause crimping or interference between the cable and the conduit. The prior art has not utilized a curved coupling which may be combined with other curved couplings and which are rotatable relative to each other and capable of being oriented to vary not only the degree of curvature but also the direction of curvature of the cable.


A high strength low alloy steel having a yield strength of at least 100 ksi and a Charpy V-notch impact strength of at least 35 ft-lbs. at minus 84.degree. C. (minus 120.degree. F.) at thickness of up to 6 inches is provided wherein the steel consists essentially of an effective amount up to 0.036% carbon, for low temperature toughness up to 5% manganese, up to 1% silicon, up to 0.015% sulfur, 2 to 4% nickel, up to 2% copper, up to 0.1% niobium, and up to 0.1% aluminum, up to 4.% molybdenum, up to 4% chromium and the balance iron and incidental impurities and is characterized by low carbon bainite microstructure in the as-quenched condition.

This invention relates to low alloy precipitation hardened steels characterized by high strength and toughness in plate form. More particularly, this invention relates to copper precipitation hardened low alloy Ni-Cu-Cb steels having high strength, improved low temperature toughness, especially in thick sections, and excellent weldability resulting from low carbon and in some embodiments low sulfur content.
In the 1960's, the plate steels available for structural applications were either as-hot rolled C-Mn-Si steels with ferrite-pearlite (F-P) microstructures or quenched and tempered (QT) low alloy steels with tempered martensitic microstructures. The F-P steels exhibited yield strengths on the order of 60 ksi (413.7 MPa) while the QT steels had yield strengths in excess of 80 ksi (561.6 MPa). In both the F-P and the QT steels, the strength of the steel is derived from the carbon content. Unfortunately, while the carbon content is effective in imparting strength, it is also responsible for lower weldability and weldment properties.
One family of QT steels which is used in Navy ship and submarine construction is known as the HY (High Yield strength) steels; HY-80, HY-100, HY-130 and HY-180. Of particular interest here is HY-100 which has an allowable yield strength range of 100-120 ksi (689.5-827.4 MPa). A typical composition (wt.%) of HY-100 is 0.15 C-0.3 Mn-3.0 Ni-1.4 Cr-0.4 Mo. This steel is capable of being hardened by the QT treatment in section thicknesses in excess of 4 inches (10.2 cm). After the QT treatment, HY-100 can exhibit adequate levels of strength and toughness in the base plate. However, the combination of the relatively high carbon content and overall alloy content render this steel prone to hydrogen-related cracking in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) which develops during multi-pass welding of the plates. The problem of hydrogen-related HAZ cracking could be avoided only through the use of very expensive weld process controls such as preheating and restricted welding conditions.
To overcome such problems, high strength low alloy steels were developed having potentially the same or better strength and toughness properties and with a more easily welded microstructure. Generally, such steels were obtained by a combination of "clean" steel processing, controlled microalloying elements, and heat treatments. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,514, issued Sep. 19, 1972, discloses a low alloy steel adapted for structural and line pipe use. Such steel included alloying small amounts of columbium, vanadium, titanium, aluminum, boron, and nitrogen which functions in grain refinement and precipitation hardening to increase strength and toughness in a conventional carbon-manganese structural grade steel. Further increases in strength were achieved with nominal amounts of conventional alloying of copper, cobalt, nickel, and molybdenum along with proper heat treatment. Such steels exhibited improved weldability with less stringent controls such as eliminating preheating prior to welding. Although such steels were developed for line pipe, they also found applications in valves and fittings for pumping stations, off-shore platforms, oil well servicing equipment, large mining and off highway trucks, and also as structural plate for naval ships and submarine construction.
The use of such steels and the weldments in ships and vessels was directly related to the extraordinary toughness, high strength and deformation performance under high rate loading. Ordinarily used for general construction, such ferritic steels having high weldability were found suitable for ship construction. Welding of ships and vessels, however, is a very labor intensive process due principally to the design requirements of water tight integrity, compartmentation, and shock resistance, for example, and the difficulty of using automated welding in the majority of ship construction. A key advantage of high strength low alloy steels is the inherent weldability and the attendant lack of preheat requirement as part of the welding process. Such improved weldability directly translates into significant fabrication cost reductions while at the same time providing weight savings which can be achieved by the substitution of high strength steels in small cross sections. Such improved weldability is primarily attributed to the low carbon content, generally on the order of 0.04 to 0.08%. The problems, considerations and development work associated with higher strength steel plates for ship and vessel construction are described in the Journal of Ship Production, Vol. 2, No. 3, August 1986, pages 145-162.
The literature also contains many references concerning the influence of steel composition on final properties. In general it is well recognized that toughness is improved by lowering the amounts of certain elements contained in the steel, especially carbon and sulfur. A dramatic improvement in toughness with lower carbon levels of less than 0.04% is described in a paper entitled "Structure, Hardenability and Toughness of Low-Carbon High-Strength Steels" by McEvily, et al. reported in the symposium Feb. 27-28, 1967, "Transformation and Hardenability in Steels." The high yield strength (greater than 100 ksi) steels, nominally containing 3% Ni-3% Mo and 0.7% Mn, also exhibited high toughness in the as-rolled condition without further heat treatment to develop the strength and low temperature toughness.
There is ample information in the literature that both cold cracking resistance and HAZ toughness are reduced with increased carbon content. In FIG. 1 of an article by B.A. Graville, in Proceedings Welding of HSLA-Microalloy Structural Steels, ASM, 1978, pp. 85-101, susceptibility varied with both carbon content and carbon equivalent value. It was also noted that carbon content had the most important influence can susceptibility to cold cracking. Haze et al (T. Haze, S. Aihara and H. Mabuchi, in Proceedings Accelerated Cooling of Rolled Steel, Canadian Inst. Mining and Metallurgy, Pergammon, 1988, pp. 235-248) have shown in FIG. 2 that the low temperature toughness of the coarse-grained HAZ was reduced as the amount of high carbon martensite islands increased. During the intercritical annealing which occurs inadvertently in multi-pass welding, the amount of martensite which is present after cooling would increase linearly with the carbon content.
Lower carbon contents ranging from 0.01 to 0.03% in ultralow carbon bainitic (ULCB) steel have also been shown to improve weldability and toughness. A paper entitled "Development of Controlled Rolled Ultralow Carbon Bainitic Steel For Large Diameter Line Pipe" by H. Nakasugi, et al. from Alloys for the 80's, pages 13-14, discloses such a steel containing 1.5 to 2.0% manganese as well as nominally 0.04 niobium to achieve the strength and toughness in the steel. Such steels would not be suitable for ship plate because of strength and thickness L0 limitations.
The influence of the sulfur level on notch toughness is also well recognized at high temperatures where the upper shelf toughness is increased with lower sulfur.
What is needed is a high strength low alloy steel which can achieve mechanical properties which fall within prescribed narrow ranges, e.g., 100.ltoreq.YS.ltoreq.120 ksi (689.5 .ltoreq.YS.ltoreq.827.4 MPa) and Charpy V-notch toughness CVN .gtoreq.35 ft. lbs. at -120.degree. F. (-84.degree. C.) for a wide range of plate thicknesses, e.g., 0.5-6.0 inches (1.3-15.2 cm). Furthermore, it is desirable that this steel be producable by straightforward steelmaking techniques. Still further, it is desirable that this steel exhibit improved weldability over a wide range of welding conditions, e.g., heat inputs and plate thicknesses. In addition, the weldments in this steel should be immune to cold and hydrogen cracking without preheating. Still further, the new steel should exhibit good strength and toughness in the HAZ.


The invention relates to a medical investigation and/or treatment system comprising:                a catheter system, comprising a catheter (1, 7, 9), with        a first sensor (4, 11) of an imaging system for optical coherence tomography with an optical fiber via which the light is directed and is radiated in the area of a catheter tip introduced into an area to be investigated, via which fiber reflection light is directed from an illuminated investigation area to a first image processing unit (22),        a second sensor (3, 8, 10) of an intravascular ultrasound imaging system to transmit and receive sound pulses which are fed as an electrical signal to a second image processing unit (23), und        at least one display unit (24) for presenting the images of the first and second image processing unit (22, 23).

Vascular conditions, especially heart attacks, are among the most frequent illnesses resulting in death. These are caused by diseases of the coronary arteries (arterial sclerosis). In such conditions deposits, referred to as arterial plaque, result in "blocking" of coronary arteries. The latest knowledge shows that the danger of suffering a heart attack does not depend primarily on the reduction of the diameter of the arteries. It is far more a matter of whether the thin protective layer which covers the arteriosclerotic deposits is stable. If this layer breaks down, blood platelets are released which completely close off the artery within a short time, thereby causing a heart attack.

System for medical examination or treatment


A warning light device having a directional warning panel to regulate traffic, which is attached in a vertical position near the rear of a vehicle. The warning light device displays traffic symbols for following traffic, with controllable electric luminous elements. An autonomous, mobile warning light device with great versatility of display is provided since the warning panel includes a controllable optical fiber display matrix having a plurality of traffic symbols. The warning light device is attached or attachable to the roof, extending as far as the rear, of a motor vehicle. Power is supplied to the warning light device with an electric power supply system of the motor vehicle or a supplementary electric power pack mounted in the motor vehicle. An operating panel is disposed near the dashboard of the motor vehicle, or is built into the dashboard, and has operating elements for switching the warning light device on and off. The operating panel also initiates the displays of various traffic symbols on the optical fiber display matrix. The operating panel, the power supply and the fiber optic display matrix are interconnected with connecting cables installed within the motor vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
invention relates to a warning light device having a directional warning panel, used to regulate traffic, which is attached in a vertical position near the rear of a vehicle. Traffic symbols can be displayed on the warning panel with controllable electrical luminous elements, so that the traffic symbols are apparent to following traffic.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A warning light device of this type is known from German Patent 34 34 341. Such known warning light device has a vertical panel with colored stripes and electric lights mounted on it in the form of an arrow display. A standard traffic symbol is also fastened to the lower part of the panel. The lights are secured on a rotatably supported, arrow-shaped holder, so that the arrow display can be adjusted to point downward to the left or downward to the right. The warning light device is mounted on a trailer and can be hitched to a motor vehicle that can supply power and control to the warning light device. Normally, such warning devices are set up at construction sites and have electric power supplied directly from an alternating current grid via installed current supply cables.
However, such known warning light devices are limited to displaying traffic symbols secured to them, along with the adjustable illuminated arrow pointing to the right or left. Furthermore, such warning light devices are unsuited for use with a heavy-load truck or the like, because the traffic symbol cannot be seen by drivers in moving traffic until just before they arrive at the warning light device.


An actuator for a dual clutch, by which a first release hearing can be pulled and a second release bearing can be pressed and which has a compact design.

In such a double clutch, the arrangement in which both partial clutches K1 and K2 are open ("normally open") exists and are closed at least by means of an actuation device. In this arrangement, actuation forces necessary and normally alternately applied to press the clutch closed must be applied in the same direction. These actuation forces must be supported on a bearing on the crankshaft or in the transmission. If one assumes that the partial clutch K1 is initially open and the partial clutch K2 is initially closed, then the total actuation force of the arrangement is equal to the actuation force of the partial clutch K2. If overlapped shifting is subsequently carried out to close the partial clutch K1 and open the partial clutch K2, then the actuation force of partial clutch K1 increases and the actuation force of partial clutch K2 decreases. The total actuation force nonetheless essentially remains the same. In the final state, the partial clutch K1 is closed and the partial clutch K2 opened. The total actuation force then corresponds to the actuation force of partial clutch 1. The total actuation force in this arrangement therefore remains essentially equally high over the entire period.
In an alternative formation of the double clutch, an arrangement exists in which the partial clutch K1 in the initial state is closed ("normally closed") and is at least pressed open via an actuation device, and that the partial clutch K2 in the initial state is open ("normally open") and is pressed closed via at least an actuation device. Two different states arise in such an arrangement: When the partial clutch K1 is closed and the partial clutch K2 is open, no actuation force is required. In order to open the partial clutch K1 and close the partial clutch K2 on the other hand, two actuation forces are required. In this case, both actuation forces add up and yield a high axial force on the bearing.
In truck applications that can feature torque up to 3,300 . . . 3,500 Nm, actuation forces of up to 12,400 . . . 15,000 N occur In truck applications, the arrangements described above would have to support the very large actuation forces correspondingly occurring on the crankshaft and on transmissions bearings. Target must consequently be to minimize the necessary actuation forces and particularly the sum of both actuation forces in order to reduce the dimension of the bearing and avoid all associated changes in the housing.


Methods and apparatus are disclosed for determining a floating-point exponent associated with an underflow condition or an overflow condition. The methods and apparatus determine the ‘true’ value of a floating-point exponent based on a truncated value of the floating-point exponent passed from a floating-point hardware unit to an exponent determination module when the floating-point hardware unit encounters an underflow condition or an overflow condition. The determined value of the floating-point exponent may then be passed to a floating-point software unit for additional floating-point calculations, if necessary. If the floating-point hardware unit does not encounter an underflow condition or an overflow condition, the floating-point hardware unit and/or the floating-point software unit preferably perform the floating-point operation without the assistance of the exponent determination module.

Microprocessors are frequently required to perform mathematical operations using floating-point numbers. Often, a specialized hardware circuit (i.e., a floating-point unit) is included in the microprocessor (or electrically coupled to the microprocessor) to perform these floating-point operations. By using a floating-point unit, floating-point operations may be performed faster than if they were performed in software, and the software execution unit of the microprocessor is free to execute other operations.
However, when floating-point numbers are used in mathematical operations, the result of the operation may be too large or too small to be represented by the floating-point unit. When the result includes an exponent that is too large to be represented by the floating-point unit, an 'overflow' condition occurs. When the result includes an exponent that is too small to be represented by the floating-point unit, an 'underflow' condition occurs. In either case (overflow or underflow), a software routine must be executed to perform the operation if accurate results are required. In particular, the software routine must determine the 'true' exponent associated with the floating-point result.

Methods and apparatus for determining a floating-point exponent associated with an underflow condition or an overflow condition


A power pedestal is described. The power pedestal includes a plurality of receptacles that are configured to connect to external devices. The plurality of receptacles includes a first receptacle and a second receptacle of the plurality of receptacles. The first receptacle and the second receptacle are electrically interlocked with one another. The power pedestal includes a first circuit breaker connected to the first receptacle and a second circuit breaker connected to the second receptacle, and a shunt trip circuit that is configured to trip the first circuit breaker to disable power to the first receptacle of the power pedestal, responsive to the second circuit breaker associated with the second receptacle of the power pedestal being in an active state. Related devices and methods are also described.

Power pedestals are typically free-standing outdoor electrical units. Power pedestals can provide utility power distribution for target devices such as marine or recreational vehicles. Power pedestals may include one or more circuit breakers and power receptacles that can be used to provide power to the target devices. The power pedestals include one or more circuit breakers that provide fault protection for the power receptacles.

Electrically interlocked receptacles in power pedestals


An electronic apparatus includes a touch screen display and a processor. The processor is configured to output, on a screen of the touch screen display, information regarding a plurality of strokes that are input on the touch screen display. When a first stroke indicative of a selection of a first stroke group on the screen of the touch screen display and a second stroke indicative of a request for a search process are input, the processor is configured to output, on the screen of the touch screen display, information regarding a second stroke group with a degree of similarity to the first stroke group equal to or larger than a threshold value.

In recent years, various electronic apparatus such as a tablet PC, a PDA, and a smartphone have been developed. To facilitate user input manipulations, many of these kinds of electronic apparatus are equipped with a touch screen.
A user can instruct an electronic apparatus to perform a function that is correlated with a menu item or an object displayed on a touch screen display by touching it with his or her finger, for example.
However, many of existing electronic apparatus having a touch screen display are not necessarily suitable for business scenes such as meetings, business negotiations, and development of products. This is why even now paper notebooks are widely used in business scenes.

Electronic apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium


There are provided a surface-modified nanodiamond exhibiting easy dispersibility in an organic solvent, an organic solvent dispersion thereof, and a method for producing the surface-modified nanodiamond. The surface-modified nanodiamond according to the present invention includes a nanodiamond, and a group bound to a particulate surface of the nanodiamond and represented by formula (1):—NHCOR   (1)

Nanodiamonds are ultrafine diamond particles having a very large specific surface area, and have a high mechanical strength and electric insulation, and an excellent thermoconductivity. The nanodiamonds also have a deodorant effect, an antibacterial effect and a chemical resistance. Hence, the nanodiamonds are used as an abrasive material, an electroconductivity-imparting material, an insulating material, a deodorant, an antibacterial and the like.
Nanodiamonds are usually synthesized by a detonation method. The nanodiamonds obtained by the detonation method forms agglutinates in many cases; the agglutinate is subjected to a deagglutinating treatment using a crusher such as a bead mill to thereby obtain so-called one-digit nanodiamonds having a particle diameter D50 (median diameter) of less than 10 nm (Patent Literatures 1, 2).

Surface-modified nanodiamond, organic solvent dispersion thereof, and method for producing surface-modified nanodiamond

Abstract: R is an organic group having a carbon atom at a binding site with a neighboring carbonyl carbon atom indicated in the formula; and the left end, in the formula, of the group serves to form bonding to the nanodiamond. The nanodiamond is preferably a detonation nanodiamond or a high-temperature high-pressure nanodiamond.


A new variety of Chrysanthemum plant named xe2x80x98Swing Time Darkxe2x80x99 having deep orange red bronze single type flowers and a slightly domed capitulum form and branching habit.

Latin name of the genus and species: Botanical classification: Dendranthema grandiflora.
Variety denomination: The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is xe2x80x98Swing Time Dark.xe2x80x99
The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, and referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Swing Time Dark.xe2x80x99
xe2x80x98Swing Time Darkxe2x80x99 identified as 20230-3, was discovered as a natural mutation of a whole plant in a controlled cultivated planting of the variety xe2x80x98Swing Timexe2x80x99 (unpatented). The variety xe2x80x98Swing Time Darkxe2x80x99 has been asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings at Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom and the distinguishing characteristics are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
xe2x80x98Swing Time Darkxe2x80x99 is a pot type of Chrysanthemum plant variety having a slightly domed capitulum form and deep orange red bronze single flowers.
Plant habit of the new Chrysanthemum variety xe2x80x98Swing Time Darkxe2x80x99 is similar to the parent cultivar xe2x80x98Swing Time.xe2x80x99 In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety xe2x80x98Swing Time Darkxe2x80x99 differed from plants of the parent cultivar xe2x80x98Swing Timexe2x80x99 in the following characteristics.
1. Flowers of the new variety xe2x80x98Swing Time Darkxe2x80x99 are a more deep orange red color than xe2x80x98Swing Time.xe2x80x99
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety xe2x80x98Swing Time Darkxe2x80x99 are similar to the cultivar xe2x80x98Virunga Darkxe2x80x99 (unpatented) in plant habit and growth rate. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety xe2x80x98Swing Time Darkxe2x80x99 compared to plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Virunga Darkxe2x80x99 in the following characteristics.
1. The flowers of the new variety xe2x80x98Swing Time Darkxe2x80x99 are dark orange whereas the flowers of the cultivar xe2x80x98Virunga Darkxe2x80x99 are light orange.
2. The plants of the new variety xe2x80x98Swing Time Darkxe2x80x99 have smaller inflorescence than the plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Virunga Dark.xe2x80x99


A method and a system for monitoring and controlling remote devices are described. The system has a gateway, a web server, and a client device. The gateway is coupled to a security device. The web server has a management application configured to communicate with the gateway. The management application has a service manager module to enable additional services from the gateway and the security device. The client device communicates with the gateway identified by the web server. The gateway aggregates monitoring data from the security device and from other security devices respectively coupled to other gateways correlated with the gateway. The client device receives the aggregated monitoring data, controls the security device coupled to the respective gateway from a web-based user interface at the client device.

Systems for monitoring and/or controlling security devices have become increasingly popular in recent years. Such systems are used to communicate with security devices such as lights, thermostats, or security systems.
Some conventional systems for controlling and monitoring security devices allow a user to access a server from a remote location using a device such as a desktop computer. For example, a user can use a desktop computer located in a remote location to connect with the server. The user can then send commands to the server to control various security devices. For example, the user can turn lights on or off. In another example, the user accesses a video feed stored at the server that receives a video stream from a camera at a monitored location.
Such conventional systems for controlling and/or monitoring security devices have at least the following disadvantages and limitations. The connection between the user's remote computer and the server may not be secured. A user could establish a secure connection, but the cost and complexity involved in establishing such a connection are high. Such systems are also complex for users to implement and maintain. For example, the server may be difficult to install and configure. Programming such systems can also be cumbersome and require custom configurations when adding supplemental security devices or services. Last, it is difficult for the user to access the server using different types of remote devices. For instance, conventional systems only allow a user to access the offsite server using, for example, a secured desktop computer located in the user's workplace.


An optical transmission device that receives a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal obtained by dividing an optical packet signal and performing wavelength multiplexing and that transmits via an optical switch the received wavelength division multiplexed optical signal includes an optical power level measurement unit configured to measure respective optical power levels of respective optical signals of wavelengths included in the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal, and a routing information determinator configured to determine routing information of the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal on the basis of the measured optical power levels.

In optical transmission, routing information is transmitted after being added to an optical signal. Also, in optical transmission that is practiced generally, Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) is performed so that a plurality of wavelengths is transmitted in a multiplexed state. In optical transmission devices that perform this type of optical transmission, a received WDM optical signal is assigned to one of a plurality of routes (optical switching) so as to be transmitted on the basis of routing information extracted from the received WDM optical signal.
As a conventional technique, an optical packet routing device has been disclosed that includes an O/E converter that converts an optical packet into an electric signal, a header detector that detects information included in a header on the basis of the electric signal obtained by the conversion, an optical label generator that generates a corresponding optical label on the basis of information in the header, an E/O converter that converts an electric signal into an optical signal, and an optical wavelength multiplexed signal generator that combines the optical label and the optical signal so as to obtain an optical wavelength multiplexed signal (for example, Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-136951).
As another conventional technique, an optical packet routing task that uses optical signal data of a signal system as a multi wavelength label and that also uses this as an identifier for optical packet switching has been disclosed (for example, Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-84228).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-136951
Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-84228


A jump training apparatus and method designed to allow athletes to perform sets of standing vertical jumps. The apparatus is comprised of a mount, a T-tube, a notched post, and a plurality of vertically hanging rotational vanes of varying lengths. Each rotational vane has a longitudinal member with a planar surface. Each rotational vane has a cylindrical opening with a stop member. The plurality of rotational vanes are placed over the notched post by aligning the stop member with a channel cut in the notched post. When the stop member contacts the edges of the channel, it causes the rotational member to stop rotating. A central bump in the channel further inhibits motion.

We live in a metric-driven society. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the field of athletics, where an individual is reduced to a series of numbers intended to define their physical talent. The speed, strength, stamina, and explosiveness of an athlete is repeatedly measured and recorded.
In football, basketball, and other sports, a standing vertical jump is one of the metrics for which an athlete is measured. For example, in basketball, athletes at the secondary, collegiate, and professional levels are all assessed on vertical jump. A great standing vertical jump measurement often differentiates those who will become professional athletes from those who will not.
To date, the prior art has been concerned with measuring an athlete's standing vertical jump. Little of the prior art has attempted to improve an athlete's standing vertical jump using well-known and proven methods of exercise and training.
The de facto standard for measuring the height of a standing vertical jump has a plurality of vanes of equal length attached horizontally to a post. The vanes are free to rotate about the post. The athlete jumps and swats the vanes, causing the vanes that were swatted to spin. The height of the athlete's standing vertical jump is based on the highest vane that was rotated. This is the apparatus taught by US4208050A by named inventor Perrine ("Perrine '050"). The Perrine '050 apparatus had drawbacks, the most notable of which was that it could tip over.
Subsequently, the prior art improved on Perrine '050. For example, US7097589B2, by the named inventor Underwood ("Underwood '589"), teaches a safety jump training apparatus, intended to be mounted to a wall so that an athlete's standing vertical jump can be measured. Underwood '589 is essentially Perrine '050, but wall-mounted. Underwood '589 teaches a plurality of rotatable vanes mounted on a post, wherein the rotatable vanes are all an equal length. The vanes are arranged horizontally. The apparatus is mounted to a wall. The athlete jumps and swats at the vanes. The vanes the athlete was able to swat rotate, indicating how high the athlete was able to jump. In order for the athlete to jump again, all of the vanes need to be reset, a somewhat time-consuming endeavor.
Further improvements were made to the art in US 7530925B2 by named inventor Underwood ("Underwood '925"), which disclosed a portable version of the Underwood '589, but a portable version that would not tip.
The problem with the de facto standard is that it does not allow the athlete to make repeated jumps. In other words, to perform sets of measured jumps, much like sets in weight lifting. Sports science knows that repeated muscle training and exertion is the formula for improved performance. What the market needs is a variation of the de facto jump trainer that quickly and automatically resets, allowing an athlete to make repetitive measured jumps.


An automated driving system (402) for automated driving of road vehicle is provided herein. The automated driving system (402) includes a navigation module (202) configured to receive initial waypoints from a road model (602), and further configured to generate modified waypoints, based on squint radar data and inertial measurement unit (604). The automated driving system (402) further includes a guidance module (504) configured to generate a smooth reference path for the vehicle (102) to follow, based upon the modified waypoints. The automated driving system (402) further includes a control module (506) configured to control movement of the vehicle (102) along the generated reference path.

Automated driving vehicles are considered as future of vehicles. This is reason that significant automaker companies are investing lot of money into the research and development of automated driving vehicles. There are five different levels of autonomous driving depending upon level of automation of vehicle (for example, from basic, advanced or fully automated). Many drivers/users utilize vehicles that operate in semi-autonomous manner (e.g., parking assist, lane assist, etc.).
However, conventional automated driving suffers from many disadvantages. First, conventional automated driving vehicles lack measurable safety and dependability (reliability, availability and maintainability). Further, any automated driving functions available for road vehicles around the world are only assist functions where driver needs to use his discretion and take the risk of whether to use them or not. While guidance navigation and control approach to automated control is used in other vehicles like airplanes or missiles, such approaches have not been utilized for road vehicles. Further, conventional automated driving vehicles suffer from congestion and lack managing road capacities for road transportation. This is because utilization of lanes is not optimized to relieve traffic congestion with required safety assurance.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved system and method for automated driving of vehicles which solves above disadvantages associated with the conventional methods.

Automated driving system and method for road vehicles