The present invention relates to a method for preparing a CIS- or CIGS-based light-absorbing layer which is included in a thin film solar cell. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for preparing a CIS- or CIGS-based light-absorbing layer which ultimately improves the efficiency of a solar cell since the remaining carbon impurities in the formed light-absorbing layer are minimized and additional sulfurization treatment or selenium treatment is made optional, not requisite.

A solar cell is an essential device of a photovoltaic system that directly converts sunlight into electricity.
Generally, a solar cell is divided into a single-crystal silicon solar cell, a polycrystalline silicon solar cell, and a thin-film solar cell.
The single-crystal silicon solar cell has higher conversion efficiency than other kinds of solar cells and is suited for mass production through process improvement.
The polycrystalline silicon solar cell employs a low-grade silicon wafer as a source material. Although the polycrystalline silicon solar cell requires low fabrication costs, the polycrystalline silicon solar cell has lower conversion efficiency than that of the single-crystal silicon solar cell.
Since such single-crystal and polycrystalline silicon solar cells are prepared using a source material in a bulk state, these solar cells have problems of high material costs and a complicated fabrication process, thereby providing constraints on cost reduction.
To solve these problems, thin-film solar cells prepared through significant reduction in thickness of a substrate or through deposition of a thin-film solar cell on an inexpensive substrate such as a glass sheet have attracted attention in the art. Although the thin-film solar cell has lower conversion efficiency than the single-crystal and polycrystalline silicon solar cells, the thin-film solar cell has a possibility of reducing fabrication costs.
Recently, studies have been conducted to develop a thin-film solar cell using a compound semiconductor material such as CdTe, CuInSe2 (CIS), or CuInGaSe2 (CIGS), which has relatively high conversion efficiency. Particularly, many attempts have been made to further improve conversion efficiency of a thin-film solar cell using a CIS or CIGS compound semiconductor having relatively high conversion efficiency in a light-absorption layer.
Although the CIS or CIGS light-absorption layer is prepared by vacuum deposition, there are problems of complicated processing conditions, difficulty fabricating a large-area product, and large loss of a source material.
To solve these problems with vacuum deposition, a method for fabricating a non-vacuum CIS or CIGS light-absorption layer, which does not use vacuum apparatus, is known in the art. Particularly, a printing method for fabricating a CIS or CIGS thin-film is known as the most available method in terms of processing speed, processing cost, and formation of large-area products.
Fabrication of the CIS or CIGS light-absorption layer by the printing method generally includes a method using ink or paste composed of a precursor and a method using ink or paste prepared by forming CIG or CIGS nanoparticles and distributing the particles.
As an exemplary method using a precursor, a method by Mitzi et al., disclosed in Advanced Materials, 2008, 20, 3657-3662, includes dissolving a binary compound, such as Cu2S, In2Se3, or Ga2Se, in hydrazine to form a precursor ink, depositing the precursor ink on a conductive substrate, and heat-treating the precursor ink under a nitrogen atmosphere, thereby fabricating a CIGS light-absorption layer. Further, a method by Min et al., disclosed in Journal of Crystal Growth, 2009, 311, 2621-2625, includes preparing paste by dissolving Cu(NO3)2, In(NO3)3, Ga(NO3)3, and SeCl4 in an alcohol solvent and mixing an organic binder or the like therewith, depositing the paste on a conductive substrate, and then heat-treating the paste under a H2/Ar atmosphere, thereby fabricating a CIGS thin-film.
As an exemplary method using nano-particles, a method by Kapur et al., disclosed in Thin Solid Films, 2003, 431-432, and 53-57, includes synthesizing and distributing CuInGa oxide nano-particles, depositing the nano-particles on a conductive substrate, and heat-treating the nano-particles under an H2Se-gas atmosphere, thereby fabricating a CIGS light-absorption layer.
Thereamong, the method using a precursor has a problem in that a large amount of carbon impurities remains when heat treatment is performed under a hydrogen or nitrogen atmosphere. Further, when a solvent such as hydrazine is used, remaining carbon impurities can be decreased. In this case, however, there is a drawback in that industrial applicability is restricted due to highly explosive properties of hydrazine.
The remaining carbon impurities act as a main element causing reduction in conversion efficiency of a solar cell. Thus, in order to solve the problems of the method for fabricating a light absorption layer by printing, there is a need for a preparation method capable of minimizing remaining carbon impurities while using a stable organic solvent.

CIGS light-absorbing ink and method for preparing CIGS light-absorbing layer


A method for maintaining vital product data (VPD) of each field replaceable unit (FRUs) in a computer system, the computer system including a first FRU and a second FRU operatively coupled with the first FRU. The method includes calculating a parity for the VPD of the second FRU, and upon detecting a failure of the second FRU, regenerating the VPD for the failed second FRU using the parity.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to computer system maintenance. More specifically, it relates to a method for maintaining the vital product data (VPD) of different field replaceable units (FRUs) of a computer system.
2. Background Information
A computer system is composed of many FRUs, namely, circuit boards or parts that can be easily removed from the computer system and replaced, even by someone lacking in-depth product knowledge of the computer system. These FRUs include power supply units, motherboards, socketed microprocessors, primary storage modules (e.g. Radom Access Memories, or RAMs), secondary storage devices (e.g. hard drives and optical drives), video cards, sound cards, and peripherals such as keyboards, mice and printers. Replacing an FRU while the machine is running is known as hot swapping.
Many FRUs have VPD stored thereon. The VPD is a collection of configuration and informational data associated with a particular set of hardware (e.g. an FRU), to allow for the set of hardware to be administered at a system or network level. VPDs may include product model numbers, unique serial numbers, product release levels, maintenance levels, and other information specific to the hardware, as well as user-defined information, such as the building and department location of the hardware. The VPDs are used by a computer system to determine the nature of a specific hardware, and to shield the operation of the computer system from minor changes and variations of hardware implementations.
Since VPDs are of a critical importance to the reliability and extendibility of the computer system, in many computer systems such as the POWER series and zSeries servers of IBM, a primary EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) is utilized to store the VPD for an FRU, whereas a redundant EEPROM is used on the FRU to keep an extra copy of the VPD, in case the primary EEPROM may fail. However, this extra copy brings additional expenses, not only for the additional hardware part (i.e. the redundant EEPROM), but also for additional interface paths that must be wired to the additional hardware part. Other computer systems keep a persistent copy of the VPDs centrally located, e.g. on a service processor. However, this requires a copy of all of the system VPDs to be centrally stored, thereby incurring additional expenses.

International Business Machines Corporation


A tool for installing decorative lights may include a hook-placement head configured for attachment to a pole, and a string-placement head configured for attachment to the pole. The tool may be employed to decorate a structure with a string of decorative lights by placing an adhesive-backed hook onto a pole-mounted hook-placement head, raising the hook-placement head to position the hook at a desired location on the structure, placing a portion of the string onto a pole-mounted string-placement head; and raising the string-placement head to the positioned hook to engage the string with the hook.

The present invention generally relates to installation of decorative lights on buildings and other elevated locations.
During holiday seasons and during other festive events, decorative lights may be installed on buildings and other structures. Typically such lights are constructed as strings of small light fixtures held together by common wiring.
Installation and subsequent removal of such lights is typically performed by people working on ladders or motorized lift equipment. In many instances, more than one person may be required to position on an elevated portion of a structure or remove the lights from the structure.
As can be seen, there is a need for a system of installing and removing decorative lights in which one person may perform the task without use of ladders or other lift equipment.

Method and apparatus for installing decorative lights


A portable pet door is provided. The portable pet door includes a plurality of panels (101) connected in such a manner that allows the pet door to be folded for portability when not in use. The portable pet door may be installed in a sliding door jamb and configured to be held in place via friction from the sliding door (110) and an adjacent door jamb. The portable pet door has a removable flap (102) located at the bottom of the portable pet door. The portable pet door may have a connector (401) located on a top portion of a top panel of the plurality of panels that allows the pet door to be removably secured to a door jamb.

Many people find enjoyment in owning and taking care of pets. Some of these pets need to go in and out of the house frequently. Dogs in particular like to pretend they have to go out just to receive treats when returning to the house. Often pet owners are forced to constantly get up or interrupt what they are doing to open a door to let an eager pet outside. Although, installing a traditional pet door could reduce unnecessary interruptions for pet owners, it could also require cutting a hole in an existing door or replacing the entire door. This can be expensive and messy. Further, if not properly installed or insulated, a traditional pet door can leak or allow cold air into a home. Many existing pet doors have a frame that goes around the entirety of the pet door. This can cause issues for pets with bad legs or hips as they may not be able to raise their legs over the edges of the frame.
Consequently, there is a need for an improvement in the art of pet doors. The present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the known art, and solves a problem faced by pet owners daily by allowing their pets to go outside at will without changing an existing door structure. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills unmet needs.


A method of making a brake assembly. The method may include providing a brake pad carrier, an air operated brake actuator suitable for attaching to the brake pad carrier, and a hydraulically operated brake actuator suitable for attaching to the brake pad carrier, and attaching one of the air operated brake actuator and hydraulically operated brake actuator to the brake pad carrier to provide a brake assembly.

Vehicles include park brakes which are used to hold the vehicle stationary when parked, and also include service brakes which are used to slow or stop the vehicle whilst it is being driven.
Heavy vehicles such as lorries, trucks, and buses have traditionally used air operated service brake assemblies, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,407.

Meritor Heavy Vehicle Braking Systems (UK) Limited


A medical device may include an introducer sheath, having a distal and a proximal end and a lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end. The introducer sheath may also include a tab formed at the distal end and extending distal to the lumen, and a frangible portion extending between the distal end and the proximal end.

Medical devices, such as lasers, needles, infusion tubes, sensors, and the like may include an elongate body, and may be arranged for delivery through a working channel of an insertion device (e.g., a ureteroscope, a hysteroscope, a bronchoscope, a cystoscope, and similar devices). The elongate body of such medical devices may be selectively extended and retracted relative to the working channel of the insertion device to deploy or retract the elongate body to perform one or more therapies, treatments, or diagnostic evaluations on a subject. For example, the medical device may include a laser having an elongate body arranged for delivery through a working channel of a ureteroscope. Such elongated medical devices often must be threaded through a seal or valve in order to prevent irrigation or fluid backflow through the port or channel through which the elongated device accesses the insertion device. However, using a seal or valve can be time-consuming because the elongated device must be "inched" through the valve or seal in small increments as the elongated device lacks sufficient stiffness to allow a long pushing of the device through the valve or seal, without the device kinking or being damaged. As such, medical professionals must spend time tediously threading small portions of the elongated device through the seal or valve and into the insertion device. Moreover, if one forgoes using a seal or valve to expedite the insertion of the elongated device into the insertion device, there is the danger of an inadvertent escape of pressurized body fluids or of foreign contaminants entering the patient. Finally, if one uses a thicker covering around the elongated medical device to introduce the elongated medical device into the valve and into the insertion device, such an inducer remains on the elongated device, which makes manipulating the elongated device during the procedure more difficult. These efforts also increase the cost, complexity, and/or risks of the medical procedure involving an insertion device.
The devices and methods of the current disclosure may rectify some of the deficiencies described above or address other aspects of the prior art.


The invention relates to a maintenance system for a fuel injection system provided in an internal combustion engine, the fuel injection system defining a hydraulic circuit having a high-pressure pump, a solenoid valve, a pressure sensor, a metering solenoid valve, a common rail and injectors. The maintenance system includes a manual control unit connected to a hydraulic unit, the hydraulic unit being capable of being inserted into the hydraulic circuit of the fuel injection system and including a test solenoid valve and a test pressure sensor mounted in a body provided with an inlet mouth, an outlet mouth and a leakage mouth.

Maintaining the injection system equipping internal combustion engines is an operation routinely carried out in garages and other vehicle servicing places. This operation may be regular or occasional because a malfunction is suspected or proven and a diagnosis is necessary before a possible repair.
The maintenance operation necessitates monitoring the electrical and hydraulic characteristics of the actuators and of the high pressure pump such as measuring the electrical resistance of the actuators and the pressure generated in the hydraulic circuit. Moreover, the hydraulic test for diagnosing the injection system or components of the system is not possible directly on the vehicle for the pressure range between 0 and 2850 bar inclusive with peaks at 3000 bar. A test of the operation under pressure of the components of the injection system is possible and necessitates removal of the actuators and the high pressure pump from the vehicle, that is to say demounting them and testing them on a test bench in order to verify their operation. The various manipulations by the operative to verify the functionality of the actuators out of the vehicle are time consuming and therefore costly.
At present a maintenance operative carries out the electrical measurements by means of a standard multimeter.
Among other problems encountered during the normal life of a vehicle, some actuators are partially obstructed by "lacquer", that is to say by a deposit of residue.
At present there exists no means for easily cleaning blocked or commonly referred to as "lacquered" actuators.
It is therefore apparent that a serious market demand, in particular from vehicle maintenance professionals, is to have available reliable and easy to use means enabling accurate execution of the necessary checks and the cleaning operations. Moreover, professionals maintain different types of injection systems and it would be inconceivable to duplicate the maintenance tools each time that a new system comes to market. A single and adaptable system is therefore needed. The object of the present invention is to provide a solution that resolves the above disadvantages.


Method of resolving ambiguity for determining the main peak of the autocorrelation function of signals transmitted by a set of satellites and received by a receiver of a radionavigation system, a signal received originating from a satellite comprising two received spectral components right and left, the said method comprising the following steps:                the right and left components received are demodulated by a BPSK demodulation method        the central carrier is tracked by means of a central carrier loop which calculates estimations of central carrier phase errors so as to generate carrier commands,        the code is tracked by means of a code loop which calculates instantaneous estimations of code errors so as to generate code commands, wherein the code commands are furthermore generated on the basis of instantaneous estimations of sub-carrier phase errors.

To facilitate the reception of the signals transmitted by the satellites crossing large distances and being transmitted with limited powers, they are rendered as insensitive as possible to narrowband glitches by increasing their bandwidth by means of a spread spectrum technique by modulating the signal with a pseudo-random code.
The information to be transmitted at the level of the satellites, once put into the form of a series of frequency-spread binary data, is transposed into an emission frequency span by modulation with an emission carrier.
On reception, the binary information contained in a satellite radio signal of a positioning system is extracted by two demodulations.
The BPSK (Binary Phase Shift Keying) modulation technique consists in modulating, as may be seen in FIG. 1, the carrier of the RF (radio-frequency) signal transmitted by the satellite by a pseudo-random sequence known in advance of +1 and of −1, called a spreading code.
Represented in FIG. 1, from top to bottom, are the temporal evolution charts for the various components of a BPSK modulation radionavigation signal, namely, its spreading code, its carrier and the signal thus modulated, and then the autocorrelation function of the signal thus modulated and finally the spectrum of the modulated signal, that is to say the frequency distribution of its spectral density.
On reception at the antenna level it is possible to write:SBPSK(t)=cos(2π·Fpc·te+φ0)·code(te)
With:
te=te(t): date at which the signal received at the current instant t was transmitted
φ0: phase shift of the signal received
Or equivalently:SBPSK(t)=cos(φpc)·code(φcode)
BPSK modulation produces a cardinal sine power spectrum D(f) and a triangular autocorrelation function R(τ). The autocorrelation function R(τ) indicates the amplitude resulting from correlating the spreading code with a replica of this code delayed by τ. This function makes it possible to forecast the behaviour of the receiver which performs a correlation of the signal received with local replicas shifted by the spreading code so as to find the energy of the signal and perform a pseudo-distance measurement.
Certain navigation systems use double carrier shift signals consisting of an RF carrier (termed the "central carrier") modulated both by a square sub-carrier and a spreading code. This modulation is called BOC modulation. This modulation exhibits a spectrum with two main components and an autocorrelation function with multiple peaks.
These signals are called BOC ("Binary Offset Carrier") signals.
Represented in FIG. 2, from top to bottom, are the temporal evolution charts for the various components of a radionavigation signal received by a receiver, without double carrier shift defects, namely: its spreading code, the rectangular sub-carrier, the carrier and then the carrier thus modulated, and the autocorrelation function, and finally the frequency distribution of the spectral density of the modulated signal.
On reception at the antenna level it is possible to write:SBOC(t)=cos(2π·Fpc·Te+φ0)·sign(sin(2π·Fsp·te))·code(te)
With:
sign(x)=1 if x≧0 and sign(x)=−1 if x<0
Or equivalently:SBOC(t)=cos(φpc)·sign(sin(φsp))·code(φcode)
If the sub-carrier is regarded as a sinusoidal signal we may write:SBOC(t)≅cos(φpc)·sin(φsp)·code(φcode)i.e.SBOC(t)≅½[sin(φpc+φsp)−sin(φpc−φsp)]·code(φcode)
Or equivalently:SBOC(t)≅½·sin(2π·FpD·te+φ0)·code(te)−½·sin(2π·FpG·te+φ0)·code(te)
The two main components of BPSK type are retrieved with a carrier at the frequency FpD shifted to the right and a carrier at the frequency FpG shifted to the left.
Hereinafter, the following notation and definitions will be appropriate. The central carrier frequency Fpc is, by definition, the frequency of the carrier modulated by the code and the square sub-carrier is the frequency which is situated in the middle of the two carrier frequencies of the two components right Sd and left Sg.
The sub-carrier frequency Fsp is by definition the frequency of the square sub-carrier, which is equal to the distance between the carrier frequency of the left FpG or right FpD component of the spectrum and the central carrier frequency Fpc.
The frequency of the code is by definition the inverse of the duration of a code slot Lchip.
Hereinafter, the following notation will be used
Fpc Central carrier frequencyFpc=(FpG+FpD)/2
φpc is the phase of the central carrier receivedφpc=2·π·Fpc·te
Fsp Sub-carrier frequencyFsp=−(FpG−FpD)/2
φsp phase of the sub-carrier received (rad)φsp=2·π·Fsp·te
λsp wavelength of the sub-carrierλspr=c/Fsp
FpD Carrier frequency of the right component
FpG Carrier frequency of the left componentFpG=Fpc−Fsp FpD=Fpc+Fsp
Fcode Frequency of the spreading code
φpc is the phase of the code receivedφcode=te
λcode is the wavelength of the spreading codeλcode=c/FcodeLchip=1/Fcode
φcode is the phase of the spreading codeφcode=Fcode·t
BOC modulation has a double aim:                to free the spectrum between the two components for other already existing signals,        to improve the precision of the measurements in the presence of thermal noise and multi-paths.
The drawback of this modulation is that in order to correctly demodulate the signal, it is necessary to find the main peak of the autocorrelation function so as to have the maximum of energy and to provide coherent measurements between the satellites, otherwise biased pseudo-distance measurements are provided.
There exist methods of the BPSK type (termed "BPSK like" methods) in which, in a transition phase, the two components left and right of the spectrum of the double carrier shift signals dispatched by the satellites are demodulated in parallel as if each component were a conventional BPSK signal, with no local sub-carrier, each of these components having a carrier shifted to the left or to the right. The processing is performed in parallel for the signals originating from the various satellites.
The demodulation conventionally consists in correlating in parallel the components generated locally with the components received from the satellite considered. Combination of the local components forms a local signal comprising a local code and a local carrier.
The receiver seeks to slave in phase, by means of a code loop and a central carrier loop, the local codes and, respectively, the local carriers of the local components, with the codes and, respectively, the carriers of the two components received by searching for the maximum of the autocorrelation function (in the BPSK like mode, the autocorrelation function corresponds practically to the envelope of the autocorrelation function of the double carrier shift signal).
Once the code loop has converged on the maximum of the envelope of the autocorrelation function, the receiver undertakes a tracking phase. In the tracking phase, the main peak of the autocorrelation function of the BOC signal is followed in BOC mode or in reconstituted BOC mode by means of code and central carrier loops.
In the BOC mode the signal is not decomposed into two components, right and left.
In the tracking phase in reconstituted BOC, the two components left and right are demodulated, in BPSK mode, the demodulated left and right complex components are summed in a coherent manner and the central carrier and code loops are closed.
The measurements of pseudo-speed and pseudo-distances, are formulated on the basis, respectively, of the phase of the local carrier and of the phase of the local code during the tracking phase.
However, an ambiguity may persist while switching to the tracking phase. There is no certainty that the fact of positioning ourselves on the maximum of the envelope of the autocorrelation function in the transition phase, leads us, in the tracking phase, to follow the main peak of the autocorrelation function of the signal in reconstituted BOC or BOC mode.
When the signal possesses the ideal, perfectly symmetric form, as is the case in respect of FIG. 2, the autocorrelation function R(τ) always exhibits a predominant main peak at the centre and secondary peaks of lesser amplitude on either side. In this case, it is relatively easy, by comparing the amplitudes or by utilizing the envelope of this function, to pinpoint the main peak of this function with high confidence.
However, when the signal is deformed by the analogue pathways (non-ideal transfer functions on the antenna, the filters, the amplifiers and the frequency changing analogue multipliers) within the receiver or within the satellite, it is possible to obtain a non-symmetric autocorrelation function, or indeed in the worst case one which is anti-symmetric with two main peaks on either side of the centre, of opposite signs, as represented in FIG. 3a. In this case, it is difficult, or indeed impossible, to make the choice to switch to nominal tracking mode based on a criterion of maximum amplitude of the envelope of the autocorrelation function. Furthermore, energy is lost with respect to the symmetric case.
This phenomenon is due to an incoherence between the relative phase shift of the two components on one side and the mean group delay on the two components on the other. This incoherence is due to a non-constant group delay in the passband (or stated otherwise a phase delay which is non-linear in frequency). This defect is called "phase differential". An example of this phenomenon has been represented in FIG. 3b. In this figure have been represented, from top to bottom, the graphs, as a function of frequency, of the group delay, of the phase delay and of the spectral distribution of the energy of the signal exhibiting these defects. The same phenomena occur when defects affect the signals transmitted by a satellite.
The presence of multi-paths can also bias the convergence of the code in BPSK mode and induce a false lock-on to a secondary peak in the tracking phase if the code error, that is to say the phase difference between the local code and the code of the signal received exceeds, on input to the tracking phase, half the distance between two consecutive peaks of the autocorrelation function of the BOC signal.
In the ideal case where the limited-band filters at transmission and at reception let through all the secondary components of the signal that lie between the 2 main right and left components of the spectrum without deforming them (ideal template), the form of the autocorrelation function in BPSK demodulation remains sufficiently triangular to allow, before the switch to tracking mode, convergence of the code to the main peak of the autocorrelation function of the BOC signal even in the presence of multi-paths.
However, the analogue filters which are non-ideal at transmission and at reception round the form of the autocorrelation function, thereby increasing the sensitivity to multi-paths during the convergence of the code in the transition phase, with a real risk of false lock-on to a secondary peak of the autocorrelation function in the tracking phase.
In order to limit the risks of false lock-on to a secondary peak of the autocorrelation function during the tracking phase, methods are known for resolving ambiguity (ie removing ambiguity), during the transition phase which precedes the tracking phase, which are suitably adapted for making the code converge, before tracking, onto the main peak of the autocorrelation function of the signal received.
The object of the method of resolving ambiguity is to generate a local code which is sufficiently close to the code received, before the switch to tracking mode, to ensure that the tracking is done on the main peak of the autocorrelation function of the BOC signal. It will be considered hereinafter that the code error is zero when we are at the top of the main peak of the autocorrelation function of the BOC signal.
In the article "Acquisition of the PRS BOC(15,2.5) Signal in Presence of Multipath" by Martin, N; Guichon, H; Revol, M; Hollreiser, M; Crisci; there is proposed a method for resolving ambiguity so as to avoid false lock-ons to a secondary peak, due to multi-paths.
We shall first of all describe a digital processing channel of a receiver, adapted for implementing a method of resolving ambiguity for a BOC signal transmitted by a satellite of index i. The signals transmitted by the satellite are, prior to processing by the digital processing channels, received and digitized by the analogue processing pathways. A digital processing channel is represented in the form of a block diagram represented in FIG. 4. A digital processing channel is able to process signals received 1i originating from one and the same satellite i.
The spectrum of a BOC signal comprises two spectral components Sdi and Sgi, as visible in FIG. 2. A BOC signal is regarded as a signal having two BPSK components with an identical code but two distinct carriers, a deterministic and known relation existing between the transmit phases, before the defects due to the analogue part of the receiver (and possibly of the satellite).
The digital processing channel of the satellite of index i exhibits a hardware correlation pathway 50 able to generate the local codes and the local carriers of the right and left components of the local signal and to correlate, thereafter, these local components with the right and left components of the signal received. The local signal itself comprises a local code and two local carriers right and left and a local central carrier.
The software channel 40 comprises a code loop DLL and a central carrier loop PLL which are able to identify phase deviations between the local code and the code of the signal received and respectively, the local central carrier and the central carrier received. The code and central carrier loops thereafter generate commands for controlling the hardware correlation pathway 50 and generating a new local signal.
The central carrier phase loop PLL makes it possible to ensure precise tracking of the dynamics of the phases of the signals (due to the motion of the antenna, to the drifting of the clock of the receiver and to the displacements of the satellites).
The hardware correlation pathway 50 comprises two left G and right D correlation channels, to carry out the demodulation in BPSK mode. The two left G and right D correlation channels are able to independently demodulate, respectively, the two spectral components right Sdi and left Sgi of a radionavigation signal originating from a satellite of index i. In FIG. 4, the thick lines represent complex signals and the thin lines real signals.
The left G and right D correlation channels comprise means for correlating the right Sdi and left Sgi spectral components of a signal received 1i with the right and left local components of a signal produced locally so as to produce complex outputs of the right ZAD, ZPD, ZRD and, respectively, left ZAG, ZPG, ZRG correlation pathways. These outputs are different for each digital processing channel of index i but for greater clarity, the index i is not indicated on these outputs.
The left and right correlation means each comprise a multiplier 2g, 2d whose output is linked to a set 3g, 3d of three correlation multipliers placed in parallel, whose outputs are linked to a correlation integrator 4g, 4d.
The integrators 4g, 4d have the role of producing samples of demodulated, despread left ZAG, ZPG, ZRG (advance, punctual, delay) and right ZAD, ZPD, ZRD signal at low rate, for example, every 20 ms, at the software part 40 on the basis of the products at the output of the code demodulators formulated at high rate.
The term code demodulator designates the multiplier between a complex carrier-demodulated component received and a local code.
The term complex correlator designates the set formed by a code demodulator and an integrator 4g, 4d with periodic resetting to zero. The resulting complex product is the despread demodulated signal received. Here we have three complex correlators per correlation pathway.
The hardware pathway 50 also comprises a code generation circuit 24 able to generate and to provide right advanced CAD, punctual CPD, delayed CRD and left advanced CAG, punctual CPG, delayed CRG local codes to the right D and left G correlation channels, on the basis of code commands CC and of carrier commands CP.
The code generation circuit 24 comprises a code phase digital integrator NCOc 18 controlled by speed code commands CC. The speed code commands are previously amplified by means of a speed code commands amplifier 67. The central-carrier speed commands CP are added to the code-speed commands by means of an adder 29, before the speed code commands amplifier 67. The carrier loop is said to help the code loop so as to reduce the trailing of the code loop due to dynamics, thereby making it possible to reduce the code loop band and therefore the noise in the measurement of the phase of the code for the pseudo-distance measurement.
The code phase digital integrator NCOc, 18 is able to generate a local code phase φcodeL. It involves a digital integrator (without reset to zero) which produces the phase of the local code at high frequency (˜100 MHz) on the basis of speed and jump commands updated by the software at low frequency (˜50 Hz).
The code correlation circuit 24 comprises a local codes generator 19 controlled by the local code phase φcodeL and providing right CAD, CPD, CRD and left CAG, CPG, CRG local code replicas to the respective right D and left G correlation channels.
The hardware pathway 50 furthermore comprises a carrier correlation circuit 25 able to generate and to provide and right Pld and left Plg local complex carriers, to the right D and left G correlation channels on the basis of the central carrier speed commands.
The commands, the replicas of the local codes and the local carriers are produced for each digital processing channel of index i but, for greater clarity, the index i of the satellite for these data is not indicated in the text of the patent application.
The carrier correlation circuit 25 comprises a local central carrier phase digital integrator NCOp 9 controlled by central carrier speed commands. The carrier commands CP are previously amplified by means of a second amplifier 8.
The local central carrier phase digital integrator NCOp 9 generates the local central carrier phase φpcL. The local sub-carrier phase φspL, obtained after amplification of the local code phase φcodeL by means of a sub-carrier amplifier 22, is added to and simultaneously subtracted from the local central carrier phase φpcL to produce respectively two local carrier phases right φpDL and left φpGL. For this purpose, the hardware pathway 50 comprises a right adder 10 summing the local central carrier phase φpcL and the local sub-carrier phase φspL so as to obtain a right local carrier phase and a left subtracter 12 subtracting the local sub-carrier phase φspL from the local central carrier phase φpcL so as to obtain a left local carrier phase φpGL.
The hardware pathway 50 furthermore comprises right 11 and left 14 carrier generators, generating the right Plg and left Pld complex local carriers on the basis of the right φpDL and left φpGL local carrier phases. The local carriers thus produced are dispatched to the left and right correlation channels.
The code loop DLL comprises a code discriminator DSR, 26, making, on the basis of signals arising from the complex outputs of the left and right correlation pathways which are transmitted to it every 20 ms, estimations of the code error ε0i. The code discriminator provides the instantaneous estimations ε0i of the code error to a code corrector CRC 15. The code corrector CRC, 15, uses these estimations to generate speed code commands CC every 20 ms. The code error εi for a satellite i represents the difference between the phase of the local code and that of the code of the signal received from the satellite of index i.
The central carrier phase loop PLL comprises a carrier discriminator DSP, 27 making, on the basis of signals arising from the complex punctual outputs of the right ZSPD and left ZSPG correlation pathways, an estimation of the central carrier phase error θ0i and providing the latter to a central carrier corrector CRP, 7, generating central-carrier commands CP in the form of carrier speed.
The central carrier phase error θ0i represents the difference between the phase of the central carrier of the signal received and the phase of the central carrier of the local signal.
The signals, arising from the complex outputs of the right ZSAD, ZSPD, ZSRD and left ZSAG, ZSPG, ZSRG correlation pathways, used by the carrier and code discriminators are here the complex outputs of the right ZAD, ZPD, ZRD and left ZAG, ZPG, ZRG correlation pathways.
The method of locating a mobile craft by radionavigation, described in the article cited previously, comprises a series of steps. First of all an energy-based search step is undertaken. The search phase consists in detecting the signal transmitted by the satellite of index i by searching for a correlation peak between the local signal and the signal received. In this search phase, the two components right and left of the signal received are demodulated in parallel by means of the hardware pathways 50 such as described previously by scanning, in open loop, several hypotheses about the phase of the code and about the frequency variation of the central carrier called the Doppler. The energy at the output of the correlators is measured. When an energy greater than a predetermined threshold is detected, then the signal is present.
The receiver thereafter undertakes a transition phase the object of which is to make the code converge towards the maximum of the envelope of the autocorrelation function in BPSK mode (namely the maximum of the envelope of the autocorrelation function of the BOC signal). For this purpose, the right and left components of the signal received are demodulated in parallel, in BPSK mode, by means of the hardware correlation pathway 50 and frequency and code loops, not represented, are closed. The frequency loop slaves the frequency of the local central carrier to the central carrier frequency of the signal received.
A phase of ambiguity resolution is carried out thereafter so as to make the code converge, in mode BPSK, onto the main peak of the BOC autocorrelation function of the signal received by means of the digital processing channel represented in FIG. 4.
The method of resolving ambiguity proposed in the aforementioned article is carried out in parallel on the signals arising from the various satellites in the digital processing channels such as previously described. For the signals originating from a satellite of index i, the following processing is carried out until the code loop converges:
The right and left components of the signal received are demodulated by a conventional BPSK demodulation method by means of the right and left channels. A code loop and a central carrier phase loop are closed so as to generate central-carrier commands and code commands after having made estimations of the code errors ε0i and central carrier phase errors θ0i.
New local codes and new local central carriers for the two right and left local components are generated by means of the code generation 24 and central carrier 25 circuits on the basis of the central-carrier and code commands and BPSK mode demodulation is carried out again as long as the code loop has not converged.
The proposed method of resolving ambiguity comprises two successive steps. In a first step, the code loop is made to converge with a correlation circuit of tight correlator type until the standard deviation of the code error is less than a first code convergence threshold. On completion of this step the risk of false lock-on to a secondary peak still exists since the code error may despite everything be greater than half the distance between two peaks of the autocorrelation function of the BOC signal, because of the possible presence of multi-paths.
In a second step, the code loop is again made to converge, with a correlation circuit of Double Delta type. The code can then converge until the standard deviation of the code error is less than a second code convergence threshold. On completion of this step, the error in the code is assumed to be less than half the distance between two peaks, which is typically 5 m for a BOC signal generated by the Galileo system. The risk of false lock-on to a secondary peak, during the subsequent tracking phase, is markedly reduced.
On completion of the ambiguity resolution phase, a BOC mode tracking phase is entered, with a single correlation pathway and a single square local sub-carrier.
The satellite location system calculates pseudo-distances on the basis of code phase values arising from the tracking step.
The method of resolving ambiguity described exhibits the advantage of ensuring, with good robustness to multi-paths, that the nominal tracking is done on the main peak of the autocorrelation function.
However, the estimations ε0i of the code errors on which the code corrector is based are noisy and biased by multi-paths, thereby inducing a non-negligible risk of false lock-on to a secondary peak. The consequence of this is to not ensure the integrity of the measurements of pseudo-distances and pseudo-speeds carried out by a location method based on a method of resolving ambiguity according to the prior art.
The aim of the invention is to remedy the aforementioned drawbacks.

Method of resolving ambiguity, method of location of a receiver by radionavigation comprising an ambiguity resolution step and location receiver


Methods and devices are provided for determining location of an input on a surface of a device using an acoustic sensing element. An exemplary method begins by determining an anticipated acoustic response resulting from an output generated by a component of the device at the acoustic sensing element. The method continues by subtracting the anticipated acoustic response from a measured acoustic response at the acoustic sensing element to obtain a nominal acoustic response, and determining the location of the input based on the nominal acoustic response.

Many electronic devices use touch-based interfaces to receive input from the user. Some electronic devices may utilize sensors to detect acoustic waves propagating in the device and determine the location of touch inputs on a surface of the device based on the acoustic waves and known acoustic characteristics of the device, also known as the acoustic signature of the device.
Many electronic devices also include components that may produce acoustic waves that would interfere with acoustic waves resulting from touch inputs, thereby limiting the ability of the device to accurately determine the location of touch inputs. Accordingly, it is desirable to accurately determine the location of touch inputs on the surface of an electronic device using acoustic sensing-technologies while other components of the electronic device may be producing acoustic waves.

Methods and devices for determining user input location using acoustic sensing elements


The present invention relates to a passive layer including graphene for the attenuation of near-field electromagnetic waves and heat dissipation. The passive layer blocks electromagnetic waves radiated from an external electronic device or prevents electromagnetic waves generated in an electronic device from emitting to the outside. The passive layer is designed to reduce interference between transmission circuits of a device in the near-field region or influence such as malfunction caused by external electromagnetic waves. The present invention also relates to an electromagnetic device and a circuit board, each including the passive layer.

In recent years, there has been increasing demands for rapid circuit signal processing, high frequency, high performance, miniaturization, and ultra-slimness of electronic elements in digital devices for various applications, such as automotive vehicles, mobiles, displays, and information electronics. Flexibility is further required in flexible electronic devices. In response to these demands, efforts have been made, for example, to highly integrate circuits in semiconductor devices. Thus, there is a tendency to hybridize dielectric noise-radiating active elements with passive elements. As a result of this hybridization, capacitive coupling and inductive coupling enhance cross talk, radiated noises interfere with each other, and heat is released, resulting in frequent malfunction of devices without normal operation. In some cases, noises in the near-field region, i.e., the distance between the radiation source and noise attenuation material is lower than the wavelength of the radiation (λ/2π), may interfere with each other. This interference often affects the operation of an external device.
Measures against noises and interference of electromagnetic waves in rapid-processing, high-performance, high-integration electromagnetic devices, particularly, measures against noises in the band of 100 MHz to 20 GHz, include many techniques, such as shielding, grounding, and installation of low-pass filters.
The typical shielding techniques include electrostatic shielding and magnetic shielding. The electrostatic shielding is associated with the use of an electrically conductive metal case (such as an aluminum or copper case), or a wire mesh or screen to block a far-field electric field radiated from the outside, while allowing free passage to magnetic fields. The magnetic shielding is associated with the use of a magnetic metal case with high magnetic permeability to shield a far-field magnetic field entering from or emitted to the outside. That is, the conventional shielding techniques are associated with the use of shielding materials capable of reflecting or absorbing far-field electromagnetic waves to block the far-field electromagnetic waves entering or exiting at the distance between the radiation source and shielding material greater than λ/2π. When noises are shielded by far-field shielding techniques, some of them are reflected and some are absorbed. The reflected noises and the absorbed noises coexist and are thus amplified. Accordingly, the shielding techniques cannot be used to suppress interference of near-field noises emitted from internal IC chips and circuits of devices. An excessively high reflectance of noises may also negatively affect peripheral circuits and an excessively high absorbance of noises may lead to signal reduction. Therefore, grounding or filtering techniques are employed to suppress interference of near-field noises.
The grounding techniques include frame grounding and signal grounding. According to the frame grounding, a metal case and a sash are grounded to the earth. According to the signal grounding, a metal case and a sash are grounded to a ground circuit board. The grounding techniques are designed to keep the impedance of earth circuits as low as possible and to minimize the ground loop area.
Finally, the EMI filtering techniques use combinations of passive elements such as inductance components and capacitance components. According to the EMI filtering techniques, noises are typically attenuated by using a power filter designed to withstand high voltage and current of 30 MHz or less and a signaling filter used in a current signaling system at 30 MHz or more.
However, the use of these elements is not suitable as an urgent measure against noises in devices with short life cycles because mounting spaces for the elements are required and miniaturization and slimness of the elements should be considered from the design stage. Inductance elements are also still very insufficient for use in the radio-frequency (RF) or semi-microwave band due to their low-frequency characteristics of the real component of permeability.
With the trend toward miniaturization of semiconductor devices and digital devices, there is a growing demand for ultra-slim/ultra-thin films and devices including the films for effectively controlling near-field noises and heat generated from adjacent noise sources inside an electronic device used in the RF or semi-microwave band. In view of this situation, sheets and films using ferrite or soft magnetic materials have been used to suppress electromagnetic waves. Such methods are based on noise reduction effect derived from magnetic loss. Insufficient permeability with increasing frequency limits ultra-slimness/ultra-thinness and lowers the frequency characteristics of the imaginary component of permeability, leading to a negligible noise reduction effect. Elements such as coils and filters may be used in the frequency bands lower than and higher than several tens of MHz to several hundreds of MHz. However, there are no elements that are convenient to use as measures against noises in the RF band. Even though some passive elements are known to be suitable as measures against noises, enormous costs are incurred, for example, in changing the design of substrates.
In order to solve such problems, there is a need for circuit devices and light-weight and thin films as measures for noise reduction/heat dissipation that can be applied to a wider range of frequency than magnetic sheets and are effective in noise reduction and heat dissipation even in the form of thin films. Particularly, methods for noise attenuation using a number of passive elements in devices such as semiconductor devices, smart phones, and flexible displays, which require smaller size and thickness and lighter weight, have difficulties in mounting the passive elements and in achieving slimness and heat dissipation due to the limited sizes of the passive elements. Under these circumstances, there is an urgent need to develop a noise attenuation film that is advantageous in nanodevice fabrication and high heat dissipation, and an electronic device including the film.

Passive layer for attenuation of near-field electromagnetic waves and heatdissipation including graphene, and electromagnetic device including the same

KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


Methods and systems are provided for determining performance characteristics of an application processing system. The method comprises monitoring throughput of a plurality of resources of the system in a selected time window. A change rate is detected in the throughput of the resources, respectively, representative of a change to constancy of workload in at least some of the resources. Such a change in constancy comprises a knee point of a plot of resource usage comprising load relative to throughput. The time of the change rate is identified within the time window. A relatively first to occur of a plurality of resources knee points is determined wherein the resource corresponding to the first to occur is determined to have a fully loaded throughput within the multi-tier processing system. The determination of the first to occur knee point comprises pinpointing a bottleneck starting point within the application processing system.

Detecting bottlenecks and identifying root causes of such bottlenecks are fundamental issues for system management. Automatically detecting application bottleneck points is a difficult problem in a large-scale and complex computing environment including cloud-based multi-tier applications. Typical cloud-based multi-tier applications include multiple software components (i.e., tiers) that are connected over inter- and/or intra-communication networks in data centers. Some components are serialized to process user requests step by step, and some components are configured to process user requests in parallel. For example, a web transaction application typically includes the front-end web server, the middle application server, and the back-end database server tiers. Each tier can be configured with multiple servers to process requests in parallel (e.g., database server cluster). In this situation, many system resources (e.g., CPU, memory, disk I/O, and network I/O) of distributed components of the multi-tier application can be used to handle user requests (e.g., web transactions). Precisely identifying bottleneck causes among such distributed resources is a burdensome and time consuming task. One attempted overall solution would be to monitor the application performance changes (e.g., application throughput) and then, to correlate system resource usages of all components into the application performance saturation for system diagnosis. It can be done by pinpointing a bottleneck starting point of the application performance and correlating it into bottleneck starting points of all system resources that are used for the application across tiers and servers.
However, automatically pinpointing and correlating bottleneck starting points is not trivial. It is very hard to unify some system resource usages (i.e., how much percentage disk I/O, system cache, or network bandwidth is used). Additionally, because there are usually some performance noises the pinpointing effort can get even harder. These noises can generate a number of false positives (e.g., false alarms) and consume some costs to resolve such false positives. The noise gets severe once the application reaches around a bottleneck point, and it makes the problem (i.e., pinpointing the bottleneck starting point) even more difficult. Meanwhile, missing the application bottleneck for a long time interval can lead to a false negative that leads to losing the chance to diagnose system behaviors and then, resolve the real application bottleneck.
Thus, there is a need for better methods and systems to automatically detect bottleneck points in application resources for identifying bottleneck causes in cloud-based multi-tier applications for system diagnosis.

Methods and systems to identify bottleneck causes in applications using temporal bottleneck point detection


An apparatus suitable for mass-production of carbon coatings having a high degree of hardness. The apparatus utilized two types of energy input. First energy is inputted to a pair of electrodes provided in a reaction chamber, between which electrodes a deposition space is defined. A number of substrates to be coated are mounted on a plurality of substrate holders which are supplied with a second electric energy. The holders are arranged parallel to the electric field to prevent disturbance of the electric field.

This invention relates to apparatus for forming thin films in quantity, and more particularly relates to a plasma CVD apparatus which is suitable for mass-production.
Recently, ECR (Electric Cyclotron Resonance) CVD has attracted the interest of researchers as a new method of manufacturing thin films, particularly amorphous thin films. For example, Matsuo et al discloses one type of such ECR CVD apparatus in U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,054. This recent technique utilizes microwave energy to energize a reactive gas such that it develops into a plasma. A magnetic field functions to pinch the plasma gas within the excitation space. Within this excitation space, the reactive gas can absorb the energy of microwaves. A substrate to be coated is located distant from the excitation space (resonating space) for preventing the same from being spattered. The energized gas is showered onto the substrate from the resonating space. In order to establish electron cyclotron resonance, the pressure in a resonating space is kept at 1.times.10.sup.-5 Torr at which pressure electrons can be considered as independent particles and resonate with the microwave energy in an electron cyclotron resonance on a certain surface on which the magnetic field strength meets the requirement for ECR. The excited plasma is extracted from the resonating space, by means of a divergent magnetic field, and is conducted to a deposition space which is located distant from the resonating space and in which there is disposed a substrate to be coated.
In such a prior art method, it is very difficult to perform carbon deposition of a polycrystalline or single-crystalline structure, so that currently available methods are substantially limited to processes for manufacturing amorphous films. Also, high energy chemical vapor reaction can not be readily accomplished by such a prior art and therefore it has not been possible to form diamond films or other films having high melting points, or uniform films on a surface having depressions and caves can not be formed. Furthermore, it was impossible to coat the surface of a super hard metal such as tungsten carbide with a carbon film. Because of this it is necessary to coat a super hard surface with a fine powder of diamond for use of abrasive which has a sufficient hardness and to make sturdy mechanical contact between the diamond powder and the substrate surface. Particularly, the throughput of substrates accommodated in one chamber is too low to apply for commercial base production.

Apparatus for forming thin films in quantity

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


An apparatus includes a memory and a processor that executes a program including a procedure on the memory. The procedure comprises receiving information in which a communication amount corresponding to an amount of transmitted and received data is associated with a transmission source and a destination of the data with respect to each of virtual machines operating in a system including servers, calculating a correlation degree between the transmission source and the destination based on the information, calculating an arrangement candidate of the virtual machine with respect to the server based on the correlation degree, calculating a load on the network in the system imparted by the transmission and reception of the data attributable to a movement of the virtual machine to match the arrangement candidate; and controlling the movement of the virtual machine in accordance with the arrangement candidate based on the load and a threshold.

In recent years, cloud computing that uses a network and virtual machines (VM) has been spread. Plural servers are installed in a data center used in the cloud computing in some cases, and the virtual machines operate in the servers. Furthermore, plural virtual machines may also operate in a single server. In a case where the virtual machines are arranged or moved in the data center, for a purpose of facilitating a management or the like, virtual machines used in a same tenant are preferably arranged in a same physical server in some cases. Also, to effectively utilize the physical servers, as many of virtual machines as possible may be arranged in the single physical server. The virtual machine transmits and receives data used for executing an application and an execution result of the application with another virtual machine, the server, or the like. For this reason, communications are established between plural virtual machines in a single data center in some times. Furthermore, a virtual machine operating on a server installed in a data center A may also communication with a virtual machine operating on a server installed in a data center B that is different from the data center A.
As a related art technology, a method of allowing a virtual machine to move between physical servers beyond a network segment is proposed. The method is proposed of efficiently reducing power consumption by preferentially arranging the virtual machines in the physical server where facilities such as air conditioning and illumination are common by using this method. Furthermore, a method is also proposed of deciding, when the number of communications accompanied by at least a certain communication amount between two virtual machines executed by different physical machines exceeds a threshold, an arrangement so that these two virtual machines are executed by a same physical machine. Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2010-26699 and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2010-140134 discuss the related art technologies.

Apparatus, method, and program for managing a plurality of virtual machines


The present invention increases cold temperature oil flow through the variable cam timing (VCT) phaser to reduce the amount of time it takes to replace this oil with warmer low viscosity oil and thereby improve performance. Furthermore the oil flow through the VCT phaser is reduced once the oil temperature reaches the minimum operating temperature for the VCT phaser to operate and the VCT phaser is commanded to move from the park position. Therefore, the VCT phaser is charged with hot engine oil and is commanded to move from the parked position. The VCT phaser reduces oil flow through the phaser at high oil temperatures and low oil viscosity while adding the benefit of increased oil flow through the phaser at low oil temperatures and high oil viscosity to facilitate getting warmer oil into the VCT phaser sooner for increased VCT performance.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the field of variable cam timing systems. More particularly, the invention pertains venting of the variable cam timing phaser or mechanism to enhance warming of a variable cam timing phaser.
2. Description of Related Art
During engine startup, when an engine is cold and the oil viscosity is high there is a delay in getting warm engine oil to flow through the variable cam timing (VCT) mechanism, and therefore delays occur in obtaining the increased performance of the VCT mechanism when hot oil is available. Since the VCT mechanism is a hydraulic mechanism that uses engine oil as its working fluid, the performance of the VCT mechanism is reduced at a higher oil viscosity. Therefore, it is desirable to introduce warm oil to the VCT mechanism as soon as possible to increase the VCT mechanism's performance.
Most prior art VCT mechanisms are designed to limit oil consumption when the engine oil is hot and at low viscosities. This same design limitation also limits the exchange of oil in the phaser at low oil temperatures and higher viscosities. The low exchange rate of oil in a typical VCT therefore limits the rate at which warmer oil is introduced to the VCT during the engine warm up cycle.
This design delays getting warm engine oil to flow through the VCT mechanism and therefore delays the increased performance the VCT mechanism experiences using hot oil. The VCT mechanism's performance can affect cold start emission and cold engine drivability so it is desirable to introduce warm oil into the VCT mechanism as soon as possible.

Venting mechanism to enhance warming of a variable cam timing mechanism


A system to clean well casing in a downhole well operation. The system comprises an inner collar having flow ports and an out collar having jet ports in fluid communication with the flow ports. The inner collar couples with a section of a tool string and the outer collar rotates about the inner collar in response to fluid flow through the tool string. The inner collar can include a sleeve. The sleeve can be moved from a first position to a second position causing the jet ports to be in fluid communication with the flow ports. The inner collar remains relatively stationary with respect to the rotation of the outer collar. In addition, the jet ports are angled in a way that a portion of force generated by the fluid flow through the jet ports induce rotation of the outer collar in the opposite direction of the fluid flow.

Development of a well site often requires tools to clean the Internal Diameter (ID) of well casing. Traditional methods of cleaning often involve fixing a cleaning tool on the end of a running tool, such as drill pipe, and cleaning the ID by channeling fluid through the ID of the running tool, and rotating the cleaning tool using the running tool. Furthermore, in order to clean 360° of the ID, often it requires the in and out tripping of the tool string, i.e. the up and down movement of the tool string. Another challenge is the activation and deactivation of these cleaning took when downhole well environment. Traditionally, activation and deactivation of the cleaning tools requires tripping the tools in and out of the well.
A particular challenge is to clean those areas of well casing that have a critical surface finish. For example, a casing liner is used to tie casing pieces together and until the pieces are tied together sections of the liner, i.e. a tie back receptacle and a bore receptacle (tie forward receptacle), must maintain a high degree surface finish in order to function properly. However, the very action of mechanically rotating and the tripping in and out of the running tool and the cleaning tool can damage these surfaces, as these processes are not always that stable. In summary, rotation of the running tool and cleaning tool and the in and out tripping of the tools can result in damage to the ID of the well casing.

Fluid flow activated rotational cleaning tool


A fixtureless environmental screening device is provided for the testing of mechanical, electromechanical and electrical devices. The apparatus uses a relatively incompressible fluid having a high heat capacity and a high heat of vaporization to transfer heat and vibration to a device to be tested. The heat transfer characteristics of the fluid permits a device tested to undergo rapid temperature change while being simultaneously subjected to vibrational cycling. By utilizing a fluid as a vibration transmission medium expensive fixtures are avoided so that devices of a wide variety of shapes and sizes may be readily tested. The dielectric properties of the working fluid permits energization of electrical devices during the course of vibration and temperature cycling.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to environmental screening apparatuses such as those that subject mechanical electromechanical and electrical devices to a variety of environments designed to reveal defects in the devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Environmental stress screening is a process by which environmental stresses are applied to recently manufactured devices to disclose defects in the devices that would not otherwise be exposed by more common techniques such as visual examination. If defects go undiscovered at the point of manufacture they may eventually reveal themselves in the field where repair of the device can cost hundreds of times the cost of repair at the point of production.
Over the past few years environmental stress screening of electrical devices has reached the state where the process consists of an average of 12 minutes of random vibration and of 20 cycles of temperature changes. Where feasible, electrical devices are cyclically energized by repetitively turning the devices on and off at the same or varying power levels.
Apparatuses for vibration screening devices often require custom made fixtures to attach the devices to the apparatuses. As the size and shape of the device to be tested changes, the fixture must be changed or redesigned accordingly. The expense of these changes is ultimately added to the production cost of the device.
Some prior art vibration screening apparatuses suffer not only from the above shortcoming but also are ineffective in transmitting controlled vibration to the device to be tested. This may be due to an inadequate area of force transmittal between the fixture and the device or may be due to a mismatch between the mass of the fixture and the production device or even a combination of these.
The problems of the prior art vibration screening apparatuses are exasperated when large items, such as those greater than or equal to 12 inches on a side, are tested. Frequently it is necessary to fabricate custom made fixtures for these items and it is common that a single vibration driver will not be suitably effective in vibrating the item.
Multiple drivers can be used but of course this adds further to the cost of the item. As a result, larger items are often exempted from vibration screening or they receive vibration exposures very much reduced in effectiveness.
Temperature cyclical screening facilities typically use air to transfer heat to and from the item to be tested. Though it is now becoming more widely understood that to effectively temperature screen electrical devices rapid temperature changes approaching 20 degrees Celsius per minute are needed, most air chambers provide temperature change rates of only about 2.5 degrees Celsius per minute.
For small items, it is possible to achieve rapid temperature cycling by using hot-air and cold-air climatic chambers and moving the item from one chamber to the other. For larger items the difficulty in changing chambers is outweighed by the advantage, so that the reduced efficiency of a slow rate of temperature change is accepted.
In many cases it is desirable to energize an electrical item while it is being subject simultaneously to vibration and temperature environments. When electrical items are shuffled between chambers, cyclicly energizing the item can prove to be difficult. Electrical connections must be sufficiently long and there is the potential for electrical shock or accidental circuit grounding.
If an electrical device is energized in a hot air environment it can sometimes generate local areas of heating that exceed the proposed upper temperature limit of the device. Even if forced convection is used, the air can be insufficient in carrying heat away from the locally heated regions so that destruction of both flawed and flawless devices may occur.
Under the ideal test conditions, a device will be subjected to conditions that approach as near as possible those conditions the device is expected to go through during its normal duty cycle. It is also desirable to subject devices to certain extremes beyond those of normal environments to accelerate the "surfacing" of production flaws that would not otherwise be detected.
In either case test screening apparatuses should be able to subject a device to multitude of test screenings at once.
Some prior art schemes exist in which temperature cycling and vibration are combined. Others combine device energization and temperature cycling. Generally, both of these established methods suffer from the shortcomings described above.
A need therefor exists for an environmental screening apparatus that subjects a device to simultaneous temperature, vibrational and, where applicable, energization cycles while at the same time avoids the expensive fixtures, multiple chambers, and ineffectual heat transfer of the prior art.

Fixtureless environmental stress screening apparatus

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


The outer periphery of a heat resistant roll comprises a para aromatic polyamide fiber. The heat resistant roll is applied for conveying and picking up a steel plate heated to a high temperature. The heat resistant roll is preferably applied to the inside of a continuous annealing apparatus for annealing the steel plate or to the exit side of this apparatus. The heat resistant roll is also preferably applied to the exit side of a baking furnace in a continuous coating apparatus for coating the steel plate. The heat resistant roll is also preferably applied to the exit side of a galvanization tank in a zinc galvanizing apparatus.

1. Industrial Field
The present invention relates to a heat resistant roll for use in steel plate manufacturing equipment and, more particularly, to a heat resistant roll applicable to continuous annealing apparatus, exit side of baking furnace of continuous coating apparatus or exit side of galvanizing tank of continuous zinc galvanizing apparatus.
2. Prior Arts
Hitherto, heat resistant rolls have been used as rolls for conveying and grasping steel plate heated to a high temperature, in continuous annealing apparatus and the like. These conventional heat resistant rolls have been provided in the form of metalized roll of chromium oxide or tungsten carbide, rubber roll of heat resistant rubber, fiber roll of heat resistant fiber such as heat resistant polyester fiber or the like.
A serious problem, however, exists in that when employing any of the conventional heat resistant rolls, the heat resistant roll may pick up metal powder existing on the surface of steel plate resulting in sticking of such metal powder to the surface of the heat resistant roll. Further, when baking a coating material after applying the coating material to the surface of a steel plate and conveying the steel plate after the baking, there arises a problem that heat resistant roll may pick up unbaked coating material which may stick to the surface of the heat resistant roll. Furthermore, when applying a zinc galvanization to a surface of steel plate and conveying the steel plate after the zinc galvanization, there arises a problem that heat resistant roll may pick up the galvanizing zinc which may stick to the surface of the heat resistant roll. Moreover, scratch may occur on the surface of conveyed plate, coating layer or galvanization layer due to the sticking metal powder, coating material or zinc, eventually resulting in reduction in the yield of steel plate.
To overcome the mentioned disadvantages pertinent to the prior arts, the inventors have been engaged in various researches for the reason why the conventional heat resistant rolls may pick up metal powder, etc. As a result of the researches, it was acknowledged by the inventors that any of the conventional rolls had affinity with metal powder, coating material, etc. under high temperature. More specifically, it was recognized by the inventors that surface of the conventional metalized roll, etc. and metal powder, etc. are very affinitive with each other and, accordingly, metal powder, etc. is easy to stick to the surface of the roll, which results in undesirable phenomenon of picking up metal powder, etc.

Heat resistant roll for use in steel plate manufacturing equipment


A instant camera of the type which receives film assemblages having stacked film units of the self-developing type. The camera is provided with a pair of spread rollers which engage an exposed film unit to spread a processing liquid between layers of the film unit while simultaneously moving it into a storage chamber having a viewing window. An opaque shade for the window is located adjacent the exit side of the spread rollers. The shade is adapted to be moved into covering relationship to the window and/or the exposed film unit for a predetermined period of time after it exits from the bite of a pair of spread rollers and then returned to its noncovering position. This time is sufficient to allow a treated portion of the film unit to remain in the dark unit its length reaches a predetermined value. At this length there will no longer be any danger of actinic light being piped along the length of the film unit until it reaches an untreated portion of the film unit that is still at the entrace side of the spread rollers.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an instant camera for use with a film assemblage having self-developing film units which are processed in the camera by means of a pair of spread rollers. The rollers spread a processing liquid between elements of an exposed film unit while simultaneously moving it into a storage chamber having a viewing window.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of the problems encountered in the prior art with instant cameras and cooperating film assemblages of this general type is known in the art as "light-piping". This phenomenon is explained in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,211 in connection with a layered film unit of the self developing type common in the art. More specifically, light-piping relates to ambient light incident upon a portion of a transparent layer of a film unit located on the exit side of a pair of spread rollers during film processing operations in the camera. Conventionally, an exposed film unit is discharged from a camera through a pair of rollers which spread a processing liquid between layers of the film unit. The processing liquid treats the film unit to initiate development of the latent image. During the movement of the film unit through the rollers the film unit includes both treated and untreated portions. Light rays may travel longitudinally along the front or transparent layer of the film unit and may cause undesirable "fogging" of those yet untreated sections of the film unit's photosensitive layer which are located upstream of the rollers.
To understand this phenomenon more clearly, it should be recognized that the aforementioned film unit as described in said patent comprises a photosensitive layer, an image receiving layer, a transparent outer layer through which the photosensitive layer can be photoexposed, a first opaque layer in a position on the side of the photosensitive layer distant from the transparent layer and an opacifying system comprising titanium dioxide capable of being spread between the transparent outer layer and the photosensitive layer to form a second opaque layer during development, the opaque layers being in positions such that an image formed in the image receiving layer can be viewed without separation of the layers of the film unit, and in which the first and second opaque layers prevent fogging of the photosensitive layer by light incident on them, and in which the outer transparent layer contains pigment, e.g., carbon blacks including graphites, in an amount insufficient to prevent transmission of substantially all the light incident on the layer during photoexposure of the film unit but sufficient to reduce substantially or prevent fogging during formation of the second opaque layer in areas of the photosensitive layer where the second opaque layer has not been formed and caused by transmission of light through the film unit from areas where the second opaque layer has been formed. Thus, once the processing liquid including its opacifying constituent has been spread across the photosensitive layer, that photosensitive layer is protected from ambient light incident upon the film unit, and its development process may therefore be completed when the fiml unit itself is exposed to ambient light. However, in the aforementioned camera arrangement of said paten, a liquid treated section of each such film unit is exposed to ambient light while a section thereof remains on the opposite side of the spread rollers within a light protected chamber of the camera and is yet untreated with the processing liquid. While at such times ambient light incident upon the transparent layer of the liquid treated section of the film unit cannot pass through the layer of processing liquid to underlying portions of the exposed photosensitive layer, a portion of these light rays may be reflected internally of the transparent layer and scatter or diffuse length-wise therealong into the light protected camera chamber until it reaches a point within the transparent layer beyond the rollers adjacent an underlying, untreated portion. Since there is no processing liquid containing the opacifying agent intermediate the light transparent layer and the adjacent portion of the exposed photosensitive layer at this point, these light rays may have the effect of further exposing or "fogging" the yet untreated section of the photosensitive layer. Thus, the transparent layer (e.g. Mylar) is provided with its own opacifying system. During manufacture, this transparent layer has a quantity of, e.g., carbon black, dispersed therein in an amount which will help to obviate the light-piping problem without adversely affecting the normal photographic exposure of the underlying photosensitive layers. To fully obviate the light-piping problem it is still necessary to keep the processing liquid treated portion of an exposed film unit in the dark until the length of such treated portion reaches a value, e.g., one and one-half (11/2) inches, as measured from the bite of the spread rollers to the end of the transparent layer located on the downstream side of the spread rollers. Thus, the camera described in the '211 patent has a dark chamber on the exit or downstream side of the rollers to enable a predetermined length of the exposed film unit to be treated with the processing liquid before the leading end of the film unit exits from the camera and is struck by the ambient light. Now, the ambient light starts to travel or pipe along the length of the exposed film unit in the direction of the untreated portion. However, it is believed that by the time it has travelled the aforementioned length, the carbon black has absorbed sufficient light to reduce its energy to a level whereat it is substantially no longer actinic to the untreated portions of the film unit's photosensitive layer. The length of such treated portion before exiting into an area containing such light would obviously be a function of the percentage of carbon black in the transparent layer, i.e., the lower the percentage the greater the length.
The above-described solution to this light-piping problem is further described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,211. According to this patent, the light transmissive layer of each film unit is provided with an opaque pigment to preclude adverse fogging of exposed unprocessed sections of the film unit's photosensitive system due to light-piping. In addition, this patent provides a light shielding plate intermediate the spread rollers and an exit opening for deflecting each film unit as it emerges from the spread rollers and for light shielding a liquid treated portion of the film unit intermediate the camera's exit opening and the rollers until its treated length reaches a predetermined value as it exits from the camera. No storage chamber with a viewing window is provided in this camera.
Another proposed solution to this problem is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,774 as comprising a coiled sheet of opaque material which progressively covers an exposed film unit as it exits from the camera to provide the film unit with just a second more of dark time to prevent the, as yet, non-treated trailing end of the film unit which is still on the entry side of the spread rollers from being fogged. In this camera there is no storage chamber with a window for viewing the developed film unit while it is in the chamber.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,460,452 there in described the use of a coil of opaque material to protect an exposed film unit from ambient light. However, with this arrangement, the coil is uncoiled by an exposed film unit as it moves during its exposure but this has nothing to do with meeting the problem of light-piping since at this time the spreading of the film processing liquid has not occurred.
This invention is applicable to instant cameras and associated film assemblages of the general type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,774,535 and 4,839,676. However, the problem of light-piping is not present in the camera of U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,535 since an exposed film unit being developed moves from the lighttight area of the camera into a lighttight imbibition chamber for further development, and from which it can be advanced to the exterior of the camera. This chamber is provided with a window through which the developed film can be viewed and an opaque curtain or blind covers the window during the developing period so as to make the chamber lighttight. The blind is releasably maintained in light blocking or covering position at which time the exposed film cannot be viewed but when released, permits viewing through the window of the image in the exposed film. With this arrangement it is necessary to keep the viewing window covered by the blind during the developing process so as to maintain lighttight conditions in the chamber.
The light-piping problem is also not present in the camera of U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,676. This patent discloses a lighttight storage and imbibition chamber which receives exposed film units from rollers, which had previously spread the developing liquid, and in which the developing occurs and from which the film unit can exit from the camera. This chamber has a viewing window in one wall which is covered by a blind during the developing of the film unit in the storage and imbibition chamber. But after a complete developing period, the blind can be opened. With this arrangement also it is necessary to keep the blind over the viewing window during the complete developing process to maintain required lighttight conditions during film developing.

Extendable shade in instant camera for protecting film unit from ambient light


The low-pressure discharge lamp has a tubular lamp vessel provided at its both ends with a lamp cap having a pair of contact pins. Each lamp cap is fixed in an adapter having one central contact pin electrically connected to at least one of the pair of contact pins of the lamp cap. A lamp of ordinary construction when provided with the adaptor is thus suitable for use in a space containing explosive gas.

The invention relates to a low-pressure discharge lamp comprising
a tubular lamp vessel which is sealed at each of its two ends in a vacuum-tight manner on current supply conductors extending to an adjacent electrode arranged in the lamp vessel;
a respective lamp cap connected to the ends of the lamp vessel, this lamp cap having contact pins connected to a respective current supply conductor.
Such low-pressure discharge lamps are well known and are used, for example, as low-pressure mercury vapour discharge lamps having a coating of fluorescent powder on the inner side of the discharge vessel.
At the starting stage of such lamps, the electrodes are heated by current passage. A potential difference then exists between the contact pins of each of the two lamp caps. The use of these lamps in a space which may contain explosive gases is therefore dangerous.
In order to avoid the risk of explosion, low-pressure discharge lamps are used in which the lamp cap has only one centrally arranged contact pin. These lamps ignite with the use of a high-frequency energy source without the electrodes being preheated.
A disadvantage of low-pressure lamps having lamp caps provided with one central contact pin is that with mechanized production the mounting of these lamp caps requires special machines, which deviate from the machines used for mounting the lamp caps having two contact pins.

Adaptor for a low-pressure discharge lamp


A grounded belt and drawer apparatus including a drawer, mounted on a first track, a tensioner body having a first pulley, a supporting member, and a first belt. The drawer moveable on a first line in a first direction and a second direction. The tensioner body mounted on a second track and moveable in the first direction and the second direction. The first belt having a first end and a second end, rounded over the first pulley, and a first segment and second segment extending distally from the first pulley in the first direction. The first belt conductively connected to the drawer and to a first fixed point which forms a conductive path from the drawer to the first fixed point.

The present disclosure relates to the field of grounded drawers. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to rack drawers having a grounding belt grounding the drawer to a chassis.
In some instances, drawers may be grounded to reduce the instances of electric noise and electric discharge which may affect components, instruments, or other devices within a drawer. As the complexity, expense, and sensitivity of components, instruments, or other devices increases the need to provide a sufficiently grounded drawer which may decrease the occurrence of electronic noise and discharge similarly increases.

Grounded belt and movable drawer apparatus


The present disclosure generally relates to a method and device of converting a HDR version of a picture to a SDR version of this picture. The method is characterized in that it converts the HDR version to the SDR version of the picture according to:                a first indicator that indicates the presence of color mapping parameters;        a second indicator that indicates whether a device is configured to convert the HDR version to the SDR version of the picture by taking into account said color mapping parameters; and        a third indicator that indicates whether converting without taking into account said color mapping parameters is inhibited.

The present section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure that are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
In the following, a picture contains one or several arrays of samples (pixel values) in a specific picture/video format which specifies all information relative to the pixel values of a picture (or a video) and all information which may be used by a display and/or any other device to visualize and/or decode a picture (or video) for example. A picture comprises at least one component, in the shape of a first array of samples, usually a luma (or luminance) component, and, possibly, at least one other component, in the shape of at least one other array of samples, usually a color component. Or, equivalently, the same information may also be represented by a set of arrays of color samples, such as the traditional tri-chromatic RGB representation.
A pixel value is represented by a vector of n values, where n is the number of components. Each value of a vector is represented with a number of bits which defines a maximal dynamic range of the pixel values.
Standard-Dynamic-Range pictures (SDR pictures) are pictures whose luminance values are represented with a limited number of bits (most often 8 or 10). This limited representation does not allow correct rendering of small signal variations, in particular in dark and bright luminance ranges. In high-dynamic range pictures (HDR pictures), the signal representation is extended in order to maintain a high accuracy of the signal over its entire range. In HDR pictures, pixel values are usually represented in floating-point format (either 32-bit or 16-bit for each component, namely float or half-float), the most popular format being openEXR half-float format (16-bit per RGB component, i.e. 48 bits per pixel) or in integers with a long representation, typically at least 16 bits.
A color gamut is a certain complete set of colors. The most common usage refers to a set of colors which can be accurately represented in a given circumstance, such as within a given color space or by a certain output device.
A color volume is defined by a color space and a dynamic range of the values represented in said color space.
For example, a color volume is defined by a RGB ITU-R Recommendation BT.2020 color space and the values represented in said RGB color space belong to a dynamic range from 0 to 4000 nits (candela per square meter). Another example of color volume is defined by a RGB BT.2020 color space and the values represented in said RGB color space belong to a dynamic range from 0 to 1000 nits.
Color-grading a picture (or a video) is a process of altering/enhancing the colors of the picture (or the video). Usually, color-grading a picture involves a change of the color volume (color space and/or dynamic range) or a change of the color gamut relative to this picture. Thus, two different color-graded versions of a same picture are versions of this picture whose values are represented in different color volumes (or color gamut) or versions of the picture whose at least one of their colors has been altered/enhanced according to different color grades. This may involve user interactions.
For example, in cinematographic production, a picture and a video are captured using tri-chromatic cameras into RGB color values composed of 3 components (Red, Green and Blue). The RGB color values depend on the tri-chromatic characteristics (color primaries) of the sensor. A first color-graded version of the captured picture is then obtained in order to get theatrical renders (using a specific theatrical grade). Typically, the values of the first color-graded version of the captured picture are represented according to a standardized YUV format such as BT.2020 which defines parameter values for Ultra-High Definition Television systems (UHDTV).
Then, a Colorist, usually in conjunction with a Director of Photography, performs a control on the color values of the first color-graded version of the captured picture by fine-tuning/tweaking some color values in order to instill an artistic intent.
A second color-graded version of the captured picture is also obtained to get home release renders (using specific home, Blu-Ray Disk/DVD grade). Typically, the values of the second color-graded version of the captured picture are represented according to a standardized YUV format such as ITU-R Recommendation BT.601 (Rec. 601) which defines studio encoding parameters of Standard Digital Television for standard 4:3 and wide-screen 16:9 aspect ratios, or ITU-R Recommendation BT.709 which defines parameter values for High Definition Television systems (HDTV).
Obtaining such a second color-graded version of the captured picture usually comprises stretching the color volume of the first color-graded version of the captured picture (for example RGB BT.2020 1000 nits modified by the Colorist) in order that the second color-graded version of the captured picture belong to a second color volume (RGB BT.709 1000 nits for example). This is an automatic step which uses a default color mapping function (for example for mapping of RGB BT.2020 format to RGB BT.709) usually approximated by a three dimensional look-up-table (also called 3D LUT). Note that all the considered YUV formats are characterized with the Color primaries parameters that allow defining any RGB-to-YUV and YUV-to-RGB color mappings.
Then, a Colorist, usually in conjunction with a Director of Photography, performs a control on the color values of the second color-graded version of the captured picture by fine-tuning/tweaking some color values in order to instill the artistic intent in the home release.
It is known to explicitly signal a default color mapping to a display, such as the YUV-to-RGB color mapping, so that the display is able to apply the appropriate default color mapping. Moreover, when the color mapping uses color mapping parameters calculated from a first and second color-graded version of a picture, it is known that those color mapping parameters are also signaled to the display so that the display is able to apply the appropriate default color mapping with appropriate color mapping parameters.
Using a default color mapping fails to preserve the artist intent because some colors, as specified by the colorist, in the first or second color-graded version of a picture may not be preserved when the default color mapping is applied on the first color-graded version of the picture.
For example, memory color such as flesh or skin tones, blue sky or green grass shades . . . etc, should be preserved when specified by the colorist for a given grade.
A typical use case is as follows: One has bought a new movie on a UHD HDR WCG Blu-ray disk ( ). Moreover, he is equipped in home with a UHD Blu-Ray player adapted to decode a HDR version burnt on said Blu-Ray disc. However, when the Blu-Ray player is connected to a legacy TV set that does not have HDR capability (but that may be 4K UHD and or WCG enabled as a DVB UHD-1 phase 1 compliant CE device). It means that such a Blu-Ray player has to convert the HDR version of the movie to a SDR version e.g. HDTV video signal for the legacy TV set. This conversion is said "blind" as the Blu-Ray player converts the HDR version of the movie without any knowledge of the "true" targeted movie look (e.g. current Blu-ray disc HD grade). Indeed, artistic intent (non-deterministic processing) may diverge according to the creative intent of the artist/colorist/Director of Photography and the available palette of picture alteration. Consequently, the resulting SDR version of the movie does not preserved the artist intent.
The present disclosure has been devised with the foregoing in mind.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and device of converting a high dynamic range version of a picture to a standard-dynamic-range version of said picture