A mobile device includes a memory to store multiple items of a first list; a touch screen to display the first list including the multiple items, to display a second list including at least one of a selection data, and to receive an input to scroll the first list; and a control unit to set a selection condition of at least one of the items of the first list, to detect whether the at least one of the items of the first list is located in a shift region, and to shift the at least one of the items of the first list located in the shift region to a second list if the at least one of the items of the first is determined to correspond to the selection condition.

1. Field
The following description relates to a mobile device, and in particular, to a method for selecting target data from a plurality of data displayed on a touch screen of the mobile device.
2. Discussion of the Background
With the development of information communication technology, types of electronic devices have become diversified. Diversification of the types of electronic devices may be remarkable in mobile electronic devices, such as mobile devices, as well as in stationary electronic devices. For example, cellular phones, MP3 players, digital cameras, portable multimedia players (PMPs), navigation devices, portable game players, electronic dictionaries, e-book readers, and digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) receivers may have already been popularized. Of late, smart phones and tablet computers may be gaining popularity as new mobile devices.
Further, capabilities of mobile devices have become more diversified as well, the mobile devices becoming more technologically advanced and multifunctional. A representative mobile terminal with these characteristics may include a smart phone or a tablet computer. Smart phones and tablet computers may have evolved into integrated electronic devices equipped with various capabilities, including a calling capability, a data storing capability, a multimedia playback capability, a word processing capability, a gaming capability, a broadcast receiving capability, an Internet access capability, a camera capability, and the like.
In terms of hardware and software, various attempts have been made on mobile devices to the integration and advancement of these components, including attempts to implement various user interfaces as well as design changes. In particular, user interfaces of mobile devices may be evolving to become more user-centrically developed, which may further increase user convenience of mobile devices. As a result, users may execute various operations of mobile devices by one or two input actions using an intuitive graphic user interface (GUI).
A mobile device may be an electronic device to which mobility or a user's portability may be considered. Weight of a mobile device may be decreased due to lightness and sizes of various electronic parts integrated therein. Since portability may be a consideration in designing the mobile devices, there may be a limit to increasing the size of a mobile device. Therefore, a mobile device may be constrained to allocate a space for a user interface, such as a display or a keypad. In particular, there may be an inherent limitation in that a screen size of a touch screen, which may be used as an input/output interface in various mobile devices, cannot exceed the size of the mobile device.
Due to some advancement in capability of increasing storage capacity, the mobile device may store and process a large amount of data. Stored data may generally be arranged in a vertical or a horizontal direction or in the form of a matrix type list, and be displayed on a display. However, due to the limitation in the size of the display, there may be a limit to the amount of data that can be displayed on the display at once.
One method for managing a large amount of data using a small-sized display may suggest selecting data or dividing data into a plurality of groups in accordance with a reference standard. This method may arrange and classify data in a form of a hierarchical tree. Since the hierarchically arranged data may be listed on a group or subgroup basis and displayed on a screen display, the size of an individual data list may also be reduced.
As for an existing method for classifying a large amount of data in a group or a subgroup basis, a user may individually select each item displayed on a list, and the group or the subgroup to which the corresponding items may belong is displayed one by one. More specifically, first, if a list of data is displayed on a display, a user may select a single item to be selected or classified from the list displayed on the display. Then, a list of candidate groups or candidate subgroups to which the selected item may belong to may be displayed again. If the user selects one of the candidate lists displayed, the classification of the selected item may be achieved. Alternatively, the selected item may be shifted to a list different from the existing list and then displayed. In this manner, the classification of the selected item may be achieved.
However, it may be cumbersome for the user to select items from the list each time the user may choose to classify one or more items. In particular, in the case of the former, a category to which the corresponding item may belong to also may be selected to the inconvenience of the user. Further, if the amount of data to be classified is large, the user may review the entire amount of data and also individually select each item determined as suitable for conditions. Therefore, considerable time and effort may be used to classify or select data.

Mobile device and method for controlling operation of mobile device


A ring laser angular rate sensor apparatus includes ring laser apparatus for generating a pair of counter-propagating laser beams about a closed-loop path where the laser beam intensity varies as a function of drive voltage. Path length control apparatus including a transducer drive amplifier apparatus provides a drive signal for variably adjusting the length of the closed loop path so as to acquire a peak laser intensity. Reset acceleration apparatus for selectively applying a bias signal to the path length control apparatus rapidly forces the drive signal in one direction thereby causing the laser intensity corresponding to the drive signal to increase and allows the path length control apparatus to acquire a laser intensity peak. In one embodiment of the invention the reset acceleration apparatus includes apparatus for comparing a predetermined reference signal with a laser intensity signal and switching apparatus, coupled to and controlled by the comparing apparatus, for applying the bias signal. The bias signal is applied by the comparing apparatus when the laser intensity signal falls below the level of the predetermined reference signal.

Ring laser angular rate sensors, sometimes referred to as ring laser gyros, are well known in the art. A detailed description may be found in the "Background of the Invention" of U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,667, which is incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, such sensors include a ring laser supported in a block having plurality of gas containing tunnels. At the intersection of the tunnels are mirrors to define a closed-loop optical path which is traveled by counter-propagating laser beams therein. Practical embodiments of ring laser angular sensors usually include a path length controller. The purpose of the path length controller is to maintain a constant path length. Maintaining a constant path length avoids false rotation errors in the usual sensor output. The path length controller function is usually provided by one of the mirrors being attached to a piezoelectric transducer which controls translational movement of the mirror to effect the laser beam path length in response to a drive signal provided through a transducer drive amplifier.
One technique for maintaining a constant path length is detecting the intensity of one or both of the laser beams and controlling the path length of the ring laser such that the intensity of one or both of the beams is at a maximum. U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,071 which issued May 1, 1979 to T. J. Podgorski, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention illustrates a control mechanism and circuitry as just described. Path length transducers for controlling the path length of the ring laser are well known, and particularly described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,581,227, which issued May 25, 1971 to T. J. Podgorski, also assigned to the assignee of the present invention, U.S. Pat No. 4,383,763, which issued May 17, 1983 to Hutchings et al and U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,478, which issued May 12, 1981 to Bo H. G. Ljung, et al. All these patents are incorporated herein by reference.
In the aforementioned patents, the beam intensity is either detected directly as illustrated in the aforementioned patents, or may be derived from what is referred to as the double beam signal such as that illustrated in U.S. Pat No. 4,320,974, which issued on Mar. 23, 1982 to Bo H. G. Ljung, and is also incorporated herein by reference.
In path length control systems of the prior art, the path length control finds mirror positioning for which the lasing polygon path length, i.e., the ring laser path length, is an integral number of wavelengths of the desired mode or frequency, as indicated by a spectral line, of the lasing gas. With proper design, the path length control forces the path length traversed by the laser beams to be a value which causes the laser beams to be at maximum power. The properly designed ring laser has a maximum power at traverse modes commonly referred to as "axial" or "on axis" modes. There are many longitudinal on-axis modes of operation which satisfy the intended operating condition. Unfortunately, there are other subsidiary parasitic or secondary maximums between different on-axis modes. These parasitic maximums are sometimes referred to as "off-axis" modes. The corresponding laser power at off-axis modes is less than when the laser is operating at the on-axis modes.
Path length control systems of the prior art are intended to operate at the maximum power or on-axis mode so that laser sensor performance is optimum. Operation of the laser sensor at off-axis modes can lead to an introduction of sensor rotation and performance errors. It is sometimes necessary during operation of a ring laser gyro to reset the transducer drive voltage to the center of the transducer drive amplifier's drive range. This reset is usually accomplished by shorting out a capacitor in the integrator within the path length control circuit loop. The path length control circuit control loop will usually drive the mirror transducer so as to acquire the closest laser intensity peak to the reset voltage as is shown graphically in FIG. 2.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a graphical representation of laser beam intensity verses transducer drive voltage is shown. Typically, as is shown in FIG. 2, the laser intensity peaks, for example, 201 and 202 occur near the reset drive voltage and therefore the laser intensity at the reset drive voltage is shown at point 205. In such cases, the path length control circuit will drive the linear transducer 14 so as to acquire the closest laser intensity peak to the reset voltage. In this example, peak 202 will be acquired.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a graphical representation of laser beam intensity verses transducer drive voltage is shown wherein the reset command puts the ring laser gyro in an indeterminant state between laser intensity peaks. In this example, the reset drive voltage intersects the laser intensity at a point 305 which is close to or at the midpoint between two laser intensity peaks 301 and 302. In the prior art, the path length control circuit loop cannot determine which laser intensity peak to acquire and consequently can stay in this indeterminant state between peaks for an unexceptably long duration until either noise or integrator offsets finally allow the loop to determine which peak is closer and, to thereby acquire that peak. The reset acceleration circuit of the present invention solves this problem.

Laser path length control reset acceleration circuit


Sheet transport device with easy sheet jam handling. The device comprises a first sheet transport path which includes a feed roller rotatable in forward and reverse directions and a pair of transport rollers separable from each other, and a second sheet transport path connected to the first path which includes an openable frame. When the frame is opened, the transport rollers are separated from each other and the feed roller is driven reversely. The device further comprises a display which indicates the position where a jammed sheet is located.

In recent years, image forming apparatus such as copy machines and printers have been endowed with various image forming capabilities, a plurality of sheet supply portions and complex paper transport paths. Thus, when a sheet jam occurs in the sheet transport path, operation efficiency is reduced in accordance with the labor of removing the jammed sheet.
For example, in the copy machine shown in FIG. 13, disposed around the image forming portion B having photosensitive drum A at its center are paper containers D and E which house paper of different sizes and supply said sheets C to the image forming portion B, and paper re-feed portion F which provides image formation to the reverse side of sheet C after image formation is completed on the obverse side when said sheet is once admitted to said image formation portion so as to make a duplex copy by forming an image on both the obverse and reverse sides of sheet C. Thereafter, sheet C, which was transported from said paper supply portion D, E and F, is fed to sheet transport path G in one vertical direction, and hence to image formation portion B through said sheet transport path G, said sheet C then being subjected to the image formation process.
Sheet transport paths H, I and J, which are disposed in the horizontal direction toward transport path G from of sheets coming from paper supply portion D, E and F, are each connected to the aforesaid vertical direction sheet transport path G at a substantially perpendicular angle, and said sheet C can readily jam at the aforesaid perpendicular junction of said paper paths.
Adoption of a construction wherein the transport paths for each transport means can be opened so as to easily remove a sheet jam, as disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Application No. 60-223750, may be considered. However, when a jam occurs as in the situation shown in FIG. 14, the jam cannot be remedied from the other side even if the vertical sheet transport path G is opened, and although said sheet jam may be extracted from the sheet container side, such a method is difficult since the clamping feed rollers are not capable of reverse rotation and therefore provide a great deal of resistance. Thus, even if the horizontal sheet transport paths H, I and J are provided so as to be accessible by opening, the arrangement would be unsuitable relative to the vertical sheet transport path G due to the multiplicity of stages of said horizontal transport paths H, I and J. In lieu of the aforesaid configuration, extracting the sheet jam by opening the aforesaid clamping rollers may be considered.
The sheet jam removal operation becomes further complex because the operation of opening and closing the clamping transport rollers of each of the horizontal sheet transport paths H, I and J is required in addition to the operation of opening and closing the vertical sheet transport path G.


Provided is a method for evaluating and decomposing a semiconductor device level for triple pattern lithography in semiconductor manufacturing. The method includes generating a conflict graph and simplifying the conflict graph using various methods to produce a simplified conflict graph which can either be further simplified or evaluated for decomposition validity. The disclosure also provides for applying decomposition validity rules to a simplified conflict graph to determine if the conflict graph represents a semiconductor device layer that is decomposable into three masks. Methods of the disclosure are carried out by a computer and instructions for carrying out the method may be stored on a computer readable storage medium.

This disclosure relates generally to the field of manufacture semiconductor integrated circuits using triple-pattern lithography (TPL), and more particularly to methods, systems, and computer program products validating triple-pattern lithography layout decomposition.
In semiconductor fabrication processes, the resolution of a photoresist pattern begins to blur at about 45 nanometers (nm) half pitch. In order to provide semiconductor layers with smaller distances between adjacent patterns, without resorting to such expedients as extreme ultra violet (EUV) technology, double-patterning has been developed. In double-patterning, the layout of a single layer of an integrated circuit (IC) is decomposed into two masks (alternatively referred to as "photomasks"). In double-patterning, there are two separate exposure and etching steps using each of the two masks separately. The advantages achieved with double-patterning have been extending using triple-patterning, wherein the layout is decomposed into three separate masks.
In multiple-patterning, such as double-patterning and triple-patterning, design rules provide that polygons of the layout (of the same device layer) that are separated from each other by less than a predetermined distance are not to be in the same mask. Graph theory has been applied to the analysis and validation of multiple-pattern decompositions. A given device layout can be represented as a conflict graph CG=(V, E), wherein each vertex V represents a polygon (i.e., a circuit pattern) of the layout and an edge E is formed connecting two vertices, when the distance between two corresponding polygons is less than a minimum separation distance for clearly exposed patterns using a single photomask. In graph theory, the vertices are also referred to more generally as nodes and the edges are alternatively referred to as links. A loop is the loop created by the edges connecting the vertices. A closed loop in a conflict graph with an even number of vertices can be decomposed into two masks. Accordingly, a decomposition violation in double-patterning can be detected by the presence of a loop with an odd number of vertices in the conflict graph. However, decomposition validation in triple-patterning is a much more complex problem. In fact, the problem is NP-complete, which makes the problem not solvable in a reasonable amount of time.

Triple-pattern lithography layout decomposition

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


An incident predictor system is described herein for predicting impactful incidents in which server computer system operations fail or perform poorly. According to one embodiment of the invention, the incident prediction system trains a generalized linear model (GLM) to predict when a system health indicator will reach a level that represents an incident for the server system.

The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
Computer system technicians prefer to detect and begin resolving incidents in which system operations are failing or performing poorly before end-users of the system contact them with complaints. To that end, organizations often invest in monitoring software that is capable of collecting hundreds of distinct measurements. An organization may devote human resources to periodically reviewing the measurements and conducting further investigation into measurements that indicate a current or potential future incident.
One problem that arises when using such monitoring software on a large complex system that may experience a large number of independent problems is that alerts are generated for issues that do not require attention. Such false positive alerts waste precious time as technicians diagnose non-problems, and false positive alerts obscure the alerts that do represent critical problems.


A multi-purpose exercise apparatus for safely performing weight lifting exercises (such as free weights) that eliminates the need for an assistant comprising a bench that is supported on the floor at both ends, one end of which is pivotally anchored to an elongated U-shaped weight supporting frame which encompasses and surrounds the supported bench. The U-shaped frame further includes a vertical support that is attached to a positionable weight lifting handle bar. Free weights are mounted on each side of the movable end of the U-shaped frame. Because of the length of the longitudinal side members of the U-shaped frame extending from one end of the exercise bench to the opposite end, the path of the handle bars is essentially linear. The apparatus provides for maximum efficiency and safety in bench pressing, squatting and other free weight exercises.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus for performing a variety of different weight lifting exercises safely, and specifically to a multi-purpose weight lifting exercise apparatus that allows one to perform at home a full range of weight lifting exercises safely without an assistant with the same muscle resistance provided as would be achieved in free weight lifting.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bench pressing and other exercises with free weights can be dangerous. If the lifter tires or suffers an injury or a hand slips, the weights can be dropped unexpectedly causing injury to the weight lifter or bystander. An assistant is normally employed to prevent the dropping of the weights. The prior art shows a plethora of exercising devices. Many employ numerous pulleys and cables which can snap or break loose. Others show beam and levers that are complex in construction and operation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,907 issued to Ross, July 8, 1986, shows a weight platform suspended with flexible lines adjacent a bench surface. U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,010 issued to Telle, Nov. 2, 1982, shows a double beam arrangement with a weight bar supported on shock absorbing rests. U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,619, issued to Szabo, Aug. 17, 1982, discloses a pivoted weight lifting apparatus in which one end is attached to a wall with the weights themselves being attached near the handle member. U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,452, issued to Lapcevic, Sept. 27, 1983, shows a beam member pivotally supported at one end with the weights attached near the bar a significant distance from the supporting floor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,495, issued to Wilson, Oct. 4, 1983, shows a levered bar mechanism that includes flexible lines that attach to the lever mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,998, issued to Landin, July 19, 1988, shows a safety device for a weight training bench which provides a bar-type shield over the body of the user.
These devices did not provide for the total safety of the user in that the weights and lift bars are positioned relative to the user such that in the event of a mechanical failure or the like the user could be injured. The present invention provides a multipurpose exercising device that can be used for safely lifting weights in a variety of different exercises including squats and bench presses which because of the particular weight support configuration the weight lifting handle can be safely dropped.


The present invention provides a method of operating a network comprising the steps of: analyzing a first datastore comprising data representing historical network performance; creating or more indices within the first datastore; creating one or more probability networks in accordance with one or more of the created indices; determining from the one or more probability networks a conditional probability associated with an alarm event; and' if the conditional probability determined is less than a threshold value, disregarding the associated alarm event; or if the conditional probability determined is greater than a threshold value, using the associated alarm event in conjunction with other historical network data to predict future alarm events.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method of operating a network, and in particular to a method of analysing historic network alarms to predict future alarm events and to suggest automatically potential solutions.
2. Related Art
Networks, such as telecommunications networks for example, are becoming larger and more complex, making the detection of errors and the diagnosis of faults more difficult. Rather than detecting a fault condition error when it occurs it is preferable to be able to detect one or more operational conditions that may lead to, a fault prior to a fault condition actually occurring.

British Telecommunications public limited company


Provided are boron-containing polycyclic compounds of Chemical Formula 1:

An organic light emitting device has a configuration in which an organic thin film is disposed between two electrodes. Upon application of a voltage to such an organic light emitting device with a configuration, holes and electrons injected from two electrodes are combined and paired in an organic thin film. When such electron-pair pairs are decayed, light is emitted. The organic thin film can have a single or multiple layer structure, if necessary.
Materials for organic thin films can have a light emission function, if necessary. For example, a material for organic thin films can be a compound capable of forming a light emitting layer alone, or a compound capable of serving as a host or a dopant of a host-dopant-based light emitting layer. In addition, the material for organic thin films can be a compound capable of performing a function such as a hole injection, hole transport, electron blocking, hole blocking, electron transport or electron injection function.
There is a continuous demand for development of materials for organic thin films in order to improve the performance, lifetime or efficiency of an organic light emitting device.

Compound and organic light emitting element comprising same

Abstract: wherein X1 to X4 are identical to or different from one another and are each independently O, S, NR2 or CR3R4, and a to d are each 0 or 1, with the proviso that 1≤a+b+c+d, and the other substituents are as described in the specification. The compounds have a high electron accepting ability and excellent heat resistance, and can be highly purified by sublimation purification due to their high sublimation temperature. The compounds can form a stable interface with an electrode or an adjacent organic material layer of an organic light emitting device. Also provided is an organic light emitting device including the compound of Chemical Formula 1. The compound can lower driving voltage and lengthen lifetime of the organic light emitting device.


Different advantageous embodiments provide an apparatus comprising a plurality of frame guides positioned along a base. Each of the plurality of frame guides is substantially configured to provide a ninety degree angle with the base on at least one side of the each of the plurality of frame guides. One or more coupling mechanisms are secured to the base.

In the construction industry, framing is a building technique by which a frame of rigid elements is constructed for a building. Exterior and interior wall elements, roof and ceiling elements, windows, doorways, and other elements of the structure are then attached to the frame according to the specifications for the building.
Cold form metal framing is one method of framing used widely in commercial construction, and increasingly in residential construction as well. Light gauge metal studs are used in the framing of a structure. Wall sections usually include a metal track secured to the structure of the floor, and often a corresponding metal track for the top of the wall secured to a structure of the ceiling, such as a joist or rafter. Studs are implemented in these metal tracks to form a frame for the wall section.
Building specifications generally specify placement of studs, such as for a wall section, with set increments of space between each stud. These increments must be measured out fairly accurately, typically using a tape measure, to ensure accurate installation of the studs for a wall section in a framing project. Additionally, each stud needs to be squared, leveled, and fastened into the floor and ceiling.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a tool that addresses one or more of the issues discussed above in order to provide an efficient solution for accurately framing a structure.


A footwear device is disclosed herein that includes a knitted outer sock with an anatomical sole attached to its external bottom surface. The anatomical sole includes a raised arch support region and may, in some embodiments, include a plurality of apertures extending from a top surface of the sole through to a bottom surface of the sole. In other embodiments, however, the anatomical sole may be free from apertures. The anatomical sole may be shaped to curve upward along one or more of its edges (e.g., on a medial side and on a lateral side). In these and other embodiments, the anatomical sole may curve upward in a heel region to wrap around a heel area of the outer sock. An inner sock may optionally be positioned within the outer sock to provide additional cushioning and support.

Various types of footwear devices are known. Some footwear devices, such as shoes, sneakers, boots, and sandals are customized for fitting particular features unique to a left foot or a right foot. Such footwear devices are often used for outdoor activities. Other types of footwear devices, such as socks and slippers, may be used interchangeably on a left foot or a right foot and are typically designed for indoor use or, in the case of socks, use inside of another type of footwear.

Anatomical supportive sock with breathable protective sole


This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry plant named ‘PE-13.177.011’. This new strawberry plant named ‘PE-13.177.011’ is primarily adapted to the growing conditions of the central coast of California, and is primarily characterized by its red to orange red fruit color, medium fruit size, and cylindrical to cordate fruit shape; good fruit flavor, with seeds typically held above the surface; smooth fruit surface, even in color, with moderate difference between primary and secondary fruit; medium to large plant size, semi-upright and medium to dense in habit; medium to dark green foliage color, and medium foliage size; and fruiting trusses typically held level with the plant, with strong pubescence.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry variety named 'PE-13.177.011'. This new variety is a result of a controlled cross made in 2013 in an ongoing breeding program between strawberry variety designated 'PE-3.221' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,950) as the seed (female) parent, and strawberry variety designated 'PE-7.2059' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,756) as the pollen (male) parent. The variety is botanically known as Fragaria x ananassa.
The seedling resulting from the aforementioned cross was selected from a controlled breeding plot in Ventura County, Calif. in the fall of 2015. After its selection, the new variety was asexually propagated by stolons in Siskiyou and San Joaquin Counties, Calif. The new variety was tested extensively over the next several years in fruiting fields in Ventura County, Calif. This propagation has demonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein as characterizing the new variety are fixed and remain true-to-type through successive generations of asexual reproduction.


An improved inflatable warning sign having a flashing light contained within the sign and a magnetic base to retain the sign to the roof or truck lid of a disabled vehicle. The sign as inflated is a prismatic triangele to maximize the visible rectangular area for lettering and minimize the wind resistance.. In the preferred embodiment the light within the sign is red and the inflated bag is white with black lettering. The white bag disperses the red light within evenly, thus permitting much more effective use of a single incandescent bulb within a translucent red covered box. Deflated, a sign with an inflated lettering area of 8 by 17 inches folds into a package or pouch that easily fits within the glove box of an automobile.

The field of the invention pertains to warning devices and signs that may be conveniently carried in an automobile and attached to the outside thereof in the event of emergency or disablement of the vehicle. In particular, the invention pertains to signs that may be conveniently attached to the exterior of a disabled vehicle to warn away other vehicles and to obtain help.
Signs and signal devices for automobiles in distress or for informational purposes are disclosed in the prior art. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,092 illustrates a collapsible free standing multiple flag sign and U.S. Pat. No. 2,922,152 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,305,961 each disclose smaller illuminated signs fastenable to a vehicle exterior. U.S. Pat. No. 3,440,748 discloses a magnetically attachable non-collapsible sign for a vehicle roof.
Also, disclosed in the prior art are inflatable illuminated advertizing and display devices as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,776,182 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,816,378 illuminated from the interior and exterior respectively. Inflatable illuminated airport signs are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,352 and highway barricades in U.S. Pat. No. 3,197,628. Other inflatable highway traffic diverters are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,762,327 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,808,803.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,383,390 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,241 disclose tethered inflatable display and signalling balloons, the latter being fastenable to the roof of an automobile. U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,806 discloses a rigid illuminated triangular automobile roof top sign for permanent installation and U.S. Pat. No. 3,936,967 discloses a triangular collapsible temporary sign attachable to an automobile. An inflatable illuminated figure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,677, the figure having a separate pocket for the light.
Although many of the above devices are well suited for their intended uses, they are generally cumbersome and inconvenient when carried within an automobile. None appear to be suited for carrying, even in the collapsed state, in a small glove compartment and yet of sufficient size and stability to be useful when assemble or inflated. Sufficient size is required to provide space for lettering. Stability is required to retain the sign in place despite sudden wind gusts from passing trucks.


An automatic focusing device for a camera comprises a distance measuring mechanism for calculating the distance to an object by performing distance measurement a plurality of times and a focusing lens driving mechanism for moving a focusing lens to a position where it is focused on the object on the basis of the object distance calculated by the distance measuring mechanism. A field depth detecting device for detecting the depth of field of a photographing lens is provided. A device setting the number of times that distance measurement is performed by the distance measuring mechanism in accordance with the depth of field detected by the field depth detecting device is provided in such a manner that, if the depth of field detected is relatively great, the number of times that distance measurement is performed is set to a relatively small number, whereas, if the depth of field detected is relatively shallow, the number of times that distance measurement is performed is set to a relatively large number.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic focusing device for a camera having a zoom lens.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently developed cameras, particularly so-called compact cameras, are generally equipped with a zoom lens and an automatic focusing device as standard constituent elements.
A typical conventional automatic focusing device comprises a distance measuring device for measuring the distance to an object and a focusing lens driving device for moving a focusing lens to a position where the lens is focused on the objects at the distance measured in the distance measuring device. The distance measuring device is, generally, activated to begin a distance measuring operation when the release button is depressed halfway. The distance measuring device repeatedly projects light and performs calculations for distance measurement a predetermined number of times (about 5 to 8 times) to obtain an average value of the object distance values. The focusing lens driving device moves the focusing lens to a position where the lens is focused on the object at the average distance value thus obtained.
Thus, the conventional cameras perform the distance measuring operation repeatedly and therefore take a long time to complete focusing.
In the meantime, the photographing lens has such a depth of field that, even if the lens is not exactly focused, it can be virtually regarded as focused.
As is generally known, depth of field has the nature that the shorter the focal length, the greater the depth of field. The depth of field also has the nature that the larger the aperture value (F-number), the greater the depth of field. In other words, in the same zoom lens the depth of field at the wide-angle end (the shortest focal length) is greater than that at the telephoto end (the longest focal length).
Accordingly, it is necessary in order to measure a precise object distance, execute the of distance measurement at the telephoto and more times than at the wide-angle end.
However, in conventional automatic focusing device, the number of times of execution of distance measurement is fixed irrespective of the depth of field. Accordingly, if the number of times of execution of distance measurement is set in conformity to the telephoto end, at the wide-angle end distance measurement is needlessly performed and the time required for focusing therefore becomes needlessly longer. Moreover, more current is consumed than is actually needed. On the other hand, if the number of distance measurements is set in conformity to the wide-angle end, the number of measurements is insufficient to attain precise focusing at the telephoto end.


A method for digitally generating speech with improved prosodic characteristics can include receiving a speech input, determining at least one prosodic characteristic contained within the speech input, and generating a speech output including the prosodic characteristic within the speech output.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of synthetic speech generation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Synthetic speech generation is used in a multitude of situations; a few of which include: interactive voice response (IVR) applications, devices to aid specific handicaps, such as blindness, embedded computing systems, such as vehicle navigation systems, educational systems for automated teaching, and children's electronic toys. In many of these situations, such as IVR applications, customer acceptance and satisfaction of a system is critical.
For example, IVR applications can be designed for customer convenience and to reduce business operating costs by reducing telephone related staffing requirements. In the event that customers are dissatisfied with the IVR system, individual customers will either opt out of the IVR system to speak with a human agent, will become generally disgruntled and factor their dissatisfaction into future purchasing decisions, or simply refuse to utilize the IVR system at all.
One reason many users dislike systems that provide synthetically generated speech is that such speech can sound mechanical or unnatural and can be audibly unpleasant, even difficult to comprehend. Unnatural vocal distortions can be especially prominent when the speech generated relates to proper nouns, such as people, places, and things due to the many exceptions to rules of pronunciation that can exist for these types of words. Prosodic flaws in the synthetically generated speech can cause the speech to sound unnatural.
Prosodic characteristics relate to the rhythmic aspects of language or the suprasegmental phonemes of pitch, stress, rhythm, juncture, nasalization, and voicing. Speech segments can include many discernable prosodic characteristics, such as audible changes in pitch, loudness, and syllable length. Synthetically generated speech can sound unnatural to listeners due to prosodic flaws within the synthetically generated speech, such as the speed, the loudness in context, and the pitch of the generated speech.

Synthetically generated speech responses including prosodic characteristics of speech inputs

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention provides a portable folding saw guide for hand held circular saws that allow the user to make different cross angled cuts to a work piece positioned thereon. The guide uses an adjustable guide track in which the saw is engaged which can be sequentially positioned at different cross angle incremental orientation by the user in a self-contained portable platform structure. The saw guide has hinges that allow the bottom surface of one of the work surface portions to be folded up against the bottom surface of the other work surface portion so that the saw guide can be folded, transported to a use location, unfolded and used. The saw guide plate supports and engages the saw on one side of the saw only.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to saw tables and saw guides used with handheld circular saws to provide an adjustable guide edge surface for making straight or angled cuts in wood or related material.
2. Description of Prior Art
Prior art devices of this type have been relied a variety of different guide configurations which allows a handheld circular power saw to cut clean straight edges along an angled cut line. Such guides typically have a guide plate along which the edge of the power saw is engaged and drawn. Such devices can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,144,994, 5,427,006, 2,630,146, 2,803,271 6,705,192 B2, 6,990,882 B2, 3,195,591, 3,584,663 and U.S. Publication 2003/0097920 A1.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,630,146 a portable power tool guide is disclosed having a post with a sliding vertical adjustable collar from which extends a saw supporting frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,803,271 discloses a miter table saw guide having a pivoted saw support bracket allowing for angular cross cuts of material on the support table.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,994 a portable universal saw table having parallel rails with multiple transverse removable cross pieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,006 is directed to a circular saw guide for handheld circular saws having a slotted elongated track through which the saw is engaged. A floating frame aligns the work piece for cutting with the track being pushed down and adjustably angled before the cut is made.
A folding table saw is claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,192 B2 having a collapsible table with folding support legs and a saw track assembly adjustably positioned thereon. A lower platform supports the work piece to be cut and an upper platform on which the saw is slidably positioned.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,990,882 B2 discloses a precision cut device for construction material having a saw table with an adjustable saw cradle slidably mounted thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,195,591 claims a portable saw table having saw guide positioned above a work table with wheels and a pivot pin allowing for angular repositioning of the guide.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,584,663 shows a support and guide means for saws having a parallelogram linkage pivotally mounted to an upstanding wall.
U.S. Publication 2003/0097920 A1 claims a portable saw with linear guides allowing for saw fence to be adjusted to different angles. The table can be folded for transportation to other locations.


Methods of protecting a crop from weed infestation, controlling weed growth, reducing fumigant dosage in crop protection, and reducing the growth of weeds by applying a polymer composite material with or without a biocide to soil, a crop, a vegetable, a weed, or combinations thereof are provided. In an aspect, the disclosure provides for a polymer composite material including a base polymer coated with:                (1) a first barrier layer;        (2) a second layer with our without a biocide; and        (3) a third protective layer.

1. Field of the Invention
In an aspect, the present invention relates to polymer composite materials with biocide functionality, methods for producing such polymer composite materials and their use, in particular, for agriculture.
2. Description of Related Art
A wide variety of polymer materials like biodegradable mulch films for reducing weed growth or special biodegradable horticulture pots are known which are used in the field of agriculture. An emphasis in the equipment of these polymer materials lies in the task either to stabilize the material against environmental and chemical influences or to improve the biodegradability of the material. Examples for agricultural films stabilized against pesticides with an additive can be found in Japanese application JP 631 75 072. In the European patent application EP 0214507 there are UV stabilizers described which are used in films for outdoor agriculture.
An example of a material capable of thermal diffusion of an active ingredient is described in DE 28 19 515 A1. A multilayered composite material comprises a layer which is able to increase the temperature within the material by exothermic chemical reaction so that a functional material can be set free. However, the disclosed inorganic chemical substances which are needed for the exothermic reaction are harmful to the environment as well as unsuitable for the production, harvest or transport of food and medical articles.
Another polymer material incorporating biocide inorganic substances is known from DE 696 29 891 T2. There, chlorine dioxide is provided as biocide inorganic substance to act as a disinfectant in films for food packaging. However, the handling and controlling of the right amount of disinfectant over a given time period is difficult complex and costly. According to the disclosed material it involves different layers which must include a hydrophobic layer comprising an acid freeing substance and a neighbouring hydrophilic layer comprising chlorinate ions.
Another approach to functionalize agricultural or horticultural polymers lies in the incorporation of inorganic substances like copper, copper salts and finely pulverized silver acting as disinfectants. However, the release of the active substance is incontrollable and often involves the degradation or dissolving of the polymer.
All yet known polymer materials in agriculture or horticulture share the problem that the lifespan of the functionalized material is short. Moreover, the function often only lies in the protection of the polymer itself. However, a function for the agricultural goods like that of a biocide is not given in a convenient way because of the limitation to only inorganic substances, again involving degradable or soluble polymers to set free the inorganic substance. Like that, a lifespan required for a growing season of 12 months or in case of reuse of several years and/or over several planting and harvesting seasons of the functionalized polymer material is impossible. The mechanical properties decrease over time with increasing biodegradation causing a molecular weight reduction of the polymer. Molecular weight reduction reducing desired polymer performance like strength necessary for mitigation of weather fluctuations by agricultural films or protecting the roots of seedlings by nursery pots and trays, for example.

Methods of increasing crop yield and controlling the growth of weeds using a polymer composite film


A mixture of alkylesters of fatty acids is provided, wherein the fatty acids have the following composition:                at least 56% of saturated C12 chains,        at least 23% of saturated C14 chains,        at most 8% of saturated C16 chains,        at most 5% of saturated C6-10 chains,        at most 5% of monounsaturated C18 chains,        at most 2% of saturated C18 chains,        at most 0.8% of diunsaturated C18 chains,        and at most 0.2% of saturated C20 chains. The percentages are an average percentage expressed in number of moles per total number of moles of alkylesters,        and the use of these mixtures is as a viscosity agent.

T. Venketa Subba Rao et al., International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (2012) Vol. 2, Issue 5, pages 297-302 pertains to the influence of an additive of petroleum origin on the performances of a biodiesel obtained from kern palm oil and of mixtures of said biodiesel and diesel comprising 10-30% of biodiesel and 90-70% of diesel. This biodiesel consists of methyl esters resulting from transesterification of said kern palm oil and exhibits a higher viscosity and a lower calorific value than those of diesel and a similar density. A mixture of 25% of said biodiesel and 75% of diesel shows the best efficiency with a viscosity of 3.647 cSt, a calorific value of 41 337.5 KJ/kg and a density of 0.850 (Kg/mm3). The authors observed that the brake thermal efficiency was increased with regards to a standard fuel diesel by 2.18 for a mixture 25% biodiesel-75% diesel, by 1.11% for a mixture of diesel and said additive and by 2.73% for a mixture 25% biodiesel-75% diesel and said additive.
US2012/0042565 discloses a fuel additive comprising a mixture of diesel fuel and a naturally occurring oil derived from animal or plants sources, and specifically a mixture of diesel fuel and olive oil, said additive providing improved combustion efficiency.

Mixtures of triglycerides and of alkylesters from vegetable oil and applications


A control system for controlling a direct current powered motor in which the direct current voltage, which may not be constant, is reversibly commutated across the coil or winding of the motor during the predetermined commutation time intervals and chopped at high frequency during each commutation time interval by a variable duty cycle, pulse width modulated voltage, in which the width of each voltage pulse, determined by a reference voltage, is varied as an inverse function of the magnitude of the direct current voltage which exists during each voltage pulse interval.

In direct current powered electrodynamic control systems, such as control systems for motors, for example, variations in the voltage of the direct current power supply causes variations in the motor output. In applications of motors in controlling a parameter of a physical system, such as temperature, for example, a temperature feedback signal in the motor control loop is used to regulate operation of the motor. In such systems voltage variations in the direct current power supply for the motor interfere with and degrade the closed loop regulation function, and require separate and independent correction.
In applications involving linear motors, such as those in resonant linear compressors, various control techniques are found. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,819,874; 3,937,600; 4,067,667 and 4,345,442 describe linear compressors having provisions for piston stroke control. Applications of such linear compressors include their use in heat pumps, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,442. These heat pumps are used in systems for space heating and cooling, as in system applications in the control of the temperature in dwellings. These patents which represent prior art presently known to the applicants, are referenced herein since they are related to linear motor drives in temperature control systems. None, however, are related to or provide disclosures suggesting motor control by means of pulse width modulation, compensated for supply voltage variations, a feature of this invention.

Variable duty cycle pulse width modulated motor control system


Disclosed are computer-implemented methods, non-transitory computer-readable media, and systems for detecting identity document photograph replacement. One computer-implemented method includes receiving image data of a cropped photograph region of an identity document (ID), where the ID comprises a photograph, and where the cropped photograph region comprises at least the photograph. Using a multiclass classification model and as a predicted ID category, an ID category is predicted based on the image data of the cropped photograph region, where the predicted ID category corresponds to a predefined class of a set of predefined classes in the multiclass classification model. The predicted ID category is compared with an indicated category of the ID. In response to a calculated mismatch between the predicted ID category and the indicated category of the ID, a determination is made that the cropped photograph region includes a replaced photograph.

Electronic-Know Your Customer (eKYC) is a digital due diligence process performed electronically by a business, which can verify the authenticity of its clients for assessing potential risks of illegal intentions towards the business relationship. To complete an eKYC process, a person may need to submit an image of a government-recognized photo identity document (ID) to prove his/her identity. In this context, identity fraud can take place when a fraudster uses another person's personal information, without authorization, to defraud or commit other crimes.
One of the most common ID frauds for photo IDs is to replace the photograph of the ID owner with a photograph of a different person. To date, Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques have been used to detect such type of ID fraud. A conventional approach to detect photograph replacement in IDs is to treat it as a binary classification task, by training a binary classification model and outputting two classes: real ID and fake ID with photograph replacement. However, data labelling work involved in training the model can be quite time consuming. Given an ID that is in a card form, at least four steps are required to produce one sample of a fake ID card: getting an ID card, printing a photograph of a different person, placing the printed photograph on the ID card to cover the original photograph, and capturing an image of the resultant fake ID card and saving it for training. To obtain a model of high accuracy, at least thousands of samples are required, which can be highly time consuming and unlikely to be completed in a short period of time.

Methods and systems for detecting photograph replacement in a photo identity document


The invention relates to an internal combustion engine wherein two intake tracts 12, 14 balanced for equal air flow, lead to each intake valve and both tracts have outer sections which open on to the same side face of the engine, the inner sections of the tracts having axes which lie in a common plane containing the axis of the valve and the inner sections of the tracts being substantially symmetrical about the valve axis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine having dual tract induction, that is to say two tracts leading to each intake valve of the engine.
2. Disclosure Information
In racing engines not intended for road vehicles, the intake ports have been inclined as near as possible to the valve axis. This makes better use of the skirt area of the valve opening and facilitates a ram effect to maximise the intake charge. However, this is not practicable in a commercial engine as the height of the engine is restricted and one is obliged to bend the intake port to permit sensible packaging. This bending distorts the flow conditions and introduces an asymmetry causing the flow to cross the valve stem which introduces turbulence and reduces the usage of the available skirt area.
GB-971,211 provides two intake tracts leading to each inlet valve from above with the aim of restoring symmetry and improving the breathing so as to improve top end performance. Other known designs (see GB-728,487) have two intake tracts, one opening on to the side of the engine in the conventional manner and the other on to the top surface of the engine. A further prior art proposal has been to provide tracts from each side of the engine leading to the same intake port.
With tracts entering the cylinder head from both sides of the engine, the performance improvement obtained was found disappointing and development was discontinued. In the case of engines with one or more tracts opening on to the top of the cylinder head, a complex design of inlet manifold is required to straddle the valve train. Furthermore, the engine needs to be fuel injected as the problems caused by the wet manifold of a carburetted engine would be difficult to overcome on account of the complex manifold design.
In further known proposals, for example GB-1,179,087, U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,699, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,174,686 and GB-1,567,812, two inlet tracts have been used with the intention of creating swirl in the intake charge. The above patents include proposals for angling the tracts tangentially relative to the valve skirt and for introducing different amounts of air through the two tracts in order to promote swirl. The present invention, on the other hand, is not concerned with promoting swirl and on the contrary takes steps to avoid such swirl.
According to the present invention, there is provided an internal combustion engine including a cylinder head, intake poppet valves and intake tracts controlled by said valves and leading from a side face of the cylinder head to the engine cylinders, there being two tracts leading to each intake valve, characterised in that the tracts are dimensioned and shaped for substantially equal air flow under all engine operating conditions so as to supply air uniformly to the perimeter of the valve skirt without introducing swirl into the intake charge, the tracts being formed of outer sections which extend substantially parallel to the base of the head and which open separately on to the said side face of the engine and inner sections which lie in a plane containing the axis of the valve and disposed symmetrically within the latter plane about the axis of the valve, the inner sections of the tracts remaining symmetrical about the valve axis for a sufficient length to ensure that the major component of the velocity of the intake charge is directed along the valve axis.
In the prior art in which the purpose of the separate porting was to promote swirl, it was possible for the ports to open onto the side of the engine. However, it was never suggested in the prior art to employ side entry porting in arrangements where laminar air flow was to be maintained as such a port geometry appears to negate the purpose of the design, namely to maintain symmetry and equal air flow around the entire valve skirt perimeter. The present invention is predicated on the realisation that by the use of side entry, an engine with non-swirl twin porting can be packaged to fit under the bonnet of a modern motor vehicle without significantly impairing its operating performance.
Preferably, the second sections are inclined at an angle of less that 45.degree. to the valve aXis so that the major component of the velocity of the intake charge should be directed along the valve axis.
The plane containing the axes of the inner sections of the tracts should preferably extend along the engine centre line so that the tracts should be of equal length but if insufficient space is available for two port section between adjacent intake valves then it is possible for the planes of the inner tract sections to be inclined to the engine centre line.
It is also convenient that the valve axes should be inclined away from the engine centre line as this then calls for a less abrupt transition from the outer section to inner section of each tract.
The invention is concerned with an engine primarily designed for a road vehicle and differs from all prior art proposals employing dual tract induction in that the design of the intake porting is intended to take advantage not only of the top end performance but of the lean burn capability and of the improved exhaust emissions. These improvements have not previously been noted because no attempt was made to assess the performance of the prior art proposals under part load and low speed conditions as the engines were not designed for this purpose. It is believed that this is the reason why the prior art proposals have hitherto remained experimental and have never been incorporated in a commercial engine.
It has now been found, very surprisingly, that non-swirl dual tract induction can achieve significant improvements under low load and part load operation. The surprising nature of this discovery is emphasised by the fact that an engine with twin tract induction has been made to run with leaner mixtures than have previously been found possible even using four valves per cylinder.
It is generally well known that lean burn is enhanced by introducing turbulence into the charge and with this aim in mind, cylinder heads designed for lean burn have generally included means for increasing swirl and charge velocity. It is believed that a mechanism not previously appreciated is responsible for the improved lean burn capability of symmetrical twin tract porting. This mechanism involves a toroidal flow being created within the cylinder spilling over from the valve skirt. The turbulence in the toroid remains confined and better controlled and less kinetic energy is lost through friction with the cylinder walls.
An effect of the toroidal flow, which is believed to be the reason for the improved performance which has now been discovered, is that the fuel in the charge tends to be better atomised on account of the increased kinetic energy in the charge.
This explanation of the flow conditions created by symmetrical twin tract porting given above is consistent with the fact that in prior art proposals having a vertical tract and one lateral tract, better combustion occurred when fuel was injected into the vertical tract than into the lateral tract. The reason is that on account of the toroidal nature of the flow, the gases originating in one tract remain aligned with that tract and consequently the charge was stratified. Better combustion of leaner mixtures therefore occurred when a fuel concentration remained in the vicinity of the spark plug at the end of the compression stroke.
It is accordingly a preferred feature of the invention that in a fuel injected engine, fuel should be introduced into the cylinder through only one of the two tracts, namely the tract nearer the spark plug.
In the case of a carburetted engine, metering fuel in dependence upon the air flow through only one of the two intake tracts is not believed to be sufficiently accurate. However, in such an engine, the present invention, by providing access to both tracts from the same side of the engine, permits a one piece branched manifold to be employed to connect both tracts to a common carburettor. Of course, it is still possible to meter the fuel to only one tract by using a carburettor and in this case the port design of the engine also simplifies the manifold configuration. For example, one set of tracts may be supplied with air only through a first manifold and the other set of tracts may be supplied with a fuel/air mixture via a second manifold leading to a carburettor, the two manifolds having ganged throttles.


A method is provided for detecting a tow start operation of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle. In this case, a signal representing the activity and/or inactivity of a starter unit of the internal combustion engine is detected. A tow start operation of the internal combustion engine is determined when, following detection of a successful start-up process of the internal combustion engine, the signal representing the activity and/or inactivity of the starter unit has not displayed any activity of the starter unit since the beginning of the start-up process of the internal combustion engine.

The invention relates to a method for detecting a tow start operation of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle.
Under some circumstances it can occur that the internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle is not started by a vehicle's internal starter unit, but rather is tow started by hand. This is the case, for example, when the starter or an additional component of the vehicle start-up system is defective or when the available power of the starter battery, which can depend on the temperature, is too low, and, therefore, it is not possible to start the internal combustion engine. If the vehicle or rather the internal combustion engine is tow started, it can usually be assumed that (with the exception of a discharged battery) it will not be possible to re-start the internal combustion engine again until the defect in the vehicle has been remedied. If the driver turns off the internal combustion engine, or if owing to the operating conditions or additional functions, the internal combustion engine is automatically switched-off, it is possible, as a rule, to re-start again only by tow starting the internal combustion engine. In principle, however, it has not been possible to differentiate to date a tow start operation of the internal combustion engine in motor vehicles from a conventional start-up process by use of a starter or starter unit. Therefore, measures with respect to the operating mode of the internal combustion engine or specific functions that block the switching-off process of the internal combustion engine cannot be initiated.
The object of the invention is to provide a method by which it is possible to differentiate a tow start operation of the internal combustion engine from a conventional start-up process of the internal combustion engine by way of a starter unit.
This object is achieved by a method for detecting a tow start operation of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle, wherein a signal, representing the activity and/or inactivity of a starter unit of the internal combustion engine, is detected, and the tow start operation of the internal combustion engine is detected, when following detection of a successful start-up process of the internal combustion engine, the signal, representing the activity and/or inactivity of the starter unit, has not displayed any activity of the starter unit since the beginning of the start-up process of the internal combustion engine. Advantageous further developments are disclosed herein.
In one aspect of the invention, a tow start operation of the vehicle's internal combustion engine is detectable by the activity or inactivity of the starter, in particular, the starter unit. The inventive method for detecting a tow start operation of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle is characterized in that a signal, representing the activity and/or inactivity of a starter unit of the internal combustion engine, is detected and evaluated. A tow start operation of the internal combustion engine is detected, when following detection of a successful start-up process of the internal combustion engine, the signal, representing the activity and/or inactivity of the starter unit has not displayed any activity of the starter unit since the beginning of the start-up process. Therefore, the exclusive principle allows one to conclude in the absence of a starter actuation that external influences have caused the start-up process of the internal combustion engine, and, that working on this basis, an unintentional automatic shut-off process of the internal combustion engine is inhibited.
A successful start-up process of the internal combustion engine is detected advantageously when the initiation of a start-up process is detected, and when, for example, at the end of the start-up process, a speed overrun of the crankshaft speed is detected. A (successful) start-up process of the internal combustion engine, thus, a transition from the immobile engine to the running engine, can be detected by evaluating a signal that represents the activity of the internal combustion engine, for example, by evaluating the crankshaft speed. Then, a successful start-up is detected at the end of the start-up process by a speed overrun that occurs and is detectable and/or by reaching the idle speed. Such a detection of a successful start-up can be rendered plausible in its temporal sequence by an evaluation within a time frame and can be improved by additional timing and debounce mechanisms.
If the beginning of a start-up process is identified (for example, by means of the transition from the immobile to the rotating crankshaft), then the activity and/or inactivity of the starter unit of the internal combustion engine is checked by evaluating the signal, which represents the activity and/or inactivity of the starter unit of the internal combustion engine, advantageously for a predetermined time frame or speed that is predetermined for the internal combustion engine. The signal, representing the activity and/or inactivity of the starter unit, is configured advantageously in such a manner that when the activity of the starter is detected, the signal changes its status from "inactive" to "active." The signal can be reset from the "active" status to the "inactive" status after a predetermined time interval and successful evaluation upon reaching the end of the start-up process and successful evaluation and/or as a function of the speed of the internal combustion engine or on shutting down the internal combustion engine. As the final condition for a successful tow start operation, there must also occur, in addition to the inactivity of the starter upon initiation of the start-up process, the success of the tow start operation through the detection of the termination of the start-up process—only then may the tow start operation be evaluated as having occurred.
As already stated above, on detection of a tow start operation of the internal combustion engine, a variety of measures may be initiated with respect to the operating mode of the internal combustion engine. These measures lead to an improvement in the operating mode when the internal combustion engine is tow started. On detection of a tow start operation of the internal combustion engine, predetermined vehicle functions can be deactivated advantageously, for example, for the duration of a driving cycle, thus until the next manually conducted shut-off process of the internal combustion engine. These predetermined vehicle functions could enable or rather initiate an automatic shut-off process of the internal combustion engine.
If the motor vehicle is equipped, for example, with a hybrid drive unit, consisting of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor for driving the motor vehicle, it would be logical, for example, to inhibit the drive from changing from the internal combustion engine to the electric motor (that is, an automatic stop process of the internal combustion engine), if a tow start operation of the internal combustion engine was detected, for example, owing to a defective start-up system. This measure would prevent the vehicle from coming to a standstill following a change-over of the drive from the internal combustion engine to the electric motor, because even then the start-up system cannot re-start the internal combustion engine owing to a defect in the start-up system. In that case, it would not be possible to again start-up the internal combustion engine. Hence, there exists the risk of a breakdown.
If the motor vehicle is equipped with an automatic internal combustion engine stop function, which can be part of a so-called "automatic start/stop function", then an advantageous configuration of the invention provides that upon detection of a tow start operation of the internal combustion engine, this function is deactivated, or the implementation of its stop commands is blocked, because in the event that a tow started internal combustion engine is automatically shut-off, a re-start cannot be guaranteed as a rule. If the internal combustion engine were to be automatically shut off, it is very likely that it would have to be tow started again.
In summary it must be pointed out that upon detection of a tow started internal combustion engine, a variety of different measures can be initiated in order to avoid a so-called "stranded vehicle." In this way, warranty costs and customer complaints can be avoided.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method for detecting a tow start operation of an internal combustion engine

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


An image display element includes: a front panel; a back panel opposite thereto; a plurality of pixels arranged between both the panels; and plural electrodes for controlling the pixels. The panels are bonded with the pixels and the electrodes interposed therebetween, and the electrodes are connected to a driving circuit via metal film wires. The back panel is divided so as to expose electrode terminals, and a groove part V-shaped in cross section is formed at the divided portion. The metal film wires are formed on the top surface of the back panel, and the electrode terminals and the metal film wires are connected by a conductive paste coated along the tilt surfaces forming the groove part. Partitions are disposed between the adjacent electrode terminals at the bottom of the groove part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a large size image display device including, for example, a large number of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, plasma display panels (PDP), or electroluminescent (EL) display panels, arranged therein. More particularly, it relates to an image display element forming the device and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Background Art
For a large size image display device (which is also referred to as a large size display), in order to implement high performances at a low cost, there has been adopted the system in which a plurality of flat panel displays (e.g., LCD panels, PDPs, or EL display panels) as image display elements (or, display units) are arranged in a matrix.
One example of a conventional image display element forming such a large size display is shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B.
FIGS. 13A and 13B are views showing a part of the array (2-sheet array) of the image display elements. FIG. 13A is a front view, and FIG. 13B is a side view.
An image display element 30 has a front panel 31 and a back panel 32 formed of a glass plate or the like. The front panel 31 and the back panel 32 are opposed each other with a prescribed distance therebetween, between which a plurality of pixels 33, and a plurality of electrodes (not shown) for controlling them are arranged to form a light emitting layer (or a liquid crystal layer). Thus, the periphery thereof is sealed with a seal part 34 with a seal width g1.
When a lead line for applying a voltage to the electrode is led out from the periphery of the image display element 30, namely, a joint part 35 of the adjacent image display elements 30, the lead-out margin is necessary. When the spacing Ga between the pixels 33 of the adjacent image display elements 30 at the joint part 35 is larger than the spacing Gb between pixels in the same image display element, the joint part 35 becomes noticeable.
Thus, as shown in an enlarged view of FIG. 13B, the back panel 32 is divided into two parts, and a gap part 36 is provided at the central part. A terminal 37 corresponding to the electrode is included at the gap part (which is also simply referred to as a gap) 36. An electrode pin or a lead line 38 as shown is connected to the terminal 37, to be led outside the back panel (see, e.g., JP-A-2001-251571).
With the conventional image display element shown in JP-A-2001-251571, the lead line 38 of the electrode is led out from the gap part 36 formed in the back panel 32. Therefore, this configuration is effective as the structure for making the joint parts 35 of the image display elements 30 less noticeable. However, it is configured such that the lead lines 38 are connected to a large number of terminals 37 present in the narrow gap part 36, thereby to be connected to a wiring layer. For this reason, connection with the terminals 37 becomes complicated, and further, unfavorably, the lead-out method is complicated, and the workability is bad.
A conventional image display element shown in JP-A-2008-191502 is provided in order to solve such a problem.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the image display element shown in JP-A-2008-191502. FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of an essential part of FIG. 14.
Below, the conventional image display element shown in JP-A-2008-191502 will be described.
A large number of the image display elements are arranged in a matrix to form a large screen flat panel display.
Examples of the display device of the image display element include a LCD panel, a PDP, and an EL display panel. Incidentally, the figure shows the image display element as seen from the back thereof.
As shown in FIG. 14, the image display element includes a front panel 21 formed of a glass plate or the like, a back panel 22 similarly formed of a glass plate or the like, and opposed to the front panel 21, a plurality of pixels (not shown) arranged in a matrix between both the panels, and to be selected to be in a display or non-display state, and a plurality of electrodes (not shown) for controlling the pixels. Both the panels 21 and 22 are bonded with each other with the pixels and the electrodes interposed therebetween.
The back panel 22 is divided between two adjacent pixel lines, and a gap 23 is formed at the divided portion. In the figure, the gap 23 is shown on an enlarged scale for easy understanding, but an actual gap 23 is a minute gap with, for example, a width of about 0.30 mm.
Further, the pixels are arranged in a matrix. Thus, when a reference is made to "between pixels", there are "between transverse pixel rows" and "between longitudinal pixel columns". However, both inclusive are referred to as "between two adjacent pixel lines".
Incidentally, as the back panel 22, the one divided into two parts at the central part is shown. However, the number of divisions and the position for division are not limited thereto. The back panel 22 may be divided into three or more parts, and the position for division may also be another position so long as it is between adjacent pixels.
On the front panel 21 side situated at the gap 23, a plurality of electrode terminals 24 connected to the electrodes are disposed. The electrode terminals 24 are formed of, for example, the same material as that for the electrodes simultaneously, and are exposed from the gap.
On the other hand, on a back surface 22a of the back panel 22, (the back side of the opposing surface from the front panel is referred to as "back surface"), and on an end face 22b which is the end part of the gap 23, metal film wires 25 are formed.
The metal film wires 25 are formed by, for example, thick film printing. To the end parts of the metal film wires 25 on the back surface 22a side, a connector 26 is connected. The metal film wires 25 are connected to an external driving control circuit via the connector 26.
The details of the wiring part are shown in FIG. 15. As shown in the figure, the wiring part is formed by aligning the electrode terminals 24 and the metal film wires 25 such that the metal film wires 25 on the end part 22b of the back panel 22 are in vertical contact with the electrode terminals 24 on the front panel 21 side with the back panel 22 bonded on the front panel 21. Then, solder 27 is coated on the contact portion with the both panels 21 and 22 being bonded together. Both the panels are locally heated to melt the solder for bonding.
Whereas, FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing the electrode connection part when the electrode terminals 24 have been led out from the peripheral end part of the front panel 21.
The following configuration is shown. The back panel 22 is configured to be slightly smaller than the front panel 21. Thus, upon superposition of both the panels, a step part 21a is formed at the end part, so that the electrode terminals 24 are exposed at the step part 21a. Thus, the electrode terminals 4 and the metal film wires 25 formed at the end part 22b of the back panel 22 come in contact with each other, and are bonded by soldering.
As described up to this point, the image display element shown in JP-A-2008-191502 includes: a front panel 21; a back panel 22 opposite to the front panel 21; a plurality of pixels (not shown) arranged in a matrix between both the panels, and to be selected to be in a display or non-display state; and a plurality of electrodes for controlling the pixels, wherein both the panels are bonded together with the pixels and the electrodes interposed therebetween. In such an image display element, the metal film wires 25 are formed on the back surface and the end face (surface of the end part 22b) of the back panel 22. The electrode terminals 24 corresponding to the metal film wires 25 formed on the end face of the back panel 22, and connected to the electrodes are disposed on the front panel 21 side. Thus, the metal film wires 25 formed on the end face 22b and the electrode terminals 24 are bonded together by soldering.
Therefore, as compared with the image display element shown in JP-A-2001-251571, leading out of electrodes is possible with a simple method from a narrow space without using an electrode lead line. This cancels the expansion of the joint width between the image display elements. When the image display elements are arrayed to form a large screen, the image quality is improved by joint shrinkage. Further, leading out of electrode lines is simplified, resulting in a reduction of the cost.
With the conventional image display element shown in JP-A-2008-191502, as shown in FIG. 14, the electrode terminals 24 and the metal film wires 25 are connected by direct soldering. This enables the electrodes to be led out from the gap (gap/groove part) 23 formed in the back panel 22.
However, this configuration is effective as the structure for making the joint parts of the image display elements less noticeable, but, at the groove part (gap part) in the vicinity of the terminal part occurring according to the thickness of the back panel 22, the processing tools (tools for soldering such as heads and needles) are still less likely to reach the soldering part (i.e., the contact part between the electrode terminal 24 and the metal film wire 25) situated at the recesses of the gap (groove part/gap).
Particularly, a display device decreases in pixel pitch with an increase in resolution. Thus, it is also necessary to narrow the width of the gap part for carrying out lead-out of electrodes according to the decrease in pixel pitch. Accordingly, electrode lead-out processing becomes further difficult.
Therefore, the connection reliability between the electrode terminals 24 and the metal film wires 25 by soldering becomes a problem.
Further, solder 27 for connecting the electrode terminals 24 and the metal film wires 25 is disposed with a fine interval. For this reason, migration tends to occur between the adjacent electrode terminals, between metal film wires, or between solders, which leads to a problem in the insulation property of the electrode lead-out part.
Further, with the conventional image display element shown in FIG. 16, it is possible to lead out electrodes from the peripheral end part of the panel with ease. However, a problem is encountered in the panel shape in the vicinity of the terminal part for disposing the electrode lead line thereon, so that lead-out processing of electrodes becomes difficult.
Examples of the processing method include soldering, wire bonding, and connection by a conductive paste or the like. However, at the step part in the vicinity of the terminal part occurring according to the thickness of the back panel 22, processing tools (such as a head) become less likely to reach the connection part situated at the recesses of the step part.
Further, with the conventional image display element, the back panel 22 is divided by the gap part 23. This also causes a problem that the strength is reduced upon concentration of a stress to this portion.

Image display element and manufacturing method thereof


A suture assembly may include a needle having a cylindrical body with a sharp point on at least one end, a lumen extending transverse to a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body, and a recess in communication with an opening to the lumen. A suture extends through the lumen and is secured within the recess of the needle by a sleeve extending over the needle.

A variety of endoscopic treatments may result in defects (or wounds) that are too large for known closure procedures. An assembly including a needle and a suture coupled to the needle may be used to suture tissue together. The tissue attachment method often involves piercing tissue with the needle and pulling on the needle to pull a suture attached to the needle through the hole created in the tissue. One way to couple a suture to a needle involves threading the suture through a hole in the needle and tying a knot at one end of the suture to prevent the end from passing through the hole of the needle. However, knot size can be inconsistent and may, in some examples, pull through the hole in the needle and uncouple the needle and suture, increasing surgical operation times, as operators may need to reassemble the needle and suture. Thus, there is a need for alternative suture and needle assemblies.

Endoscopic suturing needle and suture assembly attachment methods


A speed optimization circuit (140) is employed by an insertion machine to result in a greater actual throughput of successfully enveloped sets of documents. The speed optimization circuit (140) includes a microcontroller (142) which determines whether the machine cycling speed should be changed and which generates a signal for application to a speed adjustment servomechanism (136) for automatically changing the machine cycling speed in accordance with the determination.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to collating machines of the type which are operable as insertion machines, and to a method for operating such machines.
II. Prior Art and Other Considerations
For several decades now collating machines have been utilized by commercial establishments for the preparation of printed matter for postal purposes. An early collating machine operated as an insertion machine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,325,455 to A. H. Williams which is incorporated herein by reference.
In conventional collating machines, an insert track is indexed past a series of processing stations in timed relation to a machine cycle. In most such machines the first such processing station positioned along the insert track is generally a first or control insert station which comprises feeder means for feeding documents onto the insert track. The insert track is indexed past further stations at a rate approximating one station per machine cycle.
The document(s) deposited on the insert track from the first insert station is associated with a particular customer and typically bears a control indicia, such as a bar code printed thereon which, when read, indicates with reference to the particular customer which further insert stations are to be actuated to feed one or more documents. As a particular customer's indicia-bearing document is indexed along the insert track, each insert station has an opportunity to feed (subject to operator control input and in accordance with the read control indicia) whatever document(s) stored thereat are applicable to the particular customer.
After all applicable inserts for a particular customer have been associated together as a group on the insert track, the associated documents are placed in an appropriate package at a packaging station. For collating machines which serve as insertion machines the packaging station is an inserting or stuffing station whereat the associated documents are stuffed into an awaiting envelope. Further operations such as envelope sealing, envelope diverting, and/or zip code grouping occur yet downstream in accordance with some embodiments of insertion machines. In some collating machines a wrapper or the like is formed about or envelopes the associated documents at the packaging station.
The actual throughput of an inserting machine, defined as the number of stuffed envelopes delivered from the machine per hour, depends largely on two factors: (1) the cycling speed of the machine; and, (2) the time lost due to the machine stoppages caused by jams and other errors.
The first factor is under the direct control of the operator. But the second factor depends on several aspects such as material characteristics, operator skill level, machine adjustments, and the like. For example, some insert documents may be of a particular stock that is not easily feedable from an insert feeder station.
The second factor of lost time also tends to increase with increasing cycling speed. For a given job-machine-operator-environment combination, as the cycling speed is increased from a low value, the throughput will increase as long as the effect of the time lost due to errors is more than compensated by the increase in cycling speed. But at some point the effect of the increasing time lost due to errors becomes overwhelming. Beyond this point the throughput begins to decrease with further increases in cycling speed.
Traditionally, the experienced operator develops a "feel" for this optimum cycling speed, which guides him to set the appropriate speed. More sophisticated prior art insertion machines have provided statistical indications of a variety of insertion machine monitored operations, including such counts as the average number of documents being fed from a control station; the number of envelopes completed per calendar hour; the number of envelopes completed per actual run hour; the number and type of machine stops; the actual machine run and idle times; and, the average machine cycle speed per hour.
These statistics provided by the more sophisticated machines, particularly the average machine cycle speed and the average number of documents per customer being fed from a control station, help an operator to fine tune his "feel" for an optimum cycling speed as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,865 entitled "Insertion Machine with Audit Trail and Command Protocol", which is incorporated herein by reference. Nevertheless, even with such statistics this optimum speed decision is difficult to make, at best, for an operator.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method to positively guide the operator of an insertion machine regarding the optimum cycling speed of the machine.
An advantage of the present invention is the provision of apparatus and method whereby the aggregate effect of a plurality of dynamic conditions, including cycling speed, material characteristics, machine adjustments, operator skill level, environmental conditions, are considered in providing an indication of optimum cycling speed for an insertion machine.
A further advantage of the present invention is the provision of apparatus and method for automatically setting machine cycling speed for maximum throughput under current dynamic conditions.

Insertion machine with speed optimization


A stretchable contractible wiring sheet includes: stretchable contractible first elastomer sheet; stretchable contractible second elastomer sheet facing and bonded on the first elastomer sheet, and lead that has a transverse section having any cross-sectional shape selected from circular shape, elliptical shape, and track shape, and is plastically deformed in wavy shape periodically curving along longer direction, the lead being interposed between the first elastomer sheet and the second elastomer sheet in a manner that height direction of waves in wavy shape is along in-plane direction of facing surfaces of the first elastomer sheet and second elastomer sheet. The wiring sheet that can be produced easily at low costs, has high flexibility and durability, and undergoes small resistance value change along with stretching and contracting, and stretchable contractible touch sensor sheet.

In recent years, demands for stretchable contractible wiring sheets have been increasing in various fields including, for example, antennas and wirings for RFID devices required to have flexibility, wirings for motion analysis sensors in the sport science, wearable heart rate/electrocardiogram monitors, wiring sheets for movable parts of robots, touch sensor sheets configured to send instructions to computers, and wiring sheets for bendable sensors to be worn on fingers, elbow joints, and knee joints for remotely controlling robots. These stretchable contractible wiring sheets are required to have an excellent stretchability/contractibility and to undergo a small resistance value change along with stretching and contracting.
In this context, there has been a proposal for producing a stretchable contractible conductive rubber by dispersing, for example, an ionic liquid and carbon nanotube in a rubber (see PTL 1).
However, in this proposal, materials such as carbon nanotube for forming the stretchable contractible conductor are expensive and need to be contained at extremely high content ratios in order to obtain a sufficient conductivity. Hence, there is a problem of running up the production cost even more.
There have also been proposals for producing stretchable contractible circuit boards by pasting copper wirings having wavy structures on elastomers (see PTLs 2 and 3).
However, in these proposals, the copper wirings are formed by etching copper foils that are laminated on the elastomers, and the cross-sections of the copper wirings are formed in rectangular shapes. Therefore, there is a problem that when the produced sheets are pasted on, for example, curved surfaces and undergo stretching and contracting, stress tends to concentrate on the edges of the rectangular cross-sections, to break the wirings.
There has also been a proposal for disposing wirings formed of a urethane rubber and silver powder on the lower surface of an elastomer sheet formed of an ester-based urethane rubber (see PTL 4).
However, in this proposal, there is a problem that the production cost is high, because leads having stretchability/contractibility are formed individually by encapsulating the urethane rubber with the silver powder. Further, there is a problem that flexibility and durability are poor, because if the formed leads undergo shape changes along with elongation and bending operations to make electric contact between silver powder particles discontinuous at any portion, the leads cannot serve the function.
There has also been proposed a conductive fiber sheet obtained by disposing an antenna for a booster formed of conductive fibers in a manner to face an antenna of an IC chip in a non-bonded state (see PTL 5).
However, in this proposal, there is a problem that the conductive fibers are expensive, and even more cost increase is incurred by the conductive fiber sheet that is wasted in cutting works performed to conform to various antenna shapes.

Stretchable wiring sheet and stretchable touch sensor sheet