A light receiving device has a light receiving section for receiving a remote control signal light beam, and a light guide section for guiding the light beam to the light receiving section. The light guide section has a first reflection surface for reflecting the light beam to the light receiving section, the first reflection surface being disposed to oppose obliquely at a sharp angle to an entrance plane, and a second reflection surface for guiding the remote control signal light beam, the second reflection surface being disposed between the entrance plane and the first reflection surface. The first reflection surface includes a circular arc curved surface curved outward in a part closer to the entrance plane and farther from the light receiving section, and a linear inclined surface in a part approaching the light receiving section from the curved surface.

1. Field
The present technique relates to a light receiving device which receives a remote control signal light beam sent from a wireless remote controller for remotely controlling a controlled device, and more particularly to a light receiving device used in a thin display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thin display devices using the liquid crystal display or the like, such, for example, as television sets and monitors for various advertisements, have become popularized in standard homes and commercial facilities. Along with such popularization, the thin display devices have become used in a variety of installation patterns. For example, they are used in such a pattern as being installed on a wall of a house, being placed on or built into furniture, or being suspended from a ceiling.
Also, depending on a variety of usage patterns taking advantage of the thin display devices, such a products is recently favored that has an appearance design with a narrow frame, or a large display area and compact outside dimensions.
On the other hand, in order to respond to the thin-type design and the variety of installation patterns, it has become common for the thin display devices to use a remote controller to perform operations including power on/off, channel selection, input signal selection, and the like (see Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-78896).
Along with the needs for a product having an external appearance design with a thinner body and a narrow frame in the thin display devices, which are generally operated by a remote controller, as described above, a light receiving device used in each thin display device for receiving a light beam from a remote controller is required to be compact in size and favorable in photosensitivity.

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


A cash handling apparatus has a user interface (26) which includes a main keypad (7) and a first functional-key-type keypad (5). The first functional-key-type keypad (5) has a plurality of functional keys (F1-F8) associated with functions or actions in the user interface. The user interface also includes a second functional-key-type keypad (6). Individual keys (F1′-F8′) of the second functional-key-type keypad are associated with the same functions or actions in the user interface as are associated with corresponding individual keys (F1-F8) of the first functional-key-type keypad (5). Both of the first and second functional-key-type keypads (5, 6) are capable, during a user session of the cash handling apparatus, of receiving user input for selection among said functions or actions.

Cash handling apparatuses are used for distributing and/or depositing cash, such as coins, bills and cheques.
One example of a cash handling apparatus is a cash distributing apparatus or automatic teller machine (ATM—known as Bankomat® in Sweden), which allows a user to automatically withdraw cash from e.g. a bank account and receive bills for the amount withdrawn. Another example is a cash deposit apparatus, which is used for depositing cash in the form of bills and/or coins to e.g. a bank account. Both kinds of apparatuses are typically stand-alone apparatuses which are used on a self-service basis by an arbitrary user. A cash deposit apparatus will be used in the following as a non-limiting example of a cash handling apparatus.
When using a typical cash deposit apparatus, a user places his cash in a cash reception area, whereby the cash deposit apparatus will count the cash, typically while discriminating the cash that is deposited, so as to only accept cash of certain predetermined type(s), while rejecting any other type of cash. The cash that is accepted is typically evaluated and counted, so as to determine the amount of cash that is deposited. Since the typical cash deposit apparatus is used on a self-service basis by an untrained user, the apparatus is provided with a user interface (man-machine interface) which is designed to facilitate operation of the apparatus by the user.
The user interface typically includes a display and a keypad, and, often, a printer, a speaker and a card reader. These elements of the user interface are controlled from a controller in the apparatus, such as a personal computer (PC) or another kind of microprocessor-based control system.
The keypad is typically a PIN-type keypad, having keys similar to those found on a telephone handset, for instance digits 0-9, "*", "#" as well as e.g. Backspace, Cancel and OK. In addition to this, there is often provided a functional-key-type keypad in the form of a set of functional keys having different predetermined functions in the various operating modes of the apparatus. Such functions keys are often positioned next to the display, for instance in two rows at either sides of the display.
Since the majority of all users of a typical cash deposit apparatus will use the apparatus in a standing position, the elements of the user interface are located at positions which are conveniently accessible from such a standing position. However, for people in wheelchairs and other handicapped individuals, such locations of the elements of the user interface may be less convenient.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,893 discloses a fuel dispensing apparatus which has been adapted for use by handicapped individuals by the provision of dual card readers and associated dual keypads. One of the card readers and one of the keypads are located at a vertically lower position than the other card reader and keypad. Thus, a handicapped individual may operate the fuel dispensing apparatus through the lower card reader and keypad in a position which is conveniently accessible from e.g. a wheelchair.
While U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,893 satisfies the need for providing access to a fuel dispensing apparatus for handicapped individuals, it nevertheless has some shortcomings that prevents full application of its teachings to a cash handling apparatus.
Firstly, both keypads in U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,893 include a set of PIN-type keys as well as a set of functional keys. While this may be appropriate in gas station environments which are typically outdoors with plenty of available space, it may pose a drawback in typical environments for cash handling apparatuses. More specifically, a cash handling apparatus is often used indoors at a location where floor space is limited. Thus, when trying to design cash handling apparatuses with a small foot print, two full-scale keypads may be difficult to accommodate.
Secondly, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,893 the two keypads are not true copies of each other. They do not have the same two-dimensional layout (rows and columns of keys), and certain keys are unique to one of the keypads and have no correspondence in the other keypad. To this end, an interface board, to which both keypads are connected, is designed to discriminate between input data from the two keypads and to attach identification information to the data so as to indicate the original source of the data. This identification information may be further used by a controller upon receipt of the input data from the interface board. The solution according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,893 has a drawback in that is represents a somewhat costly approach. Both the design of the keypads themselves and the circuitry for handling the aforedescribed input data discrimination add on to the total cost for the user interface. It is generally desired to design a cash handling apparatus with as minimal component costs as possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,359 discloses a similar solution. An automated banking transaction machine has a front customer panel (FIG. 32) including a plurality of vertically aligned user interfaces suitable for use in a drive-up environment for servicing customers in vehicles of varying height. Each user interface includes a full set of i/o devices in the form of a display, a keypad with alphanumeric keys and functional keys, and a card reader. A user selects one of the user interfaces by inserting a card in the associated card reader. Then, the transaction is carried out through the particular user interface thus selected. Hence, this is an expensive solution with many interface components, only a few of which are used for carrying out each particular transaction.

Cash handling apparatus having dual functional-key type keypads


A memory device is provided. The memory device includes a plurality of normal memory blocks; and at least two or more bad memory blocks, wherein data having the same number of bits as data to be stored in a normal memory block and a parity code having the number of bits at least twice greater than that of a parity code to be stored in the normal memory block are stored in a first bad memory block and a second bad memory block among the bad memory blocks.

The number of write operations which can be performed on a single memory cell of a memory device such as a NAND flash memory and a phase-change random access memory (PCRAMs) is limited. For example, the number of write operations in a typical PCRAM may be limited to a range of from about 106 to about 108 operations. Accordingly, the life span of a memory device may be drastically reduced when the write operations are concentrated on a specific cell or cell region. To prevent the concentration of the write operations on a specific cell or cell region of a memory device, a wear leveling operation is typically performed to even out the performance of the write operations on all of the cell regions of the memory device. A widely used method for wear leveling achieves a more even allocation of the write operations between all of the cell regions of the memory device by changing the address mapping between logical and physical addresses.
Memory devices may include a plurality of memory regions known as memory blocks. When the number of write operations for a memory block exceeds a threshold value or when a memory block has a physical defect then the memory bloc can no longer operate normally and may generate too many errors. Heretofore, typically, such memory blocks are identified as bad memory block and are excluded from any further read and write operations.

Memory device, memory system, and operation method thereof


Methods and devices for supporting a workpiece on support slats of a workpiece support during machining of the workpiece by thermal separation by a separation beam directed onto the workpiece are provided. In one aspect, a support slat includes support projections on a workpiece side extending in a longitudinal direction of the support slat. The support projections follow one after another in the longitudinal direction at a mutual distance to form projection gaps. On an underside of at least one support projection remote from the workpiece side, the support slat defines a recess covered by the support projection toward the workpiece side. The recess extends in a transverse direction of the support slat. The support projection covering the recess is separably connected to the rest of the support slat and is separable from the support slat with opening the recess toward the workpiece side.

During thermally separative machining by means of a separation beam, workpieces such as metal sheets are supported on a workpiece support, for example in plasma or laser cutting, which workpiece support comprises a plurality of support slats arranged side by side and mostly extending in parallel with one another. The support slats are provided with support tips spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the support slats, on which tips the relevant workpiece is supported at points during machining. If a workpiece is machined in the region of a support tip, there is the risk, despite the support of the workpiece at points on the support tip, that material of the workpiece melted due to machining and/or slag formed due to machining deposits on the support tip and causes caking of the workpiece on the workpiece support. Such caking makes it more difficult to unload the workpiece from the workpiece support after the separative machining. In addition, caking of the kind described impairs the quality of the machined workpiece. A reduction in the quality of the machining product may also be caused by the separation beam being reflected toward the underside of the workpiece after penetrating the workpiece.
In order to avoid the above-mentioned hindrance of the machining sequence during thermal separation by means of a separation beam and to ensure high-quality machining, according to WO 2007/134630 A1 a workpiece support is configured prior to separative workpiece machining, by breaking off or bending triangular support tips on the support slats of the workpiece support, which tips would be arranged at a machining position of the separation beam during subsequent workpiece machining. For this purpose, in the case of the prior art a laser cutting machine is provided with an adjustment device on a gate of the housing of the working space thereof, the workpiece support, which is not yet loaded, passing beneath this adjustment device before cutting workpiece machining. At the support slats of the workpiece support, the support tips project toward the adjustment device. Stop elements of the adjustment device can be positioned, perpendicularly with respect to the support plane formed by the workpiece support, into a stop position or into a retracted position. During the movement carried out by the workpiece support relative to the adjustment device, the support tips on the support slats of the workpiece support pass a stop element of the adjustment device put into the retracted position without collision, whereas a stop element transferred into the stop position projects into the movement path of the support tips and support tips which collide with the stop element due to the movement of the workpiece support are broken off or bent. The position of the stop elements of the adjusting device is set depending on the subsequent cutting process such that the support tips of the workpiece support that would be below or in the immediate vicinity of the point of impact of the laser cutting beam on the workpiece during subsequent workpiece machining are removed or bent.

Supporting a workpiece on support slats of a workpiece support


A system and method is provided to support immediate freeing of a designated element from memory. Following a process of designating an element for removal from a data-structure, conditional limitations are used to determine if immediate freeing of the element from memory is available. The conditional limitations include determining that the instruction originates from a uniprocessor computer system. In addition, the conditional limitations include a determination as to whether a call_rcu primitive or synchronize_kernel primitive may be omitted, or whether the computer implemented instruction is operating in an interrupt handler. If the conditional limitations are met, the designated element may be immediately freed from memory.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a system and method for providing real-time response in a read-copy-update (RCU) locking mechanism in a multiprocessor computer system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Read-copy-update (RCU) is a mechanism that defers destruction of elements removed from a protected data structure, or a similar data organization element, until a concurrently executing read-only access to the data structure has completed an ongoing traversal of that data structure. The process for deferment of destruction of elements removed from the data structure permits lock free read-only access without incurring memory corruption and invalid pointer failures.
FIG. 1 is a prior art diagram (5) illustrating the RCU mechanism for removing an element from a data structure. In this example, element B (14) is being deleted from a data structure that contains elements A (10), B (14), and C (18), in that order. Initially, Step0, the data structure is linked such that element A (10) includes a first pointer (12) to element B (14), and element B (14) includes a second pointer (16) to element C (18). The first step, Step1, in removing element B (14) from the data structure using the RCU mechanism, is to move the first pointer (12) that originally extended from element A (10) to element B (12) to extend from element A (10) to element C (18). In FIG. 1, the movement of the first pointer (12) is shown as a third pointer (20). However, technically, the third pointer (20) is the same as the first pointer (12) but referencing a different element in the data structure. Pointers (12) and (20) cannot be present at the same time, however, readers currently referencing element C (18) may have arrived at element C (18) either using the old value (12) or the new value (20) of the pointer. Therefore, old value(12) and new value (20) represent different values for the same pointer. Any readers traversing this data structure concurrently with the deletion at Step1 continue to be directed to either element B (14) or element C (18) in the data structure. Once a grace period has elapsed, there will not be any readers referencing element B (14) since the path provided in Step0 by the first pointer (12) to element B (14) has been removed, as shown in Step2. Following the grace period, element B (14) may now be freed from memory, as shown in Step3. In this way, RCU defers freeing of elements removed from an RCU protected data structure until concurrently executing read actions have completed any ongoing traversals of that data structure.
The current implementation of the Linux 2.6 kernel provides two primitives that determine how long element B (14), from FIG. 1, must be retained in the data structure prior to removal therefrom. One of the primitives is known as synchronize_kernel, which cannot be called from an interrupt handler or within a spin lock. The synchronize_kernel primitive blocks a caller's subsequent execution by waiting until the end of a subsequent grace period, i.e. until current readers accessing data structure have completed that traversal. FIG. 2 is a flow chart (30) of a prior art use of this synchronize_kernel primitive showing removal of an element from a data structure and freeing the element from memory. The first step involves removal of an element from the data structure (32). Following removal of the element, the synchronize_kernel primitive is invoked in order to wait for one grace period to elapse (34). Once the grace period elapses (36), the synchronize_kernel primitive returns to its caller. This caller can then free (38) the element designated for removal from the data structure at step (32). Accordingly, the synchronize_kernel primitive is one mechanism for efficient access by readers to the data structure.
The second primitive provided by the Linux 2.6 kernel is the call_rcu primitive. This primitive supports efficient removal of an element from a data structure without requiring a context switch, wherein a context switch supports changing among concurrently operating processes in a multitasking environment. The call_rcu primitive registers the function that is freeing the element designated for removal from the data structure. FIG. 3 is a flow chart (40) of a prior art use of the call_rcu primitive for removal of an element from a data structure and freeing the element from memory. The first step involves removal of an element from the data structure (42). Following removal of the element at step (42), the element is then scheduled for removal from memory following a grace period through use of the call_rcu primitive (44). The call_rcu primitive places the element designated for removal from the data structure into a queue for removal at a later time (46). Following elapse of a grace period (48), the element in the queue is freed from memory (50). Accordingly, the call_rcu primitive is another mechanism for efficient removal of an element from a data structure and memory.
Current implementation of Linux 2.6 kernel has the effect of taking all of the elements scheduled to be removed during a specified period and executing removal of all of the elements at the end of a subsequent grace period. In addition, the implementation does not limit the number of elements that may be removed during a given grace period. By executing removal of a batch of designated elements at the end of a subsequent grace period, real-time performance associated with the removal is not provided as the current implementation imposes an arbitrary scheduling latency. Therefore, there is a need for modifying the implementation of both call_rcu and synchronize_kernel primitives in the Linux 2.6 kernel or equivalent module of an operating system to mitigate latency and provide real-time, i.e. immediate application for removal of designated elements from memory.

Adapting RCU for real-time operating system usage

International Business Machines Corporation


An exercise apparatus including a frame, a carriage, a central pulley, first and second frame pulleys, a pull cord, and a locking mechanism. The frame defines a longitudinal axis. The carriage is mounted on the frame and movable along the longitudinal axis. The central pulley is attached to the carriage. The first and second frame pulleys are attached to the frame. The pull cord has first and second handle portions. The pull cord is looped about the pulleys. The central pulley is between the first and second frame pulleys along the pull cord. The first frame pulley is between the first handle portion and the central pulley along the pull cord. The second frame pulley is between the second handle portion and the central pulley along the pull cord. The locking mechanism is configured to engage the central pulley.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates generally to exercise equipment and, more particularly, to an exercise apparatus with a pull cord central pulley attached to a carriage and a pulley locking mechanism.
2. State of the Art
The present invention relates generally to exercise equipment and, more particularly, to an exercise apparatus with a pull cord central pulley attached to a carriage and a pulley locking mechanism.
The carriage consists of a top side where the exerciser puts his or her body. The carriage includes a top side upon which a pair of shoulder pads and a head pad in between the shoulder pad are disposed. The frame includes a head end and an opposing foot end. The shoulder pads and head pad are disposed adjacent the head end of the frame. The resistance members are attached to the frame and the carriage at the foot end of the frame. A foot rest may be attached to frame at the foot end.
The reformer type apparatus further includes a pair of pull cords. At the head end the frame further includes vertical pulley supports each with a frame pulley. Each of the pull cords are attached to the carriage. The pull cords each respectively extend to and loop about the frame pulleys and terminate at first and second handle portions of the pull cords. When performing exercises the exerciser grasps each of the first and second handle portions.
An exerciser uses the apparatus by laying, sitting or otherwise being supported by the carriage. Many basic reformer exercises are done lying down with the exerciser's head on the head pad with the shoulder pads providing stability to the exerciser. The exerciser's feet may be supported by the foot rest. The carriage is moved along the longitudinal axis by pulling the first or second handle portions and/or by pushing against the foot rest while responding to the effort that the exerciser exerts and the amount of resistance set up by the resistance members. There are also exercises where the exerciser is turned around and places the feet through the first or second handle portions.
There exists a need in the art for an improved reformer type apparatus that facilitates a versatility of the types of exercises that an exerciser may perform using the apparatus in comparison to the prior art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Exercise apparatus with a pull cord central pulley attached to a carriage and a pulley locking mechanism


Mucosal DTPa vaccines, especially intranasal vaccines, comprising (a) a diphtheria antigen, a tetanus antigen and an acellular pertussis antigen, and (b) a detoxified mutant of cholera toxin (CT) or E. coli heat labile toxin (LT). Component (b) acts as a mucosal adjuvant. The acellular pertussis antigen preferably comprises pertussis holotoxin (PT) and filamentous haemagglutinin (FHA) and, optionally, pertactin. The mucosally-delivered combined DTPa formulation is capable of generating a level of protection against B. pertussis infection equivalent to that observed by alum-adjuvanted parenteral administration.

Bordetella pertussis is the causative agent of whooping cough. A highly effective inactivated whole cell vaccine has been available since the 1940s but concern over its safety, due to the presence of toxic cellular components, has limited its uptake [1]. Acellular pertussis vaccines(Pa) comprising a small number of defined B. pertussis antigens have therefore been produced, and have been approved for use in humans [2].
Pertussis vaccines are usually administered intramuscularly to children in the form of atrivalent DTP combination (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) on alum adjuvant. Intramuscular vaccination is not, however, the ideal route of administration. Mucosal vaccines (oral, intranasal etc.) are preferred for two reasons [3]. Firstly, they are easier to administer on a large scale, avoiding the need for specialized equipment and the problems associated with needles. Secondly, they stimulate mucosal immunity, mediated by secretory IgA. As most pathogens enter the body across mucous membranes, mucosal immunity is desirable.
Attempts to make acellular mucosal pertussis vaccines have been described [e.g. 4,5,6,7,8,9], but the levels of protection reported were either not compared with conventional vaccine, or did not approach that observed the alum-adjuvanted antigens given parenterally.
There is therefore a need for an effective mucosal DTP combination vaccine.


A system for discriminating between coded responses from multiple SAW identification tags and a method of operating such system. In one embodiment the system provides for a SAW tag reader subsystem that detects coded responses from the tags to an interrogation pulse; and a coded response analyzing subsystem, coupled to the SAW tag reader subsystem, that employs signal processing techniques to separate portions of the coded responses and generates possibilities for remaining portions of the coded responses.

The present invention is directed, in general, to a system for discrimination between multiple surface acoustic wave (SAW) identification tags and, more specifically, to a reader and response control system for discrimination between multiple SAW identification tags and a method of operation thereof.
A number of different types of electronic identification methods and devices are currently being employed ranging from ubiquitous bar codes and magnetic strips to sophisticated radio frequency identification (xe2x80x9cRFIDxe2x80x9d) devices. In the case of bar codes and magnetic strips, a significant limiting factor is the relatively short effective range. Magnetic strips, for example, generally require the reader to be in direct contact with the strip in order to detect and decode any data. In those few cases where a magnetic strip is read with a device other than a direct contact reader, the effective reading range is still only a few centimeters at best. Similarly, the effective range for reliably reading bar codes is also typically no better than a few centimeters, at best. Because the range at which bar codes and magnetic strips can be read is so short, they are usually read one at a time and seldom does one bar code or magnetic strip interfere with another.
Most RFID tags can be conveniently divided into chip tags and chipless tags. Chipless tags generally have no longer a read range than bar codes or magnetic strips. Although prior art RFID chip tags can be fabricated that have a significantly longer reliable read range than chipless tags, magnetic strips or bar codes, they are generally so expensive that their use is generally limited to discrete applications where the expense can be justified economically. In most cases, these prior art RFID chip tags are individually read and little opportunity exists for tag responses to interfere with one another.
A recently developed RFID tag with a long read range that can be inexpensively fabricated requires the problem of interference from multiple tag responses to an interrogation signal to be addressed. A complete and detailed description of SAW identification tags 120 is set forth in detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 20030111540, entitled xe2x80x9cSurface Acoustic Wave Identification Tag Having Enhanced Data Content and Methods of Operation and Manufacture Thereof,xe2x80x9d Hartmann, Clinton S. (xe2x80x9cHartmann Onexe2x80x9d), commonly assigned with the invention and incorporated herein by reference. A description of SAW identification tag readers 130 to read such tags is described in detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 20030141366, entitled xe2x80x9cReader For a High Information Capacity Saw Identification Tag and Method of Use Thereof,xe2x80x9d Hartmann, Clinton S. (xe2x80x9cHartmann Threexe2x80x9d), also commonly assigned with the invention and incorporated herein by reference. Because such tags are inexpensive enough to be attached to a large number of objects (such as objects on a shipping pallet) and because they have sufficient range to permit a tag reader to interrogate a large number of tags at the same time, the signal interference or code collision problem caused by multiple responses must be addressed as well as any inter-symbol interference problems caused by so many responses being transmitted at one time. These issues need to be resolved before the full potential of SAW identification tags can be realized.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art are systems and methods that permit a user to reliably distinguish between multiple responses to an interrogation signal that are emanating from SAW tags that are in close proximity.
To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides a system for discriminating between coded responses from multiple SAW identification tags and a method of operating such system. In one embodiment the system provides for (1) a SAW tag reader subsystem that detects coded responses from the tags to an interrogation pulse; and (2) a coded response analyzing subsystem, coupled to the SAW tag reader subsystem, that employs signal processing techniques to separate portions of the coded responses and generates possibilities for remaining portions of such coded responses.
The present invention thus provides a system for distinguishing between multiple responses to an interrogation signal that emanate from SAW tags in close proximity where a xe2x80x9ccollisionxe2x80x9d exists between such responses in the signal processing sense of this term. The successful identification of a SAW tag requires that positive and reliable determination of the data encoded on a single SAW tag. Thus, it is essential that a SAW identification tag system be able to separate and identify the signature of a single tag from the signatures of other SAW tags responding to an interrogation signal. A beneficial feature of the present invention is that it can be structured to provide for a xe2x80x9chierarchicalxe2x80x9d control operating system that can be used to determine the correct responses of SAW tags in collision based on all the multiple factors used to determine signal responses.
In one embodiment the system provides for using signal processing techniques that consist of developing a synthetic coded response from the responses of the SAW tag to be identified and generating identification possibilities from such synthetic response. In another embodiment the system only identifies coded responses based on a a particular hierarchical tag level. In still another embodiment, the system signal processing techniques comprise examining at least one known tag anomaly.
A particularly useful embodiment that can be adapted to the environment where the SAW tags will be employed utilizes signal processing techniques comprised of analyzing at least one tag environmental factor. An aspect of this embodiment provides for the environmental factor is selected from the group consisting of: temperature drift; frequency drift; SAW tag position; SAW tag orientation; SAW tag motion; and SAW tag direction of travel.
In yet still another embodiment the system is further comprised of a sensor subsystem that detects other physical properties of the tags, the coded response analyzing subsystem employing the signal processing techniques and the physical properties to generate the possibilities. The present invention also provides for a method of operating the foregoing system and the various embodiment of such system. In another embodiment of the invention the system is further comprised of an inertial guidance system. As aspect of this embodiment provides for the inertial guidance system to be selected from the group consisting of: an inertial guided antenna system; an inertial guided reader system; and an inertial guided platform system.
The foregoing has outlined preferred and alternative features of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Reader and response control system for discrimination between multiple surface acoustic wave identification tags and method of operation thereof


A method of manufacturing a portion of a portable electronic device includes forming a glass fiber laminate sheet to provide a formed glass fiber laminate body, and overmolding a rim on the body. The rim includes a connector for coupling with a complementary part of the portable electronic device.

Electronic devices, including portable electronic devices, have gained widespread use and may provide a variety of functions including, for example, telephonic, electronic messaging and other personal information manager (PIM) application functions. Portable electronic devices include several types of devices including mobile stations such as simple cellular telephones, smart telephones, wireless PDAs, and laptop computers with wireless 702.11 or Bluetooth capabilities.
Portable electronic devices such as PDAs or smart telephones are generally intended for handheld use and ease of portability. Smaller devices are generally desirable for portability. With increased functionality and features included in portable electronic devices, further reduction in size of components is desirable to maintain or further reduce the overall size of portable electronic devices.

Portable electronic device and method of manufacturing parts thereof


One example of this invention is about ensuring all messages be delivered to the intended users in any Instant Messaging applications (Server/Client). In one embodiment, the solution requires making improvements at both Server and Client sides, to ensure correct delivery of the message. Various parameters, such as time stamp and wait time, are discussed.

Instant Messaging (IM) allows instantaneous communication between number of parties simultaneously, by transmitting information quickly and efficiently, featuring immediate receipt of acknowledgement or reply. In certain cases, Instant Messaging involves additional features, which make it even more popular, i.e. to see the other party, e.g. by using web-cams, or to talk directly for free over the Internet.
It is possible to save a conversation for later reference. Instant messages are typically logged in a local message history which closes the gap to the persistent nature of e-mails and facilitates quick exchange of information like URLs (Universal Resource Locator) or document snippets (which can be unwieldy when communicated via telephone).
Let's assume that user A and user B are the two users in any Instant Messaging application (Buddies). Most of the Instant Messaging applications display status in the chat window if other user is typing a message. This is good enough only if the message window at the other side is opened. The problem is when user A wants to send a message to user B for the first time. User A opens a chat window for user B and starts typing a message. (Note that, the message is not sent yet.) If at the same time, user B wants to logoff or disconnect from the instant message server, then user B may lose any message from user A (e.g., user A could be a friend, a manager, or a client). In this case, user B never gets notified that user A is typing a message or about what user A is typing.
User B will get a message only if the chat window with user A is opened. If the chat session is not started yet, then in that case, the user B may lose any message from user A. The existing solution only allows user B get a status that "user A is typing a message" if the chat session has already started between user A and user B.
In an organization with thousands of employees, the chances of many people experience losing messages on a daily basis based on this scenario is appreciable.
The present invention, as an example, proposes a solution to address this problem for when the chat session has not yet started, so that all messages will be delivered to the intended recipient.

Delivering instant messages to the intended user


A system for transmitting alternating current power and communication signals between a first location and a second location through a communication path which includes at least one inductive load and at least one switch configured to switch power to the at least one inductive load on and off is disclosed herein. The system comprises a control configured to control the at least one switch so that, if the power is switched on during a particular phase of the power, is the power is switched off during the opposite phase of the power, and if the power is switched off during a particular phase of the power, the power is switched on during the opposite phase of the power.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to protecting against transients in a communication system, for example, in a subsea fluid production well power and communication system.
In subsea fluid production well power and communication systems, the voltage transients inherently associated with power on/off switching of inductive loads are potentially very damaging because communication modems are directly coupled (connected electrically) to power lines in order to implement communication on power (COP) systems. High voltage transients may damage topside and subsea modems used in COP-based communication systems and topside and subsea power distribution transformers.

Protecting against transients in a communication system


A vehicle structural component includes at least one first and at least one second fiber-reinforced plastics insert, an injection-molded rib structure, where the injection-molded rib structure connects the plastic inserts and is injection-molded onto the plastic inserts, and at least one metal element which forms an attachment region of the vehicle structural component.

The present invention relates to a vehicle structural component and to a method for producing a vehicle structural component.
Vehicle structural components serve for reinforcing the vehicle structure, for example by vertical pillars or the vehicle roof structure. Furthermore, they can serve for attaching flaps and the functional elements thereof, such as spring-damper elements.
Such vehicle structural components are frequently manufactured from fiber-reinforced plastic in order to obtain a lightweight construction since these parts are not as heavy as structural components made of steel. A disadvantage in this connection is, however, that structural components made from plastic cannot be connected to the vehicle structure by conventional methods, for example by welding.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle structural component for a motor vehicle, which has a low weight with simultaneously high rigidity and strength and can be connected to a body structure by hot connecting techniques. Furthermore, the intention is for the vehicle structural component to be able to be produced in large series.
This object is achieved according to the invention by a vehicle structural component, comprising at least one first and at least one second fiber-reinforced plastics insert and an injection-molded rib structure which connects the plastics inserts and is injection molded onto the plastics inserts, and at least one metallic element by means of which an attachment region of the vehicle structural component is formed.
A vehicle structural component of this type has a series of advantages: by means of the integrated metallic elements, high local ductility for absorbing energy in the event of high structural loading is achieved. Furthermore, a punctiform introduction of force is made possible. In addition, the vehicle structural component can be connected to an adjacent vehicle structure by hot connecting techniques for metallic materials, for example by welding. Furthermore, the same or additional metallic elements can be used in order to attach movable elements, for example a hinge for attaching a tailgate. The fiber-reinforced plastics inserts ensure the necessary rigidity of the vehicle structural component. By means of the injection-molded rib structure which in terms of volume makes up the main portion of the vehicle structural component, the vehicle structural component meets the requirements in respect of lightweight design.
At least one of the fiber-reinforced plastics inserts preferably protrudes through a recess in the metallic element. A good transmission of force from the vehicle structural component to the remaining vehicle structure, for example to a side frame, is thereby possible.
According to one embodiment, the at least one metallic element is designed as an insert part which has a plurality of recesses which are filled with plastic. In particular, the metallic element is surrounded, preferably insert molded, by the injection-molded rib structure in a region in which the recesses are arranged. The metallic element is thereby reliably connected to the injection-molded rib structure without additional fastening elements being required.
According to an alternative embodiment, the at least one metallic element can be connected to the injection-molded rib structure by an integrally bonded connection, frictional connection and/or form-fitting connection, in particular by adhesive bonding, riveting and/or screwing. A reliable connection between the metallic element and the injection-molded rib structure can thereby likewise be achieved.
The injection-molded rib structure can have reinforcing webs which run at an angle in relation to the plastics inserts and with respect to one another, as seen in a cross section. This results in the formation of a lattice-like structure which is particularly stable.
As seen in cross section, preferably in each case at least two adjacent reinforcing webs form a local reinforcing unit with one of the plastics inserts. For example, a plurality of reinforcing webs, in particular two adjacent reinforcing webs, run at an angle with respect to one another and are connected at the at least one first and/or at the at least one second fiber-reinforced plastics insert at a connecting point. The reinforcing webs are injection molded here on fiber-reinforced plastics inserts. Furthermore, the reinforcing webs are connected to one another via the connecting point and permit a lattice-like distribution of force, wherein the connecting points act as junction points.
In the longitudinal direction of the vehicle structural component, a multiplicity of reinforcing webs preferably run consecutively transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction and/or the plastics inserts run in the longitudinal direction of the structural component. Force can thereby be distributed particularly readily in the vehicle structural component.
The fiber-reinforced plastics inserts preferably run along an outer surface of the vehicle structural component. In particular, part of the outer surface of the vehicle structural component is formed by a surface of a plastics insert. This facilitates the production of the vehicle structural component since the fiber-reinforced plastics inserts can simply be inserted into a mold.
Particularly preferably, the at least one first fiber-reinforced plastics insert extends along an upper side of the vehicle structural component and the at least one second fiber-reinforced plastics insert along a lower side of the vehicle structural component. Alternatively or additionally, the plastics inserts can extend in an edge region of the vehicle structural component. An edge region of the vehicle structural component is arranged at the front or at the rear, as seen in the direction of the vehicle. By means of such an arrangement, the plastics inserts form a profile which is connected by the injection-molded rib structure. The vehicle structural component can thereby absorb particularly high loadings.
The reinforcing webs can be arranged spaced apart from one another in each case in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle structural component. Material can thereby be saved since fewer reinforcing webs have to be formed. In particular, the number of reinforcing webs can be adapted to the respective requirements in the vehicle structure.
According to one embodiment, the injection-molded rib structure comprises a short-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic and/or the plastics inserts comprise an endless fiber material. In particular, the plastics inserts are cut in the longitudinal direction to a predetermined length. Short-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics are particularly readily suitable for injection molding applications. The endless fibers of the plastics inserts can be impregnated with a resin. The endless fibers preferably run unidirectionally in the plastics inserts, and therefore the latter exhibit an anisotropic material behavior. As a result, the vehicle structural component has high rigidity especially in the longitudinal direction.
The metallic element can be spaced apart over its entire surface from the plastics inserts. This avoids stress peaks occurring in the vehicle structural component.
The vehicle structural component is preferably connected in an integrally bonded manner, in particular by spot welding or adhesive bonding, to an adjacent vehicle structure by means of the metallic element. A reliable, long-lasting fastening of the vehicle structural component to a vehicle structure can therefore be achieved.
The object of the invention is furthermore achieved by a method for producing a vehicle structural component which is designed as described previously, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
a) providing a mold,
b) heating at least one first and at least one second fiber-reinforced plastics insert,
c) forming the at least one first and at least one second plastics insert,
d) inserting the at least one first and at least one second formed plastics insert into the mold,
e) insert molding the plastics inserts with plastic, and
f) attaching at least one metallic element to the vehicle structural component by insert molding in step e) and/or by means of fastening means in such a manner that at least one plastics insert protrudes through a recess in the metallic element.
A method of this type permits the production of a vehicle structural component according to the invention in large series.
The mold can comprise at least one mold upper part and at least one mold lower part, wherein the at least one first fiber-reinforced plastics insert is inserted into the mold upper part and the at least one second fiber-reinforced plastics insert into the mold lower part in such a manner that the plastics inserts lie against an inner surface of the mold parts. As a result, after the injection molding, the plastics inserts form at least part of an outer surface of the vehicle structural component.
The mold upper part and the mold lower part each comprise engagement means for engagement between the fiber-reinforced plastics inserts from the side. The engagement means have a complementary shape with an offset predetermined with respect to one another as injection clearances, wherein the plastic is injected into the injection clearances.
Further features and advantages of the invention emerge from the description below and from the following drawings, to which reference is made.
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.

Vehicle structural component and method for producing a vehicle structural component

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


The porous displacement piles comprising (a) closed-ended pipe piles with small holes and or narrow slots, filled with compacted sandy soil, (b) closed-ended porous pipe piles such as closed-ended pipe pile with very small holes and or very narrow slots, and (c) a precast prestressed porous concrete piles are driven through inside the already driven non-displacement hollow pipe piles in a grid pattern to create excess pore-water pressures generally ranging between 50 and 1500 kPa in cohesive soils, which begin dissipating through inside the porous displacement piles to rapidly consolidate and densify the said cohesive soil. The porous displacement piles are designed for permitting free flow of the pressurized pore-water and to prevent migration of particles of cohesive soil into the porous displacement pile using filter design criteria or verified by laboratory tests. These piles when driven in sandy soils densify sandy soils instantaneously.

A displacement pile when driven in partially or 100 percent saturated cohesive soil such as silty or clayey soil, displaces soil and creates excess pore-air and pore-water pressures. To consolidate and densify the cohesive soil, these excess pore pressures are to be dissipated through the displacement pile to the ground surface or to a sandwiched sandy layer. Therefore, the displacement piles to act as a means to dissipate excess pore-water or pore-air pressures have to be porous in characteristics. When rain water flows on the ground, it carries with it fine particles of soil, particularly silt and clay particles, which can be seen in muddy and brownish water in rivers on onset of rains. Similarly, when excess pore-water to dissipate excess pore-water pressures flows from the cohesive soil to and through the porous displacement pile, it shall have a tendency to carry fine particles of silty and clayey soil, which are needed to be prevented by the porous displacement pile to act as a fully displacement pile. To have that capacity, the porous displacement pile has to meet a protective filter design criterion which can permit free flow of water, but at the same time, prevent migration of fine particles of soil into the porous displacement piles. It is for these multiple purposes, porous displacement piles comprising (i) closed-ended pipe piles with holes in a specified grid pattern and sandy soil filled in layers and each layer compacted in the pipe section above ground to attain specified density, (ii) closed-ended pipe piles with very small holes in a specified grid pattern, and (iii) porous prestressed concrete piles in a specified grid pattern, with the requirement that all of them shall meet the protective filter design criteria, have been invented and presented in this application to consolidate and densify the subsurface layers of cohesive soils and intermediate geomaterials. First a non-displacement consisting of a hollow pipe section is driven into ground to some depth. To prevent any possibility of heaving of the soil at the ground surface during driving of displacement piles, the porous displacement piles are driven through inside the non-displacement piles. The main inventive step of this invention is that for a displacement pile to perform primary function of rapid consolidation and densification of silty clayey soils is that a displacement pile creates excess pore-water pressures and then densification of sandy or silty clayey soil can occur only when pressurized pore water dissipates through a displacement pile which is porous and allows free flow of water and also prevents migration of fine particles of in-situ into and through the displacement pile to exit either to the ground surface or to sandy player and does not let it to be plugged by fine particles. It may be noted that all these types of piles can also be used to densify subsurface layers of sandy soils.

Porous displacement piles meeting filter design criteria for rapid consolidation and densification of subsurface soils and intermediate geomaterials


A method for transferring a collaboration session from a handheld device to a multimedia endpoint by encoding session data for the collaboration session and/or instructions into an optically machine-readable representation of data, displaying the data on a display of the handheld device, and optically providing the data to a multimedia endpoint the collaboration session is to be transferred to. The multimedia endpoint may send a message to a server upon detecting the data, causing the server to transfer the collaboration session, based on the session data in the message. Alternatively, the multimedia endpoint establishes a session with another multimedia endpoint based on the instructions and/or session data.

Conventional videoconferencing systems comprise a number of end-points communicating real-time video, audio and/or data (often referred to as "duo video," which is a feature that allows the codec to send two live video streams simultaneously, allowing the viewer to see the person speaking and additional content) streams over and between various networks such as WAN, LAN and circuit switched networks.
A number of videoconference systems residing at different sites may participate in the same conference, most often, through one or more MCU's (Multipoint Control Unit) performing, for example, switching and mixing functions to allow the audiovisual terminals to intercommunicate properly.
Video conferencing systems presently provide communication between at least two locations for allowing a video conference among participants situated at each station. Conventionally, the video conferencing arrangements are provided with one or more cameras. The outputs of those cameras are transmitted along with audio signals to a corresponding plurality of displays at a second location such that the participants at the first location are perceived to be present or face-to-face with participants at the second location.
Video conferencing systems are becoming increasingly common, especially in the desktop space. Landline telephones are exchanged with desktop video conferencing systems which may operate both as IP phones and video conferencing systems.
Each Video conferencing system has a unique identifier (or address) which is used when someone wishes to call a certain video conferencing system. For example, a video conferencing system operating on H.320 (ISDN) may have a unique phone number, and a Video conferencing system operating on H.323 (IP) may have a unique Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) or IP-address. This allows a user and his/her video conferencing system to be associated with one unique identifier, much like traditional telephone systems and telephone numbers.
However, the unique identifier is associated with the video conferencing system, so the user is only reachable at the physical location of the video conference system.
In an office environment this causes limitations in accessibility since people often are on the move, e.g. attending meetings, workgroups, etc. A user may also have several equally important work locations such as the office, the lab, common creative workspace, etc. Each location may have a video conference system. Hence, since each video conference system has its own unique identifier, and the caller usually does not know the physical location of the person he/she is trying to reach, the caller must either try to call all the locations he/she thinks the person may be or he/she must try to call back at a later stage.
Another problem with location-bound telecommunication equipment is the disturbance it may cause to immediate surroundings. Speech has been found to be the most annoying sound source in open plan offices, and the most distracting speech originates from the closest workstation. Since desktop video conferencing systems are more or less stationary devices, it is impossible to walk to a more private area to continue a call without first disconnecting the call and then reestablish the call at a different location.

Method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for transferring a collaboration session


Method of electrolytic drilling of a fluid metering orifice through a metal substrate including the step of terminating electrolytic current flow when the volume of the electrolyte stream impinging on the substrate correlates to the desired flow of the fluid through the orifice.

A number of devices utilize small orifices to meter or control the flow of fluids therethrough. For example, some turbine engine parts are made from a material which includes a plurality of small holes therethrough and through which gases flow for transpirational cooling of the parts. Moreover, some fuel injectors for supplying precise quantities of fuel to internal combustions engines use an orifice plate for atomizing fuel injected into the combustion chamber of the engine. Such plates typically comprise a thin (0.004 in.) stainless steel disc having a number of small, diverging orifices extending through the disc. One such injector has six orifices (i.e., 0.006 in. diameter) angling through the disc at an angle of about 30.degree. to the principal plane of the disc so as to provide a fuel flow of about 2 g/sec in a cone-shaped pattern. This flow should not vary more than about one percent from one injector to the next.
Fuel injector orifices are currently made using electric discharge machining (EDM) techniques in which an electrical spark between a fine wire and the orifice plate selectively vaporizes metal from the disc to form the orifice. EDM machines are quite costly and typically machine only one orifice at a time. Moreover, in order to obtain a desired fuel flow rate through the orifice it is necessary to control a number of process variables other than flow rate to insure the requisite one percent variability allowance. In this regard, fuel flow rate through the disc is affected by a variety of geometrical parameters of the orifices in the orifice plate (i.e., diameter, length, taper, roundness, surface finish and presence of burrs). These geometrical parameters are, in turn, affected by the EDM process parameters (i.e., voltage, current, frequency, electrode gap, ramming speed, electrode type, physical metallurgy of the workpiece and the dielectric fluid's properties). With all these variables to consider it is extremely difficult to control the EDM process to keep it within the narrow window of allowable flow rate variation.
Electrolytic jet drilling has been used to drill metal substrates by passing electrolyzing current through an uncontained stream of electrolyte impinging on the surface of the metal to be drilled. While electrolyte splashes off and spreads over much of the surface of the substrate, drilling occurs substantially exclusively at the impingement site as is well know in the art. Such electrolytic drilling processes are known to make burr-free surfaces, but are incapable of accurately machining fuel injector sized orifices within a diameter tolerance of only 0.5 percent (i.e., one percent tolerance on flow equals a one percent tolerance on area and hence a 0.5 percent tolerance on orifice diameter).
It would be desirable if a process could be devised which would consistently and simply drill small, precisely sized fluid metering orifices with minimum fluid flow rate variability from one orifice to the next. It would even be more desirable if a process could be devised for simultaneously drilling a plurality of such orifices.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a process for the consistent electrolytic drilling of small orifices with little flow rate variability from one orifice to the next which process includes real time measurement of the flow rate through the orifice during drilling. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a process for simultaneously electrolytically drilling a plurality of such orifices. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the detailed description thereof which follows and which is given hereafter in conjunction with several drawings in which:


A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the main assembly including a first coupling member which is rotatable about a first axis and which has a first edge line provided at a free end portion with respect to a direction of the first axis, includes a second coupling member which is rotatable about a second axis and which has a second edge line provided at a free end portion with respect to a direction of the second axis, the second coupling member being engageable with the first coupling member to receive a driving force from the first coupling member; and a rotatable member rotatable by the driving force received by the second coupling member; wherein when the first edge line and the second edge line are contacted to each other before the first coupling member and the second coupling member are engaged with each other, upon mounting the cartridge to the main assembly of the apparatus so as to bring the second coupling member close to the first coupling member in a state in which the first axis and the second axis are substantially aligned with a common phantom line, (i) the first edge line and the second edge line projected on a first phantom plane including the phantom line are crossed with each other, and (ii) the first edge line and the second edge line projected on a second phantom plane perpendicular to the phantom line are crossed with each other, and at least one of a normal line of the first edge line and a normal at a second edge line at a crossing point does not pass through the phantom line.

In the field of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, it is common practice to employ a structural arrangement were one or more among developer, photosensitive member, processing means, etc., are assembled in the form of a cartridge so that they can be removably mountable in the main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. A cartridge used with an image forming apparatus is driven by a driving apparatus with which the main assembly of the image forming apparatus is provided. More specifically, the cartridge is driven by the driving apparatus, through a driving force transmitting apparatus, that is, the connective means positioned between the cartridge and the main assembly of an image forming apparatus. The driving force transmitting apparatus is made up of gears, coupling members, etc.
In a case where an image forming apparatus is structured so that a cartridge therefor is to be mounted or dismounted in the direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the cartridge, it is common practice that one of the lengthwise ends of the cartridge is provided with a coupling member, which functions as a part of the means for transmitting driving force to the cartridge from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus.
Regarding the coupling means structure, a coupling means is made up of two portions, that is, a portion with a protrusion (claw or the like) and a portion with a recess. The protrusion protrudes in parallel to the rotational axis of the coupling. The portion with a recess is rotationally driven by the portion with a protrusion by engaging with the protrusion. In the case of the coupling structured as described above, the coupling portion with a protrusion is attached to the cartridge, and the coupling portion with a recess is attached to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus.
The two coupling portions sometimes fail to couple with each other. That is, the projection sometimes fails to fit into the recess, because of the relationship in terms of rotational phase. More specifically, the two coupling portions interfere with each other in terms of their movement in the direction parallel to their axial lines, and therefore, they sometimes prevent the cartridge from being completely mounted into the main assembly of the image forming apparatus.
Thus, some of the conventional driving force transmitting apparatuses made up of a coupling means are structured so that the portion of the coupling means, which is attached to a cartridge, or the portion of the coupling means, which is attached to the main assembly of an image forming apparatus, is fitted with a spring which allows the corresponding portion of the coupling means to retract in the direction parallel to the axial line of the coupling means if the coupling means interferes with the mounting of the process cartridge into the main assembly of the image forming apparatus (Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 2005-107413). In the case of most of the conventional driving force transmitting apparatuses of the above described type, the portion of the coupling means, which belongs to the main assembly of an image forming apparatus, is provided with a spring which keeps this portion of the coupling means pressed toward a cartridge while allowing the coupling porting to retract in the axial direction of the coupling portion. Further, these driving force transmitting apparatuses are structured so that even if the protruding portion of the coupling means does not properly fit into the recess of the coupling means when a cartridge is mounted into the main assembly of an image forming apparatus, the portion of the coupling means, which belongs to the main assembly of an image forming apparatus, retracts in its axial direction. Therefore, the coupling portion of the cartridge and the coupling portion of the apparatus main assembly do not interfere with the inward movement of the cartridge into the apparatus main assembly in their axial directions, allowing thereby the cartridge to be completely mounted into the apparatus main assembly. The difference in rotational phase between the two coupling portions is eliminated by the rotation of the coupling portion of the apparatus main assembly. Thus, the coupling portion which had retracted is allowed to be moved by the resiliency of the abovementioned spring in the axial direction of the coupling portion (toward cartridge). As a result, the coupling portion with the protrusion, and the coupling portion with the recess, properly engage with each other, making it possible for the driving force to be transmitted.

Cartridge with first and second coupling members for engaging main assembly


A semiconductor optical device includes an element structure layer that includes a mesa stripe extending in a first direction; an electrode film that covers at least an upper surface of the mesa stripe; an electrode pad portion that covers a part of a first region positioned in a second direction, intersecting the first direction, relative to the mesa stripe on an upper surface of the element structure layer and is electrically connected to the electrode film; a first dummy electrode that covers another part of the first region and is electrically insulated from the electrode film; and a second dummy electrode that covers at least a part of a second region positioned in a third direction, opposite to the second direction, relative to the mesa stripe on the upper surface of the element structure layer and is electrically insulated from the electrode film, wherein the first dummy electrode includes a first portion disposed in the first direction relative to the electrode pad portion and a second portion disposed in a fourth direction, opposite to the first direction, relative to the electrode pad portion.

A semiconductor optical device may be mounted on a submount formed of, for example, a ceramic substrate. A wiring pattern, which is provided on the submount, and the semiconductor optical device may be electrically connected using a wire. Some systems may hold a semiconductor optical device by vacuum suction using a collet when the semiconductor optical device is mounted on the submount.
With the progress of miniaturization of a semiconductor optical device, a size of a semiconductor optical device is becoming smaller than the size of a suction port of a suction device, such as a collet. An electrode size of the semiconductor optical device is being reduced for high-speed response and high integration. When the semiconductor optical device is held by the suction device, the semiconductor optical device is adsorbed by the suction device sucking a flat region of the semiconductor optical device, the flat region becomes smaller due to miniaturization of the semiconductor optical device and suction failure by the suction device occurs. For that reason, it has become difficult to appropriately hold the semiconductor optical device by the suction device.

Semiconductor optical device, optical module, and manufacturing method of semiconductor optical device


A door includes a board having opposed depressed portions formed in major opposed side walls and two thermoplastic sheets respectively attached to the major side walls of the board and having depressed portions shaped or embossed with decorative designs, fitted in the depressed portions of the board.

Doors covered with plastic sheets which are embossed with decorative patterns or figures by means of thermoplastic deformation art for closing the entrance to a building, room, cupboard, etc. are well known in the prior art. Referring to FIG. 2, a thermoplastic sheet 10 of a suitable thickness and about the size of a major side wall of a board of a door is used and then heated to the plastic deformable state by a heater or suitable number of infrared heaters located on the top and bottom of the sheet 10. The thermoplastic sheet 10 may be moved relative to the heaters or the heaters may be moved relative to the sheet 10 so as to evenly distribute the heating effect to the sheet 10 to achieve a uniform deformable plastic state.
The thermoplastic sheet 10 is then placed between a male die 11 and a female die 12 and further sealed therebetween. The metal block of the male die 11 is cut with desired pattern or FIG. 111 and provided with a plurality of passages 110 extending downwardly to connect an air conduit 13 which is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown). The vacuum pump will create a vacuum in the chamber in top portion of the male die 11 to form desired pattern or FIG. 102 in the sheet 10 corresponding to the shapes cut in the male die 11 by creating an excess of pressure on the upper face of the sheet 10. After this is accomplished, the thermoplastic sheet 11 is then removed form the molds 11 and 12 into the open air for air cooling.
Two such thermoplastic sheets 10 both of a size can be attached to major opposed sides of the board of the door by means of adhesives.
It is found that the embossed patterns or figures of the thermoplastic sheets attached to doors are easy to be fractured in transport as doors generally stacked up in container or aboard. To alleviate this problem sufficient stuffing arranged among doors is necessary to prevent the embossed patterns or figures from fracturing or undesired deformations caused by loading pressure, and that is obviously costly and labour consuming.
The present invention provides an improved door covered with thermoplastic sheets each of which has a concavity surface for been shaped or embossed with decorative design such as pattern or figure.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved door with its concavity surface for securing designs shaped or embossed therein from being fractured.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved door with a concavity surface which is easy to pack and labour and space savings in packaging.


A portable enclosure for temporary shelter purposes as a storage building or workshop at remote construction sites comprises a plurality of articulable frames mounted on a towable boom, which may be coupled to a towing tractor, and which has wheels at the other end so that it may be towed. Each of the frames has first to fourth frame members, with a first cylinder mounted between the boom and the first frame member to adjust the tilted disposition of that member with respect to the boom to vertical. The angle between the second and third members is adjusted by a second cylinder. The fourth member also assumes a vertical orientation. Thus, each of the first and fourth frame members of each frame is articulable to a substantially vertical orientation, and they are horizontally distanced one from the other so as to form a storage or workshop space between them.

This invention relates to portable enclosures, and particularly to portable enclosures which may be towed to remote construction sites for use as storage buildings or workshops. The portable enclosure is effectively collapsible for towing purposes, but may be opened to become such as a storage building or workshop at a remote construction site due to the presence of a plurality of articulable frames which are mounted to and swing away from the towable boom.
There are many remote construction sites scattered throughout the world. Some may be several kilometers or several hundred kilometers from cities or towns, such as construction sites for supporting the construction of energy transmission lines such as electricity power lines, gas and oil pipe lines, and the like. Other construction sites are further remote, at mine sites, where the head works for a mine may be under construction, or where defence installations are being constructed, at hydro electric construction sites, and the like.
Most such construction sites are accessible, at least in part, by road, or over frozen tundra or ice, whereby wheeled or tracked vehicles may come to those sites. What is common at such sites, however, is that they typically will have a variety of earth moving equipment, other heavy construction equipment, construction supplies, and the like. What is also common in such remote construction sites is that they are temporary in their nature. They might exist at a particular location for several months, or perhaps even several years, but not for lengthy periods of time.
Also, at such construction sites, there is not only the necessity to store construction materials, and protect them from the elements in some respect or other, there is also a necessity to protect heavy earth moving and other technical equipment from the elements especially when they are being repaired. It is very costly for construction equipment to be out of service; but it is sometimes not possible to repair or maintain equipment without the equipment being sheltered in one way or another.
For example, at construction sites in the far north, typically work is carried on during whatever daylight hours there may be, and repair and maintenance is carried on during darkness hours. However, since such locations may be very cold, and typically the mechanics and other workers who repair and maintain such equipment wear light clothing and gloves, they require shelter.
A typical shelter, previously, could be such as a shed or hut having aluminum or coated steel skin on the outside, or it could be such as a tent.
However, portable huts and the like require substantial ground preparation, the placement of footings, and the require erection at the site. That requirement, in itself, may take a team of construction workers a number of days or weeks, before any actual construction work can begin at the construction site.
If tents are used, they are typically quite small; or if they are large, they require the use of centre poles, and therefore have limited free span width for location of large and heavy equipment such as earth moving equipment and the like.
Of course, it is well known to heat such enclosures with gas powered heaters, and the workers who work within such enclosures are accustomed to the hardships otherwise of such conditions.
The present invention overcomes the difficulties described above by providing a portable enclosure which may be towed to a construction site and erected at the site by actuation of a plurality of operating cylindersxe2x80x94typically, hydraulic cylinders. Thus, portable enclosures in keeping with the present invention may be towed on public highways and roads for as far as possible, and then over temporary roads or the like up to the construction site. The portable enclosure may then be erected in a manner of, five to thirty minutes. Furthermore, only one single worker is required to erect and collapse the portable enclosure, making operation of the portable enclosure a much more labour cost effective task than the building of portable huts or tents which typically requires a team of construction workers. Thus, the economies of the use portable enclosures in keeping with the present invention, even if they require higher capital costs initially, can be well understood and appreciated.
Obviously, and as will be described in greater detail hereafter, once a portable enclosure in keeping with the present invention is erected, it provides ample free span width to accommodate earth moving equipment and the like; and the portable enclosure may be clad with tarpaulin or other web-like fabric which can be completely closed, whereby a warm enclosure may be provided within a minimum period of time.
Typically, portable enclosures in keeping with the present invention may be adjusted as to their height and width, after they have been otherwise erected by actuation of their articulable frame members, as described hereafter. Thus, the specific requirements at one remote construction site may differ from those at another remote construction site, and yet the same portable enclosure may be used at both.
A number of patents which describe various kinds of portable or temporary structures for stages of other modular buildings, and the like, are known to the inventor herein. They included the following:
French Patent 802,239 issued Jun. 6, 1936 teaches a portable shelter or hangar that is intended for use to protect small airplanes. The portable hangar is provided in two parts, each of which comprises a plurality of wedged shape panels which are articulated and spread away from a centrally located mast.
Published British Patent Specification 1,367,064, published Sep. 18, 1974, relates to a collapsible garage which has a main frame covered with canvas, together with a plurality of arched members which are hinged to a pair of spaced apart base members. The arched members open much like a so-called Japanese fan.
Beckman U.S. Pat. No. 1,765,295, issued Jun. 17, 1930, relates to a tractor boom crane which can be mounted on a tractor such as a farm tractor, and opened out so as to be used otherwise as a hoist by being supported at its outer end.
A portable garage is taught in Stout U.S. Pat. No. 2,155,876, issued Apr. 25, 1939. Its principal feature is to provide a foldout shelter at each side of a towable building.
Another mobile building structure is taught in Sickel U.S. Pat. No. 2,755,517, issued Jul. 24, 1956. The purpose here is to provide such as an exhibition or sales structure that may be carried from time to time at exhibitions, conferences, auxiliary hospitals, and the like. The structure, once built, surrounds a centre post, and thus has limited free span.
A portable stage which may be carried to the site where it is to be used for an outdoor performance or the like, by being towed on a trailer is taught in Analetto U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,076, issued May 31, 1977. The stage is towed into place by being placed length wise of the trailer, and is then erected by first turning a turntable and then maneuvering a plurality of joists into place, after which a floor is constructed across the joists.
Gibbs U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,926, issued Sep. 6, 1977, teaches a roof structure for modular buildings which, again, may towed lengthwise on a trailer and then constructed into place by being put over a pair of spaced supports.
Another portable stage is taught in Hanley U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,488, issued Nov. 11, 1980. Once again, an articulated stage is towed into placed and then opened by being folded out from a central supporting structure.
Another structure having a supported floor which is transportable on the road but which is convertible for use as a stage or tribune is taught in Jonckheere U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,485, issued Dec. 11, 1990. This structure, as many others which relate to portable stages and the like, does not provide any shelter, but merely provides a surface on which a performance or other ceremony or activity can occur after the portable stage has been erected.
Yet another portable performance platform is taught in Boers U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,109, issued Oct. 6, 1992. Once again, an articulated upper surface is provided; and in this case also a lower surface, so that the stage or performance platform is sheltered.
Another mobile erectable stage and sound shell is taught in Uhl U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,698, issued Jul. 12, 1994. This patent again teaches a stage which can be towed on a trailer from one location to another, and is provided with a boom assembly to erect the stage by raising at least one sidewall panel and the interconnected roof panel. Nonetheless, the structure is a stage having specific structure which contains reversible acoustic panels, whereby stage performers can elect to use microphones, or not.
A transportable foldable building, and a method for erecting the same, is taught in Smith U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,832, issued Oct. 31, 1995. Here, a platform is supported in vertically spaced relation above a towable foundation, and then first and second outer roof sections are pivotally attached. Assembly of the foldable building is time consuming and expensive.
Murphy U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,593, issued Oct. 5, 1999, teaches a collapsible building which, again, may be towed into place. Here, however, a plurality of ground engaging support legs are put into place, and then a collapsible floor which has a number of hinged panels that collapse onto a chassis, followed by placement of a folding roof.
Loomans U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,059, issued Jul. 4, 2000, teaches a concrete construction system which uses articulated forms. A structure which is towable into place is not, per se, revealed in this patent.
Contrary to the above, the present inventor has quite unexpectedly discovered that an erectable structure can be provided, which is based on, and folded or articulated away from, a towable boom. The boom forms an integral part of the structure at one side thereof; and when the portable enclosure is erected a free span interior for the structure is provided into which construction equipment and the like may be placed for repair and maintenance work, or construction materials may be placed for storage, and so on.
To that end, therefore, the present invention provides a portable enclosure for temporary shelter purposes as a storage building or workshop at remote construction sites. The portable enclosure comprises a towable boom and a plurality of articulable frames mounted thereon.
The towable boom has coupling means at a first end for coupling to a towing tractor, and it has wheels at a remote second end so that the towable boom may be towed over roads and worksite terrain to the construction site at which it will be placed.
The plurality of articulable frames each comprises at least a first frame member, a second frame member, a third frame member, and a fourth frame member.
There is also a plurality of fluid operated extendable cylinders mounted on each articulable frame.
A first cylinder is mounted between the boom and the first frame member of each articulable frame, so as to adjust the angular disposition of the first frame member with respect to the boom.
A second cylinder is mounted between the second and third frame members of each articulable frame so as to adjust the angular disposition thereof with respect to each other.
Each of the first cylinders operates to move its respective first frame member, from a first, tilted position with respect to the boom, to a second, substantially vertical orientation.
Each of the second cylinders operates to move its respective second and third frame members from a first position whereat an acute angle is formed between the second and third frame members, to a second position whereat the angle formed between the second and third frame members is greater than the first position angle.
Each of the fourth frame members of each articulated frame is articulated to its respective third frame member so as to depend in a downwardly direction from the end thereof which is remote from its connection to the respective second frame member. Thus, the fourth frame member will assume a substantially vertical orientation when the second and third frame members have assumed their respective second positions.
Accordingly, each of the respective first and fourth frame members of each frame is articulable to a substantially vertical orientation, and they are thus capable of being horizontally distanced one from the other so as to constitute a storage or workshop space therebetween.
Typically, a web-like fabric material is spread between adjacent frame members and is secured thereto. Thus, rigid panels are not employed to enclose the interior volume of the portable enclosure.
The frame member of each frame may be extensible, and if so there is a third cylinder which is mounted thereon so as to cause an extending action of that fourth frame member.
Also, a wheel may be mounted at the bottom of each fourth frame member. Thus, the horizontal spacing between the respective first and fourth frame members of each frame may be adjusted while maintaining a substantially vertical orientation of the first and fourth frame members. That adjustment, as will be understood hereafter, is of the fourth frame member toward or away from the first frame member, which it will be recalled is mounted to the boom.
The towable boom may, itself, be extensible. If so, it has at least first and second boom portions. The wheels are mounted at the remote end of the second boom portion, and at least one articulable frame member may be mounted on each of the first and second boom portions.
Typically, each of the first, second, and third frame members of each respective articulable frame is extensible. Thus, its length may be extended from a first, closed position, to a second, extended position. Accordingly, the width and height measurements of an enclosure when the first and fourth frame members have assumed their vertical orientations, may be adjusted.
Moreover, in such circumstances, each of the first, second, and third frame members comprises first and second frame member portions, and each includes a respective, internally mounted, fluid operated extendable cylinder. Thus, the respective first and second frame member portions of each frame member may be extended one from the other.
Typically, each of the fluid operated extendable cylinders is hydraulic, but other fluid operated extendable cylinders such as compressed air or pneumatic cylinders, air over oil, and so on, may be employed.
A fourth cylinder may be mounted between the third and fourth frame members so as to adjust the angular disposition thereof, with respect to each other.
Otherwise, the fourth frame member of each articulable frame may be freely articulated to its respective third frame member.
Each wheel may be articulated to its respective fourth frame member so as to be swung vertically away from the bottom of the respective fourth frame member when the fourth frame member is in its first position.
Typically, the angle between the second and third frame members of each of the articulable frames, when in their respective second positions, is greater than 90xc2x0.


Seating systems in which energy is harvested from the physical movement of the seat. The seating system includes a seating article, an electrical generator, a drive mechanism, and a battery. The generator, the drive mechanism, and the battery are supported on the seating article. The generator is powered by the drive mechanism in response to movement of the user. For example, the drive mechanism may be responsive to the vertical movements of a seat.

The present invention relates to energy-generating devices, and more particularly to devices that generate energy from the daily physical movements of people.
Seating can offer many options for users and can assist users in many ways when electrical power is available. Examples of electrically powered seating options include seat adjustment motors, lumbar inflatable bags, and simple heating and cooling. Seating can be difficult to power especially when it is mobile, as in the case of office furniture. Running power cords and cables to seating can be unsightly at best and unsafe at worst.


The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a component and at least one support structure joined to the component by additive layer manufacturing, wherein the support structure has a reduced density and/or increased porosity relative to the component. The method then comprises a subsequent heat treatment step at increased pressure on the component and support structure to separate the component and at least one support structure.

Components manufactured by additive layer manufacturing (ALM) methods can have significant performance, weight, cost and lead time advantages over components manufactured by more traditional methods.
Powder bed ALM methods construct components layer by layer by depositing powder on a base plate and then selectively consolidating the powder using a laser or other heat source. Alternatively, blown powder ALM methods propel powder into the path of a laser or other heat source which melts and consolidates the powder which cools to form the component. The laser is moved to enable the material to deposit in the form of the component, one layer at a time. These steps are repeated to produce a three dimensional component.
Components produced using ALM methods inevitably contain inherent residual stresses, often leading to distortion. This is particularly pertinent to components having overhanging features. To manage this distortion, support structures are added to the component to add rigidity. ALM methods are also unable to produce components with overhangs greater than 45 degrees, for these overhangs support structures are required to prevent build failures. Such support structures are built up layer upon layer along with the component and consequently use a significant portion of the powdered material (often up to around 30%) and laser time. The support structures are subsequently removed from the component and disposed of.
Removal of the support structures is typically carried out manually using hand tools or machine tools. These processes add significant time, cost and limits to possible geometry of the resultant component. Furthermore, unless the surface of the component is completely machined, subsequent dressing of components to remove the "witness lines" remaining after the removal of the support structures is often necessary especially in areas sensitive to surface finishing.
Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) is a heat treatment in which high (up to 200 MPa) isostatic pressure is applied to a component, e.g. a component formed by an additive layer manufacturing (ALM) method, contained within an inert atmosphere in a sealed canister at a high temperature.
There is a desire to provide a method that minimises distortion in components manufactured by ALM methods, and reduce geometry restrictions relating to overhangs whilst ameliorating at least some of the problems associated with the known support structures.


A motor driver for driving a rotor of a single coil motor in a clockwise or counterclockwise rotation direction concerning a stator of the single coil motor is adapted for generating a position signal which is representative for the angular position of the rotor regarding the stator and comprises a controller which comprises a direction input to define the rotation direction of the rotor, and which is adapted for generating a driving signal for rotating the rotor in the defined rotation direction, wherein the driving signal is based on the position signal and is based on a signal indicative for an electrical lead angle wherein the signal indicative for the electrical lead angle is set such that the total lead angle is positive in both rotation directions of the rotor.

Single coil motors as well as their driving electronics are typically designed to run the motor in an energy efficient way in one preferred direction (e.g. when it is used for driving a fan). The design is then such that a reliable startup of that fan is achieved in the preferred direction.
Single coil motors may have stator shoe poles which are slightly asymmetrical. The asymmetry induces some reluctance offset compared to the zero torque position.
In some motor applications, as for example motors which are driving fans in air exchangers, it might be needed to start and to operate the motor either in a clockwise (CW) or in a counter clockwise (CCW) direction. The already mentioned slightly asymmetrical constructed motors might be used for that purpose.
A single coil motor may have the problem that when it is halted in the zero torque position, it might be difficult to start the motor, or it might start randomly in either CW or CCW direction.
When a single coil motor as well as its driving electronics are designed to run the motor in an energy efficient way in one preferred direction this might result in a less energy efficient way of operation in the opposite rotation direction, which might moreover be impaired by an increased noise level.
There is, therefore, a need for motor drivers and methods for driving a rotor of a single coil motor in a clockwise and counterclockwise rotation direction.