The present invention relates to an output stage circuit and an operational amplifier thereof. In the output stage circuit, one of a gate of a transistor is coupled to a gate of a bias transistor and a level shifter in response to a small signal outputted from an amplifying circuit in the operational amplifier. In addition, a gate voltage of the bias transistor is controlled by a voltage generating circuit to control a DC bias of the transistor of the output stage circuit. Therefore, extra frequency compensating components for compensating the transistor of the output stage circuit is no longer necessary, and saving circuit layout area and cost can be achieved by the present invention.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an amplifier, and more particularly, to an output stage circuit and an operational amplifier thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In analog circuit, the output stage circuit plays the role of driving the load in the condition of less gain decreasing.
FIG. 1 illustrates a circuit diagram depicting a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) operational amplifier with class AB output stage 100 in the reference [1]. Referring to FIG. 1, the operational amplifier 10 includes a class AB output stage 100, two resistors R10 and R11, two capacitors C10 and C11, an amplifying circuit A10 and a bias circuit B10, wherein the bias circuit B10 includes two sub bias circuits B10-1 and B10-2. For the explanation of the operation of the operational amplifier 10, in this circuit diagram, and a plurality of nodes A, B, X and Y are marked. The sub bias circuits B10-1 and B10-2 respectively control voltages of nodes A and B through the current sources IB1 and IB2 therein, so as to respectively control the bias voltages of nodes X and Y. Thus, the bias current lout of the class AB output stage 100 is proportional to the currents of IB1 and IB2.
The bias method of the class AB output stage 100 has advantages of fast frequency response. Nevertheless, this circuit scheme must adopt a bias circuit B10 using the folded-cascode configuration for biasing the class AB output stage. According to the description above, apparently, the circuit at least has two disadvantages as follow:
1. The control of steady current is inaccurate due to channel length modulation.
2. This circuit cannot be applied in lower supply voltage due to 2VGS requirement in the nodes A and B. For example, in UMC 0.35 μm fabricating process, the threshold voltage of p-type MOSFET (VTP) is about 0.8V. It should be considered the slow corner effect and the overdrive voltage about 0.1V. Thus, this circuit cannot be operated in the condition of VDD−VSS<2V.
FIG. 2 illustrates a circuit diagram depicting an operational amplifier for improving the operational amplifier of FIG. 1 in the reference [1]. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, there are 4 transistors cascaded in the bias circuit B20 in FIG. 2, and comparatively, there are 5 transistors cascaded in the bias circuit B10 in FIG. 1. Apparently, the operational amplifier in FIG. 2 is more proper to be applied in the condition of the low supply voltage. Since the transistors M201 and M202 of the bias circuit B20 is configured as a differential pair, it can control the voltage difference between the node X and the node Y as long as the adapted DC voltage is properly given to the node E. In the small signal operation, the voltages of the node X and the node Y varies in the same phase as the output signal of the amplifying circuit A20. At this time, the voltage of the node A is varied as the voltages of the node X and the node Y, so that the voltage difference between the node X and the node Y is consequentially varied. Therefore, the output signal Vout outputted from the class AB output stage circuit O20 will be distorted.
Reference [1] K. J. de Langen, J. H. Huijsing, "Compact Low-Voltage Power-efficient Operational Amplifier Cells for VLSI", IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. SC-33, pp. 1482-1496. October 1997.

Output stage circuit and operational amplifier thereof


Dual control flushing mechanism enables a user to select complete or partial flush of a toilet tank. The complete flush is obtained by lifting a mobile assembly containing a float, while maintaining the float intact. The partial flush is obtained by lifting the mobile assembly and simultaneously opening the float so that it fills with water and thereafter sinks, causing a blocking valve to engage and terminate the flushing process before a full flush has been effected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a flushing mechanism with dual controls enabling a complete or partial evacuation of the flushing tank, according to the user's choice.
2. Background and Related Information
Others have disclosed flushing mechanisms enabling the interruption, at will, of the evacuation of the flushing tank when one estimates that an adequate washing or rinsing of the bowl has been done, but before a total evacuation of all the water contained in said tank. See FR-A-2,609,297, FR-A-2,621,630, FR-A-2,658,844, and French Patent Application No. 90/06414. The interruption occurs before completion of the normal flushing process, in such a way that it is thus possible to obtain appreciable savings of water.
With the exception of the flushing system described in the document FR-A-2,609,297, the various devices proposed for obtaining the above described result have the disadvantage of necessitating two successive and spaced actions for control of the flushing mechanism. However, users or consumers do not always take the time, after having activated the control element the first time, of ensuring that an adequate rinsing of the bowl has been obtained before complete evacuation, in order to activate, a second time, the control element driving the interruption of the water flow, such that substantial quantities of water are often consumed uselessly.
The document FR-A-2,609,297 describes a flushing system whose aim is to obtain a water yield adapted to each use of the flush. However, this system implements a control device with two activating elements functioning by traction, and whose manipulation is especially clumsy. To obtain partial evacuation, one must, in fact, maintain one element pressed while the second is raised, and this during the entire duration of the partial evacuation.
The objective of the present invention is especially to overcome the necessity of activating the control element of the flushing mechanism twice to terminate the flushing process, so as to limit the quantity of water evacuated, without having to resort to complicated actions by the users.
The invention is particularly related to flushing mechanisms comprising a mounted, axially-displaceable assembly, comprising a valve for blocking the evacuation orifice of the tank, and stored in the lower portion of an overfilling tube or an overflow tube comprising an upper orifice and a lower orifice, the lower portion of such overflow tube being arranged or configured to constitute a float arranged above the valve, this float being submersible, and being equipped, to this end, with a blocking device which is axially and vertically moveable, this blocking device capable of being pressed against a seat formed by the edge of the lower orifice of the overflow tube, so as to stop entry of water in the float, or distanced from said seat under the impulsion of a pusher or stop element, so as to enable entry of water in said float driving the quick fall of such element and the interruption of the flushing process.
The invention further comprises two distinct push-button control systems. A first push-button control system includes a transmission device for lifting the mobile assembly. A second push-button control system comprises a transmission device enabling the positioning of the blocking device of the submersible float in the open position. Both of these control systems are arranged such that the activation of the lifting command of the mobile assembly does not result in any action on the displacement command of the blocking device of the submersible float, whereas the activation of the opening command of said blocking device automatically drives the activation of the lifting command of the mobile equipment.
According to another characteristic arrangement of the invention, the device comprises means for maintaining the displacement system of the blocking device of the submersible float in the open position of said blocking device, so that the filling of said float drives the fall of the latter element.
By virtue of the invention, the user or consumer can, in accordance with the quantity of water that he considers necessary to ensure adequate cleaning of the bowl, either obtain complete evacuation of the tank by activating the control system enabling the lifting of the mobile equipment of the flushing mechanism, or obtain partial evacuation of said tank, i.e., a partial evacuation of such tank, by activating the control system for opening the blocking device of the submersible float simultaneously driving the activation of the control system for lifting the mobile equipment.
The quantities of water evacuated by the implementation of one or the other of these flushing processes described herein above cannot be modified, while these processes cannot be interrupted, when they are activated, and this ensures that the bowl will be cleaned or rinsed well under all circumstances.
The aims, characteristics, and advantages mentioned above, and still others, will become more apparent upon reading the description that follows.

Dual control flushing mechanism, enabling complete or partial evacuation of a toilet tank to be operated selectively

Societe Phoceene De Matieres Plastiques (S.P.M.P.)


A system and method for storing data representing a multidimensional entity using corresponding dimensions for the data, storing a further dimension for the data, the further dimension being a modification timestamp indicating a time when the data was modified, receiving a request for the data representing the multi-dimensional entity, the request including a request timestamp indicating a further time when a previous request for the data representing the multi-dimensional entity was received and transmitting the data only when the modification timestamp is later than the request timestamp.

A geographical information system ("GIS") is a system for collecting, storing, analyzing, and managing data and attributes related to spatial and geographic data, or location information. GIS systems may manage large databases of location information, wherein the databases are maintained through continuously adding new location information and updating existing location information. Specifically, a computer system utilizing a GIS is capable of integrating, storing, editing, analyzing, sharing and displaying geographically referenced information.
Caching of data transmitted between a client of a GIS and a server of the GIS is a common technique to improve the performance of the GIS. However, for caching to function properly, a server within a GIS must be aware of the real-time location data that is cached on a client and must query immense amounts of database information to determine if the location information is accurate. Due to the problems associated with real-time caching, current GIS schemes either abandon caching altogether, or use a simplified scheme that results in a client requesting a great amount of unnecessary information.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for caching real-time data


A method of operating a vehicle at a substantially low speed based on change in the vehicle position. The method comprises the following steps: (A) transforming a steering control algorithm into a substantially low speed (SLS) steering control algorithm, wherein the (SLS) steering control algorithm is configured to operate the vehicle in an asynchronous low speed mode; and (B) implementing the SLS steering control algorithm as a controller configured to operate the vehicle in the asynchronous low speed mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of control systems, and more specifically, is in the field of very low speed vehicle control algorithms.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the prior art, performance of the existing control system deteriorates at very low speeds. A very low speed operation is considered to be in the range of (0.0-1.0) mph, or (0.0-0.5) m/s, and is necessary for certain farming operations.
Performance of the existing system deteriorates at low speeds for several reasons. At first, the sensor data is limited. At speeds less than 0.5 mph RTK GPS velocity and heading become noisy and unreliable; the signal to noise ratio of yaw rate from the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) deteriorates, and finally at speeds less than 1 mph, the vehicle speed sensor (VSS) no longer provides useful information. A reliable estimate of vehicle speed is necessary in the existing controller because of the dual mode operation of the heading filter (clamped versus normal mode); the activation or deactivation of the steering loop, and speed related dependencies in the outer supervisor loop. Also, at very low speeds, the vehicle has a large time constant that leads to problems of integrator windup and saturation in the supervisor loop.
What is needed is to enhance the existing navigation control algorithms such that closed loop performance at low speeds is comparable to what is currently achievable at higher speeds (approx. 0.5 m/s-1 m/s).

Very low speed vehicle control algorithm operating in the spatial domain


A disk drive suspension has a load beam having a base, a flexure for carrying a slider, and a mount plate. The suspension mount plate has a first portion attachable to an actuator and movable by the actuator as the primary shifting force on the load beam, suitable for larger positioning movements. A second portion of the mount plate is attached to the load beam base and is movable relative to the mount plate first portion. A microactuator moves the second mount plate portion relative to the first mount plate portion as a secondary shifting force on the load beam, suitable for very small positioning movements.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to disk drive suspensions having actuation and microactuation capabilities, and more particularly to suspensions in which the microactuation is effected by a microactuator acting on relatively movable portions of the suspension mount plate. In one embodiment, the suspension mount plate defines a pocket for the microactuator such that dimensional changes in the microactuator relatively shift connected portions of the mount plate to effect microactuated translation of the suspension load beam and flexure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Disk drive suspensions typically include a mount plate that is fixed to an actuator e.g. by staking, and the mount plate is attached to a load beam. The movement of the load beam by the actuator positions the slider carried by the load beam relative to a disk track. For more finely adjusted positioning a microactuator is used, typically a dimensionally variable body responsive to an applied voltage such as a piezoelectric crystal (PZT). These bodies typically provide length-wise or breadth-wise actuation and are generally coupled to the load beam and use hinges to amplify the stroke generated by the microactuator that have been physically separated from the microactuator body. The known relative locations of the load beam, hinge and microactuator body have been problematic. In previous designs, single PZT micro-actuator piezo bodies were not centrally placed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the suspension. The piezo bodies were actuating not in plane with the mount plate of the suspension, and stiffeners (shock absorbers) that minimize the loading effect on piezo ceramics and improve modal frequencies, were necessarily physically separated from the actuator body. Physical separations, however, among the actuator body, hinge and stiffener parts form discontinuities (voids) in the suspension adjacent the mount plate that degrade the dynamic performance, i.e. lower modal frequencies, and adversely affect the shock absorption capabilities of the suspension. Further, asymmetry of mass about the longitudinal axis can cause out-of-plane vibration modes to flare up, as will similarly having the actuation plane not in plane with the mount plate. Stiffeners, provided to improve the shock and dynamic performance of the head gimbal assembly HGA, can, when typically placed distally of the PZT mechanically block the PZT, thus attenuating the mechanical amplification (leverage) inherent in the structure, limiting the attainable stroke levels of the system.

Head gimbal assembly with dual-mode piezo microactuator


Systems, methods, and graphical user interfaces are disclosed that assist a user in deconflicting concurrency conflicts in a peering network in which ambiguous concurrency conflicts can arise. In accordance with some embodiments, a method for assisting a user in deconflicting concurrency conflicts is disclosed. The method includes detecting a plurality of ambiguous data conflicts between the local deployment and the peer deployment. The method further includes providing a graphical user interface to a user at the local deployment that allows the user to filter the plurality of ambiguous data conflicts according to a selected data conflict type of a plurality of predefined data conflict types selectable by the user through the graphical user interface. By providing such as graphical user interface, the user can easily filter a large number (e.g., hundreds) of ambiguous concurrency conflicts that may exist at a given time between the local deployment and the peer deployment.

In many multimaster database systems, data is stored in a group of databases, data changes may be made to any member of the group, and a data change made to one member is propagated to the rest of the group. Multimaster database systems typically implement either a synchronous or an asynchronous replication scheme for propagating a change made to one database to the rest of the databases in the group.
With some synchronous multimaster replication schemes, each change is applied to all databases in the group immediately or to none of the databases if one or more of the databases in the group cannot accept the change. For example, one of the databases may be offline or unavailable. Synchronous multimaster replication is sometimes achieved using a two-phase commit protocol.
In contrast, with some asynchronous multimaster replication schemes, a change made to a database is immediately accepted by the database but propagation of the change to other databases in the group may be deferred. Because propagation of changes may be deferred, if one or more of the databases in the group are unavailable, the available databases can still accept changes, queuing the changes locally until they can be propagated. For this reason, multimaster database systems employing an asynchronous replication strategy are sometimes considered to be more highly available than multimaster database systems employing a synchronous replication strategy. Unfortunately, asynchronous multimaster replication brings with it the possibility of concurrency conflicts that occur as a result of concurrent database changes made at multiple databases.
A concurrency conflict can arise in a multimaster database system when the same data is changed differently in two different databases before either one of those changes can be propagated to the other. For example, assume data representing a particular person's eye color is changed to "brown" in database A, and after that change but before that change can be propagated to database B, data representing the particular person's eye color is changed to "green" in database B. Without additional information, it is unclear which change is the correct change that should be adopted by all databases in the system.
Multimaster database systems employing an asynchronous replication scheme typically provide mechanisms for "deconflicting" concurrency conflicts. As used herein, the term "deconflict", refers generally to detecting and resolving a concurrency conflict such that resolution of the conflict is eventually adopted by all databases in the system. In some cases, the multimaster database system may be able to automatically deconflict a concurrency conflict without requiring user intervention. In other cases, user intervention may be needed or desired to determine which of the concurrent changes should be adopted as the correct one.
It would be desirable to provide assistance to users in evaluating and deconflicting concurrency conflicts where user intervention is needed or desired.

Assisting in deconflicting concurrency conflicts


The present invention relates to a an aqueous composition for removing soils from a surface to be cleaned, formed from water, a detergent mixture and a rinse aid, wherein the detergent mixture comprises a peroxidation catalyst and wherein the rinse aid comprises an oxygen source. Such a composition may provide a more effective cleaning behaviour. The present invention further relates to a method for removing soil from a surface to be cleaned comprising applying to the surface to be cleaned a composition according to the invention.

One of the key objectives to be solved for example by institutional ware washing products is dealing with food soil being present on tableware, for example. As an example, the removal of starch containing soils, such as baked starch, as well as the removal of tea or coffee soils is a major challenge.
Removing food soils with respect to the exemplary example of removing starch soils comprises both the removal of starch from ware and the prevention of the build-up of starch layers on ware. In typical state of the art ware washing products the objective of starch removal is met by using a highly caustic detergent, while preventing the built-up of starch layers by spraying a highly alkaline solution or an acid directly onto the ware. This kind of procedure is known under the expression X-Streamclean technology.
Known from US 2012/0302490 are bleach catalyst compounds comprising bleach catalysts and organic carrier materials. The bleach catalysts are defined manganese complexes. The compounds may inter alia be used in pulverulent or tableted products such as machine dishwashing detergents, where they are used in combination with a peroxide source such as hydrogen peroxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,612 describes a machine dishwashing composition containing a peroxygen compound as the bleaching agent. The composition contains a dinuclear manganese complex with a defined formula.
Known from DE 10 2009 057 222 A1 are manganese complexes for use as bleaching catalysts in dishwashing compositions.
WO 2012/107187 A1 describes the use of manganese or iron complexes in washing and cleaning compositions in the form of granules or powder or solution or suspension for bleaching of coloured stains on hard surfaces, such as for dishwashing detergents. Such a detergent may further comprise hydrogen peroxide.
However, especially with regard to professional and fast dishwashing procedures there still is room for improvements especially regarding the efficiency of the dishwashing process.

Compositions and methods for removing soil from surfaces


Methods and apparatus are provided. A source slot and a drain contact region are formed at opposite ends of a NAND string disposed on a substrate of a NAND memory array using a single mask. The drain contact region is self-aligned to a drain select gate. The NAND string has a plurality of memory cells connected in series.

Memory devices are typically provided as internal storage areas in computers. The term memory identifies data storage that comes in the form of integrated circuit chips. In general, memory devices contain an array of memory cells for storing data, and row and column decoder circuits coupled to the array of memory cells for accessing the array of memory cells in response to an external address.
One type of memory is a non-volatile memory known as Flash memory. A flash memory is a type of EEPROM (electrically-erasable programmable read-only memory) that can be erased and reprogrammed in blocks. Many modern personal computers (PCs) have their BIOS stored on a flash memory chip so that it can easily be updated if necessary. Such a BIOS is sometimes called a flash BIOS. Flash memory is also popular in wireless electronic devices because it enables the manufacturer to support new communication protocols as they become standardized and to provide the ability to remotely upgrade the device for enhanced features.
A typical flash memory comprises a memory array that includes a large number of memory cells arranged in row and column fashion. Each of the memory cells includes a floating-gate field-effect transistor capable of holding a charge. The cells are usually grouped into blocks. Each of the cells within a block can be electrically programmed in a random basis by charging the floating gate. The charge can be removed from the floating gate by a block erase operation. The data in a cell is determined by the presence or absence of the charge in the floating gate.
NOR and NAND flash memory devices are two common types of flash memory devices, so called for the logical form the basic memory cell configuration in which each is arranged. Typically, for NOR flash memory devices, the control gate of each memory cell of a row of the array is connected to a word-select line, and the drain region of each memory cell of a column of the array is connected to a bit line. The memory array for NOR flash memory devices is accessed by a row decoder activating a row of floating gate memory cells by selecting the word-select line coupled to their gates. The row of selected memory cells then place their data values on the column bit lines by flowing a differing current if in a programmed state or not programmed state from a coupled source line to the coupled column bit lines.
The array of memory cells for NAND flash memory devices is also arranged such that the control gate of each memory cell of a row of the array is connected to a word-select line. However, each memory cell is not directly coupled to a column bit line by its drain region. Instead, the memory cells of the array are arranged together in strings (often termed NAND strings), typically of 32 each, with the memory cells coupled together in series, source to drain, between a source line and a column bit line. The memory array for NAND flash memory devices is then accessed by a row decoder activating a row of memory cells by selecting the word-select line coupled to a control gate of a memory cell. In addition, the word-select lines coupled to the control gates of unselected memory cells of each string are driven to operate the unselected memory cells of each string as pass transistors, so that they pass current in a manner that is unrestricted by their stored data values. Current then flows from the source line to the column bit line through each series coupled string, restricted only by the selected memory cells of each string. This places the current-encoded data values of the row of selected memory cells on the column bit lines.
Fabrication of many NAND memory arrays includes forming integrated circuitry using semiconductor-processing methods. Many of these methods include using a mask to form a source slot for containing the source line and using another mask to form a drain contact region for containing a drain contact for connecting a drain of the series-coupled string to the bit line. Using separate masks for the source slot and drain contact results in extra fabrication steps.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for alternatives for fabricating NAND memory arrays.


Examples include a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon machine-readable instructions executable to cause a processing resource to monitor sensory inputs related to a device, monitor a first maintenance intervention related to the device, store data relating to the monitored sensory inputs and the first maintenance intervention in a centralized database, and predict a second maintenance intervention based on the data stored in the centralized database.

During the life cycle of a device, there are failures that may lead to a maintenance intervention. A maintenance intervention can include a maintenance technician performing maintenance on a device that has experienced a failure or is identified as being close to failure. The failure can include what is referred to as a wear out failure, which can occur when the device has exceeded an estimated lifetime.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Embodiments of the present invention provide an optical fiber length measurement method and apparatus, where the method is used to measure an optical fiber length between a first device and a second device, and the method includes: acquiring, by a measurement device, timestamp parameters, where the timestamp parameters include a first transmit timestamp Ta1, a first receive timestamp Ta2, a second transmit timestamp Tb1, and a second receive timestamp Tb2; and determining, by the measurement device, the optical fiber length L according to the timestamp parameters, where when (Ta2−Tb1)+(Tb2−Ta1)≤n*T, L=2.5*[(Ta2−Tb1)+(Tb2−Ta1)], or when (Ta2−Tb1)+(Tb2−Ta1)>n*T, L=2.5*[(Ta2−Tb1)+(Tb2−Ta1)−n*T]. The method does not depend on a dedicated measurement instrument such as an OTDR, an OFDR, or an OCDR, thereby simplifying a measurement process, and helping reduce a measurement cost.

Optical fiber transmission has advantages such as strong interference immunity, a low loss, and high transmission reliability. Therefore, fiber-optic communication has become a main transmission means on a modern communications network, and is applied to various fields in daily life. Generally, aspects such as optical fiber test, optical cable layout, and a fault check all involve optical fiber length measurement. It can be said that optical fiber length measurement is an important technical basis for implementing fiber-optic communication.
Currently, an optical fiber length is mostly measured by using an optical fiber length measurement instrument. For example, the optical fiber length is measured by using an optical time domain reflectometer (optical time domain reflectometer, OTDR), an optical frequency domain reflectometry (optical frequency domain reflectometry, OFDR), an optical coherence domain reflectometry (Optical Coherence Domain Reflectometry, OCDR), and the like. These measurement manners have many deficiencies such as a high measurement cost and poor measurement precision, and consequently, these measurement manners are limited to some degree in a practical application. Therefore, a new solution for measuring an optical fiber length is desperately needed currently.

Optical fiber length measurement method and apparatus


Eyeglasses with a removable upper section are disclosed. The upper section is pre-attached to the lenses, such that the upper section of the eyeglasses is lowered, each with a respective lens, into a lower section of the eyeglasses. The upper section and lower section then form a continuous front face of the eyeglasses and are held together by connectors, such as magnets at extreme left and right sides of the upper sections to magnets within a cutout of the lower section adapted to fit the upper section there-within. This creates, at least a continuous top side and front side of the eyeglasses with lenses between the upper and lower portions thereof.

It is quite common for eyeglasses to fall from the wearer and break. This can also happen during sports activities and the like when force is applied against the glasses which causes the lens to break or become scratched. Typically, when this happens, one has to replace the eye wear entirely which is costly.
Further, many people have multiple eyeglasses. One might be used for reading while the other is used for driving or viewing distances. One might be used as sunglasses to decrease light intensity to the eyes, while another is used for indoor and less bright scenarios.
What is needed is a way to be able to change out or replace a lens with another, when one becomes scratched, broken, or undesirable for the present circumstances. At present, very small screws are often used along with guide wires and precise placement of very small pieces which make changing lenses very difficult. A skilled professional is often required, and though the frames often remain perfectly fine, they have to be thrown out with the lenses because new lenses are no longer made to the specification of the old frames, or would require the wearer go without frames for a period of time. The latter is problematic, because most people who wear glasses need them to function each day.

Eyeglasses with topside removable lenses and frames


Access to a source code file stored at a server is provided to a plurality of user devices, via a network. The source code file may comprise software code. The source code file stored at the server is updated based on a plurality of changes received from respective user devices, substantially in real-time. A selection of an option to execute the source code file is received from one of the plurality of user devices. In response to the selection, the source code file is executed, substantially in real-time.

Existing online software development services allow a developer to create and edit a source code file via the Internet, and store the source code at a remote location. Typically, a developer may access an online software development service using a web browser operating on a computer or other device. By storing the source code at the remote location, a developer can access the source code from any location, using a computer or other device that has access to the Internet. While existing software development services enable a single developer to access and edit a source code file remotely, these services offer limited collaboration capabilities.

System and method for providing real-time execution of source code in a collaborative online software development environment


A pressure head for use in a fiber placement system for thermoplastic composite materials is disclosed. Plies of thermoplastic composite tape are placed onto a mandrel to form a shaped object. The pressure head includes a nozzle and at least one delivery tube for providing fluid medium mixture to the nozzle body, wherein the nozzle directs the fluid medium onto a surface of the shaped object thereby providing a pressure on the surface without direct physical contact of the nozzle with the plies of thermoplastic composite tape.

Automated fiber placement machines provide tows onto a mold surface or mandrel to manufacture irregular shaped parts. These machines are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,290,389, 4,907,754 and 5,045,147, incorporated by reference herein.
Currently, fiber placement heads provide a consolidation or compaction force through a contact roller or other mechanical device. However, there are drawbacks in using a contact roller or mechanical device to provide a compaction force on the tow when the tow is being applied to a non-uniform surface.
One challenge is that thermoplastic composite materials often have elevated processing temperatures in the range of 250 to 1000 degrees Celsius. A metallic consolidation roller is often required in order to withstand the processing temperatures. These rigid steel consolidation rollers have their respective limitations at being able to uniformly provide a consolidation pressure across the entire width of incoming material when placing over complex geometries. Therefore, it is desirable to have an improved fiber placement apparatus and method.


A mask plate, a manufacturing method of the mask plate, and a method of evaporation by using the mask plate are provided. The mask plate includes an opening plate, the opening plate includes an opening and a blocking portion outside the opening, a concavity is in the blocking portion, and a depth of the concavity is smaller than a thickness of the blocking portion.

Mask plates are used to make desired patterns, and the mask plates are widely used in the pattern making process of transistors, liquid crystal display panels, OLED (organic light-emitting diode) panels and other electronic products. An evaporation process is a commonly-used technology in the process of making patterns. For example, in the evaporation process, a material is heated to a gaseous state, and the material is formed on a substrate after the material passes through a mask plate, so that a desired pattern is obtained.


The present invention relates to a compound and a novel process for the preparation of Paricalcitol intermediates.

It is well known that the D vitamins exhibit certain biological effects, such as stimulation of intestinal calcium absorption, stimulation of bone mineral resorption and the prevention of rickets. It is also well known that such biological activity is dependent upon these vitamins being altered in vivo, i.e. metabolized, hydroxylated derivatives. For example, current evidence indicates that 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 is the in vivo active form of vitamin D3 and is the compound responsible for the aforementioned biological effects.
The synthetic 1α-hydroxyvitamin D analogs, such as 1α-hydroxyvitamin D3, and 1α-hydroxyvitamin D2 also exhibit pronounced biological potency and such compounds as well as the natural metabolites show great promise as agents for the treatment of a variety of calcium metabolism and bone disorders, such as osteodystrophy, osteomalacia and osteoporosis.
Since 1α-hydroxylation is an essential element in imparting biological activity to the vitamin D compounds and their derivatives there has been increasing interest in methods for chemically accomplishing such hydroxylation. Except for one suggested method for the total synthesis of 1α-hydroxyvitamin D3, all syntheses of 1α-hydroxylated vitamin D compounds involved the preparation of a 1α-hydroxylated steroid, from which, after conversion to the corresponding 1α-hydroxy-5,7-diene sterol derivative, the desired vitamin D compound is obtained by well known photochemical methods.
Paricalcitol is a vitamin D2 derived sterol lacking the carbon-19 methylene group found in all natural vitamin D metabolites. A novel class of vitamin D-related compounds, namely the 1α-hydroxy-19-nor-vitamin D analogs, as well as a general method for their chemical synthesis are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,710,294 and 5,342,975. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6,359,012 provides the method for making 24(s)-hydroxyvitamin D2, which is the first stereospecific synthesis of 24(s)-hydroxyvitamin D2 by coupling of (s)-(+)-2,3-dimethyl-2-triethylsilyloxybutyraldehyde and a vitamin D phosphine oxide derivative to form a C-3 and C-24 diprotected trans-vitamin D2 which is then deprotected and irradiated to yield the 24(S)-hydroxyvitamin D2.


A staged combustion apparatus for a gas turbine to lower the concentration of NO.sub.x and CO in the exhaust gases. Combustion occurs in a first and second stage, the first stage being sub-stoichiometric combustion and the second stage being above-stoichiometric combustion. Cyclonic combustion occurs in one of the first and second combustion stages and a swirling pattern of combustion occurs in the other of the combustion stages. Steam injection is provided to further lower the concentration of NO.sub.x in the exhaust emissions from the gas turbine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a combustion apparatus, and more particularly to a combustion apparatus for a gas turbine that utilizes swirling and cyclonic staged combustion to minimize the formation of NO.sub.x and CO.
2. Description of the Related Art
The conventional steam-injected gas turbine cycle is shown schematically in FIG. 1. In such a system, the ambient air is pressurized in a compressor, heated in a combustor by burning of fuel, and expanded in the turbine. The turbine drives an air compressor and an electrical generator. The heat in the turbine exhaust is utilized to raise the relatively low pressure steam in a heat recovery steam generator and the steam is subsequently injected into the combustor. Steam injection is known to increase the power output and efficiency of the turbine by increasing the mass flow through the turbine relative to the compressor while decreasing the power required to drive the compressor.
The steam injected gas turbine cycle has shown good performance in sizes ranging from 500 kw industrial applications to relatively large utility plants of about 50 Mw and higher. In many instances, the steam injected gas turbine cycle is preferable to a conventional combined gas turbine/steam turbine cycle because it has a capital cost that is up to 20% less than that of a comparable capacity combined cycle power plant. This savings in capital costs occurs because the steam injected gas turbine cycle does not require a separate steam turbine or an associated heat rejection system.
Most industrial applications (500 kw-5 Mw) require only a small fraction of the power generating capacity of the typical utility power plant. However, few industries can generate electricity as economically as utilities because they cannot take advantage of economies of scale and higher steam parameters. There are many industrial applications, however, where both heat and electricity can be generated (cogeneration) on site at higher overall efficiency than when power and heat are generated separately. The steam injected gas turbine cycle is generally preferred for these relatively small industrial applications. This is because the expansion efficiency of steam turbines decreases with decreasing power levels and steam parameters, while the expansion efficiency of gas turbines is less dependent on power level. The steam injected gas turbine cycle is also more attractive for these low power level applications because it does not include a separate steam turbine or associated heat injection system that result in significantly higher capital investment.
In the past several years, there has been a boom of relatively small scale (less than 5 Mw) cogeneration plants in populated areas such as California. Many of these plants utilize natural gas fired combustion with steam injection to augment power production. These relatively compact, modular units can provide electrical efficiencies near 40 percent and higher when burning natural gas. However, due to the proximity of highly populated areas, these industrial plants face some of the strictest emission standards in the world. Meeting these standards has become one of the greatest challenges to the present day gas turbine combustion technology.
Gas turbine emissions include NO.sub.x, CO and unburned hydrocarbons. Recently, gas turbine vendors have developed staged combustors in an attempt to limit NO.sub.x emissions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,125 discloses a primary and secondary combustion chamber with gasification of the fuel occurring in the first chamber. However, this patent discloses a pre-mixing chamber, a first mixing chamber, and second mixing chamber disposed before the primary combustion chamber. The complicated structure of this combustor makes it difficult to manufacture and operate.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,435, another technique for reducing NO.sub.x emissions is injecting steam into the combustor. Adding steam to the combustion zone lowers the flame and gas temperature and suppresses NO.sub.x formation.
Although staged combustion and steam injection can yield a reduction in NO.sub.x emissions, even further reductions are required in certain areas. For example, in some areas of the United States, gas turbine cogeneration plants must meet emission standards as low as 9 ppm at 15 percent O.sub.2. In these areas where staged combustion and steam injection cannot meet pollution requirements, the only option available is utilization of a selective catalytic reduction unit downstream of the gas turbine. However, this selective catalytic reduction unit has limited application in the small capacity range because of its significant capital cost. Moreover, experience with selective catalytic reduction units in cogeneration plants employing gas turbines has been reported as less than favorable. Therefore, there is a need for an ultra-low NO.sub.x natural gas fired combustor for a steam injected gas turbine cycle that eliminates the need for a catalytic reduction unit.
In addition to being used in steam injected gas turbine cycles, gas turbines are utilized in combined cycle applications with a steam turbine. Topping combustors for a gas turbine in a combined cycle application are typically a multiple "can-type" arrangement utilizing air-cooled metallic liners. Due to geometric considerations, these topping combustors often lack the ability to provide a wide turndown range and to allow easy staging of air. Also, a significant steam injection rate reduces overall combined cycle efficiency. Thus, topping combustors used in combined cycle applications result in relatively high NO.sub.x emissions that often require a selective catalytic reduction unit. Therefore, there is a need for an ultra-low NO.sub.x topping combustor for a gas turbine used in a combined cycle.

Method of combustion and combustion apparatus to minimize No.sub.x and CO emissions from a gas turbine


Managing network communications between network hosts that have multiple physical network ports coupled to the network. A first host broadcasts address resolution requests from first physical network ports of the first host and receives responses to the address resolution requests from second physical network ports of a second host. The responses include respective connection bandwidths of the second physical network ports. The first host generates connectivity information describing a plurality of available communication routes in the network between first physical network ports of the first host and second physical network ports of the second host based on the responses, from which a subset of available communication routes can be selected for data transfer.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure pertains in general to network communication, and in particular to managing network communications between network hosts that have multiple physical network ports coupled to a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hosts systems in a networked environment, such as a storage area network (SAN), can each have multiple physical network ports that couple the host to the network. This creates multiple routes in the network through which the hosts can communicate with each other. The ports can be also configured with mismatched connection bandwidths (e.g. 100 Mb/s, 1 Gb/s). Due to the large number of available routes and potential configurations of the ports, it is difficult for the host systems to automatically identify an optimal subset of the routes that uses the routes efficiently.


A magnetic random access memory includes multiple gate lines that are divided into a first gate line group and a second gate line group and arranged to be parallel to one another; multiple magnetic random access memory cells that are bonded to the gate lines in a direction intersected with the gate lines, respectively; multiple source lines that are bonded to one ends of switching devices included in the magnetic random access memory cells and arranged to be parallel to one another; and multiple bit lines that are bonded to one ends of magnetic tunnel junction devices included in the magnetic random access memory cells and arranged to be parallel to one another.

A magnetic random access memory (MRAM, hereinafter referred to as "MRAM") is a non-volatile random access memory technology using magnetic elements. By way of example, a spin transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM, hereinafter referred to as "STT-MRAM") uses electrons that become spin-polarized when passing through a thin film (spin filter). The STT-MRAM is also known as a spin transfer torque RAM (STT-RAM), a spin torque transfer magnetization switching RAM (spin-RAM), and a spin momentum transfer RAM (SMT-RAM).
The MRAM is a first generation magnetic memory as a non-volatile random access memory that is capable of reading and writing data, rewriting data unlimited times, and semipermanently storing data at a similar level of a SRAM. However, the MRAM has a small memory capacity and a high power consumption as compared with a DRAM.
Meanwhile, as a new generation magnetic memory, the STT-MRAM avoids a problem of the MRAM with a small memory capacity and is expected to have a memory capacity equivalent to that of the DRAM. The STT-MRAM changes a magnetization direction of a magnetic body by using a magnetic moment generated when electrons are spun and is suitable for miniaturization and high densification.
In a STT-MRAM cell, when a datum "0" is written to a magnetic tunnel junction device, a high voltage is applied to a bit line, and when a datum "1" is written to the magnetic tunnel junction device, a high voltage is applied to a source line. That is, unlike other memory structures, the source line is not grounded (Vss) all the time, a certain level of voltage may be applied to the source line.
FIG. 1A illustrates a structure of a conventional magnetic random access memory. A STT-MRAM includes a transistor, a magnetic tunnel junction device, a gate line, a bit line, and a source line. The magnetic tunnel junction device is comprised of a stationary layer, a magnetization layer, and a thin insulating layer. The gate line and the bit line are arranged so as to be perpendicular to each other. The source line is arranged so as to be typically parallel to the bit line or perpendicular to the bit line depending on a specific architecture used in the STT-MRAM. The bit line is connected to the magnetic tunnel junction device, and the source line is connected to a source of a substrate.
FIGS. 1B and 1C illustrate a cell array of the conventional magnetic random access memory. In a magnetic random access memory cell depicted in FIGS. 1B and 1C, if the source line is arranged so as to be parallel to the gate line, an area of a unit cell 10 can be minimized to 8 F2. However, if the source line is operated with a high voltage in order to write a datum "1", the gate line parallel to the source line is also operated. Thus, a parasitic capacitance to be applied to the source line is greatly increased. Therefore, an operation speed is greatly reduced.
FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate another cell array of the conventional magnetic random access memory. In order to avoid a problem of the structure depicted in FIG. 1C, FIGS. 2A and 2B use a method in which the source line is arranged so as to be perpendicular to the gate line in the magnetic random access memory to reduce a parasitic capacitance to be applied to the source line. However, in this method, the source line needs to be arranged to be parallel with the bit line while avoiding a short circuit at a contact between the magnetic tunnel junction device and an active layer. Thus, an area of a unit cell 20 can be increased to 12 F2.
In this regard, Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 10-2004-0111716 (entitled "Dense array structure for non-volatile semiconductor memories") describes a semiconductor memory device having an array arrangement of overlapped word lines and diagonal bit lines in a column direction and a row direction. Further, Korean Patent No. 10-0536592 (entitled "Magnetic memory and method for fabricating the same") describes a magnetic memory including a magnetic tunnel junction device and a method for arranging a bit line and a digit line to be intersected with each other.

EWHA UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COLLABORATION FOUNDATION


A detachable cartridge includes: a buffer portion that contacts with a contacted portion when the detachable cartridge is attached to an image forming apparatus body, the contacted portion being provided on the image forming apparatus body, and that buffers impact, the detachable cartridge being detachable from the image forming apparatus body during an image recording operation of recording an image on a recording sheet.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a detachable cartridge detachably attached to an image forming apparatus body, and also relates to image forming apparatuses, to and from each of which the detachable cartridge is attached and detached, such as a printer, a FAX, a copying machine, and a complex machine having functions of all of the printer, the FAX, and the copying machine or having a plurality of such functions. More particularly, the invention relates to a detachable cartridge that is attachable to and is detachable from an image forming apparatus body during an image forming operation of an image forming apparatus, and also relates to an image forming apparatus to and from of which the detachable cartridge is attached and detached.
The detachable cartridge includes, for example, a developer cartridge (or a toner cartridge), a waste toner cartridge, a paper tray unused during an image forming operation, and a process cartridge unused in an image forming operation (for example, a process cartridge into which developing units and associated photoreceptors other than those corresponding to black used during a monochromatic printing operation in a color image forming unit are united).

Detachable cartridge and image forming apparatus


Various apparatuses, methods and systems for a real time clock are disclosed herein. For example, some embodiments provide a real time clock including a clock generator having a first input connected to a clock signal and a second input connected to a time set signal. The clock generator produces a time change signal at an output of the clock generator. Counters, each adapted to track a different unit of time, are connected to the time change signal. The clock generator is adapted to generate a pulse on the time change signal for each pulse of the time set signal, and to generate separate pulses on the time change signal for consecutive pulses on the clock signal and the time set signal.

Electronic devices such as computers often include a real time clock circuit to keep track of a time and date. The time and date can then be used in a variety of important functions, including displaying the time and date to a user, time stamping operations performed by the electronic devices, etc. For example, when a data file is created or modified in a computer, a time and date stamp on the data file may be updated to identify when the change took place. When data is gathered by an electronic data collection system, a time and date stamp may be stored along with the data. Real time clock circuits may be used in a wide range of electronic devices for many different applications.
The time and date in a real time clock may often be manually or automatically set by an external source, such as a manual data entry by a user or by a connection to a time server on the Internet. Thereafter, the real time clock is generally expected to correctly keep track of the time and date, even if the electronic device is turned off and power is removed, so that the time and date are correct when the device is next powered on. A backup battery may therefore be connected to the real time clock to power the real time clock even when the host device containing the real time clock is turned off and power is removed. The life of a backup battery for a real time clock is particularly important because they are often relatively inaccessible in the host device and may not be user replaceable. For example, the backup battery for a real time clock in a computer is generally expected to last throughout the multi-year life of the computer. This requirement may be addressed to some extent by including a high capacity backup battery, although this increases the cost of the host device and may be less effective than desired if the real time clock uses power inefficiently while tracking the time and date when the host device is powered down.


An apparatus and method of disabling a drive system of a passenger conveying system is provided. The passenger conveying system is monitored with switches each arranged to detect a respective malfunction of the passenger conveying system. A shutdown signal is produced by a respective one of the switches detecting the respective malfunction and is coupled to a corresponding shutdown contact and to a controller. The corresponding shutdown contact operates to interrupt a drive enabling signal of the drive system in response to receipt of the shutdown signal. The controller monitors the shutdown signals from the switches and the drive enabling signal. The controller sends a signal to open a redundant contact to interrupt the drive enabling signal if the shutdown signal is detected and the drive system remains enabled.

Escalators are provided with safety systems, each one of which is operable to stop movement of the escalator in the event that an unsafe operating condition is detected. Examples of such unsafe operating conditions include: a missing step or a detached step on the escalator; a handrail which is moving at an improper speed; something becoming caught between adjacent steps or between the steps and the side skirts; a foreign object becoming lodged between the step treads and the comb plate at the escalator exit landing; or the like. The safety system components used to detect unsafe escalator operating conditions include proximity sensors, switches, pressure sensors, or the like, which are able to detect unsafe escalator-operating conditions so long as the sensors and their associated circuitry remain operative.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,178 describes a method and apparatus for checking escalator safety circuit components to confirm circuit operability prior to start up of motion of the escalator. A start up check relay is energized whenever escalator motor motive power is interrupted. The start up check relay checks speed and non-speed-dependent safety circuit components to determine whether these safety circuit components have all come to an escalator start up state. When the start up condition of these safety circuit components has been verified the circuit allows power to be applied to the escalator motor. When power is applied to the escalator motor, a start up delay timer is energized and the start up check relay is de-energized. When speed-dependent components of the escalator have come to operating speeds, the start up delay timer will be de-energized, and the escalator will continue movement in its normal operating mode provided that all safety circuits are fully operational.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,871 describes a device for monitoring functional units on escalators and moving walkways, comprising several processors which monitor predetermined parameters of a particular functional unit independently of each other. The processors are connected to devices for immediately shutting down the escalator or moving walkway and interact with at least one other processor which is provided for controlling and/or diagnosing functions which are not relevant to safety.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,319 describes a method and a system for disconnecting passenger transport systems, especially escalators and moving walkways. Functional units of a passenger transport system monitor for malfunctions of the passenger transport systems by using switching elements and the signals of the functional units are combined to form a security chain. The signals of the functional units and signals from a drive monitoring unit are supplied to at least one pilot unit. Subsequently, a disconnecting signal is provided to a respective disconnecting contact as a result of a malfunction detected by the functional units and/or the drive monitoring system.
Current safety systems require large amounts of wiring and switches. Also, there is no mechanism provided for determining the operability of the safety system detectors or their circuitry. There is a need for a cost effective solution that addresses these problems.

Safety switch and method of checked redundancy


A writing device cap comprises a cylindrical outer housing having a first open end, a second closed end and an axial channel. A plug is inserted in the outer housing second closed end. A moveable inner cone located within the cylindrical outer housing receives a tip of a writing device and seals it from the ambient atmosphere. A spring surrounds the inner cone and facilitates it movement. A plurality of radially disposed ridges are arranged along an inner circumference of the outer housing along the axial channel. Multiple sets of shoulders are disposed upon the ridges. A first set of shoulders provides a stop for a body trunk of the writing device and a means to locate the inner cone when the spring is in a relaxed state. A second set of shoulders locates a fixed end of the spring. A third set provides a means for locking the plug within the outer housing. A latch mechanism holds the writing device in the cap when the spring is in a compressed state. A plurality of air vents formed on the plug permit air to pass through the cap in case it accidentally swallowed and lodged in the throat of a person.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cap for a writing device. More particularly, it relates to a cap having an inner conical portion for sealing the tip of an ink-type writing device within the writing device cap thereby prohibiting the tip from drying out.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Caps for writing devices are well known in the prior art. For many years, writing device caps, and more particularly, caps for ink-type pens, were constructed simply as a single cap housing. The single cap housing would slip over the tip of a pen to protect the tip and to avoid unintentional marking of objects that the pen came into contact with (for instance, marking the shirt pocket of the pen user). Unfortunately, such these prior art caps permit ambient air to easily seep into the air chamber within the cap and quickly dry out the pen tip. Once the tip drys out, the pen is ruined and must be discarded.
In an effort to increase the life-span of ink-type writing devices, improvements on the basic design cap were made. The improved caps employed a sealed inner chamber disposed within the outer cap housing, such that the pen tip would be separately located from any air trapped within the writing device cap. Unfortunately, the improved caps could be lethal if lodged in the throat of a person, especially a child, in that the non-passages of air through the cap could cause suffocation. For this reason, an improved cap was needed.
It was thereafter discovered that air vents formed in the cap head facilitate the passage of air through the cap. If a cap is accidentally swallowed, air is still permitted to move through the wind pipe of the person, even if the cap is lodged in the throat. But, such devices have caused an earlier problem to reappear. Namely, the air vents permit ambient air to come into contact with the tip of the writing device and cause the tip to dry-out. Some inventors have attempted to alleviate the resurrected drying-out problem by employing a fixed inner seal within the cap outer housing. But, improvements are still needed. More particularly, a superior cap is needed for an ink-type writing device which permits air-flow to pass therethrough but adequately seals the device tip from the ambient atmosphere so as to prevent premature drying-out of the writing device tip.


An improved electronic article security system is employed for detecting the presence of a security tag within a detection zone. The system includes a transmitter for generating electromagnetic energy and, in the disclosed embodiment, a single antenna for emitting electromagnetic energy received from the transmitter to establish an electromagnetic field within the detection zone and for sensing disturbances within the electromagnetic field, including disturbances resulting from a security tag within the detection zone. A receiver is provided for processing signals from the antenna relating to sensed disturbances and for providing output signals. A data processing and control section analyzes the output signals from the receiver and determines whether a sensed disturbance within the electromagnetic field is caused by the presence of a security tag within the detection zone. The output signals from the receiver are analyzed in accordance with predetermined criteria and pattern recognition techniques based upon receiver output signals which would be expected if a security tag were present in the detection zone to establish a security tag probability percentage.

The present invention relates generally to electronic article security-systems for detecting the presence of a security tag within a detection zone and, more particularly, to an improved electronic article security system which provides enhanced reliability over a larger detection zone.
Electronic article security systems for detecting and preventing theft or unauthorized removal of articles or goods from retail establishments and/or other facilities, such as libraries, has become widespread. In general, such security systems employ a security tag which is secured to or associated with an article (or its packaging), typically an article which is readily accessible to potential customers or facility users and, therefore, is susceptible to unauthorized removal. Security tags may take on many different sizes, shapes and forms depending upon the particular type of electronic article security system in use, the type and size of the article to be protected, the packaging for the article, etc. In general, such electronic article security systems are employed for detecting the presence (or the absence) of a security tag and, thus, a protected article within a surveilled security area or detection zone. In most cases, the detection zone is located at or around an exit or entrance to the facility or a portion of the facility.
One type of electronic article security system which has gained widespread popularity utilizes a security tag which includes a self-contained, passive resonant circuit in the form of a small, generally planar printed circuit which resonates at a predetermined detection frequency within a detection frequency range. A transmitter, which is also tuned to the detection frequency, is employed for transmitting electromagnetic energy into the detection zone. A receiver, also tuned to the detection frequency, is positioned proximate to the detection zone. Typically, the transmitter and a transmitter antenna are located on one side of an exit or aisle and the receiver and a receiver antenna are located on the other side of the exit or aisle, so that a person must pass between the transmitter and receiver antennas in order to exit the facility. When an article having an attached security tag moves into or passes through the detection zone, the security tag is exposed to the transmitted energy, resulting in the resonant circuit of the tag resonating to provide an output signal detectable by the receiver. The detection of such an output signal by the receiver indicates the presence of an article with a security tag within the detection zone and the receiver activates an alarm to alert appropriate security or other personnel.
While existing electronic article security systems of the type described above and of other types have been shown to be effective in preventing the theft or unauthorized removal of articles, particularly articles which are relatively high in value and relatively small in size, such systems, due to environmental and regulatory considerations, have a relatively limited range. Typically, the range of such prior art systems is on the order of a maximum of about three feet between the transmitter antenna and the receiver antenna. If the antennas are separated by a greater distance, the reliability of such existing electronic article security systems significantly diminishes. More specifically, as the distance between the transmitter antenna and the receiver antenna increases beyond three feet, the ability of such existing electronic article security systems to accurately detect the presence of a security tag within the detection zone and consistently avoid the generation of "false positives" (generating an alarm when no security tag is present in the detection zone) a high percentage of the time greatly decreases. While, such existing, limited size detection zone electronic article security systems are adequate in applications having limited entrance and exit areas, for example, stores or libraries having only a single entrance door, such systems are not as effective in applications having wide entrance areas or aisles, such as large retail stores having eight, ten or more doors arranged side by side or, in the case of large mall stores, having a generally open area of ten feet or more at the front of the store. Sometimes, in such wide aisle or wide entrance/exit applications, multiple electronic article security systems are connected or networked together in a row across the facility entrance. However, such arrangements sometimes result in congestion and are not aesthetically pleasing.
The present invention comprises an electronic article security system which is particularly well adapted for providing a larger (wider) detection zone (six feet or more) and which function in a very reliable manner.

Electronic article security system with digital signal processing and increased detection range


A geo-registration system with a camera receives an image of a scene, identifies features in the image, and computes vectors for each feature based on the known location and orientation of the camera. The system then compares the computed vectors to vectors associated with the same features identified in prior images. The geo-registration system then uses stochastic kriging techniques to create a geo-registration model based on the vectors.

Full image geo-registration from an airborne platform for Wide Area Moving Imagery (WAMI) is currently a computationally intensive batch process that is conducted in post-mission processing. Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)'s batch processing model for the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) Angel Fire program is an example of the state of the art. Another example of image geo-registration is made by a scene correlation module in the Precision Strike Suite for Special Operations Forces (PSS-SOF) but requires high bandwidth access to reference geo-registered imagery from an external database.
Image geo-registration requires that, for each and every image, all parts of that image must be assigned a geo-reference tied to some chosen reference coordinate frame along with an expected error measure consistent with the statistical uncertainty of that geo-reference. For imagery captured by a passive monocular Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensor, the challenge involved in geo-registration is that the landmarks seen in the physical scenery cannot be instantaneously geo-located, but can be geo-located only when combined with information from imagery taken from a different point of view of the same landmarks.
Consequently, it would be advantageous if an apparatus existed that is suitable for real-time geo-location and geo-registration.

Real-time image geo-registration processing


A fluorescent lamp has at least a pair of electrodes, at least two circular discharge tubes connected to said electrodes and enclosing rare gas and mercury therein, and a phosphor coating provided on an inside wall of each of said discharge tubes, the two circular discharge tubes being arranged coaxially circularly on one and the same plane, the diameter of each of the discharge tubes being selected to have a value within a range of from 5 mm to 25 mm both inclusive, the luminance on surface of each of the discharge tubes being selected to have a value within a range of from 2.times.10.sup.4 Cd/m.sup.2 to 6.times.10.sup.4 Cd/m.sup.2.

The present invention relates to a fluorescent lamp for general purpose lighting, and particularly relates to a fluorescent lamp suitable for realization of a compact and plain pendant having a high lumen output which is suitable for a living room, a dining room, or the like.
Conventionally, a pendant to be used in a living room, a dining room, or the like, is configured so that a plurality of circular fluorescent lamps different in size from each other are provided in two or three stages so as to make the lumen output high in order to satisfy a user's requirement for a high lumen output. However, this configuration has a disadvantage in that the fixture is large in size, and there is little freedom in design of the fixture. For example, in the case of using three circular fluorescent lamps, the thickness of the stack of three lamps reaches about 10 cm, so that it has been impossible to make the fixture plain. Accordingly, more compact fluorescent lamps have been required.
As a compact fluorescent lamp, such a U-shaped fluorescent lamp as disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 60-225346 has been developed and put into practical use.
The conventional U-shaped fluorescent lamp has an elongated shape, and in the case of a pendant using one U-shaped fluorescent lamp, therefore, there has been a disadvantage that the uniformity in angular distribution of light flux is poor. Further, even if a plurality of lamps are used parallelly, the shape of the fixture becomes inevitably square, and therefore there has been a disadvantage that fine appearance is spoiled unless each side of the square of the fixture is made parallel to a wall surface of a room. In either case, such a U-shaped compact fluorescent lamp has not been suitable for a pendant.


A receiver for a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration system includes a tube extending along a tube axis from a first receiver end to a second receiver end opposite the first receiver end, and a single receiver port. The receiver port is configured as both a receiver inlet and a receiver outlet. A heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration system includes a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant flow, a refrigerant pathway configured to convey the refrigerant flow through the heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration system, and a receiver fluidly connected to the refrigerant pathway. The receiver includes a tube extending along a tube axis from a first receiver end to a second receiver end opposite the first receiver end, and a single receiver port. The receiver port is configured as both a receiver inlet and a receiver outlet, and is connected to the refrigerant pathway via the single receiver port.

Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to receivers for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems, such as heat pump systems.
In some heating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, such as a reversible air to water heat pump, a receiver is often utilized to manage refrigerant charge in the heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration system. The receiver is connected to a refrigerant pathway of the heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration system via a receiver inlet and via a receiver outlet. When the heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration system is operating in a first mode, for example, a heating mode, the receiver is at a high pressure and is filled with a volume of liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant enters the receiver from a condensing heat exchanger via the receiver inlet. The liquid refrigerant flows from the receiver to an expansion valve via the receiver outlet. In a second mode, a cooling mode, the receiver is at a relatively low pressure and is mostly filled with refrigerant vapor. The two-phase vapor and liquid refrigerant flows from the expansion valve into the receiver and then exits the receiver toward an evaporator heat exchanger.

Liquid receiver for heating, air conditioning and refrigeration system


A vehicular display control device includes a rear video data acquiring unit configured to acquire rear video data from a rear camera disposed to face rear portion of a vehicle to capture rear view of the vehicle, a rear side video data acquiring unit configured to acquire rear side video data from rear side cameras disposed on right-side and left-side of the vehicle to face rear portion of the vehicle to capture rear right-side view and rear left-side view of the vehicle, a state detecting unit configured to detect surrounding state of the vehicle, a video synthesizing unit configured to, according to the surrounding state of the vehicle, synthesize the rear side video data in upper portion on right-side and left-side of the rear video data, and a display controller configured to display the synthesized video data in a display for displaying the rear video data of the vehicle.

A technology related to what is called an electronic mirror is known for displaying videos acquired by a rear camera which captures the rear surrounding area of a vehicle. Unlike a conventional optical rearview mirror, an electronic mirror represents real images of two-dimensional videos. Hence, a driver may have difficulty to recognize a sense of distance to an object or feel strange. In this regard, an in-vehicle display device is known that can suppress erroneous recognition of the sense of distance between the vehicle and an object captured by a camera (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2016-063352). Moreover, a vehicle-rear recognition system is known that can resolve complications in a vision field adjustment and can display rear right-side and left-side videos without any strange feeling (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2011-217318).

Vehicular display control device, vehicular display system, vehicular display control method, and non-transitory storage medium


A method for calibrating a smoke detector includes adjusting the sensitivity of the smoke detector to get a consistent predetermined response over the expected operating range. The sensitivity is generally consistent for all detectors and an independent offset value is determined for each detector. This offset value basically corresponds to the signal from the detector in a clean atmosphere. The sensitivity of the smoke detector is determined by measuring the response at different levels of obscuration and then appropriately adjusting the output of the light source of the detector. This process is repeated until the desired sensitivity is achieved. Thereafter, the offset value is measured or calibrated and stored in the smoke detector for use in setting alarm values.

The present invention relates to smoke detectors and in particular, relates to a method of calibrating a smoke detector. The invention also relates to a smoke detecting system where the alarm panel communicates with a series of calibrated smoke detectors.
Many smoke detectors include a light emitting diode (LED) light source that produces a light beam within a smoke detecting chamber. A photo diode is positioned to receive light that is scattered by smoke particles in the smoke chamber. The walls of the smoke chamber have a series of passages for allowing smoke particles to flow into or out of the chamber. The walls of the chamber are also designed to reduce the amount of light reflected by the walls back into the chamber. A processing circuit is associated with the photo detector to measure the amount of light received.
The various components of the smoke detector all collectively contribute to the sensitivity of the detector and the detector at the time of manufacture requires calibration. One of the main factors that lead to vary significant tolerance variations is the output of the LED light source. The output of the LED is adjusted to vary the sensitivity of the smoke detector. The calibration of smoke detectors to date has involved the adjustment of the output of the LED to achieve a particular alarm threshold measured by the photo detector for a known level of obscuration. Unfortunately, due to the significant variations in the tolerance of the LED, a considerable variation in the sensitivity of the smoke detector at various obscuration points occurs when this method of calibration is used.
To overcome this problem, it is possible to use LEDs with a smaller tolerance range; however, the problem is only reduced and the cost increases substantially.
The calibration method of the present invention reduces the problems associated with tolerance variation impact on calibration.


A medical laser system for scanning a beam of laser light including an oscillating mirror that repeatedly scans a laser beam in a cyclical pattern, such as a circle or an ellipse, or in a zig-zag pattern within a defined boundary. The oscillating mirror can be included in a myringotomy instrument. Also, the oscillating mirror can be included in a joystick-controlled medical laser system, or in any other system where a cyclically scanned laser beam is useful.

There are surgical procedures that employ a laser to vaporize a portion of tissue. For example, a Carbon Dioxide (CO.sub.2) or Argon Ion laser is used to perform a myringotomy, wherein a 1 mm diameter hole is made in an ear drum. To accomplish this, a surgeon focuses the laser optics to provide a 1 mm spot size. The laser is then energized for a period of 50 to 100 msec, emitting a pulse of laser light that vaporizes the ear drum tissue upon contact, leaving a 1 mm hole. The vaporization of the tissue is believed to cause an acoustic shock wave in the ear drum that is perceived by the patient as an abrupt, loud noise, described as a "pop" sound. Children most likely perceive the noise as painful and disturbing, and are often reluctant to submit to the procedure again. Furthermore, since the intensity of the laser spot is typically described by a Gaussian distribution, only the central portion of the spot has an intensity sufficient to vaporize tissue. The outer skirt of the spot induces tissue charring and coagulation, which can be undesirable side-effects of current techniques.
The stapes is the smallest of three small bones that together transmit sound from the ear drum and ultimately to the auditory nerve. Normally, the stapes presses against the vestibular window. If the stapes should become fixed to the vestibular window such that sound cannot be effectively transmitted, then impaired hearing results. To remedy this, a small hole is made in the stapes. A prosthetic device is inserted in the hole such that the prosthetic device extends toward and contacts the vestibular window. Thus, sound can again be effectively transmitted. One current technique for making the small hole is to form a circular array of closely spaced, yet smaller holes, and then remove the circular region surrounded by the smaller holes. The prosthetic device is then inserted in the now-vacant region. However, it is difficult and time-consuming for a surgeon to precisely position the laser beam and fire the laser to produce the circular array of smaller holes. Due to lack of precision, the shape of the circular region may not closely conform to the shape of the prosthesis, resulting in poor contact of the prosthetic device with the vestibular window, thereby creating a possibility of perilymph leakage and dislodging of the prosthetic device, resulting in renewed hearing impairment.


An air conditioning (A/C) system includes a condenser and an electric motor that drives a fan to induce air flow through the condenser. The electric motor includes an internal stator assembly and an external rotor assembly rotatable about the internal stator assembly. A housing is attached to the external rotor assembly. The fan is connected to the housing.

Air conditioning (A/C) systems provide cool air that is circulated in buildings. A/C systems are thermo-dynamic devices with a cold side and a hot side. Refrigerant is circulated in the A/C system and undergoes gas-liquid and liquid-gas state changes that enable cooling of air. The hot side of the A/C system induces a state change in the refrigerant from a gas to a liquid state by transferring heat from the refrigerant to atmosphere. The cold side of the A/C system induces a state change in the refrigerant from a liquid to a gas state by transferring heat from ambient air within the building to the refrigerant. The heat transfer from the ambient air to the refrigerant cools the ambient air in the building.
The cold side of the A/C system is located within the building to cool ambient air within the building. The cooled air is circulated through the building by an air handler, such as a furnace and a blower. The hot side of the A/C system is located external to the building and includes a condensing unit.
The condensing unit typically includes a compressor, a condensing coil, a fan blade, and an electric motor. The compressor compresses and moves the refrigerant in the condensing coil. The electric motor rotates the fan blade to induce air flow through the condensing unit. The air flow improves heat transfer of the refrigerant in the condensing coil and improves condenser efficiency.
Typically, the electric motor of the condensing unit is a permanent split capacitor (PSC) motor that includes an inner rotor that rotates within an outer stator. The PSC motor also includes a shell and two stationary end shields. The PSC motor is mounted in a shaft downward position from the top of a housing containing the condensing unit. The electric motor rotates the fan to induce upward air flow through the condensing unit.
The housing for the condensing unit typically has a defined height. Due to their construction, conventional PSC motors are longer in an axial direction than desired. When the motor is mounted in the shaft downward position, the fan blades are located a significant distance from the top of the condensing coil assembly. In other words, a top portion of the condensing coil lies above the fan. The top portion of the condensing coil that is at or above the height of the fan blade does not receive air flow and has a lower heat transfer efficiency. In some condensing units, the electric motor is mounted in a shaft upward position to improve the condensing unit efficiency. This approach increases the cost of both the motor and the condensing unit.
Performance attributes of AC systems can be improved in several areas. AC systems generate undesirable acoustic noise during operation due to the operation of the fan and/or the compressor. Some of the acoustic noise that is created by the fan can be attributed to the electric motor. In other words, reducing acoustic noise of the PSC motors would decrease the acoustic noise of the AC system.
AC systems also consume a relatively high amount of power due to the operation of the electric motor and/or compressor. Reducing the "on" time of the fan by increasing the efficiency of the condensing unit would be desirable. Furthermore, reducing the power that is dissipated by the electric motor would also be desirable.


A lubricant additive composition including: a borate including an alkali metal borate, an alkaline earth metal borate, or a combination thereof; tungsten disulfide including particles having a particle diameter of 4 to 160 nanometers; an anti-scuff agent including a metal dithiocarbamate, a metal dialkyldithiocarbamate, a metal dithiophosphate, a metal dialkyldithiophosphate, or a combination thereof; a borate ester; and a base oil.

1) Field of the Invention
Disclosed is a lubricant additive composition, a lubricant, and method of preparing the same. The lubricant additive composition may be used to treat a base oil to provide improved performance.
2) Description of the Related Art
Lubrication involves friction reduction by maintaining a film of a lubricant between adjacent surfaces that move with respect to each other. The lubricant film prevents direct contact of the adjacent surfaces, greatly reducing the coefficient of friction and wear of the surfaces. In addition to this function, the lubricant film also can provide functions such as heat removal, containment of contaminants, and other important functions.
Commercially available lubricants are a mixture of a base oil, e.g., a hydrocarbon oil, and one or more additives. The additives are used to establish or enhance various properties of the lubricant. Because additives and the base oil may interact both physically and chemically, and because an additive may affect multiple properties of the base oil, formulation of additives can be complex. For example, certain anti-wear agents are known to accelerate corrosion; flow improvers can reduce viscosity, and some dispersants and viscosity improvers are known to interact with base oils to degrade cloud point and pour point properties.
For certain applications, such as in industrial machinery or in fleet vehicles, reducing friction and wear can be especially desirable. Reducing friction losses can result in a variety of benefits, including improved fuel economy and reduced engine operating temperature. Reducing wear can also provide a variety of additional benefits, including extended life, reduced maintenance costs, and improved reliability. Furthermore, for certain applications, a lubricant that is substantially free of certain elements, such as phosphorous, can be desirable for certain applications.
Many studies have been made on additives, e.g., friction modifiers, to provide reduced friction and wear. Nonetheless, there remains a need for an improved lubricant additive composition and lubricant that can provide improved performance.

Lubricant additive composition, lubricant, and method of preparing the same


A compound screw is a two-piece assembly where the head of the screw can rotate in the tightening direction to a designed tightening torque to drive the screw while being able to positively counter-rotate in the loosening direction. The screw assembly comprises a screw and a cap surrounding the head of the screw. The screw has a head at the top and a threaded shank downwardly extending from a base of the screw head. The screw is turned by turning the cap about a central axis of the screw. The cap is rotatably affixed to the screw head by a loose riveting of the cap to the top most end of the screw head by flaring a thin-walled upwardly extending portion thereof. The cap includes a plurality of axially extending peripheral resilient arms which engage peripheral cam surfaces around the outside of the screw head.

Torque limiting screws can be commonly found. One type of screw has a two-section head with a driver portion and a head portion. The connecting metal between the two is of a thinner section, so that it will break at the desired torque. This requires driving from the outside of the head of the part, which precludes installing the head into a counter bore. Metal flakes can also shear off during the breaking-off process.
Other types of torque limiting screws have complicated friction disk clutches and springs in their heads which are more like knobs. While this is effective for large thumb screw or knob type of fasteners, it is not helpful for small assemblies. Standard screws can be installed to a desired torque using a torque wrench, but standard screws can still be over tightened, even with a torque wrench.
The main reason for specifying a torque limiting screw is to prevent damage to an assembly due to overtightening of the screw. There is therefore a need in the fastening art for a torque limiting screw which is economical to manufacture and which can easily be varied in design to suit a wide range of applications.


The present invention provides a color filter substrate in which reduction in display qualities is suppressed even if color mixing is generated when a plurality of differently colored transparent layers are formed by a method using a liquid material, such as an ink jet method, and to provide a liquid crystal display panel and a liquid crystal display device each including the color filter substrate. The color filter substrate of the present invention comprises a plurality of color display units, each of the color display units including four or more differently colored transparent layers,                wherein the color filter substrate includes a frame structure which surrounds each of the differently colored transparent layers, and        the differently colored transparent layers are arranged such that an average of color difference values for pairs of adjacent differently colored transparent layers becomes minimum.

Liquid crystal display devices are display devices including a liquid crystal display panel which has a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer disposed therebetween, and perform display by changing a polarization state of light by changing an alignment state of the liquid crystal layer to which a voltage is applied using electrodes formed on the substrates. Therefore, liquid crystal display devices are non-emissive display devices which require light sources in addition to liquid crystal display panels. In such liquid crystal display devices, a plurality of differently colored transparent layers (color filters) are formed for performing color display on a color filter substrate of a pair of substrates.
A color filter substrate generally includes a plurality of differently colored color filters which are regularly arranged on the entire display area. A pixel which is the smallest unit performing color display is generally composed of color filters with respective three primary colors of red (R), green (G), and blue (B). However, such three primary colors can produce only a part of color region which can be visible by human eyes, and high color saturation cannot be reproduced. Therefore, use of four or more differently colored color filters is proposed in order to increase the color reproduction range (for example, refer to Patent Documents 1 to 8).
Further, improvement in yield of desired product has been needed for suppressing increase in production costs in production of liquid crystal display devices. Therefore, methods for appropriately modifying defects of color filters are needed in production processes of color filter substrates. In recent years, an ink jet method has been examined as a method for forming color filters. However, inks with different colors dropped on the substrate may be mixed to cause defects of color mixing in color filters. On the other hand, a method for reproducing color filters in portions obtained by removing color mixing portions by laser irradiation, such as YAG laser beam irradiation, has been known. However, even if the defects are modified by such a method, display qualities may be considerably degraded.
Patent Document 1: JP 2001-209047 A
Patent Document 2: JP 2001-306023 A
Patent Document 3: JP 2003-163940 A
Patent Document 4: WO 03/088203
Patent Document 5: JP 2005-234133 A
Patent Document 6: JP 2005-309305 A
Patent Document 7: WO 2006/018926
Patent Document 8: WO 2006/109577

Color filter substrate, liquid crystal display panel, and liquid crystal display device