A video device is provided having a more efficient Reed-Solomon decode methodology. The Reed-Solomon decoder advantageously receives pre-indentified error locations and, given those locations, focuses entirely upon correcting (as opposed to detecting) erroneous symbols at those locations. A noise detector is used to identify erroneous symbol intervals, and forwards information signifying erroneous symbol locations or erases symbols within those locations. The detected error locations are forwarded to the Reed-Solomon decoder which then adds (or subtracts) correction quantities to symbols within those locations. Given pre-identified error locations, the Reed-Solomon decoder can correct double the number of corrupted symbols. The decoder, herein provided, therefore proves beneficial in high speed decoding of video signals sent from a video device having forward error correction.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a video device which employs error correction on digital signals representing audio and video data. The video device includes an encoder, a decoder and a noise level detector. The noise level detector identifies noise at select data word times (i.e., locations) within the encoded signal, and thereafter forwards the identified locations to a block decoder. The identified data locations are used as a basis for increasing the performance by which correction is achieved within the block decoder.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Error correction of digital data is well known in the field of audio and video reproduction and storage. Error correction is typically used both to restore digital information which has in some way been disrupted or lost during recordation and/or transmission. Error correction makes digital data storage and transmission much more robust than counterpart analog systems. Accordingly, error correction proves beneficial in relaxing the manufacturing tolerances of memory media as well as reducing the power and costs requirements of the transmitter and receiver.
High recording densities and unfriendly transmission environments necessitate a sophisticated error correction scheme. Errors imputed upon the digital signals generally arrive from possibly three sources: the digital recordation and reproduction system, the storage media, and/or the transmission channel interference. It is well known that recordation and reproduction errors such as aliasing and quantization affect the accuracy by which digital signals are represented. Irregularities on the storage media surface and noise (interference) placed on the transmission channel further disrupt the digital signals. Regardless of their source, errors are generally classified as random errors or burst errors. As the name implies, random errors occur in random fashion and generally have no relation to one another. Conversely, a burst error is one which occurs over a relatively long period of time and often involves the disruption of perhaps hundreds, if not thousands of bits. Burst errors may have various causes. In memory media, a burst error may be caused by a large dust particle resting on the surface of the medium. In a transmission channel, a burst error may be caused by channel fading or may be caused by periodic noise imputed on the channel. Regardless of the cause, burst errors are a commonly occurring kind of error which, due to their extended duration, pose a greater challenge to error correction than random errors.
Error correction is employed in correction of burst errors, but more importantly must do so with a minimal amount of redundant data and data processing. Reducing the probability of bit error is one of the main functions of error correction modules. A successful error correction technique can perform the aforesaid advantages not only to detect the location of errors but to correct those error locations.
Error detection and correction are brought about, in a general sense, by coding. The use of large-scale integrated (LSI) circuits has made it possible to provide substantial performance improvement through coding. Coding, and the advantages thereof, are achieved on the integrated circuit at much less cost than would be necessary if higher-power transmitters or larger antennas were used. There are a number of types of coding techniques used for error detection and correction. The two very frequently used types are block coding and convolutional coding. Block and convolutional coding serve to find errors within a sequence of structured codewords and, thereafter, to correct erroneous words within that sequence.
A sequence of structured codewords involves an information stream with additional redundant information. The codewords are composed of symbols, and the symbols can be as small as a single bit or can contain numerous bits (or a byte) of digital information. Accordingly, codewords are set forth in a code, and code can be either bit-oriented code or byte-oriented code depending upon whether the code word is represented as a plurality of single-bit symbols or a plurality of eight-bit symbols, respectively.
Error correction involves not only the detection of errors, but also correction of those errors. While block coding entails codewords formed of a block of symbols (data and check symbols) placed in a structured sequence arranged solely from the message contained in the block, convolutional coding entails a structured sequence of codewords formed from the message present in the encoder at that time, including previous messages as well. Regardless of whether block or convolutional coding is used, the resulting codeword sequence, involving data symbols and check symbols, is decoded by an error correction algorithm.
There are several types of block coding algorithms. Many of them concern the popular Reed-Solomon codes, which may be defined as block codes whose check symbols are determined by polynomial operations in a Galois field with a generator polynomial formed by multiplying monomials whose roots are consecutive elements in the field. Reed-Solomon codes are popular since the encoding can be performed by using the generator polynomial to multiply or divide a polynomial representing the message. Furthermore, low complexity methods exist for error correcting received symbol blocks. One popular decoding algorithm involves determining polynomials with roots that locate errors, and generating syndromes to correct errors. In this manner, the data symbols and check symbols within a codeword may be algebraically combined with one another to determine if a data symbol is erroneous. Determination of the erroneous data symbol location is taken from an algebraic sum of the roots. A polynomial expansion of those roots allows the Reed-Solomon algorithm to thereafter correct the data symbol location. Both detection and correction occurs within the conventional Reed-Solomon decode algorithm. The Reed-Solomon decode algorithm, and the methodology by which polynomials and roots allow detection and correction of errors, is provided and referenced in B. Sklar, Digital Communications Fundamentals and Applications, (Prentice Hall 1988), pp. 304-308 (herein incorporated by reference).
Unlike block coding, codeword output n-tuple of a convolutional encoding procedure is not only a function of an input k-tuple, but is also a function of the previous K-1 input k-tuples. As such, convolutional codes are often referred to as recurrent codes.
Generally speaking, a convolutional encoder may be implemented using a shift register and a plurality of encoder vectors, one for each codeword symbol. Each codeword symbol is then generated by the inner product of the corresponding encoder vector and the contents of the shift register. For example, a bit-oriented encoder might use two binary vectors to generate a two bit codeword by multiplying the contents of the shift register with each vector component-wise, and perform the sum using modulo two addition. Two code symbols are thereby generated and paired together to form a codeword. The memory of the convolutional encoder is determined by the length of the shift register, and in general, a larger memory can provide a larger coding gain. Convolutional encoding and subsequent Viterbi decoding are well documented algorithms. See, e.g., B. Sklar, Digital Communications Fundamentals and Applications, (Prentice Hall 1988), pp. 315-338 (herein incorporated by reference).
The performance of block encoders/decoders are especially dependent on their ability to efficiently use check symbols to reconstruct incorrect or lost data symbols. When multiple symbol errors are sustained, as in the case of a burst error, both the data symbol and the associated check symbol may be affected. To reduce the impact of this, data symbols within each codeword (or codewords amongst each other) are dispersed throughout the data stream (i.e. interleaved) before the data is recorded or transmitted. If a burst error occurs, it damages only a reproducible portion of data symbols but not all data symbols within the codeword. Upon playback the code is de-interleaved. Thus, the data symbols return to their original codeword location (i.e., to the original structured codeword) with errors properly distributed therein. Interleaving and subsequent de-interleaving greatly increases error correctability of block codes by separating each symbol from its pre-interleaved neighbors by a span of several symbols. An error occupying several data symbol intervals will affect one data symbol per codeword instead of possibly numerous pre-interleaved neighboring data symbols.
Error correction is greatly enhanced by utilizing block coding, convolutional coding and interleaving. A device which employs all three techniques in a concatenated architecture not only reduces power and bandwidth requirements, but can do so beyond that which would be required using either block or convolutional coding individually. A concatenated Reed-Solomon outer code and a convolutional inner code serves to reduce E.sub.b /N.sub.0 while achieving less than 1.times.10.sub.-12 bit error probability. While the Viterbi decoder may output burst errors, those errors are de-interleaved before entering the Reed-Solomon decoder. The Reed-Solomon decoder depends only on the number of data word errors within a block of codewords, with minimal disturbance by burst errors. The concatenated architecture is often motivated in systems which employ high speed digital signals.
As systems evolve to higher signal processing speeds due to higher information storage densities and/or higher information transmission rates, encoders which can provide improved error correction performance will be required. For example, video data is oftentimes compressed with a high bit rate which necessitates a higher speed decoder, and a decoder which can correct more errors than conventional decoders. It is often the case that the requirement for improved performance, which typically involves substantial increases in device complexity, is accompanied by the requirement for higher throughput speeds and lower decoding delays.

Video device with reed-solomon erasure decoder and method thereof


A hood support piston stopper that is positionable in connection with the hood support piston assembly of a vehicle in a manner to prevent the piston rod of the hood support piston assembly from sliding back into the cylinder allowing the hood to move from the raised to the closed position. To maintain the stopper in a handy location under the vehicle hood of a vehicle with a faulty hood support piston assembly it would be a further benefit to have a tether for securing the stopper in an out of the way but readily accessible location under the vehicle hood.

The present invention relates to vehicle tools and safety devices and more particularly to a hood support piston stopper that maintains the hood support piston assembly extended in a manner to prevent the hood of the vehicle from falling onto a worker while the worker is positioned between the engine and the lifted hood of a vehicle; the hood support piston stopper including an elongated stopper member having a substantially C-shaped cross section along the length thereof; a lateral insertion slot along the entire length thereof for allowing the rod portion of a hood support piston to be inserted into a piston rod receiving channel defined by the elongated stopper member; a storage tether attached to an end of the elongated stopper member for allowing convenient storage of the hood support piston stopper within the engine compartment when it is not in use; a cylinder insertion slot being provided at one end of the elongated stopper member wherein the cylinder insertion slot is greater in width than the lateral insertion slot to allow a bottom end of the cylinder to rest on a ledge top formed at the connection point of the lateral insertion slot and the cylinder insertion slot; the elongated stopper member being positioned over an extended piston rod of a hood support piston to prevent the piston rod from sliding back into the cylinder while a person is positioned between the lifted vehicle hood and the engine.
Many times the hood support piston assembly of a vehicle will become damaged to the point where it does not reliably support the hood of the vehicle in the raised position. When a person is positioned between the raised hood and the engine of the vehicle, severe injuries can occur should the hood support piston assembly suddenly allow the hood to drop. It would of course be a benefit to anyone having such a problem with the hood support piston assembly of their vehicle or anybody who works on car engines or the like to have a stopper structure that could be positioned in connection with the hood support piston assembly in a manner to prevent the piston rod of the hood support piston assembly from sliding back into the cylinder. To maintain the stopper in a handy location under the vehicle hood of a vehicle with a faulty hood support piston assembly it would be a further benefit to have a tether for securing the stopper in an out of the way but readily accessible location under the vehicle hood.
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a hood support piston stopper that includes an elongated stopper member having a substantially C-shaped cross section along the length thereof; a lateral insertion slot along the entire length thereof for allowing the rod portion of a hood support piston to be inserted into a piston rod receiving channel defined by the elongated stopper member; a storage tether attached to an end of the elongated stopper member for allowing convenient storage of the hood support piston stopper within the engine compartment when it is not in use; a cylinder insertion slot being provided at one end of the elongated stopper member wherein the cylinder insertion slot is greater in width than the lateral insertion slot to allow a bottom end of the cylinder to rest on a ledge top formed at the connection point of the lateral insertion slot and the cylinder insertion slot; the elongated stopper member being positioned over an extended piston rod of a hood support piston to prevent the piston rod from sliding back into the cylinder while a person is positioned between the lifted vehicle hood and the engine.
Accordingly, a hood support piston stopper is provided. The hood support piston stopper includes an elongated stopper member having a substantially C-shaped cross section along the length thereof; a lateral insertion slot along the entire length thereof for allowing the rod portion of a hood support piston to be inserted into a piston rod receiving channel defined by the elongated stopper member; a storage tether attached to an end of the elongated stopper member for allowing convenient storage of the hood support piston stopper within the engine compartment when it is not in use; a cylinder insertion slot being provided at one end of the elongated stopper member wherein the cylinder insertion slot is greater in width than the lateral insertion slot to allow a bottom end of the cylinder to rest on a ledge top formed at the connection point of the lateral insertion slot and the cylinder insertion slot; the elongated stopper member being positioned over an extended piston rod of a hood support piston to prevent the piston rod from sliding back into the cylinder while a person is positioned between the lifted vehicle hood and the engine.


A nondefibrillating and nonfibrillation-inducing energy is delivered at a first internal thoracic location. A first resulting electrical signal is detected at a second internal thoracic location in or near a target region of a heart. A first defibrillation threshold is estimated using the nondefibrillating and nonfibrillation-inducing energy, the first resulting electrical signal, and a target electric field strength. The defibrillation threshold represents an energy that when delivered at the first internal thoracic location creates an electric field strength in the target region of the heart that meets or exceeds the target electric field strength.

When functioning properly, the human heart maintains its own intrinsic rhythm, and is capable of pumping adequate blood throughout the body's circulatory system. However, some people have irregular cardiac rhythms, referred to as cardiac arrhythmias. Such arrhythmias result in diminished blood circulation. One mode of treating cardiac arrhythmias uses drug therapy. Drugs are often effective at restoring normal heart rhythms. However, drug therapy is not always effective for treating arrhythmias of certain patients. For such patients, an alternative mode of treatment is needed. One such alternative mode of treatment includes the use of a cardiac rhythm management system. Such systems are often implanted in the patient and deliver therapy to the heart.
Cardiac rhythm management systems include, among other things, pacemakers, also referred to as pacers. Pacers deliver timed sequences of low energy electric stimuli, called pace pulses, to the heart, such as via an intravascular leadwire or catheter (referred to as a "lead") having one or more electrodes disposed in or about the heart. Heart contractions are initiated in response to such pace pulses (this is referred to as "capturing" the heart). By properly timing the delivery of pace pulses, the heart can be induced to contract in proper rhythm, greatly improving its efficiency as a pump. Pacers are often used to treat patients with bradyarrhythmias, that is, hearts that beat too slowly, or irregularly.
Cardiac rhythm management systems also include defibrillators that are capable of delivering higher energy electric stimuli to the heart. Such defibrillators also include cardioverters, which synchronize the delivery of such stimuli to portions of sensed intrinsic heart activity signals. Defibrillators are often used to treat patients with tachyarrhythmias, that is, hearts that beat too quickly. Such too-fast heart rhythms also cause diminished blood circulation because the heart is not allowed sufficient time to fill with blood before contracting to expel the blood. Such pumping by the heart is inefficient. A defibrillator is capable of delivering a high energy electric stimulus that is sometimes referred to as a defibrillation countershock, also referred to simply as a "shock." The countershock interrupts the tachyarrhythmia, allowing the heart to reestablish a normal rhythm for the efficient pumping of blood. In addition to pacers, cardiac rhythm management systems also include, among other things, pacer/defibrillators that combine the functions of pacers and defibrillators, drug delivery devices, and any other implantable or external systems or devices for diagnosing or treating cardiac arrhythmias.
One problem faced by cardiac rhythm management systems is the determination of the threshold energy required, for a particular defibrillation shock waveform, to reliably convert a tachyarrhythmia into a normal heart rhythm. Ventricular and atrial fibrillation are probabilistic phenomena that observe a dose-response relationship with respect to shock strength. The ventricular defibrillation threshold is the smallest amount of energy that can be delivered to the heart to reliably revert ventricular fibrillation to a normal rhythm. Similarly, the atrial defibrillation threshold is the threshold amount of energy that will terminate an atrial fibrillation. Such defibrillation thresholds vary from patient to patient, and may even vary within a patient depending on the placement of the electrodes used to deliver the therapy. In order to ensure the efficacy of such therapy and to maximize the longevity of the battery source of such therapy energy, the defibrillation thresholds must be determined so that the defibrillation energy can be safely set above the threshold value but not at so large of a value so as to waste energy and shorten the usable life of the implanted device.
One technique for determining the defibrillation threshold is to induce the targeted tachyarrhythmia (e.g., ventricular fibrillation), and then apply shocks of varying magnitude to determine the energy needed to convert the arrhythmia into a normal heart rhythm. However, this requires imposing the risks and discomfort associated with both the arrhythmia and the therapy. Electric energy delivered to the heart has the potential to both cause myocardial injury and subject the patient to pain. Moreover, if defibrillation thresholds are being obtained in order to assist the physician in determining optimal lead placement, these disadvantages are compounded as the procedure is repeated for different potential lead placements.
In another technique for determining the defibrillation threshold, referred to as the "upper limit of vulnerability" technique, a patient in a state of normal heart rhythm is shocked during the vulnerable (T-wave) period of the cardiac cycle during which time the heart tissue is undergoing repolarization. Shocks of varying magnitude are applied until fibrillation is induced. Of course, after such fibrillation is induced, the patient must be again shocked in order to interrupt the arrhythmia and reestablish a normal heart rhythm. In this technique, the corresponding fibrillation-inducing shock magnitude is then related to a defibrillation threshold energy using a theoretical model. The upper limit of vulnerability technique also suffers from imposing the risks and discomfort associated with both the arrhythmia and the shock therapy. Moreover, because of the discomfort associated with the fibrillation and countershocks, the patient is typically sedated under general anesthesia, which itself has some additional risk and increased health care cost. For these and other reasons, there is a need to estimate defibrillation thresholds without relying on a defibrillation shock to induce or terminate an actual arrhythmia.

Defibrillation threshold prediction methods and systems


A holder plate has two individual plates that extend at a distance from one another and are connected with each other by a film hinge. The hollow space between the individual plates is filled with an expandable material. For the fixation of the functional position of the holder plate at least one clamping and fixation element is pushed on the outer surfaces of the individual plates. The individual plates can also be connected with each other by integrally formed locking elements. The clamping and fixation element is advantageously formed as one piece. The individual plates of the holder plate can be produced in their unfolded state and can be folded into their functional position. When the expandable material is applied in partial segments to the individual plates of the holder plate, the partial segments are provided with a film hinge such that they can be flipped into the functional position.

The invention relates to a holder plate configuration with a fixation element for fixing a holder plate in a functional position.
The production of holder plates, which are made of two or more materials and in which one material is to be encapsulated over the full area or in partial areas between two plates, poses the problem that a complex production tool is required to produce these holder plates as a single piece. Also, the geometric configuration of the holder plate is limited due to the position within the tool. The fixation of the entire holder plate, e.g., in the interior of the hollow space structures of automobiles, furthermore requires locking connections or clip-on connections or some other fastening elements, which further increase the complexity of the tool. The one-piece production of holder plates with locking or fastening connections necessarily requires that the holder plates and the fasting elements be made of the same material. As a result, the area subject to the highest material stress determines the material quality.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a holder plate configuration which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known holder plates of this general type and which permits a simple tool configuration for its production and which also allows a substantially faster and thus more cost-effective production of the holder plate configuration.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a holder plate configuration, including a holder plate having two individual plates and a film hinge connecting the two individual plates extending spaced at a distance from one another for defining an interstice therebetween, the holder plate having an outer surface and having an expandable material filling the interstice; and one or more clamping and fixation elements for fixing the holder plate in a functional position, preferably in a functional position in an interior region of a hollow space structure of a motor vehicle, the clamping and fixation elements are pushed onto the outer surface of the holder plate; and/or locking elements formed integral with the holder plate for connecting the individual plates.
In other words, the object of the invention is achieved in that the individual plates of the holder plate are connected with each other by a film hinge and that for fixing the functional position of the holder plate one or several clamping and fixation elements are directly pushed onto the outer surfaces of the individual plates and/or the individual plates are connected with each other via integrally formed locking elements. The clamping and fixation element can be formed as a single piece.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the clamping and fixation element has a central seat the inside width of which approximately corresponds to the thickness of the holder plate.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the lateral boundaries of the central seat can be laterally spread apart.
In another preferred embodiment, locking nubs are provided on the inner surfaces of the lateral boundaries of the central seat, with the individual plates being provided with correspondingly associated locking elements.
The individual plates may each be provided with a corresponding groove that starts on the underside and in width and length approximately corresponds to the central seat of the clamping and fixation element.
The central seat and thus also the groove extend approximately over 50% of the total height of the clamping and fixation element. The lateral boundaries of the clamping and fixation element may conically widen in a downward direction. When the clamping and fixation element is pushed on, it locks or clamps together with the individual plates of the holder plate.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the expandable material is applied as a partial segment to each of the inner surfaces of the individual plates.
In a preferred embodiment, the partial segments of the expandable material are connected with each other by a film hinge, whereby an individual plate together with the associated partial segment of expandable material can be swung into the functional position of the holder plate after completion.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the clamping and fixation element has outer sides and has reinforcement ribs provided at the outer sides.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, one of the individual plates has an angled portion pointing toward the other one of the individual plates, the other one of the individual plates has a bent region with an upper locking hook engaging with the angled portion.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the individual plates have openings for allowing a coating medium or varnishing medium to flow therethrough.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the clamping and fixation elements or the individual plates are injection molded elements formed of a chemical material.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the holder plate is produced in a two-component process, wherein the partial segments of the expandable material are deposited on the individual plates right after the individual plates are produced.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the individual plates have different dimensional sizes.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the holder plate has completely or partially sealed end faces and/or completely or partially sealed cover surfaces.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the individual plates and the clamping and fixation elements are made of different materials.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the distance defining the interstice between the individual plates is determined by the thickness of the expandable material.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the holder plate has locking elements formed integral with the holder plate for connecting the individual plates.
As a result of the configuration according to the invention, the individual plates can be manufactured in their unfolded state and, to form the functional position, can be folded into the required reference plane. When the expandable material is applied in partial segments to the partial plates of the holder plate, the partial segments are provided with a film hinge so that they can be flipped into the functional position.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a holder plate with clamping and fixation elements, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.


A scanning optical comprises a light source, a rotating mirror for deflecting and scanning a light beam emitted form the light source, a scanning lens for converging the light beam deflected by the rotating mirror onto an object surface, a transparent cover plate obliquely disposed between the rotating mirror and the scanning lens, and a transparent compensation plate obliquely disposed between the cover plate and the object surface. The cover plate has no power and a normal of the cover plate is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a main scanning plane. The compensation plate has no power and a normal of the compensation plate is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the main scanning plane.

The present invention relates to a scanning optical system used in an optical scanning unit of a laser beam printer or the like.
In a scanning optical system, a rotating polygon mirror is used to scan a light beam from a light source. Conventionally, the polygon mirror is enclosed by a cover unit in order to prevent the generation of sound due to the rotation of the polygon mirror and to avoid damage to the reflecting surfaces of the polygon mirror from collisions with dust or debris in the air. In order to allow the passage of an incident light beam from the light source to the polygon mirror and of a scanning light beam reflected from the polygon mirror, the cover unit is provided with a cover glass plate through which the incident light beam and the scanning light beam pass.
If the cover glass plate is parallel to the rotation axis of the polygon mirror, that is, if the cover glass plate is perpendicular to a main scanning plane, a part of the incident light beam or the scanning light beam may be reflected at a surface of the cover glass plate. This "ghost light" may remain reach the object surface and generate noise in the scanning light beam. This problem is particularly noticeable in an optical system in which one cover glass plate is provided for the transmission of both the incident light beam and the scanning light beam.
The problem of "ghost light" was addressed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. Sho 63-49726, disclosing a scanning optical system provided with a cover glass plate. The cover glass plate transmits both the incident light beam and the scanning light beam and is inclined with respect to the rotation axis of the polygon mirror. Since the rotation axis of the polygon mirror is perpendicular to the main scanning plane, a normal with respect to the cover glass plate is inclined with respect to the main scanning plane. In this way, any unwanted reflected light, "ghost light", is directed away from the path of the scanning light beam (i.e., away from the object surface).
However, with the cover glass plate arranged such that the normal thereof is inclined with respect to the main scanning plane, the scanning light beam is shifted in the auxiliary scanning direction during transmission through the cover glass plate. As the polygon mirror rotates, the incident angle of the scanning light beam on the cover glass plate in relation to an auxiliary scanning direction varies, and thus, the amount of the shift of the scanning light beam varies throughout the scanning angle, and thus the scanning line formed on the object surface will be curved. That is, there will be a bow in the scanning line.


An electronic device including a housing that accommodates a circuit board and a first electronic component connected to the circuit board, and that has an opening portion that opens upward; a cover that is provided on an upper portion of the housing, that at least partially covers the opening portion, and that has a second electronic component mounted thereon; a connecting wire that connects the second electronic component to the circuit board; and an opening/closing mechanism that can open and close the cover in a state in which the second electronic component and the circuit board are connected by the connecting wire.

Various types of electronic devices contain multiple electronic components in a housing. In order to assemble and perform maintenance on the electronic devices, the housings are often provided with a housing having an opening portion and a cover provided so as to be able to open and close the opening portion in the housing.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration provided with a housing (base housing) containing electronic components (constituent components), and a cover (cover housing) that is combined with the housing. With this configuration, electronic components are also mounted on the rear side of the cover, facing into the housing.

Electronic device and maintenance method for electronic device


A viscous coupling (11) is disclosed of the type used as a by-pass element in a torque converter assembly (T) including a torque converter housing (H) and an output shaft (S). The coupling includes a body member (13), a cover member (15), and an annular clutch assembly (19). The clutch assembly includes a pair of clutch plates (53 and 57), riveted to a mounting portion (37), and the coupling housing includes a housing plate (59), disposed between the clutch plates. The housing plate (59) has an outer portion (61) which is fixed between the body and cover members, by means of tabs (65) engaging the body member (13) and tabs (69) engaging the cover member (15). Preferably, the tabs (65) are received in recesses (67) to prevent relative rotation of the housing plate (59) and body member (13). Also disclosed is an assembly and fluid fill method which eliminates the need for fill holes and plugs or balls being pressed into the fill holes. The disclosed coupling requires substantially less machining than prior art viscous couplings, and therefore, has substantially reduced manufacturing cost.

The present invention relates to viscous couplings, and more particularly, to such couplings of the type which are now employed in automatic transmission torque converters, to serve as by-pass elements, by-passing the torque converter.
Torque converter type automatic transmissions have achieved widespread application and acceptance in motor vehicles. Although generally satisfactory in this application, torque converter type automatic transmissions inherently involve a certain amount of slippage, and therefore, inherently result in losses in vehicle fuel economy. In an effort to minimize such slippage, and thereby increase fuel economy, efforts have been made to by-pass the torque converter with some type of relatively direct drive, which typically is activated when the vehicle is operating in the higher gear ratios, and above a predetermine vehicle speed. Although the term "by-pass" is used in regard to this type of element, those skilled in the art will understand that the element is actually transmitting torque in parallel with the torque converter.
While such prior art direct drive by-pass arrangements have resulted in improvements in fuel economy, certain types of by-pass elements utilized have, under certain operating conditions, transmitted various driveline vibrations to the passenger compartment of the vehicles, causing degradation of the ride quality of the vehicle.
In an effort to provide a by-pass element which would not transmit driveline vibration to the passenger compartment, those skilled in the art have utilized a viscous coupling as the by-pass element. Although the use of a viscous coupling as the by-pass element does serve to minimize the transmission of driveline vibration, it is still important that the coupling be designed for maximum durability and, at the same time, be reliable and inexpensive to manufacture.
A typical prior art viscous coupling of the type to which the present invention relates is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,477, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and incorporated herein by reference. Such couplings typically include a cast aluminum body or sidewall member, and a cast aluminum clutch member. Each of these cast aluminum members is then machined to define a plurality of annular, concentric lands and grooves, arranged so that the lands and grooves of the body and clutch are interdigitated, upon assembly thereof, to define a serpentine-shaped viscous shear space. During operation, the shear space is filled with viscous fluid, which is typically a silicone fluid, such that rotation of the body member transmits torque to the clutch member by means of viscous shear drag, as is now well known to those skilled in the viscous coupling art.
Although viscous couplings of the type described above have been quite satisfactory in operation as torque converter by-pass elements, the necessity of machining lands and grooves in both the body and clutch members has added substantially to the manufacturing cost of such couplings. One result has been a somewhat limited market application, i.e., it has not been economically feasible to utilize such viscous couplings in all automatic transmissions requiring torque converter by-pass elements.

Reduced cost viscous coupling by-pass element for a torque converter


A system for project management integration includes a design database having design data stored in a hierarchical manner representable by design hierarchical data. The system further includes a schedule database having scheduling data stored in a hierarchical manner representable by schedule hierarchical data. The system also includes an integration module in communication with the design database and the schedule database, the integration module operable to compare the design hierarchical data and the schedule hierarchical data in response to changes to one of the design or schedule databases, the integration module further operable to change one of the design and schedule databases in response thereto.

The invention relates in general to the field of engineering design and more particularly to a system and method for integrating scheduling and design environments.
Many tools exist today that allow for the management of a design database which is used to store circuit, semiconductor, and other hardware and software design documentation. Many conventional software tools also exist for planning and scheduling the tasks to be conducted in a particular project. Both such types of tools are effective if used as xe2x80x9cstand-alonexe2x80x9d tools. However, a design environment is a xe2x80x9cteam-drivenxe2x80x9d environment, and therefore changes in a particular design or project schedule are effective only if the design database reflects scheduling changes, and vice versa. Using current tools, modifications made to a scheduling database are manually added in a design database. For example, a design team member may store a design in a design database. The design manager must then recognize that a change has been made, change the schedule, update the schedule database and then re-evaluate bottlenecks and deadlines within the process flow of a design or project. Changes that are undetected because of human error may set the design project back and result in missed delivery dates. This manual process is both time consuming and inexact. The error probability and the amount of time required to implement changes increases exponentially with design complexity and team size.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for a system and method of integrating scheduling and design environments. The present invention provides a system and method for integrating scheduling and design environments that addresses the shortcomings of prior systems and methods in the field of design engineering.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a system for project management integration includes a design database having design data stored in a hierarchical manner representable by design hierarchical data. The system further includes a schedule database having scheduling data stored in a hierarchical manner representable by schedule hierarchical data. The system also includes an integration module in communication with the design database and the schedule database, the integration module operable to compare the design hierarchical data and the schedule hierarchical data in response to changes to one of the design or schedule databases, the integration module further operable to change one of the design and schedule databases in response thereto.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method of project management integration includes detecting a change to data of a first database and obtaining first hierarchical data associated with the first database in response to the detected change. The method also includes obtaining second hierarchical data associated with a second database in response to the detected change, comparing the first hierarchical data to the second hierarchical data and identifying at least one difference between the first and second of hierarchical data, and automatically generating and sending an update command to the second database automatically in response to the at least one identified difference.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a system for automatically updating data of a first database in response to changes made to a second database includes a first interface in communication with the first database and a second interface in communication with the second database, the second interface operable to detect changes to data in the second database. The system also includes a comparison module in communication with the first and second interface, the comparison module operable to compare first hierarchical data associated with the first database to second hierarchical data associated with the second database in response to a change detected by the second interface. The comparison module is also operable to send update data to the first interface in response to comparing the first and second hierarchical data, the first interface being operable to change the data in the first database in response to the update data.

System and method for integrating schedule and design environments


A structure includes a thermal interface material, and a Perforated Foil Sheet (PFS) including through-openings therein, with a first portion of the PFS embedded in the thermal interface material. An upper layer of the thermal interface material is overlying the PFS, and a lower layer of thermal interface material is underlying the PFS. The thermal interface material fills through-openings in the PFS.

In Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuits (3DIC), devices dies are either bonded on interposers, package substrates, or stacked on other device dies. Although the performance of the respective circuits is improved, the heat dissipation becomes a more significant concern. Conventionally, the heat in device dies is dissipated to the overlying heat sink through a Thermal Interface Material (TIM) layer, which adheres the heat sink to the underlying device dies. The thermal conductivity of the TIM, however, is not satisfactory. Hence, the heat dissipation through the TIM becomes a bottle neck for improving the heat dissipation.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


Methods and design system for generating 2-dimensional distribution architecture for testing integrated circuit design that utilizes double grid to minimize interdependencies between grid cells and the associated functional logic to facilitate the a physically efficient scan of integrated circuit designs, that simultaneously minimizes required test application time (“TAT”), test data volume, tester memory and cost associated with design for test (“DFT”), while also retaining test coverage. An additional grid parallel to a 2-dimensional XOR grid may be implemented that improves the quality of test coverage by optimally adding additional data inputs which decreases correlations between grid cells. A column spreader may feed data into column wires and row spreader may feed data into column wires. The double grid allows data to be fed into two wires, row and column, respectively, which provides twice as much stimulus data in each direction, without significantly increasing the wiring used to build the grid.

Modern integrated circuits ("ICs") in production require an enormous volume of components. During the manufacturing process, ICs must be quickly tested to determine whether each integrated circuit is functioning correctly without any physical defects. One approach is scan testing, which allows an initial state to be loaded into an integrated circuit and test to be performed from that initial state.
A specific state can be loaded into an integrated circuit by designing into the integrated circuit a special mode called a "scan mode" where all the state elements in the integrated circuit are chained together into one or more shift registers called scan chains. A design state may be set by scanning data into every flop in the integrated circuit design. The integrated circuit can then be placed on automatic test equipment (ATE), which initializes the integrated circuit to a state (e.g., scan pattern) through the scan chains, applies some tests on the integrated circuit from the state, and then uses the scan chains to unload response data from the integrated circuit after the tests have been applied.
To determine whether an integrated circuit is functioning correctly, unloaded response data from an integrated circuit is compared against a known good response. If the responses do not match, the integrated circuit is identified as faulty. This process is repeated for different scan patterns until the integrated circuit can be validated as functioning defect free.
There are several aspects of scan testing that make it practical. First, it is possible to apply a large number of tests to an integrated circuit in a short amount of time. Second, hardware overhead required to incorporate a scan mode into the integrated circuit is typically not significant compared to functional logic of the integrated circuit. Finally, it is possible to diagnose response data to determine which part of the integrated circuit is failing.
Testing of those ICs requires a large number of test patterns. Transition fault testing has become more prominent, requiring many times more patterns than before. As the chip size and the ratio of logic to be tested per input/output test pin increases dramatically, the amount of data necessary to be supplied by techniques such as automatic test pattern generation ("ATPG") has become voluminous. Design for test ("DFT") designers are faced with the challenge of inputting, for each of these large chips, a huge volume of scan test sequences via a minimal number of test pins. Therefore, with ATPG only, the required test time increases and the required amount of tester memory increases, both of which increase the cost associated with DFT.
In order to address these challenges, DFT designers have used a technique called Test Compression. Test Compression reduces test data volume and test application time ("TAT") while retaining test coverage. Using Test Compression, highly compressed test data can be loaded onto the scan chains from low-pin count automated test equipment ("ATE"), using an on-board Decompressor which decompresses the compressed test data before loading them to a large number of scan chains. After applying the scan chain data to the IC, the response data is then compressed for measurement and comparison. Test Compression recognizes that only a small percentage of scan cells in a scan chain ("care bits") generated by ATPG are necessary for testing, and need to take specific values. The rest of the cells in the scan channel are "don't care," and are usually filled with random values. Care bits are set by test-generating software to target specific or "focal" faults in the logic being tested. Non-care bits are not targeted toward any particular focal fault. Test compression takes advantage of the small number of significant values (care bits) to reduce test data and test time. Test Compression modifies the design to apply the care bits in shorter scan chains, reducing the TAT. The compression ratio generated by Test Compression methods is capable of greatly reducing the test data volume and TAT. For example original data having a volume of 6 Gb and TAT of 20 seconds is, at a 100× compression ratio, reduced by 99% to 60 Mb and TAT of 0.2 seconds.
Test Compression is driven by two structures: a Decompressor and a Compressor (or Compactor). The Decompressor drives the compressed test stimuli onto the IC from the small number of scan-in pins on the ATE to the large number of internal scan channels which feed the logic under test. The Decompressor is designed to allow a continuous flow of stimuli so that it is possible to load the scan chain data for a given test onto the IC and to simultaneously unload from the IC the previous test response data to the Compressor. Compression and De-compression logic generally are built using discrete logic gates such as exclusive ORs (XORs), multiplexers and flip-flops and placed inside a logic module, i.e., Compressor-Decompressor ("CoDec"), which is normally placed in one localized area of the IC. Wires transfer test stimuli from the Decompressor inside the CoDec to the head of the scan channels which may be distributed across the area of the IC. Similarly wires from the tails of the scan channels transfer the test stimuli to the Compressor inside the CoDec. Wiring all of these connections directly between the scan chains scattered over the surface area of the IC and the decompression and compression logic is referred to as traditional global scan wiring.
To form the connections to and from the decompression and compression logic, wires need to be run from every scan chain to the decompression and compression logic. To reduce the cost of testing ICs DFT engineers try to build more scan chains of shorter length to increase the compression ratio. Data may be loaded into the scan chains in parallel. Higher compression ratios means that there are more wires running from the CoDec to the heads and tails of the shorter and more numerous scan chains, The additional wiring can lead to wiring congestion and may even increase the footprint of the IC. The impact is often seen in the area directly around the decompression logic and compression logic, and can result in the use of extremely long wires to form some of the connections. For compression ratios exceeding 100×, congestion is extreme since there is a large number of wires terminating and originating from a small area of compression logic. As the compression ratios increase, driven by increasing chip sizes, traditional global placement of logic is no longer feasible.
Other methods have been introduced in efforts to correct the on-board congestion issues associated with compression logic, such as XOR mapping and partitioned Compressor-Decompressors. However, XOR mapping and partitioned Compressor-Decompressor methods are at best incremental improvements. A 2-dimensional logic intensive distribution may be implemented to optimally divide the testable logic into a 2-dimensional grid of the integrated circuit having a first set of wires, each wire in the first set of wires extending along a first dimension of the grid, and a second set of wires that crosses the set of first wires, each wire in the second set of wires extending along a second dimension of the grid; selection logic that: generates a first set of terms and a second set of terms from the set of scan inputs, assigns each of the generated terms from the first set of terms to different wires in the first set of wires, and assigns each of the generated terms from the second set of terms to different wires in the second set of wires; a set of exclusive OR (XOR) gates, each XOR gate from the set of XOR gates placed in a different region of the integrated circuit in which a wire in the first set of wires crosses a wire in the second set of wires, and each XOR gate input connected to: (i) the wire in the second set of wires and (ii) the wire in the first set of wires, and each XOR gate output connected to at least one scan chain.
Also, as chip complexity increases, compression ratios will ideally increase. However, physical chip layout can prevent implementation of large compression ratios. For example, for a spreader network of a plurality of XOR logic gates (e.g., XOR decompressor), the maximum number of care bits that can be solved for each scan cycle is limited by the total number of scan inputs. At a certain point, physical design can become a bottleneck, limiting the total number of wires that can be manufactured in contact with on-board location of the decompression logic and compression logic. Based on the number of scan inputs, a 2-dimensional grid may be generated on the integrated circuit. Specifically, a bisecting distribution method may be utilized to determine and divide the testable logic into a 2-dimensional grid on the IC in a physically efficient manner such that the application and scanning of test data can be completed most efficiently.
However, such a 2-dimensional grid design results in many interdependencies among the individual grid cells. These correlations in neighboring grid cells negatively impacts and limits the design and physically efficient scans because the associated logic is likely to be functionally correlated as well. Further, the utilization of a 2-dimension grid that uses horizontal and vertical wires to deliver and retrieve test data for each cell results in a decrease in fault coverage, which may make the associated scan testing unusable.
Accordingly a 2-dimensional distribution architecture that minimizes interdependencies between grid cells and the associated functional logic, while improving testability is needed to facilitate the most physically efficient and accurate scans of integrated circuit designs, that simultaneously minimizes required test application time ("TAT"), test data volume, tester memory and cost associated with design for test ("DFT"), but also retains test coverage.

Method to improve testability using 2-dimensional exclusive or (XOR) grids


The use of a fall arrest lanyard that provides fall arrest forces at least two primary levels is disclosed. One example provides a lanyard with a pair of shock absorbers of different capacities in series. Other examples use a single shock absorber that provides at least two distinct levels of arrest force. Varying the strength of the attachment area that is to be separated to provide the arrest force and by varying the amount of area being separated at one time varies the levels of arrest force.

(a) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a device or system for absorbing energy or decelerating an object, such as a falling person. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a strap having a connected area designed to tear by breaking the connective threads to create mechanical hysterisis under load and thereby absorb energy.
(b) Discussion of Known Art
The use of sewn sections of strap in order to provide a shock absorbing or energy absorbing member for lanyards is well known. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,444,957 to Ervin, Jr., incorporated herein by reference. A significant drawback to these devices is that they are often misused by individuals in the field. A common manner in which these devices are misused is by using a device that has been designed for a moderate fall in all situations. For example, a popular version of these shock absorbing lanyards are six-feet in overall length and are designed for providing an arrest force of 900 pounds of rip out or arrest force as the shock absorber separates during fall arrest. However, these shock absorbers are often used in situations where a fall that is longer than six feet is possible, such as where a person must stand or climb above the lanyard anchor point, or where the attachment to an anchorage point at their feet. Therefore this application requires a shock absorber that provides a high arrest force. The problem associated with using a shock absorber that provides too small of an arrest force for an extended fall (in this example, greater than six feet) is that the fall will cause the shock absorber to extend fully, until it has reached its full energy capacity and is fully extended. Once the lanyard is full length, with the shock absorber fully extended, the person attached to the lanyard is brought to an instantaneous, complete, stop. Such an abrupt stop can expose the worker to force spikes above acceptable levels and result in severe injury to the person relying on the lanyard for safety.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that fall protections systems, such as lanyards with shock absorbers, must be rigged and designed such that a falling worker will not fall more than six feet before beginning the deceleration process. Additionally, the deceleration process may not expose the falling worker to arrest forces greater than 1800 pounds, and the deceleration process may not take longer than 42 inches to decelerate the fall to rest.
Today's manufacturers produce two main types of shock absorbers. The first type, known as a Force level I shock absorber, is designed to arrest a six foot fall of a 220 pound person in 42 inches. The Force level I shock absorber provides a maximum arrest force of 900 pounds as it is torn out.
In many applications, there may not be a convenient overhead location where the six-foot long lanyard can be anchored to. For example, a six-foot tall ironworker may only have the steel beam at his feet from which to connect the lanyard. This will result in the exposure of the worker to a 12-foot free fall (the height of the worker plus the length of the lanyard, which is anchored near his feet). In this situation the use of the six-foot lanyard with the Force level I shock absorber is inadequate. As stated above, the Force level I shock absorber is designed to protect the worker in a six-foot fall, but in this example the worker has inadvertently anchored the lanyard in a manner that will result in a 12-foot fall. Accordingly, the Force level I shock absorber is not capable of absorbing all of the energy-gathered during this fall, and will use its entire capacity and suddenly stop stretching when the tear away stitch reaches it's end. This sudden stop will result in a massive jerk to the falling worker. As can be anticipated, a massive jerk is highly likely to injure the falling worker.
Instead of the 900 lb Force level I shock absorber, a shock absorber with a higher energy capacity is required in order to stop the longer fall within the required 42 inches. The next larger available shock absorber is a Force level II shock absorber, which provides a maximum arrest force of 1800 lbs, instead of the 900 lbs provided by the Force level I shock absorber. Thus, at first glance it appears that the solution to the problem of using too small of a shock absorber is to simply provide a higher arrest force shock absorber.
Unfortunately, the use of a Force level II shock absorber, with its 1800 lbs of deceleration force has significant disadvantages. One of the most significant disadvantages is that the 1800 lb deceleration force may itself injure the worker because it will create a greater than 10 G deceleration load on any worker that weighs less than 180 lbs. Arrest force greater than 10 g are not allowed by regulation.
The combined lanyard/shock absorber combination is typically provided together. The reason for providing these two items together is to ensure that the shock absorber is always matched to a lanyard that does not exceed six feet in length. However, as explained above, the length of lanyard does not guarantee that the worker will not be exposed to a larger than anticipated fall. Accordingly, there remains a need for a single fall arrest shock absorbing lanyard that may be used with short freefall distances (less than six feet) without exposing workers to large forces, and provide an added safety margin for situations where the worker anchors the lanyard to a location that will expose the worker to falls greater than six feet.

Multiple stage personal fall arrest energy absorber


A hollow glass lamp base is molded with a sidewall having a tapered, truncated dimple in it. The inner end of the dimple is knocked out, after the base has been annealed, to provide an opening so that the electric cord can extend out through the sidewall of the glass base. The need for an attached metal base and a connecting center tube is obviated.

Many designs of table lamps use a decorative molded hollow glass lamp base to support the electric bulb fixture. The glass base, typically formed by a press and blow molding operation, may for example be in the shape of a vase, a ginger jar, a figure, or another molded object. The socket fixture (which may also include the harp for mounting a shade) is secured at the top of the glass base. Usually the glass base itself rests on a cast metal base. The glass base is captured between the socket fixture at the top and the metal base at the bottom, by an axial tube which extends through the hollow interior of the glass base. The electric cord runs from the socket downwardly through the tube to the metal base and out through a side opening or tunnel in the metal base.
In many designs it would be desirable to lead the electric cord out from the glass base, rather than from a metal base. A side opening could be drilled in the glass, but drilling is a relatively slow and tricky operation in glass. For this reason the cord is usually carried out through a side opening or tunnel in a metal base, which is provided for that purpose beneath the glass base.
It is further inconvenient to secure the metal base directly to the glass base; usually the glass base must be sandwiched or clamped between the metal base and the bulb socket above it, by the central tube. The glass bases may be as much as 10-15" tall, or even taller, and the provision of so long a tube down the axis of the lamp is a significant added expense. Indeed, the provision of the metal base itself is a substantial expense.
It is known to provide an opening at the top of the glass base for the center tube by molding a knock-out plug in the glass. After molding and annealing the base, the inner end of the plug is knocked out, thereby forming an opening through the top of the base. The knock-out plug is formed by the use of a mold having an axially movable top hub section which can be withdrawn from the base after molding.


The invention relates to a sintering furnace for components made of a sintered material, in particular for dental components, comprising a furnace chamber having a chamber volume (VK) and a chamber inner surface (OK), wherein a heat-up device, a receiving space having a gross volume (VB) located in the chamber volume (VK) and delimited by the heat-up device, and a useful region having a useful volume (VN) located in the gross volume (VB), are disposed in the furnace chamber. The furnace chamber has an outer wall consisting of a plurality of walls having a wall portion to be opened for introduction into the receiving space of a component to be sintered and having an object volume (VO). In the furnace chamber the heat-up device has a thermal radiator having a radiation field which radiator is disposed on at least one side of the receiving space. Said thermal radiator has a specific resistance of 0.1 Ωmm2/m to 1,000,000 Ωmm2/m and has a total surface, the maximum of which is three times the chamber inner surface (OK). With this sintering furnace a heat-up temperature of at least 1100° C. can be achieved within 5 minutes at a maximum power input of 1.5 kW.

The material to be sintered is critical for the design of a sintering furnace. Basically metallic or ceramic molded bodies are sintered, which were pressed from a powder and were, possibly, further processed either directly or by milling or grinding after a sintering-on process. The material determines the necessary temperature profile. The size and quantity of the components determine the size of the furnace and also the temperature profile. The hotter the furnace needs to be, the thicker the insulation needs to be. The size of the furnace and of the components, and the desired heating rate determine the design of the heating system and the control behavior. The power supply also plays a role in this respect. Ultimately, predominantly the size and also the power supply available cause a dental furnace for a laboratory to differ from an industrial sintering furnace.
Heat treatment processes—particularly, the complete sintering of dental restorations from pre-sintered ceramics or metals using a sintering furnace—typically last between 60 minutes and several hours. The process by which a dental restoration is manufactured, which requires both preparatory and follow-up steps, is interrupted for lengthy periods by this time requirement of a single step. For example, the so-called speed sintering for zirconium oxide requires a minimum of 60 minutes.
The so-called super-speed sintering for zirconium oxide currently requires a minimum of only 15 minutes of process run-through time. This, however, requires that the sintering furnace—especially, due to its weight—is preheated to the intended holding temperature, which lasts from 30 to 75 minutes depending upon the available system voltage. Additionally, after preheating, the furnace must be loaded via an automatic loading sequence, so that special temperature profiles can be maintained, and the furnace does not cool down unnecessarily.
From WO 2012/057829 is known a method for quickly sintering ceramic materials. In a first embodiment, a water-cooled copper pipe forms a coil, which is connected to a high-frequency power supply unit. The coil surrounds a thermal radiator called a susceptor, in which the material to be sintered is located. In this case, the susceptor is heated, wherein the heated susceptor, as the thermal radiator, transfers the heat to the material to be sintered.
In a second embodiment, the coil is connected to a high-frequency power supply with a sufficiently high frequency and power outputto produce a plasma, which then heats up the material.
However, one drawback of the preheating and subsequent loading is that the furnace—especially, its insulation and its heating elements—are subjected to high thermal cyclical loading, which tends to reduce the service life of the device.
Therefore, the aim of the present invention consists in providing a sintering furnace that makes possible an appropriately short manufacturing time, without preheating of the sintering furnace and/or a special loading sequence being necessary.

Sintering furnace for components made of sintered material, in particular, dental components


A method for regulating gene expression in a stably transformed transgenic plant cell utilizing a Gal4 chimeric transcription factor is described.

Improvement of crop plants for a variety of traits, including disease and pest resistance, and grain quality improvements such as oil, starch or protein composition, can be achieved by introducing new or modified genes (transgenes) into the plant genome. Expression of genes, including transgenes, is in general controlled by the promoter through a complex set of protein/DNA and protein/protein interactions. Promoters can impart patterns of expression that are either constitutive or limited to specific tissues or times during development. There are limitations in the types of expression achievable using existing promoters for transgene expression. One limitation is in the expression level achievable. It is difficult to obtain traits that require relatively high expression of an introduced gene, due to limitations in promoter strength. A second limitation is that the pattern of expression conferred by the particular promoter employed is inflexible in that the same promoter-dependent pattern of expression is conferred from generation to generation.
For imparting certain traits, it is desirable to have the ability to regulate the trait-conferring transgene expression differently in successive generations. One example would be a trait that has a side effect of being detrimental to seed viability, but which is desired in a grain product. For example, one can envision using plant seeds to produce proteins, starches, or other substances in grain (product seeds not used for further planting) which are detrimental to seed viability. In this case it would be desirable to carry the trait-conferring transgene in an inactive state in breeding lines up until the time of grain production. Then a new type of expression system is required to activate the trait gene in the grain.
Another limitation in the current methods of transgene expression is an inability to coordinately regulate multiple transgenes in transgenic crops. Multiple copies of the same promoter, directing coordinate regulation of multiple genes, can lead to gene inactivation through repeat induced gene silencing (Ye and Signer, 1996, Proc. National Acad. Sci. 93:10881-10886) or other means of cosuppression. Thus, a means of coordinately regulating multiple transgenes is desirable.
Transcriptional activation is primarily mediated through transcription factors that interact with enhancer and promoter elements. Binding of transcription factors to such DNA elements constitutes a crucial step in transcriptional initiation. Structural and finctional analyses of transcription factors revealed that many of these proteins have a modular protein structure, i.e., they are often modular, made up of a specific DNA-binding domain and a separate and independently acting activation domain. Researchers have found that heterogeneous domains can be combined, the resultant composite activators being functional in mammalian cells. An example of such an activator is the protein produced by fusion of the Gal4 DNA-binding domain with the activation domain of VP16.
Each transcription factor binds to its specific binding sequence in a promoter and activates expression of the linked coding region through interactions with coactivators and/or proteins that are a part of the transcription complex. A DNA binding domain and an activation domain derived from different proteins can be linked to produce a chimeric transcription factor. One transcription factor that has been studied is the yeast transcription factor Gal4 which is composed of a DNA binding domain and an activation domain. Native Gal4, a protein of 881 amino acids, is a transcriptional activator of genes required for galactose catabolism in the yeast S. cerevisiae. The protein binds specifically to the upstream activating sequence called UAS.sub.G and activates transcription of the divergently transcribed genes GAL1 and GAL 10.
A two component transcription factor/target promoter system could be used to address the above limitations of transgene expression with existing promoters. For example, a chimeric transcription factor comprising the Gal4 DNA binding domain could be used as the basis of a two component gene expression system. In fact, chimeric transcription factors containing the Gal4 DNA binding domain and various activation domains have been successfully used in plant cells in transient assays, but not in stable transformants.
The yeast Gal4 DNA binding domain fused to one or two of its own activation domains was able to activate expression of a chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) reporter gene, with Gal4 binding sites in the promoter, in a transient assay in tobacco protoplasts (Ma et al., 1988 Nature 334, p 631-633). The expression level was similar to that directed by the CaMV 35S promoter. A chimeric transcription factor composed of the Gal4 DNA binding domain and an E. coli DNA fragment-encoded activation domain also activated expression.
A chimeric transcription factor composed of the Gal4 DNA binding domain and the proline-rich activation domain of GBF1, a G-box binding transcription factor of Arabidopsis thaliana activated expression of a luciferase reporter gene with Gal4 binding sites in the promoter when tested in a transient assay using soybean cell culture protoplasts (Schindler et al., 1992 EMBO J 11 p 1275-1289). Activated expression was less than that conferred by the Gal4 /E. coli activation domain factor. No activation by the intact Gal4 protein was observed, which was speculated to be due to possible inefficient translation or protein instability.
A chimeric transcription factor composed of the Gal4 DNA binding domain and the activation domain of PvAlf, a seed-specific transcription factor of Phaseolus vulgaris, activated expression of a CAT reporter gene, with Gal4 binding sites in the promoter, in a transient assay in bean cotyledon cells (Bobb et al., 1995 Plant J 8 p 101-113).
No effect of the Gal4 DNA binding domain was detected in stably transformed tobacco plants containing GUS and NPTII reporter genes with Gal4 sites in their promoters (Reuchek et al., 1995 Plant Cell Reports 14 p 773-776). No expression of the Gal4 DNA binding domain protein was detected.
Canadian Patent Application Number 2,150,039, which was published on Aug. 9, 1996, describes a method to control the expression of genes in transgenic plants using native Gal4 as the transactivator. Specifically, it discloses an example in which a GUS reporter gene with Gal4 sites in its promoter is targeted by Gal4 protein expressed from the constitutive CaMV 35S promoter. These two components were co-introduced into Arabidopsis root cells and leaf tissue growing from callus cultures was assayed. When this leaf material was stained for GUS only the veins were positive for expression of the reporter activity. These results are inconsistent with the expectation of constitutive expression throughout the leaf and in all tissues. In other words, the expected result was that the expression of GUS should have been indistinguishable from the example of GUS expressed directly from the 35S promoter (Benfey et al., EMBO J 9:1685-1696 (1990); Odell et al., Nature 313: 810-812 (1985)). Thus, it is likely that the expression which was detected only in the veins is due not to the finctioning of the described system controlled by the 35S promoter. Expression in the veins may be due to integration of GUS adjacent to an endogenous regulatory sequence that directs expression in the veins (Sundaresan et al., 1995, Genes & Development 9:1797-1810; Topping et al., 1994 Plant J. 5:895-903), or to background expression from the promoter operably linked to the GUS coding region. There is no indication that the Gal4 transactivator is expressed and functioning to regulate GUS expression, since it is co-introduced and not added separately to activate the Gal4 site promoter. This result indicates the failure of the transactivation system with Gal4, as was found by other researchers, as discussed above.
While it is known that Gal4 chimeric transcription factor/target promoter systems can function in plant cells in transient assays, there are only reports of failed or inconclusive attempts to use this type of system in stably transformed plants. Thus, there is still a need for a two component system to regulate transgene expression. If such a system was available, then other techniques such as those described in PCT Application having International Publication Number WO 92/08341 which was published on May 29, 1992, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, could be used to induce expression of the trait gene only in the production field. In other cases, a two-component system may be used to amplify the expression level from a promoter with desirable tissue or cell type specificity, while maintaining the desired tissue or cell type specificity. Also a two-component system may be used to coordinately regulate multiple transgenes. Still further, an expression system that achieves levels of expression not previously obtained with known promoters is desirable for traits wherein high levels of protein products are required to achieve the traits such as the expression of a protein having a high lysine and/or methionine content which in turn then can improve seed amino acid composition.

Specific gene activation by chimeric Gal4 transcription factors in stable transgenic plants


A screw is rotated at a set speed and retreated by performing back pressure control for keeping a resin pressure at a set pressure. When the retreat position of the screw reaches a change point set nearby a set metering completion position, the back pressure control for keeping the resin pressure at a set resin pressure is stopped. A command for positioning the screw at a metering completion position is output to position the screw at the metering completion position. At the same time, when a screw position reaches the change point, the screw is reversed by a set value at a set speed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a controller of an injection molding machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a metering step of an injection molding machine, metering is performed by changing the retreat speed of a screw so that a set back pressure is obtained while rotating the screw at a set rotational speed, and the retreat speed of the screw is decreased so that the screw stops at a set metering completion position immediately before the set metering completion position to stop the screw at the set metering completion position. When decreasing the screw retreat speed but not changing the rotational speed of the screw, a resin pressure (back pressure) may rise. When the resin pressure rises, melted resin densities are changed, a fluctuation occurs, and the weight of a molded product fluctuates.
Therefore, a metering control method is publicly known (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-129296) in which the fluctuation of the density of a melted resin is decreased by performing feedback control of a resin pressure even at the end of a metering step in a state or close to a state of stop of screw rotation and stopping the pressure feedback control when retreat of a screw stops or approaches to a stop state of the retreat.
Moreover, a method for uniforming metering by preparing a plurality of combinations of back pressure commands and screw rotational speed commands, controlling back pressures and screw rotational speeds in association with each other base on the combinations, and controlling a screw rotational speed and a screw retreat speed so as to decrease them to zero is also known (for example, refer to Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 1-26857).
Moreover, a method for obtaining a stable metered resin amount by sequentially decreasing a screw rotational speed before stop of metering on the basis of a screw retreat position is also known (for example, refer to Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 64-6931).
Furthermore, a method for setting a pressure state in which a check valve is easily closed during injection by causing the screw to retreat without rotating the screw (that is, performing sack back) after metering is completed, lowering the pressure of a melted resin at the front end of a cylinder, and thereby preventing the melted resin from trailing down from a nozzle (drooling phenomenon) is generally used. Furthermore, a method for improving the sealing at the time of injection by reversing a screw after metering is completed and closing a check valve is also known (for example, refer to Japanese Patent No. 3118188 and Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 45-2988).
In the case of the above-described conventional metering methods, an excessive long time is required in the deceleration section of a screw retreat speed nearby a metering completion position and thereby a metering time tends to be lengthened. Moreover, each of the conventional methods is a method for stabilizing a resin state in metering steps up to completion of metering.
As a method for stabilizing a resin state after completion of metering, the above sack back operation or a method for improving the sealing at the time of injection by reversing a screw after completion of metering and closing a check valve is a stabilization processing after completion of metering, which is performed between a metering step and an injection step. Thus, there is a disadvantage that a molding cycle is lengthened by the time required for performing such processing.


Capturing motion using motion capture cameras comprises: coupling a plurality of markers to an actor; allowing a material to be positioned between the actor and the motion capture cameras, wherein the material is selected to allow the motion capture cameras to capture motion of the plurality of markers while the actor interacts with the material; and capturing the motion of the markers.

The present invention relates generally to motion capture, and more particularly to materials useful for costumes and props in motion capture.
A typical motion capture system includes multiple fixed cameras surrounding a volume of space. The cameras record the movement of markers attached to a target, such as a person. Based on the recorded movement, a model of the target's motion can be derived and then used for generating a graphical representation of that movement, such as in a movie or video game.
However, in the motion capture process, the actor often cannot interact with costumes and props because the costumes and props obscure the markers from view of the motion capture cameras.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and method that overcomes these problems found in the typical systems as described above.

Material for motion capture costumes and props


A valve assembly includes a housing having a valve bore, a valve seat, and at least one port communicating with the bore. A moveable plunger resides in the valve bore and selectively seals against the valve seat. A bobbin integral with the housing has a solenoid bore adjacent to and coaxial with the valve bore. A moveable armature resides in the solenoid bore and has an operating rod connected to the plunger. A pole piece resides in the solenoid bore adjacent the armature. A solenoid coil is wound about the bobbin. A flux conductor partially surrounding the bobbin, pole piece, and armature. An assembly method includes flowing air through the port, inserting the plunger or another sealing element into the bore while monitoring the fluid flow; and stopping the plunger or sealing element when the flow is at a preselected condition.

This invention relates generally to valves and more particularly to a solenoid operated poppet valve.
Fluid flow systems often utilize one or more valves to control the flow of fluid therethrough. One particular kind of valve is a "poppet" valve. A poppet refers to the mating of a seat feature and a seal feature. When the two features are forced against each other, the result is a blockage that prohibits the flow of a fluid through a pathway. When the features are separated, the pathway is opened, allowing the fluid to flow freely.
Poppet valves are often operated by a solenoid including a coil which creates a magnetic field when electrically charged. The magnetic field creates a force that causes components to move causing separation of the seal and the seat, thereby activating the valve.
While they are required elements in most fluid flow systems, valves are also the source of losses and excess energy consumption in these systems. For example, the fluid flow through the valve body and poppet experiences pressure losses as compared to a straight tube or pipe.
The solenoid may also be the cause of inefficiencies. If the solenoid coil induces more flux energy than the magnetic circuit can convert to mechanical force, saturation will occur and power going into the coil will be wasted. This condition will also generate excess heat. On the opposite extreme, if the coil is not large enough, the full potential of the magnetic circuit will not be achieved and the overall valve will have very limited capabilities.
Accordingly, there is a need for a solenoid valve which operates efficiently both electrically and fluidically.

Solenoid valve and method of assembly thereof


The invention relates to a folding reflector (1) having shade spokes (5) that are annularly hinged on a bearing body (7), by which spokes a reflecting cover (3) can be mounted. The reflector is characterized in that the ends of the shade spokes (5) that turned toward the linkage thereof extend beyond said linkage respectively and in that, due to the effect on said sections (9) of the shade spokes (5) extending beyond the linkage, said sections can be moved into the mounting position and back.

The present invention relates to a folding.
A folding reflector similar to the kind discussed herein is known, for example, from DE 20 2004 001 528 U1. The reflector can be opened like an umbrella and has ribs articulated in a circle on a bearing body, by means of which ribs a reflecting canopy is arranged to be opened. The reflector serves in particular for the reflection of electromagnetic waves and especially light waves and/or sound waves. Such reflectors are used, for example, in photography for lighting purposes. For mobile use, the umbrella-like structure having ribs enables the reflector to be collapsed for the purpose of transport and opened at the site of use. Opening the umbrellas is frequently laborious and requires the application of a not inconsiderable amount of force, which is a disadvantage particularly in the case of relatively large umbrellas.


A packing element with a plurality of symmetrically disposed subdivisions within a cylindrical body member provides a very strong, high temperature and corrosive media resistant structure with a large surface area. The elements are of great utility as dumped packing elements in mass transfer applications.

This invention relates to shaped packing elements and particularly dumped packing elements shaped from extrudable materials such as plastics and ceramic slurries.
Such elements are used in reactors where liquids and gases are contacted so as to bring about a reaction, heat transfer, solution or dissolution operations by intimately contacting two flowing fluids. As a consequence they have shapes designed to maximize surface area while retaining dimensional stability such they do not collapse or become crushed during use. In addition, where the environment in which the elements are required to operate is corrosive and/or at an elevated temperature, it is desirable to form the elements from a ceramic material. Finally it is desirable to have a structure that is easily produced to a standard design in large volumes.
The present invention provides such a shaped packing element with excellent strength and surface area properties that is readily manufactured by a simple extrusion process.

Norton Chemical Process Products Corporation


A battery charger device is provided with a control switch which connects electrically a rechargeable battery load to a power supply which supplies charging current for charging the battery load. A pulse generator generates a series of pulses that control the control switch to connect and disconnect intermittently the power supply and the battery load. A maximum battery terminal voltage of the battery load is stored in a voltage memory means, and a fractional voltage is derived from the maximum battery terminal voltage. The fractional voltage is compared with a current battery terminal voltage from the battery load. A control signal is generated so as to prevent the control switch from receiving the pulses from the pulse generator, thereby disconnecting the power supply from the battery load so as to terminate charging of the battery load when the current battery terminal voltage is less than the fractional voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a battery charger device, more particularly to a battery charger device and method for charging different types of rechargeable batteries.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices for charging and recharging various types and sizes of storage batteries, such as nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery cells and lead-acid cells, are known in the art. There are different types of battery charger devices which are presently available to the consumers. This is due in part to the absence of a standard for regulating the voltage characteristics of the storage batteries. The fast charger is one example of a conventional battery charger device and is capable of generating a relatively large charge current in order to charge the storage battery within a relatively short period of time. The large charge current, however, can cause rapid heating of the storage battery, thereby resulting in damage to the storage battery or a reduction in the useful life of the same if the storage battery was overcharged or if the fast charger was operated in cold weather conditions.
The trickle charger is another example of a conventional battery charger device and generates a relatively small charge current, typically 10% of the maximum charge current which can be accepted by the storage battery. Such chargers do not require means for protecting the storage battery from overcharging and require relatively long charging periods. Thus, a storage battery which was charged by the trickle charger is sometimes insufficiently charged and cannot be used to drive an electrical load properly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,763 discloses an electronic battery charger device which is used to charge one or more storage batteries and which comprises a circuit with terminal means that is to be connected to the storage batteries. The circuit includes a source of electric energy, controllable switching means connected respectively between the energy source and each storage battery to be charged, and a microprocessor having a control connection to each of the controllable switching means for controlling communication between the energy source and the respective storage batteries to be charged. The microprocessor includes means for sequentially controlling the switching means to supply charging current to the storage batteries one at a time in repeating periods. The circuit further includes means responsive to the voltage across the terminals of each storage battery prior to and during each charging period thereof and operatively connected to the microprocessor. The microprocessor is programmed to calculate the difference between the battery terminal voltage of each storage battery prior to and when it is being charged. The circuit also includes means for storing for each storage battery the minimum value of the voltage difference during each charging period, and means to terminate a charging operation for a storage battery when the battery terminal voltage difference being calculated exceeds the minimum stored value of the battery terminal voltage difference by a predetermined amount.
Note that in the above disclosed electronic battery charger device, the charging operation is continued until the battery terminal voltage difference exceeds the minimum stored value by a predetermined amount. This type of a charging operation is not suitable for lead-acid cells and can cause damage to the same. The battery charger device can only be used with nickelcadmium battery cells, thereby reducing the utility of the conventional battery charger device.
In the above disclosed battery charger device, trickle charging is effected when the battery voltage is less than 0.7 volts. A storage battery with such an open circuit voltage is abnormal and should not undergo a fast charging operation. Therefore, the above disclosed battery charger is not capable of performing the trickle charging operation when a normal storage battery is installed.


A display controlling apparatus which displays icons representative of data in layers on a screen, the display controlling apparatus including: an operating section which, based on operations performed by a user, obtains at least instructions for how to display the icons on the screen; a storing section for storing at least data constituting the icons in the layers; a controlling section for generating picture data for displaying the icons in the layers on icon array axes; and a display outputting section for outputting the picture data generated by the controlling section onto a display device; wherein, when the operating section obtains an instruction from the user, the controlling section acting on the instruction generates the picture data in such a manner as to move each of the icon array axes into a different direction together with the icons displayed in an array on each of the axes.

The present invention relates to a display controlling apparatus, a display controlling method, and a recording medium for displaying at least icons onto a screen.
Today, personal computers and home appliances handling digital data have gained widespread acceptance. The popularization of such digital equipment is making it easy for the general public to record TV broadcasts onto hard disks or other media and to store user-captured still or moving pictures into memory cards or other suitable storage devices.
The still pictures and other forms of content thus recorded can be quite numerous. The stored items of content may then be searched for and retrieved using corresponding thumbnail icons. These tasks are performed illustratively by information processing apparatuses such as one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-74322. The disclosed apparatus displays a list of thumbnail icons representative of content items in spiral fashion on a time series basis.
With these information processing apparatuses, however, the content items corresponding to the displayed thumbnail icons are not structured in layers. That means all thumbnail icons are subject to search. If there are a large number of thumbnail icons being displayed, it could take inordinately long to check one icon at a time in search for desired content items. This can be a frustratingly inefficient exercise.

Display controlling apparatus, display controlling method, and recording medium