The invention relates to a device for guiding a missile (1; 30) with a missile tip (2) and a cylindrical section (3) adjoining the tip of the missile; the device is provided with at least one control block (4; 31, 32) with exhaust openings (13-15) of corresponding nozzle bodies (10-12) arranged perpendicularly in relation to the missile's surface.. In order to accomplish effective guidance, particularly of high-speed missiles (1; 30), in a simple and cost-effective manner it is proposed that the control block (4; 31, 32) be constructed with a plurality of small, fast-burning rocket motors (7-9; 33-36) that are arranged radially on the missile's periphery (1; 30) and that are ignitable in a predeterminable sequence and number.

The invention relates to a device for guiding a missile having a missile tip and a cylindrical section adjoining the tip of the missile, with the device being provided with at least one control block with exhaust openings of corresponding nozzle bodies arranged perpendicularly in relation to the missile's surface.
From DE 3,429,798.C1 and from EP 0,128,337.B1 missiles are known where guidance of the missile is provided with the assistance of rotating thrust nozzles that are disposed in a control block in the region of the tip of the projectile. In this process, the thrust nozzles are supplied by a central propellant source and are provided with a control system for guiding a thrust jet through the corresponding exhaust opening of each respective nozzle.
Such known thrust nozzle systems have a relatively complex design and require activation of the propellant source throughout the entire flying time of the projectile so that the necessary response and reaction times, especially in high-speed missiles, can be accomplished.
It is the object of the present invention to propose a device of the type mentioned in the introduction, in which effective guidance, particularly of high-speed missiles, can be accomplished in a simple and cost-effective manner.


A first wireless link between a communication device and a wireless modem is automatically established, so that electronic messages can be easily and automatically transferred between the communication device and a data network via the first wireless link and a second link between the wireless modem and the data network. Each of the communication device and the wireless modem can automatically determine whether an electronic message is to be transferred. When one of the communication device and the wireless modem determines that an electronic message is to be transferred, the determining one of the communication device and the wireless modem sends a page signal to the other one of the communication device and the wireless modem. When the other one of the communication device and the wireless modem receives the page signal and responds, the first wireless link is established. The electronic message is then transferred between the communication device and the data network via the first wireless link and the second link. The communication device can be a portable computer such as a laptop computer, and the wireless modem can reside in a cellular or personal communication system (PCS) phone or the like.

The invention relates generally to the field of communications systems, and more particularly to a communication link between a device such as a computer and a wireless modem linked to a data network.
Electronic mail (e-mail), voice mail and facsimile (FAX) have become very popular communications services. In providing such communications it is desirable to improve the mobility of the end user: i.e., to allow the user to connect to a data network anywhere, anytime, without wires or cables. It is also desirable to enable the user to easily send and receive e-mail, voice mail and video mail messages, and to receive "info-casts". Info-casts provide information such as stock quotes, weather forecasts, and sporting scores, and are commercially available through such companies as Pointcast.
An early solution to the challenge of enhancing user mobility included attaching an internal or external modem to a portable computer such as a lap-top computer. This solution required the user to locate a telephone jack or other cable connection, and then physically connect the computer to the data network by attaching a cable between the modem and the telephone jack. However, physically connecting the computer to the data network is not always possible or desirable.
More recently, wireless modems, usually in the form of a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card, have been introduced to allow users access to the Internet via cellular and personal communication system (PCS) networks. In some cases technology such as Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) is used. FIG. 1 illustrates a typical configuration of this kind.
In FIG. 1, a laptop computer 100 having an internal PCMCIA card (not shown) connects to an Internet service provider 140. The PCMCIA card is linked to a wireless network 110 via a wireless link 105. The network 110 can be, for example, a cellular or PCS network, and is linked to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 130 via a link 120, and the PSTN 130 connects to the Internet service provider 140. This arrangement allows electronic messages to be transferred between the laptop computer 100 and the Internet service provider 140.
Automatic retrieval and batch transmission of queued e-mail or voice mail messages generated "off-line" using a portable computer (i.e., when the computer was not connected to the data network) with a PCMCIA wireless modem are commercially available. Text-to-speech technology allows the user to create voice mail messages by typing a message into the portable computer.
Commercially available systems can automatically transfer electronic messages by providing a software program for the laptop computer 100 that, when started, automatically checks for new mail if a connection to an Internet service provider has been established. The software can also be configured to automatically and periodically check for new mail according to a predetermined schedule.
Electronic messages can be sent immediately or queued for later sending when the user's terminal is in contact with the data network. For example, any unsent but queued messages can be sent the next time the program checks for incoming messages. The benefits of such features to the user include reduced tedium and greater convenience.
The primary shortcoming of PCMCIA wireless modems is that they reside inside the portable computer. Therefore, even if the user wants to send or receive only voice, he must carry around the portable computer. To overcome this difficulty, users have little choice but to buy a separate wireless phone.
Users who buy a separate wireless phone and wish to connect it to a computer encounter still other difficulties. The most common approach, a direct-connect cable between the computer and the phone, requires the user to manually connect the cable each time access to a wireless data service network is desired. IR links between a mobile phone and a portable computer such as a notebook computer are commercially available and partially overcome this difficulty. However, such links require a clear line of sight transmission path which is not always available or convenient.
Furthermore, commercially available solutions do not provide for automatic resynchronization and reestablishment or reactivation of the wireless link when the computer and the phone are brought within range of the wireless link after having been outside the range of the wireless link. Accordingly, commercially available solutions fail to transfer electronic messages as the computer and phone move in and out of range of the wireless link or each other.

Method for automatically establishing a wireless link between a wireless modem and a communication device


A tool adapting device attaches to a robotic surgery arm, and receives a manual surgical instrument, and translates movement by the robotic surgery arm into multiple degrees of freedom of the manual surgical instrument, to interact with a tissue under surgery.

The robotic tele-surgery systems enable performing remote surgery operations with minimal invasion. These systems include master and slave robots. The master robot works as the interface between the surgeon and the slave robots. The surgeon operates and controls the slave robots using the master robot, while sitting or standing in an ergonomic position. The master robot receives the surgeon's commands and movements, scales them and removes tremor, and transfers them to the slave robot to be applied to the surgery site. As a result, the surgery may be performed with higher accuracy and less trauma to the patient. In fact, the robotic tele-surgery systems enable combining the human knowledge and decision making abilities with the advanced technical features of robotics to provide the capability of performing remote surgery, as well as improving the outcomes of the surgery by enhancing the surgeon's dexterity.
The slave robots that are located at the patient side include a number of surgical and endoscopic robotic arms that are controlled by the surgeon. The robotic surgical arms have several degrees of freedom to provide sufficient work-space and maneuverability for surgery. They are usually integrated with special surgical instruments at their end-effectors to interact with the tissues under surgery. The use of integrated and exclusively designed surgical instruments increases the costs of surgical operations using robotic tele-surgery systems. The high costs of using the existing robotic tele-surgery systems are mainly due to the costly maintenance and the demand for using single- or limited-use robotic appliances.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide improved robotic tele-surgery systems, methods and techniques to allow easy replacement of the single- or limited-use components to reduce the maintenance costs. It would be further desirable to provide designs and methodologies that can make the robotic tele-surgery systems capable of working with non-exclusively designed surgical instruments that are widely accessible at lower prices. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a tool adapting device that can facilitate the connection and manipulation of relatively inexpensive manual laparoscopic surgical instruments on a robotic surgery arm.

Adapting manual laparoscopic surgical instruments for robotic telesurgery applications

SINA ROBOTICS AND MEDICAL INNOVATORS CO.


A method of communication involves sending a request from a first network entity (e.g., a femto convergence server) to a second network entity (e.g., a home subscriber server) for user data relating to an access point, receiving a response to the request, wherein the response identifies at least one application server, and sending registration status information to the identified at least one application server.

1. Field
This application relates generally to wireless communication and more specifically, but not exclusively, to network registration procedures.
2. Introduction
A wireless communication network may be deployed over a defined geographical area to provide various types of services (e.g., voice, data, multimedia services, etc.) to users within that geographical area. In a typical implementation, access points (e.g., corresponding to different cells) are distributed throughout a network to provide wireless connectivity for access terminals (e.g., cell phones) that are operating within the geographical area served by the network.
As the demand for high-rate and multimedia data services rapidly grows, there lies a challenge to implement efficient and robust communication systems with enhanced performance. To supplement conventional network access points (e.g., macro access points), small-coverage access points may be deployed (e.g., installed in a user's home) to provide more robust indoor wireless coverage or other coverage to access terminals. Such small-coverage access points may be referred to as, for example, femto access points, femto cells, home NodeBs, home eNodeBs, or access point base stations. Typically, such small-coverage access points are connected to the Internet and the mobile operator's network via a DSL router or a cable modem. For convenience, small-coverage access points may be referred to as femto cells or femto access points in the discussion that follows.
As an access terminal roams throughout the geographical area served by the network, the access terminal may enter the coverage areas of different access points (e.g., femto access points) that provide access to different types of services. Accordingly, there is a need for efficient mechanisms that enable the access terminals to gain access to these services.


A multiprocessing computer system provides the hardware support to properly test an I/O board while the system is running user application programs and while preventing a faulty board from causing a system crash. The system includes a centerplane that mounts multiple expander boards. Each expander board in turn connects a microprocessor board and an I/O board to the centerplane. Prior to testing, the replacement I/O board becomes a part of a dynamic system domain software partition after it has been inserted into an expander board of the multiprocessing computer system. Testing an I/O board involves executing a process using a microprocessor and memory on a microprocessor board to perform hardware tests on the I/O board. An error cage, address transaction cage, and interrupt transaction cage isolate any errors generated while the I/O board is being tested. The error cage isolates correction code errors, parity errors, protocol errors, timeout errors, and other similar errors generated by the I/O board under test. The address transaction cage isolates out of range memory addresses from the I/O board under test. The interrupt transaction cage isolates interrupt requests to an incorrect target port generated by the I/O board under test. The errors generated by the I/O board are logged in a status register and suppressed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of multiprocessor computer systems and, more particularly, to the testing of an I/O Board that is connected to a multiprocessing computer system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Multiprocessor computer systems include two or more processors that may be employed to perform computing tasks. A particular computing task may be performed upon one processor while other processors perform unrelated computing tasks. Alternatively, components of a particular computing task may be distributed among multiple processors to decrease the time required to perform the computing task as a whole. Generally speaking, a processor is a device that executes programmed instructions to produce desired output signals, often in response to user-provided input data.
A popular architecture in commercial multiprocessor computer systems is the symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) architecture. Typically, an SMP computer system comprises multiple processors each connected through a cache hierarchy to a shared bus. Additionally connected to the shared bus is a memory, which is shared among the processors in the system. Access to any particular memory location within the memory occurs in a similar amount of time as access to any other particular memory location. Since each location in the memory may be accessed in a uniform manner, this structure is often referred to as a uniform memory architecture (UMA).
Another architecture for multiprocessor computer systems is a distributed shared memory architecture. A distributed shared memory architecture includes multiple nodes that each include one or more processors and some local memory. The multiple nodes are coupled together by a network. The memory included within the multiple nodes, when considered as a collective whole, forms the shared memory for the computer system.
Distributed shared memory systems are more scaleable than systems with a shared bus architecture. Since many of the processor accesses are completed within a node, nodes typically impose much lower bandwidth requirements upon the network than the same number of processors would impose on a shared bus. The nodes may operate at high clock frequency and bandwidth, accessing the network only as needed. Additional nodes may be added to the network without affecting the local bandwidth of the nodes. Instead, only the network bandwidth is affected.
Because of their high performance, multiprocessor computer systems are used for many different types of mission-critical applications in the commercial marketplace. For these systems, downtime can have a dramatic and adverse impact on revenue. Thus system designs must meet the uptime demands of such mission critical applications by providing computing platforms that are reliable, available for use when needed, and easy to diagnose and service.
One way to meet the uptime demands of these kinds of systems is to design in fault tolerance, redundancy, and reliability from the inception of the machine design. Reliability features incorporated in most multiprocessor computer systems include environmental monitoring, error correction code (ECC) data protection, and modular subsystem design. More advanced fault tolerant multiprocessor systems also have several additional features, such as full hardware redundancy, fault tolerant power and cooling subsystems, automatic recovery after power outage, and advanced system monitoring tools.
For mission critical applications such as transaction processing, decision support systems, communications services, data warehousing, and file serving, no hardware failure in the system should halt processing and bring the whole system down. Ideally, any failure should be transparent to users of the computer system and quickly isolated by the system. The system administrator must be informed of the failure so remedial action can be taken to bring the computer system back up to 100% operational status. Preferably, the remedial action can be made without bringing the system down.
In many modern multiprocessor systems, fault tolerance is provided by identifying and shutting down faulty processors and assigning their tasks to other functional processors. However, faults are not limited to processors and may occur in other portions of the system such as, e.g., interconnection traces and connector pins. While these are easily tested when the system powers up, testing for faults while the system is running presents a much greater challenge. This may be a particularly crucial issue in systems that are xe2x80x9chot-swappablexe2x80x9d, i.e. systems that allow boards to be removed and replaced during normal operation so as to permit the system to be always available to users, even while the system is being repaired.
Examples of hardware components that can be hot-swapped in some systems include microprocessor boards, memory boards, and I/O boards. A microprocessor board may typically contain multiple microprocessors with supporting caches. I/O boards typically contain I/O ports for coupling the system to various peripherals. The I/O ports may take the form of expansion slots configured according to any one of many different busing standards such as PCI, SBus or EISA.
Ideally, as one of these hardware components is installed in the multiprocessing computer system, the component should be automatically tested to detect faults before being inducted into the system. Hardware components that include a microprocessor can be configured to do an automatic self-test. However, typical I/O boards do not include microprocessors, and it is undesirable to add a microprocessor to an I/O board solely for the purpose of performing an automatic self-test.
The problems outlined above are in large part solved by a multiprocessing computer system employing an error cage for dynamic reconfiguration testing of a I/O board as it is being connected. In one embodiment, the multiprocessing computer system provides the hardware support to properly test an I/O Board while the system is running user application programs. The hardware support also prevents a faulty board from causing a complete system crash. The multiprocessor computer system includes a centerplane that mounts multiple expander boards. Each expander board in turn connects a processor board and an I/O board to the centerplane.
During operation of the multiprocessing computer system, a hot-swapped I/O board is first electrically coupled to the system as it is inserted into the expander board. The I/O board is then tested, and if it passes, incorporated logically into the running multiprocessor computer system and allowed to execute the operating system and application programs for users.
In one embodiment, testing of the I/O board proceeds in the following manner. Prior to testing, the I/O board is logically connected to the target domain as it would be for a dynamic reconfiguration attach. A process using a microprocessor and memory on a microprocessor board performs hardware testing of the I/O board. A hardware failure cage, address transaction cage, and interrupt transaction cage, isolate any errors generated while the I/O board is being tested. The hardware failure cage isolates error correction code errors, parity errors, protocol errors, timeout errors and other similar errors generated by the I/O board under test. The address transaction cage isolates out-of-range memory addresses from the I/O board under test. The interrupt transaction cage isolates incorrect interrupt requests generated by the I/O board under test. After testing is complete the I/O board is logically disconnected from the domain as it would be for dynamic reconfiguration detach. Any errors generated by the I/O board while being tested are logged by the hardware for possible retrieval by the system controller.
The preferred system and method prevents a faulty I/O board from causing errors in the isolated portion of the system, thereby shielding ongoing user applications and preventing any system crashes that might result from propagation of incorrect signals from the faulty I/O board.

Cage for dynamic attach testing of I/O boards


The invention relates to a method of controlling access of messages contained, for example, in ATM cells, to a network (10). The cells transmitted by a source (11) are classified into n adjacent groups depending on the value of the instantaneous rate associated to each of the cells. For each cell (C.sub.i) transmitted by the source (11) and which requests access to the network (10), a switch (122) only authorizes this access if in a global token reserve allocated per unit of time and distributed per group as a function of the number of cells each group contains, one token is still available for the group to which the cell (C.sub.i) belongs or, if there is no such token, for a group of instantaneous rates which have higher values. This process thus establishes a priority for the slowest cells and does not allow cells occurring in bursts suddenly to disturb the network.

Traditional communication networks such as, for example, telephone or cable television are by nature intended each for a particular use and thus individually ill-adapted to executing the tasks which the other networks execute. Networks of a novel type have thus appeared and notably those operating in an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM). According to this ATM, the transmission of a signal is effected in a digital data stream which is subdivided into fixed-size cells (53 octets). Each cell itself is formed by a header (5 octets) which contains the necessary information for the transfer of the cell, and a payload (48 octets), containing the useful information generated by a source. All the generated cells are then multiplexed via queues which are joined together to form an ATM network.
In the same ATM network, very different types of data may be present having specific constraints for each type. For example, the transmission of voice is to be effected in real time, but transmission errors are permitted within certain limits. Conversely, no real-time constraint affects a file transfer, but corrections of transmission errors are indispensable. When the transmitted data are video data according to the MPEG2 standard, a transmission in real time and having a smallest possible error rate is necessary.
For permitting data of such diverse nature to coexist in the network, a featuring of the traffic is basically ensured, by carrying out two operations called Connection Admission Control (CAC) and User Parameter Control (UPC). The operation of admission control, which the invention does not relate to, consists of verifying, when a user A wishes to communicate with a user B, whether the network has enough resources for effectively authorizing the connection of A and the corresponding data transfer to B, taking account of the connections already established across the network at that particular instant and of the necessity of not producing disturbances for these established connections.
For the network that establishes that a connection has been admitted between two users A and B, the operation of user parameter control (UPC) to which the present invention relates, consists of verifying that the sending user well respects the transmission contract which has been the object of the preceding admission control. Indeed, if this contract is violated either by accident (malfunctioning of the software) or voluntarily (fraudulent action), the additional resources which the network is to assign to these nonauthorized data transfers are taken from those that had already been assigned to the connections admitted by contract and respecting their transmission contract. Furthermore, an unforeseen data congestion may result from this violation of contract and corrupt wholly or in part the operation of the network. Indeed, the queues are always of limited length, and, finally, more and more data cells occur which are to be discarded.
A very frequently used method of implementing this user parameter control operation is described in patent application GB-2287854. Better known under its English name of leaky bucket algorithm, this method provides an authorization of access of a message, for example, an ATM cell, to a network only as a function of the residual level of a token reserve previously assigned as a function of a certain number of criteria notably linked with the featuring of the traffic. Initially, a time period T(UPC) is defined and a reserve of N tokens is formed for the duration of this period. A message, generated by a data source can then have access to a network only utilizing one of these tokens and it is thus a maximum of N messages that will be able to penetrate into the network during this period T(UPC). If the checking of the tokens, realized by a counter, shows that no token is available any longer for a new requested access, the message is rejected, or at any rate labeled to be transmitted only with a lower priority and on condition that it does not cause any problem for the operation of the network, even if the message is admitted.
This control method, however, has the following drawback. As only a maximum of N tokens can be disposed of at an arbitrary instant, no new token is created if no token has been used during the period T(UPC) that is completed (if certain tokens have been used, all the non-used tokens are lost). Therefore, in the situation where no token whatsoever has still been used and where suddenly a burst of N messages occurs, each of them uses a token and all messages access the network, but the token reserve is emptied and any new access is, however, forbidden for a rather long period of time (certain networks furthermore provide that the transmission contracts are not concluded when the messages thus occur as bursts, very irregularly running the risk of completely disturbing the network).

Network access control method, and device and system for implementing this method


A formulation includes one or more active ingredients of poor water solubility for medical or non-medical use in the rearing of animals. The formulation is suitable for administration to the animals via their drinking water. It exhibits superior stability. The formulation comprises an active ingredient, a thickener combination and water, wherein the thickener combination comprises at least one thickener selected from the following groups A, B, C and D:                (A) cellulose derivatives, such as methyl cellulose, sodium carboxy methyl cellulose,        (B) non-cellulosic polysaccharide thickeners such as xanthan gums, Arabic gum,        (C) cross-linked polyacrylic acid polymers,        (D) hydrocolloidal hydrated silicates.

EP 1 214 052 A discloses suspoemulsions comprising a mixture of active ingredient and water-immiscible liquid, preferably sunflower oil, and one of stabilizing agent belonging to group of emulsifiers, surfactants, thickeners, anti-oxidants and antimicrobial agent.
EP 0 727 996 A discloses aqueous suspensions of fenbendazol, non-ionic surface active agent and preservative.
WO 2007/144362 A discloses formulations for drinking water administration comprising a Tween-type surfactant and an active ingredient having average particle size below 450 nm.
WO 2010/045700 A discloses formulations comprising 0.5-15% benzimidazole type active agent, 0.2-10% alkane glycoles or polyalkane glycol, 0.5-15% of surfactant selected from non ionic polyethylene sorbitan monooleate, 0.01-5% emulsifier selected from lactose, sucrose, mannitol, xanthan gum, 0.01-5% stabilizer from the group of antimicrobials.
WO 2010/011289 A provides a formulation comprising an oil, surfactant, co-surfactant, and dipolar protic solvent.
In spite of the above teachings, there is still demand for veterinary compositions comprising water-insoluble active ingredients in an aqueous dispersed form, which exhibit an increased stability.
The present invention was made to meet this demand. Thus, the present invention provides particularly stable veterinary compositions comprising active ingredients with limited solubility in water in an aqueous dispersed form. In particular, these compositions exhibit the following benefit: The choice of ingredients permits an economical preparation and formulation which is less risky to health. Further advantages are chemical and physical stability of the formulation, stability of the secondary preparation after dilution of the formulation with water in terms of sedimentation and segregation.

Stable aqueous formulations comprising poorly water soluble active ingredients


A sunscreen composition for leaving a protective film on skin, comprising a UVB light absorbing sunscreen, a polymer vehicle, an oil-soluble solubilizer, and alkoxylated castor oil as an emulsifier. The protective film has an aggregate cohesive energy of from about 80 to about 150 calories per cc, preferably 100 to 115 calories/cc. The film is water resistant, unusually stable to UV radiation, nonirritating, and physically protective.

Sunscreen compositions must fulfill a number of requirements to be effective. First, they must absorb the appropriate wavelengths of ultraviolet radiation to prevent sunburn and other forms of cellular damage and aging of the skin. Second, they must be stable, safe, and non-irritating to skin. Third, because sunscreen compositions are most often used for several hours at a time in bright sunlight, near water, or under conditions where perspiration is induced, the compositions must be resistant to water and ultraviolet (UV) light. A background on the contents and function of sunscreens is provided in Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 3rd Ed., Vol. 7, pages 152 to 154, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Many commercial sunscreen products and their ingredients are known to provide reduced protection after being in use for a period of time. Thus, protection is reduced precisely when it is most needed to counteract long exposure to sunlight. It is also known that dyes will photobleach under sunlight.
Many known sunscreen compositions are made water-resistant by combining an ultraviolet light absorbing active ingredient with a skin substantive resin as a vehicle. Such vehicles cover the active ingredient on the surface of the skin. The regulatory monograph "Sunscreen Drug Products For Over-The-Counter Human Drugs", published by the FDA in the Federal Register on Aug. 5, 1978, warns of the risk of occlusively driving the active ingredient into the skin, causing irritation or other toxic reactions. (This monograph is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.) Decomposition of active UV absorbers may produce irritating and otherwise unsafe by-products which likewise may be absorbed through the skin, and the irritation potential of some active ingredients themselves has recently been demonstrated.
The prior art teaches stable oil-in-water emulsions for cosmetic use. One of many emulsifiers suggested by the art for such emulsions is hydrogenated castor oil ethoxylated with 30 to 100 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of oil, combined with a water-soluble solvent. One of many known utilities for such emulsions is as a suntan preparation.
The prior art also discloses oil-in-water emulsions useful as skin lotions which contain a soap of glucamine and a fatty acid as a non-irritating emulsifying agent. One of many potential fatty acids is ricinoleic acid. Ricinoleic acid is derived from castor oil. One of many possible adjuvants mentioned in the prior art for use with the emulsions is a sunscreen.
Polyethoxylated castor oil has been disclosed to be useful as a solubilizer for liquid soap, as a skin moisturizer, and for degreasing pig skin.

Ultraviolet resistant sunscreen compositions


A method of tuning ultrasonic transducers by using the admittance of the transducer as the tuning parameter rather than the phase angle. The admittance magnitude of a transducer is not related to the phase angle and thus, using the admittance of the transducer as the tuning parameter allows tuning over a broad bandwidth. In addition, transducer performance can be normalized against the variation in admittance magnitude and frequency location of the series and parallel resonance points by quantifying these variations and continually adjusting the operational set point as a function of transducer drive voltage during transducer operation.

The present invention relates to a method of tuning ultrasonic devices and more particularly to a method for tuning ophthalmic phacoemulsification handpieces.
A typical ultrasonic surgical device suitable for ophthalmic procedures consists of an ultrasonically driven handpiece, an attached cutting tip, an irrigating sleeve and an electronic control console. The handpiece assembly is attached to the control console by an electric cable and flexible tubings. Through the electric cable, the console varies the power level transmitted by the handpiece to the attached cutting tip and the flexible tubings supply irrigation fluid to and draw aspiration fluid from the eye through the handpiece assembly.
The operative part of the handpiece is a centrally located, hollow resonating bar or horn directly attached to a set of piezoelectric crystals. The crystals supply the required ultrasonic vibration needed to drive both the horn and the attached cutting tip during phacoemulsification and are controlled by the console. The crystal/horn assembly is suspended within the hollow body or shell of the handpiece by flexible mountings. The handpiece body terminates in a reduced diameter portion or nosecone at the body's distal end. The nosecone is externally threaded to accept the irrigation sleeve. Likewise, the horn bore is internally threaded at its distal end to receive the external threads of the cutting tip. The irrigation sleeve also has an internally threaded bore that is screwed onto the external threads of the nosecone. The cutting tip is adjusted so that the tip projects only a predetermined amount past the open end of the irrigating sleeve. Ultrasonic handpieces and cutting tips are more fully described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,589,363, 4,223,676, 4,246,902, 4,493,694, 4,515,583, 4,589,415, 4,609,368, 4,869,715 and 4,922,902, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In use, the ends of the cutting tip and irrigating sleeve are inserted into a small incision of predetermined width in the cornea, sclera, or other location. The cutting tip is ultrasonically vibrated along its longitudinal axis within the irrigating sleeve by the crystal-driven ultrasonic horn, thereby emulsifying the selected tissue in situ. The hollow bore of the cutting tip communicates with the bore in the horn that in turn communicates with the aspiration line from the handpiece to the console. A reduced pressure or vacuum source in the console draws or aspirates the emulsified tissue from the eye through the open end of the cutting tip, the cutting tip and horn bores and the aspiration line and into a collection device. The aspiration of emulsified tissue is aided by a saline flushing solution or irrigant that is injected into the surgical site through the small annular gap between the inside surface of the irrigating sleeve and the cutting tip.
The horn (transducer) assembly, including both piezoelectric and high endurance limit inert materials, used in ultrasonic handpieces must be carefully tuned for proper operation. As used herein, "tuning" is the process of finding and tracking the correct resonant frequency of the handpiece operating under loaded or unloaded conditions. Operating the handpiece at resonance takes advantage of the transducer's energy storage capabilities, which occurs only at resonance. With proper tuning, the transducer will store mechanical energy while operating unloaded and release this energy into the material being cut when loaded. As a consequence, for short periods of time, large amounts of energy can be directed into the material by the transducer itself and not by the transducer's power source. This allows the power source to be designed to handle only the steadystate power requirement of the transducer and not the loaded transients which can be many times higher.
Prior to the present invention, the usual way of determining the resonant frequency of a transducer was to compare the phase angle between the voltage applied to the transducer and the current drawn by the transducer. When alternating voltage is applied to a circuit, current will flow through the circuit. The amount of current is determined by dividing the voltage by the impedance of the circuit according to Ohm's Law. If the circuit is purely resistive, the impedance is equal to the total resistance in the circuit and the current equals the voltage divided by the circuit resistance.
When the voltage and current waveforms are viewed on an oscilloscope for a particular circuit, if the circuit is inductive, current will lag voltage and, if the circuit is capacitive, the voltage will lag the current. The time difference between the points when the voltage and current waveforms intersect the zero axis is measured in trigonometric terms by the phase angle .phi.. For purely resistive circuits, .phi.=0 and the voltage and the current are said to be in phase. For purely inductive circuits, .phi.=90.degree. and for purely capacitive circuits, .phi.=-90.degree. and the voltage and the current are said to be out of phase.
For circuits containing all three elements, resistors, inductors and capacitors, there will be some frequencies where the total impedance of the circuit will appear purely resistive even though the circuit contains reactive elements. These frequencies are the resonant frequencies. Consequently, one method of determining the resonant frequencies of a complex circuit is to apply an alternating voltage to the circuit and vary the frequency until the phase angle .phi. between the voltage and current is zero. The frequencies where this condition occurs are the resonant frequencies. As discussed above, when driving a circuit having both resistive and reactive components, it is important to know the value of the phase angle .phi. because the power absorbed by the circuit is directly proportional to the cosine of the phase angle (cos(.phi.)). For a phase angle equal to zero, cos(0)=1 (unity) and the transfer of power from the source to the circuit is at a maximum, this is the case for purely resistive loads. However, if .phi.=90.degree. or if .phi.=-90.degree., as is the case for reactive loads, the cos(.phi.)=0 so there is no power transferred through the circuit. Cos(.phi.) is referred to as the power factor.
Ultrasonic devices driven by piezoelectric or magnorestrictive elements present complex equivalent circuits that are a combination of capacitors, inductors and resistors and generally have more than one resonant frequency. In fact, for these electromechanical transducers, the resonant frequencies occur in pairs of closely spaced frequencies where the impedance is resistive and the phase angle .phi. is zero. One of these resonant frequencies is called the series resonant frequency and the other resonant frequencies is called the parallel resonant frequency or the antiresonance. When the ultrasonic device is driven at either of these frequencies the power factor is equal to unity and the transfer of power is maximized.
However, the phase angle of the ultrasonic device is dependent on the amount of loading on the transducer. This loading is generally understood to mean resistive-type loading that will have a damping effect on the vibrations of the transducer. The series and parallel resonant frequencies exist only if the transducer is unloaded or only lightly loaded. If the resistive loading on the transducer is increased above a threshold amount, the transducer will no longer resonate because the load totally dampens the vibrations of the transducer. When this condition occurs, .phi. will no longer be zero and the transfer of power will no longer be optimum. The addition of a tuning inductor in series with the transducer will produce a resonant and, consequently, a zero phase angle condition no matter how heavy the load. This inductor, however, adds a third resonant frequency to the circuit when the device is operated under a no load or small load condition. This third frequency must be differentiated from the series and parallel resonant frequencies during tuning.
Prior art tuning methods generally use phase locked looped circuits with very narrow tuning ranges centered around one of the resonant frequencies discussed above. While this approach is suitable for drivers used in combination with transducers having operating resonances very close to each other, this approach is unsuitable for drivers used in combination with transducers with resonant frequencies that are considerably far apart. The prior art "one dimensional" tuning methods also limit transducer performance over a wide dynamic range of drive voltages because the series and parallel resonance frequencies and admittance will vary with drive voltage, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. FIG. 6 illustrates a three dimensional view of an actual transducer admittance magnitude as a function of frequency and drive voltage, and illustrates the obvious change in the shape of the transducer characteristics as a function of voltage and frequency. FIG. 7 illustrates the variation in admittance magnitude of the series and parallel resonance points as a function of drive voltage for the same data used to generate FIG. 6. FIG. 8 illustrates the shift in the frequency location of the series and parallel resonance points as a function of voltage for the same data used to generate FIG. 6.
Accordingly, a need continues to exist for a method tuning ultrasonic devices operating at greatly varying resonant frequencies and drive voltages.


A fluid bed dryer utilizing a rotating air distribution disc to deliver rotating streams of air to the fluid bed includes salvage apparatus which accumulates, concentrates and returns particulate material which falls from the fluid bed during the drying operation to the fluid bed. A salvage ring is mounted below and completely encircles the disc to receive and accumulate particles of material which fall from the fluid bed to the disc and are flung from the disc by centrifugal force. A collector which is positioned within the salvage ring and driven by the disc, sweeps the internal area of the salvage ring to concentrate the accumulated particles of material and deliver them to a funnel which is connected to a passageway leading back to the fluid bed. The collected particles of material are returned to the fluid bed by air pressure created by pressure differentials within the dryer apparatus.

This invention relates to fluid bed dryers and more particularly to a method and apparatus for salvaging product which is otherwise wasted in a fluid bed dryer utilizing a rotating air distribution disc to deliver rotating streams of air to the fluid bed.
Fluid bed dryers are used for drying particulate material by passing streams of fluidizing gases through a bed of material in a so-called fluidizing chamber. Fluid bed dryer operation involves passing sufficient air or other fluid through the chamber to suspend solid particles in a stream of air. If each particle is bathed with a stream of air to produce the so-called "fluid bed", rapid drying throughout the entire mass is achieved.
The fluidizing chambers are frequently cylindrical in form and have perforate or screen-like bottom portions which have holes sufficiently small to retain the particulate material while permitting air or other fluid to flow therethrough. The selection of a hole size requires a compromise between a small hole size which would retain nearly all of the particulate material being dried but unduly restrict air flow and a large hole size which would allow less restricted air flow but allow considerable material to fall from the chamber. This compromise usually results in the selection of a hole size which allows adequate air flow while retaining a large majority of the material but allowing very small particles of the material to fall through the screen.
Of particular interest to the present invention is an improved fluid bed dryer as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,900. The improved fluid bed dryer of this patent is characterized by the use of a rotating apertured disc positioned below and out of contact with the product to be dried. The disc delivers a stream or streams of air moving in rotary fashion throughout the fluidizing chamber. This improved drying apparatus eliminates localized heavy streams of air which tend to develop in other prior art fluidizing chambers and avoids mechanical agitation and contact with the particles which is undesirable in many instances where particles tend to crush, smear, or agglomerate, e.g., in the case of cheese particles.
Although the rotating disc dryer is a notable improvement over prior art fluid bed dryers, it does cause increased amounts of product to fall through the screen-like bottom portion of the fluidizing chamber. This product is generally lost since it is difficult to recover and is often spoiled due to contamination at the bottom of the dryer.

Product reclamation in a fluid bed dryer


A server receives a consumer request from a client to access a product repository that is coupled to the server. The consumer request comprises an entitlement certificate and a uniform resource locator (URL). The server identifies at least one extended attribute object identifier in the entitlement certificate to determine whether the client is authorized to access the product repository. The at least one extended attribute object identifier has a corresponding URL in the entitlement certificate that specifies a location of the product repository that the client is authorized to access. The server grants the client access to the product repository based on a determination that the URL in the consumer request matches a URL in the entitlement certificate.

A software provider can sell software and/or service products, for example, by selling subscriptions to customers for products. An entity that has purchased a product subscription is an owner of the subscription and has a right to use the product for the period of the subscription. An owner's use of a subscription can be represented, for example, as an 'entitlement.' For example, a customer, such as ACME Company, purchases ten 3-year subscriptions to Product Foo. ACME Company is the owner of the ten subscriptions, which can be represented by ten entitlements, and can assign the ten entitlements to various systems. When a system is granted an entitlement, the system can access a product repository to receive product updates for the Product Foo.
Product asset management tools are provided to allow software providers and customers to manage the product subscriptions that have been purchased and consumed, the patches, updates, etc. Conventional product asset management tools, however, do not offer a convenient way to know what products have been installed in various systems. In addition, in a traditional product asset management environment, the various systems register with a central authority to receive an entitlement from the central authority to access a product repository coupled to a content server. A content server can manage access to product repositories that store product software (e.g., installation software, software updates, patches) for different products. Systems can send a request to the content server for access to a product repository, for example, to receive a product software update. The content server, however, does not have the ability without the central authority to determine whether a system is authorized to access the product repository.

Using entitlement certificates to manage product assets


Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention determine the effective toughness of a given material, and also implement materials possessing improved effective toughness values. In one embodiment, a method of determining the effective toughness of a material includes: causing a crack to propagate through the material; where the relative constant velocity and the relative overall direction are prescribed and maintained for the duration of the propagation of the crack through the material; measuring the energy release rate of the crack as it propagates through the material; and defining the effective toughness of the material as the maximum value of the measured energy release rate.

The 'fracture toughness' of a material is a property that characterizes the respective material's ability to resist fracture assuming the presence of a thin crack. It is typically determined from the 'stress intensity factor' K at which a thin crack in the material begins to grow. The 'stress intensity factor' K is generally meant to characterize the stress state near the tip of a crack (e.g. one caused by a remote load or residual stresses). Notably, the stress intensity factor can be a function of the loading that the crack is subjected to. Conventionally: 'mode I' loading references a normal tensile stress perpendicular to the crack; 'mode II' loading references an in-plane shear loading; and 'mode III' references out-of-plane shearing of the crack. Conventionally, as alluded to above, the fracture toughness of a material is often gleaned from the stress intensity factor at which a thin crack in the material being subjected to mode I loading begins to grow, i.e. its KIc value. KIc is typically determined experimentally and generally has the units of stress multiplied by the square root of distance.
Relatedly, the fracture toughness can also be expressed in terms of the energy per unit fracture surface area. This is typically indicated by the 'J-integral.' The J-integral can also be thought of as the energy required to grow a thin crack.
The fracture toughness of a material has conventionally been determined in a number of ways. For instance, 'Charpy impact tests' are often used to determine the amount of energy that can be absorbed during fracture, and this absorbed energy can be indicative of the overall fracture toughness of a material. Active Standard ASTM E23 discusses methods for implementing Charpy impact tests.
Similarly, 'crack resistance curves' or 'R-curves' are also conventionally derived and used to characterize the toughness of a material. R-curves illustrate a material's resistance to crack extension as a function of crack extension. Active Standard ASTM E561 discusses a standard test method for K-R curve determination.

Systems and methods for determining the effective toughness of a material and for implementing materials possessing improved effective toughness characteristics

The Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College


A soap dispensing system includes non-pressurized first and second soap containers connected to a soap manifold. The manifold has a first inlet connection to the first soap container and a second inlet connection to the second soap container. There is a soap outlet on the manifold. A soap conduit extends from a first dispensing opening on the manifold to a second dispensing opening on the manifold. A two direction peristaltic pump is associated with the soap conduit to move soap either from the first dispensing opening to the second dispensing opening or in the opposite direction. There are valves within the soap manifold for connecting the first inlet, first dispensing opening, second dispensing opening, second inlet opening, and the outlet to provide soap, upon operation of the pump, from one of said containers, through said soap conduit, to the manifold outlet.

The present invention relates to soap dispensers and more specifically to the use of two unpressurized soap containers and a single peristaltic soap pump. Two soap containers are connected to a single pump and the rotational direction of the pump determines which soap container supplies soap. A soap manifold, and a soap conduit which extends around the pump, forms a replaceable unit which may be connected between the soap containers and the pump. The soap system is never empty in that when one container becomes empty, a sensor indicates that fact to a control board which signifies to maintenance personnel to replace the empty soap container, with the system continuing to function with the filled soap container. The system is completely disposable as the soap conduit, and the soap manifold may be easily changed at predetermined intervals.
The soap manifold is connected to both soap containers, to the ends of the soap conduit which extends about the peristaltic pump and to a soap outlet. Valves within the manifold control the path of flow from either one or the other of the two soap containers to the soap outlet.
The present invention relates to a soap dispensing systems and more specifically to a soap dispensing system utilizing two independent soap containers and a single soap pump.
A primary purpose of the invention is to provide a soap dispensing system which has automatic soap path selection between two unpressurized soap containers and a single soap pump.
Another purpose is to provide a manifold for use in a soap dispenser, which manifold is effective to provide soap container selection on the basis of the direction of rotation of a peristaltic pump.
Another purpose of the invention is to provide a soap dispensing system which includes sensors, and a control board connected to the sensors, with the sensors determining the condition of the soap containers and thus the soap container which will be used upon operation of the soap pump.
Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specification, drawings and claims.

Soap dispensing system with single soap pump and two unpressurized soap containers


An apparatus for removing particulate matter from a gas stream includes a sorbent injector, a charging antenna, and a plurality of granular media filter cells. The gas stream containing the particulate matter is directed through an inlet plenum. The sorbent injector, located within the inlet plenum, injects fine particles of a sorbent material toward the charging antenna for electrostatically charging the sorbent particles. The charged sorbent particles form a large charged surface area for inducing charges on the particulate matter entrained by the gas stream. The plurality of filter cells each include inner and outer perforated, concentric cylinders, and granular media is caused to move downward between the inner and outer cylinders of each filter cell. The gas stream, including the entrained particulate matter and sorbent particles, flows through the perforations in the inner cylinder into the granular media; the entrained particulate matter and sorbent particles become attached to the granular media as a result of inertial impact forces and electrostatic charges. Clean gas leaves the granular media through the perforations in the outer cylinder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for removing particulate matter from a gas stream, and more particularly, to an apparatus for adding electrostatically charged sorbent particles to a gas stream containing particulate matter and directing the gas stream through moving bed granular media filters for removing the entrained particulate matter and sorbent particles from the gas stream.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Air pollution control methods for the removal of fine particulate matter, particularly submicron particles, are not particularly suitable when employed in sizes required for use in large volume processes. The state-of-the-art particulate removal systems experience substantial difficulties attempting to meet strict requirements and regulations imposed by governmental agencies for the removal of such particulate matter. Further, the removal of noxious gases without the accompanying generation of non-disposable wastes also presents significant problems to present industrial gas cleaning systems.
Present fine particulate gas collection systems exhibit poor efficiencies on submicron particle size particulates that must be removed from a gas stream. In those gas streams containing noxious gases such as sulfur dioxide, present systems impose the requirement of a wet or slurry system to remove the noxious gas which therefore exposes the equipment to scaling potential; further, the frequent generation of acid mists when using a wet system creates a difficult collection problem and subjects the equipment to corrosion. The use of fabric filter collectors to capture the particulates presents a fire danger and results in the requirement that temperatures be reduced which may in turn cause temperatures approaching acid dew points. In addition to the approach to acid dew points resulting from the reduced temperature, recoverable heat is lost thereby imposing an additional inefficiency in the process. Such prior art systems also represent extremely high capital costs together with high operation and maintenance costs.
The removal of particulate matter from a gas stream using electrostatic techniques is well known. The use of typical electrostatic techniques combined with systems for the removal of sulfur dioxide are subject to the difficulties described above. Some suggestions have been made regarding the use of granular bed filters for the removal of particulates. See, for example, a discussion of dust deposition published in the Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association, volume 28, no. 4, page 354 et. seq., "Dust Deposition and Granular Bed Filters: Theories and Experiments" by G. I. Tardos et al. Suggestion has also been made that such a granular bed be electrified and the gas particles be electrostatically charged such that when the gas containing the particulate matter is passed through the electrified bed the particulate matter adheres thereto. Such electrified bed equipment is discussed in a brochure entitled, Particulate Control Systems, published by Electrostatics, Inc. of Woburn, Ma. Regardless of the prior art system that is used, a balance is struck between the thoroughness of collection and the difficulties (and therefore costs) created by the collection system.
In the above mentioned copending application Ser. No. 966,096, which is hereby incorporated by reference, a novel method of removing particulate matter from a gas stream is disclosed; the disclosed method overcomes substantially all of the problems associated with prior art particulate removal systems mentioned above. The above mentioned copending patent application discloses that conventional fluidized-bed electrostatic power coating guns may be used to inject charged sorbent particles into the dirty gas stream for inducing electrostatic charges on the particulate matter entrained by the gas stream. However, in operating plants of the type which emit gas streams containing relatively large amounts of particulate matter (e.g., coke ovens, sinter plants, steel-making furnaces), application of the particulate removal method disclosed by the above mentioned copending patent application would require that sorbent material be injected into the gas stream at the rate of hundreds of pounds per minute. Conventional powder coating guns lack the capacity to inject sorbent material into the gas stream at such a rate.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for applying the particulate removal method disclosed by the above mentioned copending patent application to large operating systems such as coke ovens, sinter plants, and steel-making furnaces.
An apparatus for applying the particulate removal method disclosed by the above mentioned copending patent application would typically include an inlet plenum for mixing the injected sorbent material with the gas stream and for directing the gas stream to the granular media filter. If the particulate removal apparatus is used to filter the gas stream emitted from a relatively large operating plant, such as a coke oven, sinter plant, or steel-making furnace, then large quantities of the particulate matter entrained by the gas stream will likely be deposited within the inlet plenum before reaching the granular media filter, thereby restricting the flow of the gas stream and reducing the effectiveness of the particulate removal apparatus.
Accordingly, it is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for applying the particulate removal method disclosed by the above mentioned copending patent application while preventing significant amounts of particulate matter from collecting within the inlet plenum.
In addition, an apparatus for applying the particulate removal method disclosed by the above mentioned copending patent application to filter the gas stream of a relatively large operating plant, such as a coke oven, sinter plant or steel-making furnace, would likely include a plurality of granular media filters, as opposed to a singular granular media filter, due to practical limitations in the sizes of materials used to construct such filters. If multiple moving bed granular filters are employed to filter the particulate matter from the gas stream, then granular media must be distributed to each of the filters. Ordinarily, a separate media supply system would be provided for each such filter. However, the addition of a separate media supply system for each filter cell greatly increases the cost of a particulate removal system as the capacity of the system, and correspondingly the number of filters, is increased.
Therefore, it is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for applying the particulate removal method disclosed by the above mentioned copending patent application which uses a single media supply system to supply granular media to multiple granular media filters.

Apparatus for removing particulate matter from a gas stream


A system for classifying image data includes a vision system (58) for continuously imaging an area (42) of interest and providing an image signals. A classifier (84) determines an image class corresponding to each image signal, determines a confidence level for each determined image class, determines a time period for the confidence level, and establishes an image classification in response thereto. Switching between image classifications is in response to the confidence level and time period of the confidence level. When used in a vehicle restraining system (20), other monitor vehicle parameters (54) can be used to adjust the confidence levels and time periods needed to switch between image classifications.

Actuatable occupant restraining systems having an inflatable air bag in vehicles are known in the art. Such systems that are controlled in response to whether the seat is empty or occupied, whether a rearward facing child seat ("RFCS") is present on the seat, and/or in response to the occupant's position, weight, size, etc., are referred to as smart restraining systems. One example of a smart actuatable restraining system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,226.
Pattern recognition systems may be defined as systems capable of distinguishing between classes of real world stimuli according to a plurality of distinguishing characteristics, or features, associated with the classes. A number of pattern recognition systems that use vision system inputs are known in the art, including statistical classifiers such as neural networks and support vector machines. Support vector machines are described by Vladimir Vapnik [C. Cortes and V. Vapnik, in "Support Vector Networks," Machine Learning, Vol. 20, pp. 273-97, 1995].
Support vector machines are intelligent systems that generate appropriate separating functions for a plurality of output classes from a set of training data. The separating functions divide an N-dimensional feature space into portions associated with the respective output classes, where each dimension is defined by a feature used for classification. Once the separators have been established, future input to the system can be classified according to its location in feature space (e.g., its value for N features) relative to the separators. In its simplest form, a support vector machine distinguishes between two output classes, a "positive" class and a "negative" class, with the feature space segmented by the separators into regions representing the two alternatives.

Method and apparatus for controlling classification and classification switching in a vision system


Hydraulic shock absorbing arrangement for pipe conduit systems including a piston slidably mounted in a liquid-filled cylinder to define spaced chambers. The piston has a rod connected thereto which is slidable in a guide positioned at one end of the cylinder. The piston rod is surrounded by a sealing bellows which is secured in a liquid-tight manner at one end to the piston and at its other end to the guide. The cylinder is mounted on a stationary bearing, while the piston rod is connected to a pipe in which shocks are to be damped. A throttling valve communicates with each cylinder chamber, the latter chambers communicating with each other through an overflow path. An expandable compensation bellows communicates with the atmosphere through an air outlet opening, but is otherwise closed.

The invention relates to an hydraulic shock absorbing arrangement for pipe conduit systems.
One such shock absorbing arrangement is disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift [Laid-open Application] No. 1,650,086. Its purpose is to cause the pipe conduit system to be unaffected by normal displacements, originating generally in thermal expansion, and it also acts as a rigid support in the event of rapid, or shock-like, displacements in the form of pipe thrusts, arising from earthquakes, or the like, so that, for instance, in nuclear power stations such pipe thrusts are not transmitted directly to the reactor with resultant damage, but can be dissipated outside the reactor, even if this were to result in damage to the pipe conduit system. For this purpose, there are provided throttle valve assemblies which close in the manner of non-return valves in the event of faster movements in the pipe conduit system, or of intensified flow effects in the pressure liquid caused by these.
In the known shock absorber arrangement, a pressure cylinder is concentrically housed in a supply and compensation container for the pressure liquid, in order to permit losses of the pressure liquid through leakage from a piston rod guide to be compensated. Such shock absorbing arrangements must have a long useful life, together with a high degree of functional safety. The throttling valve assemblies in the cylinder chambers on both sides of the piston are located substantially radially between the supply and compensation containers in the walls of the pressure cylinder. In addition, in the supply and compensation container there is provided a compensation bellows which, on the one hand, absorbs the volume changes arising from temperature fluctuations in the interior of the shock absorbing arrangement and, on the other, serves to compensate for volume changes originating in the differential volumes being displaced by the piston rod on the two sides of the piston as the piston moves.
The conventional shock absorbing arrangement solves the problem of providing a self-contained structural unit without exposed pipes which are subject to damage. However, due to the supply and compensation container surrounding the pressure cylinder, this structural unit is comparatively large and so occupies a comparatively large space, which creates difficulties in the mounting of the unit. Moreover, losses of the pressure liquid through leakage from the piston rod guide make it necessary to keep the arrangement under regular observation, which may necessitate occasional refilling of the supply and compensation container with fresh pressure liquid. This work is expensive and, in the case of nuclear power stations, must be carried out in a highly responsible manner since if it is neglected or carried out in a careless manner, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Metallschlauch-Fabrik Pforzheim Witzenmann GmbH


M×N attribute data for M×N pixels, where M and N are integer multiple of “L” are input. Data expressed by L bits are encoded, A first encoding control step supplies the M×N attribute data to be encoded in an input order, causing encoding to be executed. A second encoding control step converts the M×N attribute data input into bit planes of bit 0 to bit L−1, extracts L-bit data from one converted bit plane, and supplies the extracted L-bit data for each bit plane, causing encoding to be executed. An amount of encoded data generated by the encoding under the control of the first encoding control step is compared with an amount of encoded data generated in the encoding under the control of the second encoding control step, and encoded data with a smaller amount are selected. The selected encoded data and identification information representing the selected data are then output.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique of encoding the attribute data of image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image data is sometimes processed using area information (attribute data) associated with the image data. Area information is mainly used for a color process or tone count adjustment in an image output unit to enhance the appearance of an output image. When black is reproduced by mixing yellow, magenta, and cyan in an achromatic color area of a natural image, it can maintain a suitable appearance. When black characters or line images that frequently appear in a document are printed monochromatically using only black, the characters/line images can have sharp edges.
If each pixel has 1-bit attribute data indicating chromatic color/achromatic color or character/non-character, the quality of an output image can be improved at the time of output and, in particular, printing. Information except those described above can also be added as area information.
To compress image information, not only image data but also area information needs to be compressed. Area information is a set of binary data. To compress it, basically, a lossless encoding method must be used. Conventionally, Packbits and JBIG encoding are used to compress area information (e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-69835).
However, it is impossible to adjust the code amount of attribute data by compressing it using an encoding method according to the technique in the above reference. Use in a system with a limit memory capacity may cause overflow which poses a serious problem.

Image processing apparatus and method for attribute data encoding


The present device is an object detection device for assisting individuals with visual impairments to detect objects in front of him or her when walking or riding a bike. The device preferably includes an assistive device like a cane and an echolocation device coupled to the walking assistive device. When a user signals for the echolocation device to do so, the echolocation device uses a parametric array to generate a sound beam. If an object is in front of the user, the audible narrow sound beam reflects off of the object creating a strong, clear echo sound beam toward the user's ear. Because the user is preferably trained in echolocation, he or she is able to determine the distance, position, and possibly the type of object.

Visually impaired individuals, of whom there are upwards of 285 million worldwide, have long relied on objects like canes and guide dogs to assist with object detection and navigation. More modern systems often make use of more advanced technologies, such as an object detection device using ultrasonic transducers. Those devices may generate ultrasonic waves that produce an echo from a detected object. The echo is then detected and received by receivers that alert a visually impaired individual of objects in front of him or her. In those devices, because ultrasonic waves are undetectable by a human ear, a receiver, separate from the human ear, is needed to receive information about objects at a distance from a wearer.
Those sorts of devices often make use of the information encoded by the receiver to provide tactile or audio feedback to a user. For example, one "smart cane" employed provides a vibration to a user to indicate that a nearby object is detected in front of the cane user. Another wearable device embodied as glasses provides a vibration to a user to indicate that a nearby object is detected. Visually impaired users often find these vibrations (or sounds, provided by other object detection aids or wearables) to be annoying and distracting.
Human echolocation allows humans to detect objects in their environment by generating sounds and sensing echoes from the sounds created by objects in front of him or her. Those echoes are typically created by first actively generating sounds such as cane tapping, hand claps, finger snapping, a mechanical device such as a clicker or making clicking sounds with their mouths. People trained to orient by echolocation, often visually impaired individuals, may be able to interpret the sound waves that are reflected by nearby objects and accurately identify the location, size, distance and characteristics of the object. Visually impaired individuals may use this ability as a form of acoustic wayfinding, or navigating within an environment using auditory rather than visual cues. This echolocation ability is similar to active sonar and animal echolocation, which is employed by bats, dolphins, and whales (among others) to identify prey.
However, with respect to echolocation, it is often difficult for a person to generate a strong, targeted signal that is narrowly channeled to detect objects in front of him or her especially at a distance and above the waist. Instead, a mouth-click signal decays as the wave spherically propagates away from the source. As such, the signal has a limited range in which it can detect objects. Moreover, the echo signal is not very strong by the time it has attenuated on its way to a receiver, whether the receiver is electronic or a human ear.
Even moreover, an individual who uses his or her mouth to generate clicking sounds can experience echo masking. More specifically, because the mouth is in close proximity to the ears, the response echo may be "masked" by the original sound signal generated by the mouth-click. This can make it much more difficult for a person to hear the echo, let alone locate from where the echo is originating.
Parametric arrays have been used in the audio industry for some time to generate a narrow audio signal. As known in the art, a parametric array is a nonlinear transduction mechanism that uses ultrasonic transducers to generate a narrow beam of audio band frequency sound, through the mixing and interaction of high intensity ultrasonic soundwaves. Thus, beams of sound generated by parametric arrays take into account the combined effects of diffraction, absorption, and nonlinearity. As such, parametric arrays can create a strong directional sound beam with no side lobes in water and air.
A parametric array can fulfill the need to provide a device to assist visually impaired individuals with a more targeted, narrow signal for object detection. That way, the user has a better idea of what is in front of him or her at greater distances and at a higher elevation above the ground. The device should not require the use of headphones or head-mounted speakers, and it should not use distracting audio or tactile indicators to alert a wearer that an obstacle is detected in front of him or her. Furthermore, the device should be positioned such that the projection of the sound beam is away from, and in front of, the individual such that it does not mask the received echo. That way, more echo energy is received by the ears.

Method and apparatus for object detection using human echolocation for the visually impaired


A user management system is provided for a musical accompaniment playing (KARAOKE) apparatus. The system comprises an individual information recording medium, an input unit, a music information reproducing unit, a control unit and a calculation unit. The input unit is used to input user identification information and music piece selection. The control unit serves to set a musical environment and to record changes in the environment for the user. The calculation unit makes adjustments based on the number of music pieces recorded on the individual information recording medium.

This invention relates to a user management system for a musical accompaniment playing apparatus called "KARAOKE" equipment.
As a method for charging or management of a user in a musical accompaniment playing system, there are known methods using a coin box, a prepayed card, and an IC card, etc.. A coin and a prepayed card are used only for collection of money, and an IC card is used for reservation of music pieces, collection of money, and management of balance.
The method of using a coin box is most popular. However, it has problems that as coins must be collected when the box is filled with coins, it takes much time and labor in collection of coins, and that a dealer must manage money. In the case of a prepayed card, it is only available for money collection and a prepayed card issuance machine is required. Further, there is a possibility of a data alteration. In the case of the IC card, not only charge management can be carried out, but also data relating to users can be stored. However, at the present, there were the problems that the card itself is expensive and that there is high possibility of data alteration.
In addition to the above mentioned methods, method of using a floppy disk or a RAM card are conceivable. The former method is inexpensive, however, the data can be easily deteriorated by an external magnetic interference. On the other hand, the latter method has a problem that the RAM card is expensive similarly to the IC card.

User management system for musical accompaniment playing apparatus


A modular battery system for a portable device including a charging module with a retractable plug and charging circuit for converting an AC line voltage to a DC battery charging current. The charging module combines with a battery module and optional fuel gauge (if present) to form a single unit for recharging, preconditioning the battery, and connection to the portable device. The modules are releasably connected, preferably involving conductive fasteners, so that a user may connect a new battery module to an old charging module. The releasable connection serves as both the mechanical and the electrical interface between the battery module and the charging module. The conductive fasteners may be located in different positions on the modules to accommodate different connector geometries. The charging module may also combine with a battery mounting module, rather than the battery module, so that the system works with conventional battery packs. The preferred charging module incorporates a PWM charging circuit having a transformer with a primary winding, a secondary winding, and a control winding. The control winding has two purposes, it provides feedback information and it provides operating current for the continued operation of the PWM charging circuit. The transformer is designed so that the primary winding has a better magnetic coupling with the secondary winding than with the control winding so that the charging circuit will run in a safe low-power "standby" mode in the event of a short circuit in the secondary circuit. The feedback circuit from the control winding is preferably filtered through a low-pass filter to remove "flyback" transients.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to rechargeable batteries and, more specifically, to a modular battery system providing different connector geometries for use with electronic devices such as camcorders, cellular phones, and portable computers.
2. Description of Related Art
The miniaturization of electronics has provided society with numerous portable electronic devices. The list is long, but such devices include portable computers, camcorders, and cellular phones. Portable electronic devices invariably require batteries.
Rechargeable batteries are often used because they are much cheaper than disposable batteries in the long run. The technology of battery recharging systems, however, has not kept pace with the needs of users.
For example, the typical owner of a camcorder is probably burdened by two or three rechargeable battery packs and a single "charging station" for recharging the battery packs when they are not in use. Charging stations supplied with camcorders or other portable devices are generally bulky and require a power cord for operation. In this case, if the camcorder is to be used for an extended period of time, it is necessary to carry extra batteries, the charging station, or both. Although miniaturization has made the battery-operated device easy to carry, the need for battery replacement or charging makes the portability of the end solution questionable.
Another problem with rechargeable systems is the variety of line voltages encountered around the world. A recharger designed for one country ordinarily requires an "adapter" for use in another country. This further impacts portability by requiring the user to carry another device when travelling.
Another problem faced by the user is the potential for some rechargeable batteries to exhibit a reduction in capacity due to the battery being subjected to repetitive shallow discharge and charge cycles. This can create a "memory" effect that makes the battery unable to deliver its rated charge. In order to eliminate this effect, it is recommended to discharge the battery to a low level before charging. Many users will purchase an additional unit called a "conditioner" to accomplish the discharge cycle before charging. This can result in yet another device being carried.
Another significant aspect of charging batteries is the effect of overcharging the batteries. A battery which is overcharged is unable to convert charge energy into stored energy. The charge energy is converted to heat which, over time, will reduce the capacity of the battery dramatically, and may even cause complete battery failure. Most users are not able to closely monitor the amount of time a battery spends under charge. Therefore, unless the charging station affords overcharge protection, the useful life of the battery may be shortened.
An additional burden on the user of rechargeable batteries is knowing the current capacity of the battery. If not known, the user must either guess and chance a failure at a critical time, or must preemptively charge the battery. Even when batteries have been fully charged, they lose capacity during storage due to an internal loss called "self-discharge."
A single unit that simply includes a charger and rechargeable batteries does not resolve the foregoing problems. The unit must be compact and lightweight since the charger is always present. Moreover, the combination may create other problems. For example, since the charger is likely to be usable even after the batteries require replacement, a combination charger/battery pack may be more costly than necessary since the system must be purchased and replaced as a unit.

Modular battery system having a pluggable charging module


In a system for conveying bottles or like articles, bottles being conveyed in single file along two or more separate paths are caused to merge and travel in single file along a single path by a device comprising arcuate guide passages and star wheels rotatably supported in concentric relation thereto, each star wheel having a plurality of teeth with respective outer tips lying in a rotational path extending partly into the guide passage, each tooth having a special profile shape defined by leading and trailing edges, the leading edge having a concave arcuate shape of a radius of curvature which substantially corresponds to the radius of said circular cross section and extending from the tip inward to smoothly join the inner end of the trailing edge of the forwardly adjacent tooth, said trailing edge having a convex curved shape and extending outward to the tip of said adjacent tooth, said leading and trailing edges thereby forming a fair S-shaped curve.

This invention relates generally to systems for automatically handling and conveying articles of circular cross section such as bottles. More particularly, the invention relates to a device for automatically regulating the timing of each of a plurality of bottles or the like (hereinafter referred to collectively as bottles) supplied in a single file and sending the same to a succeeding process step. In a particular aspect thereof, the invention relates to the device applied to the combining of a plurality of rows of single-file bottles into a single file in a smooth and orderly manner.
Among the methods known heretofore for collecting bottles that are being continuously supplied, there are the method of collection by merely using guides for merging thereby to force the bottles together and the method depending on the use of worm screws whose spacing intervals continuously vary. The former method, however, has a drawback in that the bottles contact and rub violently with each other, whereby bottles are damaged and cause much noise. The latter method tends to require elaborate-scale and expensive equipment for reasons such as the difficulty in fabricating the screws, the necessity of driving power in all cases, and the necessity of synchronism for intercoupling to other devices.
While bottles are reused by recovering, in general, their serviceable lives are greatly influenced by their handling. Particularly when bottles are being collected in a bottling process, the bottles are easily damaged. When a bottle is thus damaged, it can no longer be used as a commercial commodity or as a container of a commerical commodity.

Device for automatically guiding and regulating travel of bottles or the like in a conveying system


A portable self contained battery charger and radio for charging batteries for power tools. The portable self contained battery charger and radio includes a portable housing having a top wall which is removable from the housing. A first plug is adapted for connecting to a home electrical power outlet. The first plug is a two prong plug operationally coupled to a first cord. A second plug for a vehicle power outlet is a cylinder having a first end and a second end. A wall connects the first and second ends. The first end has an electrical contact thereon and the wall of the second plug has an electrical contact thereon. The second end of the second plug is affixed to a second cord such that the first and second electrical contacts of the second plug are electrically coupled to the second cord. The first and second plugs provide power. A power cell for transforming current is mounted within the housing and has an outlet therein adapted to receive two pronged plugs. The power cell is operationally coupled to the power supply. A sound system for transforming audio and radio signals into sound is mounted in the housing and operationally coupled to the power cell. Two speakers are mounted in the front wall, each of which is operationally coupled to the sound system. A rechargeable battery for supplying power to the power cell is operationally coupled to the power cell. A recharger compartment for inserting battery rechargers is within the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to battery chargers and more particularly pertains to a new portable self contained battery charger and radio for charging batteries for power tools.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of battery chargers is known in the prior art. More specifically, battery chargers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objective and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,187,422; 2,591,438; 4,214,197; 5,396,162; 5,752,205; 4,691,383; and U.S. Pat. Des. No. 307,829.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new portable self contained battery charger and radio. The inventive device includes a portable housing having a top wall which is removable form the housing. A first plug is adapted for connecting to a home electrical power outlet. The first plug is a two prong plug operationally coupled to a first cord. A second plug for a vehicle power outlet is a cylinder having a first end and a second end. A wall connects the first and second ends. The first end has an electrical contact thereon and the wall of the second plug has an electrical contact thereon. The second end of the second plug is affixed to a second cord such that the first and second electrical contacts of the second plug are electrically coupled to the second cord. The first and second plugs provide power. A power cell for transforming current is mounted within the housing and has an outlet therein adapted to receive two pronged plugs. The power cell is operationally coupled to the power supply. A sound system for transforming audio and radio signals into sound is mounted in the housing and operationally coupled to the power cell. Two speakers are mounted in the front wall, and each of the speakers is operationally coupled to the sound system. A rechargeable battery for supplying power to the power cell is operationally coupled to the power cell. A recharger compartment for inserting battery rechargers is within the housing.
In these respects, the portable self contained battery charger and radio according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of charging batteries for power tools.

Portable self contained battery charger and radio


An office chair includes a frame having a tube with a tapered inner periphery and a plurality of legs extend from the tube. A C-shaped sleeve is movably received in the tube and has a tapered outer periphery. The sleeve has a threaded inner periphery so as to be threadedly engaged with a seat post. Two notches are defined in the tapered outer periphery of the sleeve so that two pins extend through the tube and are engaged with the two notches to restrict the sleeve from being rotated. The sleeve is firmly clamp the seat post when a load is applied downward the seat post. When lifting the seat post, the sleeve is raised and loosened so that the seat post is adjustable.

The present invention relates to a control device for holding the seat post of office chairs and the seat post is enclosed by a C-shaped sleeve with tapered inner periphery and the sleeve is received in a tapered hole of the base frame.
A conventional office chair includes a control device that controls the height of the seat and generally involves a hydraulic cylinder and the seat post is connected to the piston rod of the cylinder so that when the users operate the hydraulic cylinder, the seat post is lowered or raised by the movement of the piston rod. However, the cylinder is expensive and has a potential problem of leakage of the liquid in the cylinder. Besides, the number of parts composing the cylinder is large and every part has to be machined to have suitable holes. All of these make the office chair to have a high price and cannot be popular for most of the customers. In other words, there are no office chairs, in the market having adjustable height of the seat and sold at lower price.
The present invention intends to provide an office chair that has a control device for holding the seat post and the seat post is easily to be lowered or lifted.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an office chair and comprises a frame having a tube with a tapered inner periphery and two holes are defined through the tube. A plurality of legs extend from the tube. A C-shaped sleeve is movably received in the tube and has a tapered outer periphery. The sleeve has a threaded inner periphery and a slit is defined longitudinally through the sleeve. Two notches are defined in the tapered outer periphery of the sleeve and two pins extend through the two holes in the tube and are engaged with the two notches. A seat post extends through the sleeve and has a threaded section which is engaged with the threaded inner periphery.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an office chair wherein the seat post is firmly positioned when a load is applied on the seat post, and the seat post can be adjustable when lifting the seat post.
The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

Control device for seat post of office chairs