An automatic audible signaling system for use in emergency warning and direction of people in the evacuation of buildings and the like comprises control apparatus at a central station, a plurality of local amplifiers mounted at remote locations, and at least one loudspeaker connected to each amplifier. The control apparatus comprises an audio preamplifier and, coupled to the output thereof, a modulation transformer having a center-tapped secondary to which a DC voltage is applied when it is desired to operate the loudspeakers. This arrangement supplies mixed DC power and low-level audio signal voltage to each of the remote amplifiers and obviates both the use of a high-power amplifier at the central station and the transmission of a high-power audio signal from the central control apparatus to the remote loudspeakers. The system also comprises supervisory means including a differential amplifier that normally produces no output but that, in response to a malfunction of the system, operates a relay that gives a trouble indication. The local amplifiers are specially designed to respond to the mixed AC/DC signal and to facilitate line supervision.

This invention relates to an automatic audible signaling system and, more particularly, to such a system for use in emergency warning and direction of people in the evacuation of buildings and the like.
A number of fire-alarm systems and other automatic systems designed to activate electromechanical audible signaling devices such as bells and horns and to provide the capability of giving voice instructions by means of loudspeakers mounted in strategic locations throughout a building are known. However, conventional systems have the serious drawback that, in order to power a number of local loudspeakers mounted at remote locations, it is necessary to employ, at a central control station, an expensive, high-power amplifier. Usually, in fact, two such amplifiers are required, the second to serve as a back-up in case of failure of the main amplifier. The audio signal developed by whichever amplifier is in service must be transmitted over a considerable distance to the various speakers. Since the audio signal is a signal of high power, shock and fire hazards are presented. Moreover, the sound system must be "customized:" i.e., specially adapted to the characteristics of the fire-alarm control panel (FACP) used with it. Expensive additional control boxes and switching circuits must be devised, and, in general, a cumbersome adaptation of equipment must be made to satisfy the requirements of tone/voice capability.
A number of circuits for supervising the operation of fire-alarm systems and the like are also known. However, conventional supervisory means are comparatively complex and expensive.


A system and method for replicating a distributed computer system state among a plurality of deterministic event processing engines are disclosed. A sender module receives a plurality of input events or input event streams and generates a serialized message sequence describing an order in which input events are processed. The serialized message sequence is then transmitted to a plurality of deterministic event processing engines for processing. As the event processing engines are deterministic, each event processing engine produces the same ordered sequence responsive to the received serialized message sequence. The ordered sequences from each deterministic event processing engine are transmitted to a merger module which generates an output from the plurality of ordered sequences. The merger module removes one or more redundant ordered sequences and associates the resulting output with a client device.

1. Field of Art
The present invention generally relates to the field of distributed computer systems, and more specifically, to increasing the availability of a distributed complex event processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Complex Event Processing (CEP) computer systems recognize input events, or patterns of input events, within one or more input event streams and perform an action responsive to detecting an input event or input event pattern. In some configurations, the CEP system receives input from multiple sources, such as multiple computers.
Conventional CEP systems use multiple components to process events. An event processing engine detects one or more particular events in an input event stream and triggers output actions or alerts when certain events are detected. Filters or adapters are used to modify the input so that regardless of the initial input format, the event processing engine receives input in a consistent format and generates output in a format suitable for subsequent use. Many configurations include additional components for configuring, managing and monitoring system operation.
Commonly, the event processing engine and the filters are implemented using a combination of hardware and software. For example, general purpose computer hardware running multiple software processes is used to implement the event processing engine as a software process. Alternatively, the event processing engine is implemented using multiple software processes running on a plurality of separate computer systems as a distributed computer system.
However, different components of the distributed computer system, such as the communication network, the computer hardware and the software running on the computer hardware, can fail independently of each other. For example, if one of the separate computer systems fails, software running on the failed computer system is moved from the failed computer system to another computer system within the distributed computer system and other distributed computer systems continue operating. This failure of different system components adversely affects overall system operation. In particular, component failure causes data loss, delayed or incorrect outputs and inoperability of all or part of the distributed computer system.

Complex event processing system having multiple redundant event processing engines


A process for the production of white and black oxide ceramic surface films on silicon-containing light metal cast alloys by plasma-chemical anodic oxidation. An aluminum cast alloy is pickled with nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid and coated by plasma-chemical anodic oxidation in an aqueous electrolyte. Accordingly, a coating variant is provided particularly for construction parts of silicon-containing light metal cast alloys having complicated shapes which enables the production of uniformly thin oxide ceramic surface films in contrast to conventional coating variants.

a) Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a process for the production of white and black oxide ceramic surface films on silicon-containing light metal cast alloys by means of plasma-chemical anodic oxidation.
b) Background Art
It is known to produce high-adhesion, dense and thick dispersion films on metals, especially on iron and iron work materials, by means of anodic arc-discharge or conventional thermal treatment by deposition from dispersion systems (DD-PS 151330).
The disadvantage in this solution consists in that
a constant stirring of the suspension must be carried out to prevent the precipitation of the dispersion suspension; PA0 a subsequent annealing must be effected at 900.degree. after depositing the films so that the process is unsuitable for light metals; PA0 no data are indicated in the patent concerning adhesion strength. PA0 there is either no data concerning the utilized electrolytes DD 151 331; PA0 or that all electrolytes contain fluoride and accordingly raise problems with respect to disposal; PA0 there are no concrete data concerning adhesion strength of the produced film - PS DD 142 360, DD 218 637; PA0 only a decreased adhesion strength can be expected due to the occurrence of a "grainy" surface - PS DD 142 360, PA0 there are no data concerning resistance to corrosion or the produced film - PS-DD 209 661, DD 218 637; PA0 and costly secondary treatments place higher demands on the production technology. PA0 degreasing with conventional degreasing agents or in an ultrasonic bath; PA0 pickling in 10-20-percent caustic soda lye (NaOH) PA0 passivation in 10-percent nitric acid (HNO3) PA0 rinsing in distilled water between each process step. PA0 DD 235 442--treatment of the aluminum surface with a mixture of a water glass solution MgO, CaO, NaOH and water for producing an adhesive base for pur [polyurethane]-coating systems; PA0 DD 239 927--two-step etching processes for eliminating lattice imperfections due to mechanical isolating processes and for defined surface roughening in A.sub.III -B.sub.v -semiconductor components by PA0 1. polishing treatment in a solution of phosphoric acid, hydrogen peroxide and water; PA0 2. etching for uniform texturing in phosphoric acid, hydrogen peroxide or sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide; PA0 DD 251 905--improvement of the adhesive and contact behavior of metal films on p+-conductivity zones of A.sub.III - B.sub.v -semiconductor components by treating the surface with etching baths consisting of: PA0 a mixture of hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen peroxide and water and a second mixture of sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide and water; PA0 DE-OS 34 05 437--alkaline bath for decorative etching of aluminum and its alloys comprising sodium hydroxide NaOH, sodium carbonate Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3, sodium tripolyphosphate Na.sub.5 P.sub.3 O.sub.10, potassium hydroxide Ca(OH).sub.2, copper fluoride CuF.sub.2, sodium nitrate NaNO.sub.3 and sodium nitrite NaNO.sub.2 ; PA0 DE-OS 35 37 584--process and apparatus for preventing corrosion after carrying out plasma etching on aluminum, wherein SiCl.sub.2, Cl.sub.2 and AlCl.sub.3 are formed individually or together; PA0 GB 8 227 118--cleaning of aluminum surfaces to be anodized by means of hexafluorophosphoric acid II [PF.sub.6 ] and possibly nitric acid HNO.sub.3 ; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 359 339--process for electrochemical roughening of aluminum or its alloys in an aqueous electrolyte comprising nitric acid, oxalic acid and possibly additions of boric acid, aluminum nitrate and/or hydrogen peroxide. PA0 they are not suitable for the selective etching of the respective surface and accordingly cannot be used for pretreatment and the preparation of the surface for a plasmachemical anodic oxidation on light metal cast alloys incident thereto; PA0 and they sometimes involve very costly devices and process steps; PA0 the pretreatment, e.g. in DD-PS 235 442, is not sufficient for producing protective layers with high adhesive strength. Such protective layers have the disadvantage of a low service life and have short maintenance cycles with susceptibility to corrosion resulting in warping and tearing. PA0 that no reproducible roughening of the surface is possible PA0 and that there is a precipitation of decomposition products on the surface. PA0 dry processes such as PA0 the surface to be etched must undergo a costly pretreatment prior to the actual, possibly selective etching process, e.g. the surface is coated with an organic resist, irradiated and developed at certain places. This results in a resist mask which exposes certain surface areas which are etched in the subsequent work step; PA0 in a bombardment with high-energy particles, radiation damage such as lattice imperfections, which impede or prevent further processing of the etched surface, can occur in the remaining material; PA0 in that a high resist erosion occurs, likewise as a result of the aforementioned bombardment; PA0 and in that there is unwanted etching of a layer of the body situated below the layer to be etched or disturbing undercuts. PA0 wet-chemical etching processes PA0 no exact compositions of the etching agent are indicated to some extent; PA0 the "etching" process step is implemented only in apparatuses of complicated construction; PA0 and material is removed only over the entire surface of the work material to be etched; PA0 in that consequently no strictly controllable etching profiles can be provided; PA0 and in that extensive masking work must be carried out for a possible selective etching. PA0 DD-PS 208 886--selective etching of phosphorous-doped silicon films in a hydrofluoric acid containing etching medium, wherein the silicon dioxide films must be tempered in a hydrogen atmosphere at 600 to 1000.degree. C. to reduce the high etching rate; PA0 DD-PS 238 622--selectively acting etching agents for etching doped silicon dioxide or silicon glass films. This etching agent comprises hydrofluoric acid and an organic solvent of low polarity which can be mixed with water, preferably dioxane. Concrete data on the selectivity of the etching rate of the etching agent and for the selective removal of the silicon surfaces are not indicated. PA0 DD-PS 206 168--etching agent for structuring polycrystalline silicon films comprising a mixture of acetic acid, hydrofluoric acid, nitric acid, water, silver nitrate and a catalytic amount of nitrite ions. Here also there is no concrete data on the selectivity of the etching rate of the etching agent and for the selective removal of the polycrystalline silicon surfaces. PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 793 402--etching solution and etching process for doped silicon comprising hydrofluoric acid, nitric acid or acetic acid. Again, there are no data on the etching rate selectivity of the etching agent. PA0 DD-PS 249 706--etching agent for etching silicon dioxide or silicon dioxide-containing glasses on semiconductor materials which are partially covered with aluminum. The etching agent comprising a sodium salt, a diluted hydrofluoric acid, and a cationic surface-active tenside is supposed to prevent the removal of the aluminum during the SiO2 etching. This solution is disadvantageous in that this form of structuring of silicon dioxide is selective, but not sufficient for preparing the work material for further processing, e.g. the plasma-chemical anodic oxidation for producing oxide ceramic surface films on light metal cast alloys. PA0 a removal of material is fundamentally effected over the entire surface of the work material with the wet-chemical etching process; PA0 extensive pretreatments in the form of masking processes must be carried out in part in order to enable a selective etching; PA0 a selective etching without masking processes is possible in certain cases, but no controllable etching profiles can be produced; PA0 and such variants of etching are inadequate for further processing of the work material with respect to its qualitative parameters, e.g. with respect to the production of oxide ceramic films by means of plasma-chemical anodic oxidation on light metal cast alloys.
The patents DD 142 359, DD 142 360, DD 151 331, DD 205 197, DD 209 661 and DD 218 637 describe processes for the production of oxide films on aluminum work materials or bonds on aluminum work materials by means of ANOF processes. A disadvantage in these processes, as in those listed above, consists in that
PS DE 17 711 A1 describes an electrolyte for producing high-adhesion, deep-black conversion films on light metals or their alloys which are realized by means of ANOF processes. Also, electrolytes for the production of extremely thin black conversion films and electrolytes for producing white, thermal-shock-resistant, high-adhesion, oxide ceramic surface films on light metals and their alloys which are likewise realized by means of plasma-chemical anodic oxidation have become known recently.
The significant disadvantage of all these listed solutions consists in that they are not suitable as variants for providing films on light metal cast alloys by means of plasma-chemical anodic oxidation.
It is likewise known from the technical literature as described e.g. in Pocketbook for Galvanic Technology [Taschenbuch fur Galvanotechnik], volume 1, Process Technology [Verfahrenstechnik], 13th edition 1988, LPW-Chemie GmbH, W-4040 Neuss) to produce thin oxide films on aluminum work materials, also including aluminum cast alloys, by means of electrochemical anodic oxidation, especially eloxing processes. This method requires the following process steps e.g. for preparing aluminum cast alloys for anodic oxidation:
A disadvantage in these coating variants consists in that they are unsuitable for producing thin uniform oxide films particularly on structural component parts having complicated shapes. The use of such coating variants is therefore very limited and therefore basically inadequate in optical precision equipment construction.
Further, the following solutions for the pretreatment of surfaces of aluminum work materials are known from the patent literature:
Common to all of these solutions is that:
DE-OS 27 30 953 describes a wet-chemical etching process for producing highly roughened surfaces, but which has the disadvantage that additional under-etchings at the edge areas, e.g. edge undercuts, are brought about which favor mechanical destruction processes during further processing.
U.S. Pat. No. 40 94 752 describes a wet-chemical etching process by means of an etching solution based on HF and HNO.sub.3. In this case the following disadvantages should be mentioned particularly:
A number of different processes are known from the patent literature for the pretreatment of surfaces of chiefly siliconcontaining work materials:
plasma etching; U.S. Pat. No. 730 988, DE-OS 36 27 311, DE-OS 29 30 290, DE-OS 29 30 293, U.S. Pat. No. 39 40 504, U.S. Pat. No. 40 69 096, DE-OS 34 20 347 PA1 ionic etching, DE-OS 30 45 922 PA1 cathodic atomization and the like. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 8 75 833--etching solution and process for etching silicon by means of ethanolamine, piperidine, H.sub.2 O, pyrocatechol and H.sub.2 O.sub.2 ; PA1 DE-OS 29 50 54--cleaning of the surfaces of silicon plates by means of hydrofluoric acid; PA1 JP-PS 139 620/84--etching of a polycrystalline silicon film by means of nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 637 874--production of an electronically passivating surface on crystalline silicon by means of hydrofluoric acid and an organic upper layer in an atmosphere of inert gas.
The disadvantages of these processes particularly consist in that
These solutions are disadvantageous in that
Further, processes for selective etching of silicon films are known from the patent literature:
The disadvantage of all of the listed solutions in addition to those disadvantages already listed consists in that

Process for the production of oxide ceramic surface films on silicon-containing light metal cast alloys


Systems are provided that include one or more retractable deposition source assemblies that eliminate the need for a bellows, but do not require breaking the ultra-high vacuum of a growth module for source replacement or recharging with deposition material. Systems of the present invention may include source heads that allow for a differential pumping option that provides marked improvement in base pressure around the source head (and material) that provides longer lifetimes for sources in corrosive, reactive or oxidizing environments. In addition, systems of the invention do not require an entire growth module to be vented to refill or repair an effusion source. Instead, for maintenance events that are tied to a specific source, a retractable source assembly of the present invention allows the sources to be withdrawn from the system, isolated from the growth environment, and removed without venting the entire chamber of the growth module.

A vacuum evaporation installation, which is used in the production of semiconductors by molecular beam epitaxy, for example, generally comprises a main enclosure or growth module connected to pumping means (primary and secondary pumps) and containing the substrates to be treated, as well as one or more effusion sources containing the material or materials to be evaporated. These control modules and sources are maintained at ultra-high vacuum during deposition processes, which vacuum pumping takes a significant period of time to accomplish.
Effusion sources are typically removable and exchangeable for changing deposition processes and also for refilling or recharging purposes. A source typically includes a crucible with a select compound, referred to as an evaporation cell, which is heated to cause the compound to evaporate from the evaporation cell for deposition to a substrate. In order to permit the recharging of these sources with various materials and without breaking the ultra-high vacuum of the growth module, installations have been developed in which the evaporation cell to be recharged is detachable and is connected to the main enclosure by a metal bellows. When the bellows is compressed, the cell is in the normal evaporation position in the growth module, and then when the bellows is stretched or extended, the cell is retracted out of the growth module into a small auxiliary chamber. This chamber can be separated from the growth module by the action of a ultra-high vacuum valve. Such an installation makes it possible to recharge the cell while only placing the auxiliary chamber under atmosphere again and without breaking the vacuum of the growth module.
Although satisfactory from certain respects, such installations suffer from disadvantages due to the very significant travel which has to be given to the bellows (typically more than 500 mm), which can lead to high costs, due both to the cost of the bellows and that of the guidance and translation system, which must be very accurate to ensure a correct alignment over a considerable distance, along with a risk of pollution of the enclosure by the effect of degassing operations of the long bellows. The bellows are made of thin metal convolutions that can be damaged by physical contact during normal use. In addition, when the sources are mounted in an upward looking direction, debris (e.g., particles/flakes) can drop down onto the source, which can damage the bellows. Both issues can lead to expensive and time-consuming bellows replacement. Also, a bellows support system must overcome the force created by the difference in pressure between the vacuum inside the chamber and the atmospheric pressure outside the chamber. A pressure of approximately 14.7 psi is applied to every square inch of a bellows when the vacuum system is pumped down. For a 2 inch diameter deposition source the bellows effective area needs to be approximately 5.0 square inches. Multiply that by the 14.7 pounds per square inch of atmospheric pressure and a force of 73.5 pounds needs to be applied to hold the bellows system from moving. This constant force needs to be overcome by any support system of a metal bellows containing apparatus. This disadvantage is eliminated by the present invention. Installations that include a bellows also typically have large overall dimensions, which is prejudicial to access to the other evaporation sources. Thus, there is a need to provide deposition sources, systems, and methods that include retractable sources that overcome fundamental limitations and drawbacks of presently available systems.

Bellows-free retractable vacuum deposition sources


A cloaking device includes an object-side, an image-side, a cloaked region (CR) between the object-side and the image-side. An object-side CR reflection boundary and a plurality of object-side color filters are positioned on the object side and an image-side CR reflection boundary and a plurality of image-side color filters are positioned on the image-side. The plurality of object-side color filters are spaced apart from and positioned generally parallel to the object-side CR reflection boundary, and the plurality of image-side color filters are spaced apart from and positioned generally parallel to the image-side CR reflection boundary. The plurality of object-side color filters and the plurality of image-side color filters may be co-planar and light from an object located on the object-side of the cloaking device propagates via at least two optical paths to form an image of the object on the image-side of the cloaking device.

Studies on cloaking devices that appear to make a pillar of a vehicle transparent have been published. Such studies disclose the use of metamaterials or the use of video cameras in combination with a display screen to allow an occupant of a vehicle to ostensibly "see" through the vehicle pillar, thereby reducing blind spots in the vehicle. However, metamaterials and video technology use complicated material designs and equipment.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative devices that appear to make a pillar of a vehicle transparent.

Cloaking devices constructed from reflection boundaries and color filters and vehicles comprising the same

TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.


If one of a series string of battery cells fails on open circuit, the circuit through all of the cells is broken. An automatic means for by-passing the failed cell maintains the circuit and allows operation of the string to continue (at a lower no-lead voltage). The potential difference across the failed cell is utilized to heat a body of a conductive liquid so that it expands, ruptures the ampoule containing it and fills the gap between two conductors, thereby completing a shunt circuit.

Reference to Related Application
The present invention is disclosed (but not claimed) in a co-pending Application, Ser. No. 972,111, filed Dec. 21, 1978, in the name of R. G. Heitz and entitled "EFFICIENT, HIGH POWER BATTERY MODULE; D.C. TRANSFORMERS AND MULTI-TERMINAL D.C. POWER NETWORKS UTILIZING SAME".
Alkali metal/chalcogen battery cells are subject to a type of failure (irreversible open circuit failure) which has not been commonly experienced with mechanically intact batteries of other types. If just one of a series string of such cells fails on open circuit, the circuit through the entire string is broken.
One of the most important contemplated uses for alkali metal/chalcogen cells--storage of off-peak power--involves charging (and discharge) voltages of up to several hundred kilovolts. To accommodate such voltages, with cells which have no-load potentials of about 2 volts, requires the use of series strings of large numbers of cells. For example, a battery comprising a string of 9100 functioning cells will be required for a nominal working potential of about 18,000 volts.
If a by-pass means is not provided for cells which fail on open circuit, the entire string will be out of service until the bad cell is replaced. This necessitates either a high standby labor cost (for replacing cells as soon as they go bad) or a high capital cost for enough extra batteries to carry the system between periodic maintenance operations.
If a by-pass means is provided, enough extra cells can be included in each string so that the string will not have to be turned off for maintenance until, say, 10% of its component cells have failed. Thus, in an installation for 18,000 volts a string of 10,000 cells, each with an automatic by-pass, would allow 900 cells to fail and be by-passed before the string voltage would drop far enough to require maintenance.
Alkali metal/chalcogen cells, as exemplified by sodium/sulfur cells, can fail on open circuit in several ways. One of these ways is peculiar to the now well known type of cell in which the electrolyte/separator takes the form of a large number of cation-conductive, hair-like hollow fibers, filled with liquid sodium (for example) and immersed in a molten sodium sulfide/sulfur mixture (for example). The sodium which migrates (as Na.sup.+ ions) through the fiber walls during discharge is replaced from a reservoir containing sodium in contact with an anodic current collecting means. If the sodium level in the reservoir drops too far, as on overdischarge of the cell or if a fiber failure results in leakage of the sodium out of the reservoir, contact between the sodium and the anodic electron collecting means will be essentially broken and the circuit through the cell develops a high resistance. An effectively irreversible open circuit "failure" has then occurred.
Irreversible open circuit failure can also occur by corrosion of the cathodic current collector, resulting in formation of high resistance surface coatings or even in substantial dissolution of the collector material in the catholyte (at abnormally high temperatures).
The former type of open circuit failure will not occur in types of alkali metal/chalcogen cells in which the hollow fibers are replaced by a single large tube (or by several smaller tubes) into which it is feasible to extend the anodic electron collecting means. However, the latter type of open circuit failure can occur in any such cell in which the cathodic current collecting means (which may consist of or include the catholyte container) is not practically immune to attack by the catholyte at the most elevated temperatures the cell may experience.
Another type of open circuit failure can occur in sodium/sulfur cells of any type if the sodium to sulfur ratio is high enough so that the cell can be overdischarged until the proportion of the sodium ions in the catholyte is sufficient to cause it to solidify. Although it may be possible to reliquify the catholyte by heating the cell to a higher temperature, the failure is --in effect --irreversible at the normal working temperature of the cell. Also, if the cell is of the hollow fiber type, the fibers are likely to be damaged when the catholyte solidifies.
The desirability of a simple by-pass means which can be used one-to-one with individual high temperature battery cells has been recognized. A brief study on the use of copper-oxide electric cut-outs for this purpose was cursorily reported on in a July-September 1976 Progress Report on "High Performance Batteries for Off-Peak Energy Storage and Electrical Vehicle Propulsion", under the heading "Automatic Repair of a Battery Cell With an Open Circuit", by F. Hornstra, E. C. Berrill and S. Faist, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois. The report concluded that further study would be necessary before the use of such cut-outs could be applied successfully to high temperature batteries.
Incorporation in a sodium/sulfur cell of a circuit breaking device responsive to temperature or current is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,366. However, this device does not function as a by-pass and the disclosure of the patent is limited to cells connected in parallel.
A solid-state battery protection system, by means of which each cell in a battery is monitored and any cell which exhibits voltage outside of pre-selected limits is by-passed (and taken out of the circuit), is disclosed in NASA Technical Brief, LEW--12039; Fall 1976; NTN-77/0584. However, this system does not appear to be suitable for high temperature applications.
Accordingly, the prior art does not appear to have provided a workable means for by-passing alkali metal/chalcogen cells which have failed on open circuit.

By-pass for internally open-circuited cells


Embodiments of the present concept provide gaming devices configured for linked game play. First and second gaming devices that are separately playable by first and second players are electronically linked so that a gaming event being played at the first gaming device may also be being played at the second gaming device. Also provided is a method of sharing game play across multiple gaming devices, where the method includes receiving a wager from a first player at a first gaming device, receiving a wager from a second player at a second gaming device, initiating a gaming event that is displayed at the first and second gaming devices, and awarding prizes associated with gaming outcomes displayed at the first and second gaming devices. These and other arrangements of the present concept may allow cooperative or competitive game play between the first and second player.

Gaming has conventionally been a social activity for many players. That is, part of the enjoyment of gaming is sharing an exciting experience with others. This can easily be seen at craps tables, sports books, poker tournaments, and other types of gaming With electronic gaming devices, such as slot machines, this social interaction can be hampered somewhat by the player-machine setup where individual devices typically support only play by a single player. Although players may select gaming machines adjacent to one another, or adjacent gaming stations at a multi-player electronic table, multiple players, e.g., a couple, may not be able to share a casino gambling experience as much as they might like. For example, if the couple selects adjacent gaming machines to play so that each can keep an eye on the other's betting, playing, and any jackpots or bonuses that might result, they typically cannot participate in the other's gaming experience or even focus on their own gaming experience. While this distraction may prevent the other player from fully engaging with his or her own game, it at least provides some semblance of a shared gaming experience.
Gaming tournaments in which multiple players compete against one another are known. In such tournaments, each player bets his or her own money and competes with other players to see who can win the most. While the tournament format involves multiple players, it is typically based strictly on competition, i.e., each player bets his or her own money on separate games to compete against other players whom they may or may not know. In tournaments, however, each competitor is playing an individual game with only final numerical totals being compared between the players Hence, while gaming tournaments provide some interaction between players, this interaction is limited in its ability to provide a rewarding shared gaming experience. Further, while tournaments provide some semblance of competition, this competition can be tempered by the player's intense focus on his or her own gaming results.
Community betting has also increased in popularity. With community betting, two or more players pool their money to play a single gaming machine. With this technique, the players typically all stand near a single gaming device where they deposit their pooled money and take turns initiating the gaming device. Typically, this type of betting is popular for large jackpot type machines, such as Mega-Bucks®, where a max bet is needed to be eligible for the big prize and the prize is large enough that the players can split any winnings and still feel successful. While community betting provides a shared gaming experience, it can quickly lead to boredom by the player not currently placing the wagers. In addition, the shared gaming experience is usually limited to the bond of the pooled money. Hence, there is usually no direct competition or way to compare the wagering results of one player versus the wagering results of the other players.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A wheel speed is detected by a wheel speed detecting device, and a wheel speed signal is outputted to a reference value setting device. At the reference value setting device, the wheel speed signal is corrected such that a center of an amplitude of the wheel speed signal becomes a zero reference, and the wheel speed signal is amplified by carrying out a predetermined processing. Further, a selecting device selects, of the wheel speed signals during a predetermined period of time, wheel speed signals whose S/N ratios are poor, which are not to be used. A frequency detecting device judges a tire air pressure state by an air pressure state judging device from a number of times an amplified wheel speed signal crosses the zero reference (a number of times a sign changes).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for estimating the air pressure of a tire, and in particular, to a device for detecting a wheel speed signal frequency from the wheel speed signal of a wheel, and to a device for estimating the state of air pressure of a tire from the wheel speed frequency.
Further, the present invention relates to a device for estimating the state of air pressure of a tire, and in particular, to a device for estimating the state of air pressure of at least one of the left and right wheels from the vibration frequencies of the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels which are connected by a mechanical element.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices for estimating the air pressure of a tire inform the driver of abnormalities or the like in a tire of a vehicle. In addition to tire air pressure estimating devices which directly detect the air pressure of a tire, there is the tire air pressure estimating device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 5-133831. The tire air pressure estimating device disclosed in JP-A-5-133831 focuses on the correlation between the air pressure of the tire and the resonance frequency of the tire. The resonance frequency of the tire is detected by a fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the vibration component of the wheel speed. When the resonance frequency is less than a predetermined value, it is judged that there is an air leak in the tire such as a puncture in the tire, and a warning is given.
Further, dynamic system diagnostic devices such as the following have been disclosed in JP-A-7-98268 and JP-A-10-187236. On the basis of the response output vector of the dynamic system, an overall disturbance vector is estimated as the sum of the external disturbance vector applied from the exterior of the dynamic system and the internal disturbance vector generated by problems within the dynamic system. The internal state amount vector of the dynamic system is estimated. By computing the cross-correlation between the estimated overall disturbance vector and the internal state amount vector, the component relating to the internal disturbance is separated from the overall disturbance vector. From this separated component relating to the internal disturbance, the corresponding portion of the dynamic system is diagnosed as a malfunctioning portion. For example, a decrease in the air pressure can be judged by using such a diagnostic device.
In this case, when the dynamic system is a wheel including a tire, the disturbance vector applied from the exterior of the wheel is a vibration input which is inputted to the wheel resonance system. If a malfunction within the tire is an internal disturbance vector generated by a decrease in air pressure, it can be judged that the air pressure of the tire has decreased.
However, the method of computing the resonance frequency in the tire air pressure estimating device disclosed in JP-A-5-133831 is complex.
Further, when the air pressure is determined by using the above-described diagnostic devices (of JP-A-7-98268 and JP-A-10-187236), there may be included a response output in which the magnitude of the response output vector becomes suddenly large, or a response output in which periodic changes are not expressed markedly. If it is determined that the air pressure has dropped on the basis of an output response which includes a response output whose magnitude has suddenly become large, the effect of the response output which has suddenly become large will be too large, and the existing, periodic response output will be hidden in the response output which became large suddenly. Accordingly, the estimated values of the physical amounts for determining the decrease in the air pressure will vary, and the accuracy of judging a decrease in the air pressure will be poor.
Further, conventionally, as described above, the relationship between the vibration frequency of the wheel speed signal and the tire air pressure is constant, and the tire air pressure is estimated by using this relationship. For example, in the tire air pressure estimating device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2899741, the tire air pressure is estimated on the basis of the frequency (vibration frequency) of the vibration of the wheel speed signal. Thus, the air pressure of the tire can be estimated without requiring a device for directly detecting the air pressure such as a pressure sensor.
However, in accordance with the air pressure estimating device described above, although the tire air pressure of a non-drive wheel can be estimated accurately, when the left and right wheels are connected by mechanical elements of a drive system in the case of drive wheels, the vibration component transferred from the mechanical elements and unrelated to the tire air pressure is included in the wheel speed signal. Thus, the air pressure of the tire cannot be estimated accurately.
Here, in the invention disclosed in JP-A-8-230422, by using the fact that the vibration components of the drive system transmitted from the mechanical elements are included as same-phase components in the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels, the tire air pressure is estimated on the basis of a signal corresponding to the difference between the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels (a signal in which the vibration component of the drive system is removed).
Namely, the above-described invention utilizes the method of least squares and the difference in the estimated disturbances of the left and right drive wheels at the time a predetermined parameter is varied, which estimated disturbances are obtained by an equation of motion of the left and right drive wheels and an equation of state of the left and right drive wheels, and estimates the aforementioned parameter, and estimates the tire air pressure which offsets the vibration component of the drive system.
However, in accordance with the above-described invention, in this device for estimating the tire air pressure of the drive wheels, the amount of computation is larger and more complex than that for non-drive wheels which are not affected by the vibration of the drive system. For example, in the above-described publication (the first embodiment thereof), the order of the matrix of the least squares method used in the tire air pressure estimating device of the non-drive wheels is 2. However, the order of the matrix of the least squares method used in the tire air pressure estimating device of the drive wheels is 4. Thus, the amount of computation which must be performed is twice as much or more. In this way, the computation processing for estimating the tire air pressure is complex.
In view of the aforementioned, a first object of the present invention is to provide a wheel speed signal frequency detecting device in which the frequency of a wheel speed signal can be determined easily, and to provide a device for estimating a tire air pressure state with high accuracy by the frequency of the wheel speed signal.
Further, in view of the aforementioned, a second object of the present invention is to provide a device for estimating a tire air pressure state by a simple computation processing.
In order to achieve the above-described first object, a first aspect of the present invention is: a device for estimating a state of tire air pressure, comprising: a wheel speed detecting device which detects a wheel speed of a wheel including a tire; a reference value setting device which sets, as a reference value, an amplitude center of the wheel speed signal outputted from the wheel speed detecting device; and a tire air pressure state estimating device which estimates a state of air pressure of the tire on the basis of a number of times the wheel speed signal crosses the reference value.
In accordance with the present invention, the wheel speed, such as the rotational speed of a wheel including a tire, is detected by a wheel speed detecting device, and the wheel speed detecting device outputs a wheel speed signal. The wheel speed detecting device may be a so-called vehicle speed sensor which detects by a sensor, such as a light sensor or a magnetic sensor or the like, a brake rotor or a gear-shaped rotor provided at the hub or the like.
The reference value setting device sets, as a reference value, the amplitude center of the vehicle speed signal outputted from the wheel speed detecting device. For example, by subtracting the value which is the amplitude center of the wheel speed signal from the wheel speed signal outputted by the wheel speed detecting device, the amplitude center of the wheel speed signal can be corrected to the zero reference. Note that the reference value is not limited to the zero reference, and may be any value which enables relative determination of the amplitude of the wheel speed signal.
Further, the wheel speed signal outputted by the wheel speed detecting device is obtained by detecting the wheel speed of the wheel including the tire. As a result, the wheel speed signal and the tire air pressure state are correlated. Further, the reference value setting device sets the amplitude center of the wheel speed signal outputted from the wheel speed detecting device as the reference value. Thus, even if the amplitude center of the wheel speed signal outputted by the wheel speed detecting device greatly varies, the number of times that the wheel speed signal crosses the reference value (number of crossings) is not affected by these fluctuations. Here, the tire air pressure state judging device of the present invention determines the number of times the wheel speed signal crosses a reference value set by the reference value setting device, and judges the tire air pressure state on the basis of the determined number of crossings. Thus, the state of the air pressure of the tire can be judged with high accuracy.
Namely, the tire air pressure state can be easily judged with high accuracy from the detected wheel speed signal, without carrying out complex computation such as fast Fourier transform computation or the like.
The reference value setting device of the present invention may set the reference value on the basis of an amount of change in the wheel speed signal in a predetermined period of time.
In this way, the present invention enables appropriate setting of the reference value by the reference value setting device setting the reference value on the basis of the amount of change in the wheel speed signal in a predetermined period of time. Accordingly, the state of the tire air pressure can be judged with high accuracy.
The first aspect of the present invention can be expressed as follows: a device for estimating air pressure of a tire of a wheel, the device comprising: (a) a wheel speed sensor operable for producing a signal, the signal having at least an amplitude center and a characteristic indicative of rotational speed of a wheel mounted on a tire; (b) a reference value setting device electronically connected to the wheel speed sensor, the reference value setting device receiving the signal and setting substantially the amplitude center of the signal as a reference value; and (c) a data processor which receives the reference value and the signal, the data processor including logic which estimates air pressure in the tire based on a number of times the signal crosses the reference value.
The reference value setting device of the present invention may include a signal converting device which converts the wheel speed signal into a signal which has an amplitude center of the signal equal to the zero reference.
In this way, the reference value setting device sets the amplitude center of the wheel speed signal as the reference, and includes the signal converting device which converts the wheel speed signal into a signal whose amplitude center is the zero reference. In this way, the number of crossings of the wheel speed signal and the reference value can be computed by counting the number of times the sign changes, and computation processing is made easy. Accordingly, the state of the air pressure of the tire can be judged easily and with high accuracy.
The reference value setting device of the present invention may include an amplifying device which amplifies the vehicle speed signal.
In this way, in the present invention, the reference value setting device sets the amplitude center of the wheel speed signal as a reference, and includes the amplifying device which amplifies the wheel speed signal. Truncation errors can thereby be suppressed when the number of crossings of the wheel speed signal and the reference value is computed, and the accuracy of computation can be improved.
The present invention may include a passing device which allows signals only of a predetermined frequency band of the wheel speed signal to pass; and a correcting device for correcting the predetermined frequency band of the passing device on the basis of the frequency detected by the frequency detecting device which detects the frequency of the wheel speed signal.
In this way, in the present invention, the passing device eliminates frequencies other than that of the predetermined frequency band. Namely, components (noise) which are included in the wheel speed signal and are not needed to estimate the tire air pressure state can be eliminated. Further, the correcting device corrects the predetermined frequency band which passes through the passing device on the basis of the frequency of the wheel speed signal detected by the frequency detecting device. Thus, noise included in the wheel speed signal can be removed effectively.
Here, the correcting device can effect correction such that the center of the predetermined frequency band of the passing device equals the frequency detected by the frequency detecting device.
In the present invention, the correcting device makes the center of the predetermined frequency band of the passing device to equal the frequency detected by the frequency detecting device. In this way, the frequency components other than the frequency component of the frequency band needed for detection at the frequency detecting device are eliminated from the wheel speed signal passing through the passing device. Accordingly, the air pressure state can be determined with high accuracy.
Further, the frequency detecting device may detect the frequency of the wheel speed signal on the basis of the number of crossings.
As described above, because the wheel speed of the wheel including the tire is detected, the wheel speed signal outputted from the wheel speed detecting device is correlated with the resonance frequency of the tire. In other words, the frequency of the detected wheel speed signal also is correlated with the tire resonance frequency. Accordingly, on the basis of the frequency of the detected wheel speed signal, the passing device can be set to a predetermined frequency band including the tire resonance frequency.
Further, the frequency detecting device may detect the frequency of the wheel speed signal by the equation f=C/(2TN), wherein the measured time of one wheel speed signal is T, the number of measured samples of wheel speed signals is N, and the number of crossings is C.
The present invention may include a computing device which computes a determination value for selecting the wheel speed signals; and a selecting device for selecting the needed wheel speed signals on the basis of the determination value.
Namely, the determination value for selecting the wheel speed signal is computed by the computing device. On the basis of the determination value, the needed wheel speed signal is selected by the selecting device. Accordingly, the selecting device can select the wheel speed signals having good S/N ratios when the computing device is configured to compute a determination value for selecting signals which includes little noise. Namely, since the tire air pressure state can be judged by the selected wheel speed signal, the tire air pressure state can be judged with high accuracy.
The computing device may compute, as the determination value, a comparison value for comparing the number of crossings of the wheel speed signal and the reference value with the number of crossings of the reference value and the converted signal which has been converted so as to be changed in accordance with changes in the wheel speed signal.
Here, for example, when the number of crossings is determined as described above from a wheel speed signal including noise which becomes large suddenly, the determination value includes many components other than periodic components. Thus, if the wheel speed signal includes noise which becomes large suddenly, the number of times the wheel speed signal crosses the reference value, and the number of times a signal, which has been converted so as to be changed in accordance with changes in the wheel speed signal, crosses the reference value, are different. Accordingly, the wheel speed signals are selected on the basis of a comparison value between the number of times the wheel speed signal crosses the reference value and the number of times a signal, which is converted so as to vary in accordance with changes in the wheel speed signal, crosses the reference value. Thus, wheel speed signals having good S/N ratios can be selected.
Here, the conversion which is carried out such that the wheel signal is varied in accordance with variations in the wheel speed signal may be an nth order difference or an nth order differentiation (wherein n is a natural number).
In this way, noise whose magnitude is extremely large and which is included in the wheel speed signal can be eliminated. Further, by making n equal to about 2, the load of computation for conversion is low, and the noise can be effectively removed.
The state of the air pressure to be estimated may be a state in which the tire air pressure has decreased.
Namely, if the number of times the wheel speed signal and the reference value cross at a time of normal air pressure or a frequency of the tire speed signal at the time of normal air pressure is measured in advance, it is possible to determine whether the tire air pressure state has decreased from the number of times the wheel speed signal crosses the reference value or from the frequency of the wheel speed signal.
The frequency of the wheel speed signal can be detected from the number of times the wheel speed signal crosses the reference value. Thus, the following second aspect of the present invention is proposed. This second aspect of the present invention includes a device for detecting a wheel speed signal frequency, comprising: a wheel speed detecting device which detects a wheel speed of a wheel including a tire; a reference value setting device which sets, as a reference value, an amplitude center of the wheel speed signal outputted from the wheel speed detecting device; and a frequency detecting device which detects a frequency of the wheel speed signal on the basis of a number of times that the wheel speed signal crosses the reference value.
In the second aspect of the present invention, the frequency of the wheel speed signal is detected from the number of times the wheel speed signal crosses the reference value. Thus, the frequency of the wheel speed signal can be detected without carrying out complex computation such as fast Fourier transform or the like.
Next, a third aspect of the present invention will be explained. The third aspect is an aspect intended to achieve the above-described second object, and is a device for estimating a tire air pressure state, comprising: a wheel speed signal detecting device which detects a wheel speed signal of each of left and right wheels including a tire; a first vibration frequency estimating mans which estimates a vibration frequency of each of the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels; a computing device which computes a difference between the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels; a second vibration frequency estimating device which estimates a vibration frequency of the difference between the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels; and an estimating device which estimates a tire air pressure state of at least one of the left and right wheels, on the basis of each of the vibration frequencies of the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels estimated by the first vibration frequency estimating device, and the vibration frequency of the difference between the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels estimated by the second vibration frequency estimating device.
The wheel speed signal detecting device detects the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels. The left and right wheels may be connected by mechanical elements.
The first vibration frequency estimating device estimates the vibration frequency of each of the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels.
The computation device computes a difference between the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels. The second vibration frequency estimating device estimates the vibration frequency of the difference between the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels computed by the computing device.
A vibration component extracting device may further be provided which extracts the vibration components of the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels detected by the wheel speed signal detecting device. The first vibration frequency estimating device and the, computing device may use, as the wheel speed signals for the left and right wheels, vibration components of the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels extracted by the vibration component extracting device.
The estimating device estimates the tire air pressure state of at least one of the left and right wheels on the basis of the vibration frequencies of the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels estimated by the first vibration frequency estimating device, and on the basis of the vibration frequency of the difference between the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels estimated by the second vibration frequency estimating device. The estimating device may estimate the tire air pressure itself of at least one of the left and right wheels, or may estimate a decrease in the tire air pressure of at least one of the left and right wheels.
Here, generally, the difference between the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels computed by the computing device corresponds to the difference between the wheel speed signals from which have been removed the effects of the vibrations of the same phases of the left and right wheels. The vibration frequency of the difference between the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels estimated by the second vibration frequency estimating device corresponds to an intermediate frequency of the frequencies of the left and right wheel speed signals, from which has been removed the effect of vibrations of the same phases caused by the left and right wheels being connected by mechanical elements.
Accordingly, on the basis of the vibration frequency of the difference between the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels estimated by the second vibration frequency estimating device which is an intermediate frequency of the frequencies of the left and right wheel speed signals, from which the effect of the vibrations of the same phase has been removed, the estimating device of the present invention corrects the vibration frequencies of the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels estimated by the first vibration frequency estimating device, which includes the effects of the vibrations of the same phases of the left and right wheels.
Namely, the estimation device corrects each of the vibration frequencies of the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels estimated by the first vibration frequency estimating device, by an average value of differences between, on the one hand, each of the vibration frequencies of wheel speed signals of left and right wheels estimated by the first vibration frequency estimating device, and on the other hand, a vibration frequency of a difference between wheel speed signals of left and right wheels estimated by the second vibration frequency estimating device. On the basis of the corrected vibration frequencies of the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels, the tire air pressure state of at least one of the left and right wheels is estimated. Accordingly, the vibration frequencies of the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels can be estimated with high accuracy, and thus, the tire air pressure state of at least one of the left and right wheels can be estimated with high accuracy.
In the present invention as described above, the tire air pressure state of at least one of the left and right wheels is estimated on the basis of the vibration frequencies of wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels and on the basis of a vibration frequency of a difference between the wheel speed signals of the left and right wheels. Thus, the tire air pressure state can be estimated without carrying out complex computation processing.
Here, the left and right wheels may be both drive wheels or both non-drive wheels of a vehicle. In the present invention, the air pressure states of the drive wheel and the non-drive wheel can both be estimated by using the same method. Namely, a common computation processing can be used for both. In this way, because there is no need to provide separate devices for a drive wheel and a non-drive wheel, the structure of the device can be simplified.

Device for detecting wheel speed signal frequency


The present invention provides a method for producing a rare earth alloy magnet powder exhibiting stable and superior magnetic properties using hydrogenation followed by dehydrogenation. In a method for producing a rare earth alloy magnet powder wherein a homogenized rare earth alloy magnet alloy material is subjected to hydrogenation at a temperature in a range between 750.degree. C. and 950.degree. C., followed by dehydrogenation at a temperature in a range between 750.degree. C. and 950.degree. C.; cooled; and crushed, both the hydrogenation and the dehydrogenation are carried out in a vacuum tube furnace; and the alloy material in the dehydrogenation step maintains a temperature drop of at most 50.degree. C. due to an endothermic reaction which occurs during the dehydrogenation step.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing a rare earth alloy magnet powder which exhibits stable and superior magnetic properties.
2. Related Art
Heretofore, there has been well known a method for producing a rare earth alloy magnet powder comprising:
a rare earth element inclusive of yttrium (Y) (which will be hereinafter represented by "R"); PA1 iron (Fe) which may be partially substituted with cobalt (Co) (which will be hereinafter represented by "T"); and PA1 boron (B). PA1 melting and casting a R-T-B alloy ("R", "T" and "B" are as defined above) in which "R", "T" and boron (B) are included as main ingredients to form an ingot; PA1 subjecting the ingot to a homogenization treatment while the temperature of the ingot is maintained from 600.degree. C. to 1200.degree. C.; PA1 placing the homogenized ingot and a regenerative material (heat-storage material) in a heat treating furnace; PA1 occluding hydrogen into the homogenized ingot in the heat treating furnace kept under a hydrogen atmosphere by heating the furnace from room temperature to 500.degree. C., followed by maintaining the furnace at a temperature in a range between 750.degree. C. and 950.degree. C. to form a hydrogen-occluded ingot, wherein a phase transformation occurs in the ingot; PA1 subjecting the hydrogen-occluded ingot to a dehydrogenation while maintaining the furnace in a vacuum at a temperature in a range between 750.degree. C. and 950.degree. C., wherein a phase transformation occurs in the ingot; and PA1 cooling and crushing the dehydrogenated ingot to obtain a R-T-B alloy magnet powder. PA1 (a) It is difficult for the regenerative material to contact all ingots. The ingots in contact with the regenerative material can be maintained at a desired temperature, while the ingots away from the regenerative material cannot avoid reducing the temperature, leading to degraded magnetic properties of the magnet powder. PA1 (b) A large heat treating furnace with a large volume is needed in order to place the regenerative material therein. With a large volume of the heat treating furnace, in addition to the length of time required for changing the atmosphere from a hydrogen atmosphere to a vacuum, the scale of the facility for processing a given quantity of ingots becomes large, leading to poor productivity. PA1 (c) The treated ingots in the furnace need to be separated from the regenerative material before the crushing step. During the separation of the ingots from the regenerative material, a part of the regenerative material may contaminate the separated ingot, causing a degradation in magnetic properties of the final product. PA1 (a) preparing a rare earth alloy material represented by R-T-B alloy, wherein R is a rare earth element inclusive of yttrium (Y) ; T is iron (Fe) which may be partially substituted with cobalt (Co); and B is boron (B); PA1 (b) subsequently subjecting the alloy material to a homogenization treatment while maintaining the alloy at a temperature in a range between 600.degree. C. and 1200.degree. C. to form a homogenized alloy; PA1 (c) preparing a vacuum tube furnace; PA1 (d) subsequently placing the homogenized alloy in the vacuum tube furnace; PA1 (e) subsequently occluding hydrogen into the homogenized alloy in the vacuum tube furnace by heating the furnace from room temperature to 500.degree. C. followed by maintaining the furnace at a temperature in a range between 750.degree. C. and 950.degree. C. to form a hydrogen-occluded alloy; PA1 (f) subsequently subjecting the hydrogen-occluded alloy to dehydrogenation while maintaining the alloy, placed in the furnace in a vacuum, at a temperature in a range between 750.degree. C. and 950.degree. C. to form a dehydrogenated alloy, wherein the alloy maintains a temperature drop of at most 50.degree. C. due to an endothermic reaction occurring during the dehydrogenation; and PA1 (g) cooling and crushing the dehydrogenated alloy to obtain a R-T-B rare earth alloy magnet powder comprising particles, each particle having an aggregated structure of fine recrystallized grains of the ferromagnetic compound.
The conventional method as disclosed in copending U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 560,594 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,532 comprises the successive steps of:
In general, the phase transformation which occurs during the dehydrogenation is an endothermic reaction, as described in copending U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 560,594, so that the temperature of the ingot is lowered, whereby thus obtained R-T-B alloy magnet powder suffers degradation in magnetic properties. In order to avoid this disadvantage, a regenerative material is employed to compensate for the temperature drop due to the endothermic reaction in the conventional art as described above.
However, the conventional art using a regenerative material has the following drawbacks:

Method for producing rare earth alloy magnet powder


Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are described for external storage and organization of documentation for computer-executable source code. An executable program is provided that receives a selected codebase as input and generates or updates a code comment database corresponding thereto that provides a structured framework for documenting the codebase externally from the codebase. The executable program provides a user with the capability to add and/or edit comments for each structure in a codebase that is represented in a corresponding code comment database. A user can navigate through a code comment database using a user interface that includes a visual representation of a nested hierarchy of functions of the codebase. The visual representation can be manipulated by a user to provide an identification of arguments, variables, called functions, or the like for each function. Code documentation can also be displayed in association with the visual representation.

The present invention relates generally to external comment storage and organization for computer-executable source code, and more particularly, to a framework for generating and navigating through code documentation for computer-executable source code that is provided externally to the source code.
Code comments are typically provided to inform a user about how computer-executable code operates such as what a particular function does within the code. Code comments, however, are often unorganized and lack standardization, which can make understanding unfamiliar code difficult. Further, code comments are typically inserted directly into the computer-executable code, which can clutter the code and further exacerbate understanding of the code.

External comment storage and organization

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A clear or translucent U-shaped insert has embedded within its cavity a light emitting module. The insert is preferably manufactured of polyvinyl chloride and conforms to the shape of the heel portion of footwear manufactured under the process of injection molding using polyvinyl chloride as the injected molten material. The light emitting module comprises a power source, electrical contacts, a plurality of light emitting devices and a switch engaging means. The insert is permanently molded into the sole of the footwear about the heel such that when the switch engaging means illuminates the light emitting devices, the devices can be viewed from the exterior of the footwear.

There is a need in the footwear industry to provide for lighted footwear which enables the wearer to be seen for security purposes. For example, lights in footwear are known to enable a wearer to be seen at nighttime where the wearer would not normally be viewed by another. This is particularly true when a driver of an automobile cannot, under ordinary night conditions, see a pedestrian due to poor or non-existent lighting.
In addition, the fashion aspect of lighted footwear has been well received by consumers who desire to wear new and different types of footwear. A number of these devices have been patented as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 2,941,315 to Irving et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,133 to Duval; U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,247 to Dana, III; U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,155 Reichert; U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,861 to Pelengaris; U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,253 to McCormick; U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,009 to Rodgers; U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,212 to Evanyk; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,586 to Goldston et al.
While the referenced prior patents achieve their intended purposes, they do not address the use of lights contiguous with injection molded footwear. These references generally relate to dress or casual footwear with large heels or heels that are removable. A number of the prior art patents provide access to the light emitting device, the power source or other circuitry in order to maintain those components. Still other references teach interchangeable light emitting devices or modules all of which do not address the inherent unitary structure of an injection molded sole or shoe.
In addition, the identified prior art do not disclose a light emitting module that requires no maintenance. They further do not teach a light emitting module that comprises the power and circuitry to produce a device that will last as long as the normal life span of typical footwear.
A further limitation of the designs depicted by the prior art is the failure to address the method of manufacturing a light emitting module contiguous with the sole of the shoe produced by the process of injection molding.


A fuel regulating device which is fastened with a connecting fitting to a fuel housing. When the pressure regulating valve is installed on the fuel housing, the connecting fitting fits in a connecting piece provided on the fuel housing. The pressure regulating valve includes a valve housing and a connecting fitting which can be pivoted in relation to the valve housing. Because of the pivot bearing between the connecting fitting and the valve housing, considerable dimensional tolerances can be compensated for, which essentially reduces manufacture costs. The pressure regulating device is particularly suited for fuel delivery systems of vehicles with an internal combustion engine.

The invention is based upon a pressure regulating device for fuel delivery systems of internal combustion engines. There is a pressure regulating device with a pressure regulating valve connected to a fuel housing. The pressure regulating valve has a valve housing and a connecting fitting. The valve housing of the pressure regulating valve is fixed to the fuel housing. The connecting fitting is connected to a connecting piece which is connected to the fuel housing. When the pressure regulating device is assembled by means of installing the pressure regulating valve on the fuel housing, the connecting fitting must be connected to the connecting piece. If this connection is to be properly produced, very narrow measurement tolerances must be maintained in the pressure regulating valve and in the fuel housing. With the known pressure regulating device, these tolerance requirements make the production cost undesirably high.

Pressure regulating device for a fuel delivery system


An improved work machine of the eccentric piston type which may be employed to translate force of pressurized fluid into rotary shaft motion in an external combustion type engine system, as a pump for pumping fluids in a fluid handling system, and as a fluid actuated motor. The work machine comprises a housing having an internal compartment with a peripheral lobe. An inner body is mounted for non-rotational orbital movement in the housing. The inner body housing, and a movable wall member located in a peripheral recess of the inner body form variable-volume fluid intake and discharge chambers in the housing compartment during orbital movement of the inner body. Pressurized fluid supplied to the fluid intake chamber of the housing imparts non-rotational orbital movement of the inner body in the housing and corresponding rotational motion to an output shaft on which the inner body is eccentrically mounted. Alternatively, power may be supplied to the output shaft of the work machine to rotate the same and cause orbital movement of the inner body for use of the work machine as a pump in pumping fluids through the variable-volume chambers of the housing of the work machine. The direction of orbital movement of the inner body and rotational movement of the output shaft may be reversed by simply reversing the flow of pressurized fluid through the housing compartment of the machine.

Various work machines for transmitting or translating power to do work are known in the prior art. Numerous designs of internal combustion engines have been proposed, developed and employed over the years to convert the combustion energy of fuel into rotational motion of a drive shaft. Since the early advent of the conventional reciprocating piston engine, research and technology have constantly been directed to ways to reduce engine size, weight, cost, and to improve the efficiency of the same. One step in the progress of such technology has been the development of the internal combustion rotary engine which basically employs a housing defining an internal compartment having a rotor element, the periphery of which slidingly engages the inner walls of the housing to form intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust chambers during rotational and orbital movement of the rotor in the housing.
My aforesaid patent discloses an improved four-cycle internal combustion engine of the eccentric piston type having a housing containing an inner body mounted eccentrically on an output shaft for non-rotational, orbital movement and provided with one or more movable wall members which form with the inner body and housing variable-volume intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust chambers during orbital movement of the inner body caused by combustion and expansion of fuel supplied to the engine.
It is also known to employ piston devices to supply motive power in engines of the external combustion, or power supply, type. Typical is the conventional steam engine, wherein a pressurized fluid from an external source is directed into the piston to impart motion to a drive member of the engine.


Described is a recall system that uses spiking neuron networks to identify an unknown external stimulus. The system operates by receiving a first input signal (having spatial-temporal data) that originates from a known external stimulus. The spatial-temporal data is converted into a first spike train. A first set of polychronous groups (PCGs) are generated as a result of the first spike train. Thereafter, a second input signal originating from an unknown external stimulus is received. The spatial-temporal data of the second input signal is converted into a second spike train. A second set of PCGs are then generated as a result of the second spike train. Finally, the second set of PCGs is recognized as being sufficiently similar to the first set of PCGs to identify the unknown external stimulus as the known external stimulus.

The present invention is related to a recall system using spiking neuron networks that generate polychronous groups (PCGs). The whole concept of polychronization is very new as there is very little research on PCGs and the use of PCGs as a type of memory. The theoretical potential is quickly understood within the computational neural science community; however, no one previously understood how to make use of such a huge memory capability for practical application. By way of example, Paugam-Moisy, Martinez, and Bengio, in "Delay Learning and Polychronization for Reservoir Computing", NeuroComputing 71 (2008), pp. 1143-1158, mentioned PCGs, but the authors did not use them.
Thus, a continuing need exists for a system that employs the huge memory capability of PCGS in a fast and efficient recall system.

Recall system using spiking neuron networks


Various aspects of the subject technology relate to systems, methods, and machine-readable media for providing personalized services using a client-side user model. A client device is to transmit a request for a service to a server. The server is to receive a request for a personalized service for a user, transmit, to a data server, a request for user data for the user to be used to personalize the service receive, from the data server, a notification that the user data is stored on the client device in response to transmitting the request for the user data, and provide personalization instructions and the service to the client device. The client device is further to receive the requested service and the personalization instructions from the server, personalize the service using the personalization instructions and the user model stored on the client device, and provide the personalized service to a user.

User information stored on a server is often used to provide users with personalized services. Personalized services may include for example, customized user interfaces (e.g., web pages or application user interfaces), personalized content (e.g., advertisements, offers, suggested items, or other digital content), customized game play or personalized application execution, or any other service that may be personalized based on information related to a user. However, users may feel uncomfortable with some of the user information stored on the server or with the amount of user information stored by the server.

Personalized services using a client-side user model


A method for generating an asynchronous controller includes a process controller formation step S100 of forming a signal transition graph representing a state of change in input/output signals of a plurality of process controllers PC1xcx9cPC4 for outputting control signals necessary for executing a process corresponding to a node in a data flow graph showing a performance sequence between a plurality of nodes each representing a process and a plurality of processes, a process sequencing controller formation step S400 of forming a signal transition graph of a process sequencing controller PSC according to a performance sequence of the process controllers PC1xcx9cPC4 from the data flow graph, and a logic synthesis step S500 of generating an asynchronous controller in a logic synthesis program, by using the state of change in the input/output signals on the signal transition graph of the process controllers PC1xcx9cPC4 formed in the process controller formation step S100 and the state of change in the input/output signals on the signal transition graph of the process sequencing controller PSC formed in the process sequencing controller formation step S400. The asynchronous controller is divided into the process controller and the process sequencing controller, which provides advantages in an area, performance and a synthesis time.

The applicant claims and requests a foreign priority, through the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industry Property, based on a patent application filed in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) with the filing date of Aug. 14, 2000, with the patent application number 2000-0046852, by the applicant. (See the Attached Declaration)
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an asynchronous controller generation method, and more particularly, to a process-oriented asynchronous controller generation method in which an asynchronous controller is divided into a process controller and a process sequencing controller on the basis of a process corresponding to a node on a data flow graph.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an ultra-high speed and low power consumption system is rapidly spread and increasingly required, a system design trends based on an asynchronous method. In particular, an asynchronous system has a little clock skew, low power consumption, a high performance and a low electromagnetic interference in comparison with those of a synchronous system.
In the conventional art, an asynchronous control circuit generation is classified into a centralized control circuit generation method and a hardware-oriented control circuit generation method.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an asynchronous controller of a conventional centralized controller generation method.
The whole system of FIG. 1 includes an input/output processing part 20 having an input selector 21, a register 22 and an output selector 23, a data processor 30 including adders, subtracters and multipliers for performing various operations and a controller 10. The conventional centralized controller generation method includes only one integrated controller 10 with respect to the whole system, which method is typically used in the design of a control circuit with respect to a synchronous system, which operates in synchronization with global clock. In the case of the centralized controller generation method, all control signals should be generated from the controller 10 and the size of the controller 10 is generally large. Thus, in the case that the above controller design method is applied to an asynchronous controller, many pieces of information concerning jobs and job sequence to be performed in a system is integrated in a single controller, to thereby cause a complicated specification. In this case, the asynchronous controller of the centralized controller generation method without having global clock cannot realize a large-scale asynchronous controller without reduction in a parallel performance, increase in a circuitry area, increase in a synthesis time at the time of performing a synthesis with an existing asynchronous logic synthesis program, and any hazard.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an asynchronous controller of a conventional hardware-oriented controller generation method.
The asynchronous controller 40 of a conventional hardware-oriented controller generation method of FIG. 2 employs a controller design method contrived for an asynchronous system in which the controller 40 is divided into a number of control circuits CP1xcx9cCPn on the basis of hardware constituting the system in order to solve the problems generated in the asynchronous controller of the centralized controller generation method. In this method, the designer can divide the whole control circuit on the basis of the construction module of the circuit, and thus is more effective at the time of designing a small-scale system. However, in the case that the number of the hardware components is limited in relation with the circuit area, the asynchronous controller of the conventional hardware-oriented controller generation method also has problems of reduction of performance, increase in the area and synthesis time rapidly in the same way as those of the controller of the centralized controller generation method.
To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a process-oriented asynchronous controller generation method having an excellent area, performance and synthesis time, in which an asynchronous controller is divided and induced into a number of process controllers for generating control signals necessary for performing a process corresponding to a node on a data flow graph and a process sequencing controller for controlling a performance sequence of each process controller from the data flow graph.
To accomplish the above object of the present invention, there is provided a method for generating an asynchronous controller for forming a signal transition graph representing a state of change in input/output signals of the asynchronous controller from a data flow graph showing a performance sequence between a plurality of nodes each representing a process and a plurality of processes, and controlling a data processor to perform an operation from the signal transition graph by a logic synthesis program, the asynchronous controller generation method comprising: a process controller formation step of forming a signal transition graph of a plurality of process controllers for outputting control signals necessary for executing a process corresponding to a node in the data flow graph; a process sequencing controller formation step of forming a signal transition graph of a process sequencing controller according to a performance sequence of the process controllers from the data flow graph; and a logic synthesis step of generating an asynchronous controller in a logic synthesis program, by using the state of change in the input/output signals on the signal transition graph of the process controllers formed in the process controller formation step and the state of change in the input/output signals on the signal transition graph of the process sequencing controller formed in the process sequencing controller formation step.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a method for generating an asynchronous controller for forming a finite state machine including an input burst which is a set of input signals of the asynchronous controller and an output burst which is a set of output signals corresponding to the input signals from a data flow graph showing a performance sequence between a plurality of nodes each representing a process and a plurality of processes, and controlling a data processor to perform an operation from the finite state machine by a logic synthesis program, the asynchronous controller generation method comprising: a process controller formation step of forming a finite state machine including an input burst being a set of input signals input to a process controller and an output burst being a set of output signals output from the process controller in order to output control signals necessary for executing a process corresponding to a node in the data flow graph; a process sequencing controller formation step of forming a finite state machine of a process sequencing controller according to a performance sequence of the process controllers from the data flow graph; and a logic synthesis step of generating an asynchronous controller in a logic synthesis program, by using the state of change in the input burst and the output burst of the finite state machine in the process controllers formed in the process controller formation step and the state of change in the input burst and the output burst in the finite state machine of the process sequencing controller formed in the process sequencing controller formation step.

Asynchronous controller generation method

35-206 Faculty APT., K-Jist. 1, Oryong-Dong, Buk-Ku

109-306 Samnujng APT., 759-2, Wolge-Dong, Kwangsan-Ku

Student Dorm., K-Jist, 1 Oryong-Dong, Puk-Ku


Intraocular lenses with three zones for the provision of bifocal vision are described. Methods for the lenses use are also described.

The majority of patients undergoing cataract removal receive an intraocular lens which does not provide for both near and distance vision. These patients then usually require some form of refractive correction, such as spectacles or contact lenses to achieve both near (reading) and distance (driving) vision. There is thus a need for intraocular lenses that will enable cataract surgery patients to perform activities requiring near and distance vision, especially in extreme lighting conditions, without spectacles.
Concentric bifocal intraocular lenses are known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,211, issued to Nielsen et al., discloses an intraocular lens with concentrically oriented near vision and far vision zones, with the near vision portion centrally positioned and the far vision portion coaxial with and surrounding the near vision portion. U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,955, issued to Achatz et al., discloses a multifocal intraocular lens whose optic portion is divided into near and far range zones such that the rays received by the pupil of the eye pass through near and far range zones of approximately equal areas.
Although prior, concentric, bifocal lenses have optics with portions which will provide for near and distance vision, there can be problems upon implantation due to, among other things, fluctuations in pupil size and spherical aberration phenomenon resulting in non-coincident images from different zones in a lens intended for the same distance correction.
The intraocular lenses of the present invention overcome the aforementioned problems through the use of a three zoned refractive optic for the provision of near and distance vision over the entire human pupil range, especially in extreme lighting conditions, with the peripheral distance zone corrected for spherical aberration such that rays of light passing through the central and peripheral zones form a coincident image in aqueous.


A guitar includes a tremolo device disposed on its body. The tremolo device engages and varies the tension of one or more guitar strings. There is a tremolo arm which is precisely attached to the tremolo device for movement thereof without unwanted play. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the rotation resistance (i.e., pre-load) between the tremolo arm and the base plate is variable and can be set and maintained even under severe use conditions.

Tremolo devices are well known to those skilled in the musical instruments art for varying the pitch of the strings on a guitar.
The tremolo is mounted on the body of the guitar and becomes an integral part of the guitar.
Each of the guitar strings is held taut at one end by the tremolo, and the other end of each of the guitar strings connects to a respective tuner, with the tuners mounted on a headstock. The guitar strings are taut and traverse over the length of the neck of the guitar to the headstock. At the end of the neck, which is connected to the headstock, the strings pass over or through a nut.
While playing a guitar equipped with a tremolo, a guitarist can vary the pitch of the strings by tilting the tremolo arm which increases or decreases string tension.
A problem associated with prior art tremolo devices is the design of the tremolo arm assembly, which is required to have a specific tension so that the tremolo arm can remain in a fixed position. Constant swiveling of the tremolo arm, in and out of playing position, relaxes the tension on the tremolo arm and causes the tremolo arm to be unable to stay in a fixed position. Also, prior tremolo arm assemblies are not manufactured with precision and the tremolo arm tension is difficult to adjust due to deficient design.
For example, as shown in FIG. 4, Floyd Rose marketed a prior art adjustable tremolo arm having an arm, a hollow threaded-tremolo-arm-assembly shaft with two opposed flat sided shoulders, a locking nut, two plastic washers, a metal washer and a keyway washer. A sample of this Rose arm which was tested was difficult to use and to maintain a desired pre-load on the arm. The tested Rose sample was likewise prone to deformation of the supplied plastic washers, thereby leading to undesirable loosening of the components (and loss of the desired pre-load). There is a need for an adjustable tremolo arm which precisely retains the desired tension established by the user.


A radio frequency identification device having sensing elements incorporated in the clock generators of its tags, which generate a leading code and an identification code. In the interrogator, the leading code is detected and its pulse width is measured for calculating sensing values and the baud rate in receiving the identification code. No analog to digital converter is needed in digitizing sensing values and only discrete signals exist in sensing signal generation and communication. The tag device is insensitive to variations in its power supply voltage obtained from a continuous wave RF carrier.

Radio frequency identification devices generally comprise RF tags and a read-out device that is usually called interrogator or integration reader. The interrogator generates a continuous wave (CW) RF carrier that is used by the tag as a power source to modify the amplitude of the CW carrier by loading and unloading its antenna with stored digital codes. The modulated backscattering signals are then reflected back to the interrogator and demodulated, and thereby, the information stored in tags is read by the interrogator. RFIDs tags can be read through water, paint, dirt, wood, plastics, and human bodies. They are used broadly in security systems, electronic access cards, and inventory management systems.
RFIDs can also be used with sensors. In this application, typically, physical or chemical properties of an object, such as temperature, humidity, pressure, speed, pH, and acceleration, are detected as analog electrical signals. Then an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) is employed to convert the analog signals into digital signals, which are read by the interrogator during a sampling cycle. Generally, an ADC compares the analog input voltage with a reference voltage in generating digital signals. Therefore, to obtain an accurate result, a high precision and stable reference voltage source is needed, and the variation of input voltage during sampling should be minimized. However, the power supply of RFID tags is usually generated by converting CW to direct current (DC). It is not easy to obtain a precise reference voltage without using an embedded battery cell. On the other hand, the signal sensing and A/D need extra power consumption, which needs a more powerful CW or closer operation range.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a RFID tag that is able to work with an interrogator to convert sensing values into digital signals without using A/D converters. Another object of the present invention is to provide a means to transmit the sensing information with identification (ID) codes.

RFID sensor device based on pulse-processing


A method and system for transforming a sampling rate in speech recognition systems, in accordance with the present invention, includes the steps of providing cepstral based data including utterances comprised of segments at a reference frequency, the segments being represented by cepstral vector coefficients, converting the cepstral vector coefficients to energy bands in logarithmic spectra, filtering the energy bands of the logarithmic spectra to remove energy bands having a frequency above a predetermined portion of a target frequency and converting the filtered logarithmic spectra to modified cepstral vector coefficients at the target frequency. Another method and system convert system prototypes for speech recognition systems from a reference frequency to a target frequency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to speech recognition and, more particularly, to a system and method for transforming sampling rates without retraining.
2. Description of the Related Art
Speech recognition can achieve the best performance when test or operating conditions match training conditions. In general, these matched conditions include acoustic environments, speakers, application corpora, etc. An issue arises in conventional systems when a sampling frequency mismatch occurs between the training conditions and the test/operating conditions. The frequency mismatch inevitably leads to severe performance degradation in speech recognition.
When a conventional speech recognition system is deployed, it is designed for a specific data sampling frequency. When another sampling rate is considered, it is customary to re-train the system for the new specific sampling rate. While it is straightforward to transform signals and retrain systems, this presents at least two major problems in many real-time applications. First, extra efforts are needed to supply training data at the new sampling frequency by either collecting new data or transforming existing training data. Second, the training process must be repeated to generate new system parameters.
For systems that have undergone calibration processes such as speaker adaptation or acoustic adaptation, it is even more tedious to repeat the processes, let alone the complication of maintaining multiple prototypes.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method for providing sampling frequency change without the burden of retraining.

System and method for sampling rate transformation in speech recognition

International Business Machines Corporation