A clamp having a clamp base that is attachable to a flat or sloped roof. A clamp top is releasably attachable to the clamp base. The clamp top includes a pedestal that is snap-fittingly engaged to the clamp base. The pedestal is made in two parts that are interconnected by an interconnecting wall that is releasably engaged by a locking member that forms a part of the clamp base. The header of a solar collector is confined in a space defined by the clamp base and clamp top. In a barrel tile application, a plurality of feet are attached to the bottom of the clamp base. At least one foot abuts the tile on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of the tile. The bottom of each foot is contoured to match the convex surface of the tile. No feet are needed where the roof covering is flat.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to clamps. More particularly, it relates to a clamp for holding solar collectors or similar items to a flat or sloped roof covered by shingles, tin, barrel tile, or other type of roof covering.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A roof-mounted solar collector often includes a pair of parallel main pipes, usually called the top header and the bottom header, that are interconnected by a plurality of smaller pipes disposed at right angles to the top and bottom headers. On a sloped roof, the top header is the header at the higher of the two elevations. Water from a swimming pool is pumped to the bottom header from which it flows into the smaller pipes where heat from the sun is absorbed before the water flows into the top header. The heated water flowing through the top header is returned to the pool.
A clamp known as a Z-bar is currently in use as the means for mounting a header to the roof of a house. The name is derived from a side elevational view of the clamp. A Z-bar has a first flat part that is secured to the roof and a second flat part that overlies the header. More particularly, the bottom stroke of a "Z" represents the first flat part secured to the roof and the top stroke of a "Z" represents the second flat part that overlies the header. The diagonal part of the "Z" interconnects the two flat parts.
The Z-bar clamp is acceptable to at least some extent in connection with roofs, both sloped and flat, covered by shingles, tin, or the like. It is not completely satisfactory on such roofs, however, for several reasons. First of all, the first flat part of a Z-bar that is secured to a roof as mentioned above is pre-drilled to accept the fastening means that secure the Z-bar to the roof. Specifically, a pair of screw-receiving apertures are formed in said first flat part. If there is no rafter or other support beneath one or both of the apertures, the resulting fastening can be unsatisfactory.
Secondly, since a header is typically formed by joining together a pair of longitudinally aligned pipes, a pipe-joining clamp must be positioned where the two pipes abut one another, and the pipe-joining clamp must be attached to the Z-bar. Thus, the position of the pipe-joining clamp is controlled by the position of the abutting pipes and the position of the pipe-joining clamp determines the position of the Z-bar and hence of the fastening apertures. If the apertures are not aligned with a rafter or other support element below the roof, the fastening of the header will be unsatisfactory for the reason stated above.
Since the position of the pipe-joining clamp determines the position of the Z-bar and hence of the fastening means, the person designing the solar collection installation is restricted and an optimal installation where all fastening members are secured in rafters or other support members often cannot be achieved. Other clamps as well as straps must be installed exactly where spacing occurs between panels or sets of tubes. Attaching such clamps to rafters or other optimal spots on the roof, therefore, is virtually impossible.
The current art is even less satisfactory on barrel tile roofs because each barrel tile presents a convexity. The first flat part of the Z-bar should therefore be attached to each barrel tile at the exact peak or zenith of each tile. There can be only one attachment point at each barrel tile and each attachment point is spaced from its contiguous attachment points by the spacing between contiguous peaks. The pre-drilled apertures of the Z-bar are unlikely to match the peaks of the tiles, with the result that one of the fastening means can be placed at the peak of a tile, but the adjacent fastening means is unlikely to match a peak. The resulting clamping effect is less than optimal.
Other clamps and straps have the same detriment since they must attach to the roof exactly where spacing occurs between panels or sets of tubes.
Z-bars are also unsatisfactory because they space the header slightly above the roof, but not by much. Thus, when a header expands under heat, there is very little room for the header to expand in the vertical or transverse direction. Similarly, the design of a Z-bar does not accommodate longitudinal expansion of a header. When the header expands or contracts due to temperature fluctuations, the fastening screws are stressed and become loose and may even pop out under the force of the expansion or contraction. This of course unacceptably leads to a roof with leaks. Moreover, the collector itself may break under the strain.
This inadequate clearance between a header and roof provided by a Z-bar also leads to abrasion of the roof as the header expands and contracts. Straps and other clamps do not lift the header off the roof at all and lead to severe abrasion of the roof and the header.
Z-bars are even less satisfactory on barrel tile roofs because each barrel tile presents a convexity. The first flat part of the Z-bar should therefore be attached to each barrel tile at the exact peak or zenith of each tile. There can be only one attachment point at each barrel tile and each attachment point is spaced from its contiguous attachment points by the spacing between contiguous peaks. The pre-drilled apertures of the Z-bar are unlikely to match the peaks of the tiles, with the result that one of fastening means can be placed at the peak of a tile, but the adjacent fastening means is unlikely to match a peak. The resulting clamping effect is less than optimal.
Z-bars and other clamps are also unsatisfactory because they limit the header movement that results from heat driven expansion and contraction of the collector in the lateral and longitudinal directions. When the header expands or contracts due to temperature fluctuations, the fastening screws are stressed and become loose and may even pop out under the force of the expansion or contraction. This of course unacceptably leads to a roof with leaks. Moreover, the collector itself may break under the strain.
An improved clamping means for flat or sloped roofs covered by shingles, tin, barrel tile, and the like is therefore required.
More particularly, a clamping means is needed that can be placed at any position along the length of a header, without limitation to the vicinity of the location where two pipes join to form a header. Such a clamp, unlike a Z-bar, could always be secured to a rafter or other underlying support member. It could also be placed, in barrel tile applications, directly at the apex of a barrel tile in cooperation with another clamp also positioned on the apex of another barrel tile.
A clamp is also needed that provides additional vertical clearance space between a header and a roof to prevent roof abrasion by movement of the header and to accommodate heat-related expansion and contraction of the header. A clamp that allows enhanced longitudinal expansion of the header is also desirable. If a clamp allows heat-related expansion and contraction, both in a vertical or transverse direction and in a longitudinal direction, then the screws that hold it down will not become stressed and will not become loose. Nor will the collector structure itself break.
The needed clamp should be positionable at any preselected point along the extent of a header, and thus at any preselected point on the roof, thereby allowing the designer of a solar collector installation maximum flexibility.
However, in view of the prior art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how such need could be fulfilled.

Clamp for holding solar collectors on roofs


A device for controlling opening and closing of jaws mounted on a cover of a cooking vessel, the vessel having a central axis and the jaws being movable by drive arms over a radial path relative to the central axis between a locking position in which the cover is locked to a container of the vessel and an unlocking position in which the cover can be removed from the container, the device including a control element mounted on the cover for movement relative to the cover in a radial direction relative to the central axis, the element, during its movement relative to the cover, engaging the drive arms in a manner to control displacement of the drive arms over the radial path.

The present invention relates to the general field of locking/unlocking systems for a cover of a container which forms a cooking vessel, preferably of the pressure type, as well as to control devices for displacing the jaws which assure locking.
The present invention concerns more specifically a device for controlling the opening and closing of jaws which are mounted for radial movement on the cover via drive arms, the jaws being intended to assure the locking of the cover on a container to form a cooking vessel, preferably of the pressure type.
There is already known in the art, for example as disclosed in published International Application 92/03080, a pressure cooking vessel using a locking/unlocking device composed of jaws which are mounted for radial movement on the cover. The jaws, of which there are two, are diametrically opposite one another relative to the longitudinal axis of the vessel and are adapted such that when in their closing position they tightly grip the peripheral edge of the container in order to hermetically seal the vessel. Conversely, the jaws can occupy an unlocking position permitting opening of the vessel. Control of the displacement of the jaws is assured by a control means, which is a button mounted to move axially on the cover in a central position. The control means is provided with engagement surfaces which are specially shaped to act, during displacement of the control button, on inclined surfaces fixed to the jaws in order to displace them radially. Such a control system thus transforms, in a conventional manner, an axial movement into a radial displacement movement of the jaws between a closing position and an opening position.
It can be considered that such a device represents a positive contribution to systems for locking vessels in a closed position for pressure cooking, particularly because it does not require a relatively precise positioning between the cover and the container before the control means are operated. On the other hand, such a system has been found to require a series of pieces which are movable relative to one another, and in particular radially, to assure control of disengagement of the jaws. The arrangements proposed thus far imply combinations of movements, such as translations and rotations, provoking risks of significant jamming and leading to high fabrication costs and a less than optimum operating reliability.
It is equally in order to note that the control mechanism of the above-described device, as well as the relative displacements of the various parts, requires a relatively substantial physical effort on the part of the user.
Moreover, it has been found that the jaw displacement control device disclosed in the above-cited patent offers less than optimum operating safety and ergonomics. In effect, the use of a control button, for opening and closing the jaws, disposed in a central position on the cover and which is displaced axially by pushing down in order to effect either opening or closing of the jaws, constitutes an inconvenience from the ergonomic standpoint and can present safety risks. Thus, it appears that the utilization of the same direction of movement to perform the two opposed functions of opening and closing of the jaws does not permit the user to establish, in a natural and instinctive manner, a unique association between a manual action, such as pushing, and a result, such as opening or closing. In this case, the same movement corresponds to different and opposite results. The control button can also serve conveniently as an element for gripping the vessel and can tempt the user to transport the vessel while under pressure via that gripping element and can even, because of the difficulty of memorizing a correct movement, cause the user to inadvertently manipulate the button, with the resulting danger of causing the vessel to open while under pressure.

Device for controlling the closing and opening of locking jaws for a pressure vessel


A line connection arrangement for units in an aircraft cabin having a unit, a line connector and a receiving area for a trolley. The trolley is movable over the cabin floor on laterally attached castor pairs, and is insertable from a front into the receiving area and locked therein so that its rear panel faces a back of the receiving area. The line connector is connected to a connector in the area of the floor of the cabin. A line extending between the connector and the line connector emerges at least partially out of the cabin floor in the trolley receiving area and, in the case of a locked trolley, laterally offset from the castor pairs, and, projecting at least partially above the cabin floor, extends towards the back of the receiving area. The line runs upwards between the trolley rear panel and the back of the receiving area.

The invention relates to a line connection arrangement for units in an aircraft cabin, in particular galleys, in which at least one unit has at least one line connector as well as a receiving area for at least one trolley, which can be moved over the cabin floor on laterally attached castor pairs, and which can be inserted from the front of the receiving area into said receiving area and locked therein, so that its rear panel faces the back of the receiving area, with the line connector being connected to a connector in the area of the floor grid of the passenger cabin.
In such a design, as is known in particular for aircraft galleys, several modules are normally disposed next to one another, each of which has a receiving area for receiving a trolley, while the actual galley elements are provided inside modules above these receiving areas. These galley elements have line connectors, for example for the supply and removal of coolant, for gray water, for a vacuum or low pressure, respectively, etc. These line connectors are connected to lines, which originate from connectors in the area of the floor grid of the passenger cabin, as shown, for example, in DE 10 2005 007 058 A1. The lines run upwards in an intermediate area between two adjacent receiving areas and are connected above the receiving areas to the laterally offset line connectors of the galley elements. An intermediate area, which increases the dimensions of the entire galley unit, is therefore required for the lines, in order to connect the connectors in the area of the floor grid of the passenger cabin to the line connectors of the galley elements located in the upper section of the modules.

Line connection arrangement for units in an aircraft cabin


A tool determines a characteristic of an installed weld fastener using a dimensional measurement device, and includes a threaded portion engageable with the weld fastener and a cylindrical portion. A controller is in communication with the measurement device, and calculates the characteristic using raw dimensional data provided by the measurement device. The measurement device determines an approximate centerline of the cylindrical portion to thereby determine the raw dimensional data. A method determines the approximate centerline using the measurement device by connecting a threaded surface of a tool to the installed weld fastener, measuring dimensions of the cylindrical portion via the measurement device to determine the set of raw dimensional data, and determining the characteristic using the raw dimensional data. A control action can be executed when the characteristic is outside of a calibrated range.

Weld fasteners such as weld nuts, studs, posts, screws, or other weld fasteners are pieces of externally-threaded or internally-threaded fastening hardware that are welded around a perimeter of an opening in a panel or other work piece, thus securing the weld fastener to the work piece. Once the weld fastener has been secured in this manner, another work piece can be joined to the first work piece using a mating nut or bolt, depending on the configuration of the weld fastener. For example, in an automotive vehicle panel having an installed weld stud, the panel can be placed immediately adjacent to an opening or hole in another vehicle panel such that the weld stud protrudes through the hole. A standard nut can then be threaded onto the free end of the weld stud and sufficiently tightened to thereby securely join the adjacent panels. In the same manner, a weld nut can be welded into a hole formed in a vehicle panel, with a threaded fastener inserted into the weld nut through a hole in another vehicle panel to thereby join the adjacent panels.
Due to the additional strength provided by the weld, weld fasteners are relatively strong and durable compared to conventional non-welded fasteners. However, the welded nature of a weld fastener also provides a number of challenges. For example, it can be difficult to weld a weld fastener to the work piece precisely enough to provide the installed fastener with a desired centerline or offset angle relative to the plane of the work piece. Therefore, the actual centerline of the installed weld fastener can be offset from the desired or specified angle. Moreover, certain characteristics of an installed weld fastener can be difficult to measure accurately using contact-type or noncontact type dimensional measurement sensors or devices due largely to the limited surface area and inherent variation of the individual threads of the weld fastener.

Apparatus and method for determining a dimensional characteristic of an installed weld fastener


A filter apparatus, including a dual-chambered, centrifugal and compressive filtration apparatus having a central annular filter element, rotating external radial fins extending from adjacent the filter element to adjacent an outer cannister wall and internal fins within the annular filter element. The disclosed filter element is a continuous resilient, cylindrical, helical filter coil including a regular sinusoidal shape defining loop-shaped filter pores between adjacent coils.

Residential, industrial and agricultural wastes and sludges are potentially a rich source of carbon based energy for electric power if dried sufficiently for use as a solid fuel source. These wastes often include increasingly scarce fresh water, which needs to be recovered in a potable condition. The solids in the past have been buried in a landfill or land applied, but are now regulated under discharge limits found in the United States Federal Industrial Pre-treatment Program or under new regulations titled National Pollution Discharge Elimination System and Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO's) managed by government entities. Many such wastes are not allowed within a landfill, and land application is increasingly restricted for reasons of health and environmental safety.
Municipal and industrial waste treatment systems typically employ some combination of chemical additives for coagulation with screw or belt presses, vibratory devices, hydro cyclones, centrifuges and (or) settling tanks and ponds to separate solids from water. Treatment at concentrated animal feed lots uses little technology other than dredging solids from open pond storage and land application. These management means occupy large footprints, are expensive to maintain and increasingly acknowledged to put workers and residents at health risk. By contrast, the double chambered high speed centrifugal filtration of my invention described herein may continuous and enclosed fluids purification, heat and vacuum solids drying and sterilization. This equipment may be modular with high throughput, relatively small and mobile.
Related devices employ cyclonic action dependent on fluid rotation at relatively low revolutions per minute as a result of being introduced off-center and under line pressure. The filter apparatus of my invention may perform a series of solids and liquid processing functions without the characteristic application of expensive and time consuming chemistries. This combination generates compressed and dry solids from suspended and soluble slurries for use as fuels and/or fertilizer.
Fresh water is an increasingly scarce resource. The appearance of antibiotics and antibiotic resistant bacteria in run offs from all sources are subject to new regulation. Waste carbon solids, from a potential energy perspective, are known to convert at the rate of 3 lbs. dry waste (6,000 Btu per pound) to 1 kW electrical power. If recovered dry waste solids could be fed to an electric power plant, and would contribute substantially to our national energy budget. Global warming and population growth continue to limit the supply of fresh water, which argues for greater efforts to recycle both waste solids and water. The modular core devices noted here address this issue.
The filtration apparatus of this invention also addresses the need to separate waste water from emulsified oil. The flat wire aperture of this multi chambered centrifugal device successfully breaks the emulsion. The continuous discharge centrifugal filter subsequently achieves a three phase separation of waste solids, water and oil without chemicals. Both oil and water are thus recyclable. The present invention conserves clean water, usable fuels, lubricants and other industrially useful products.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The liquid crystal illumination device includes a light source projecting light to a liquid crystal panel, a first diffusion unit diffusing the projected light, a first light guide unit including a radially widened reflection surface and reflect the diffused light at the reflection surface, a reflecting mirror including an opening, part of the light guided by the first light guide unit being reflected and returned to inside the first light guide unit, and remaining light passing through the opening, a light collecting unit collecting light passing through an opening on the reflecting mirror, and a second diffusion unit diffusing the collected light toward the liquid crystal panel. The opening on the reflecting mirror is formed correspondingly to a display region where the liquid crystal panel display an image. A haze value of the first diffusion unit is set to a value higher than that of the second diffusion unit.

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal illumination device, a head up display, and an illumination method that illuminate a liquid crystal panel.
A liquid crystal illumination device guiding light projected from a light source to a liquid crystal panel side by a light guide unit, returning the light to the light source by a reflection member arranged on an exit side of the light guide unit, and use the light as recycled light is known (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-003444). On an entrance side of the light guide unit, an opening is formed correspondingly to the light source, and a reflective plate reflecting recycled light to the liquid crystal panel side is provided.

Liquid crystal illumination device, head up display, and illumination method


A digital data interface system comprises a data transmitter configured to transmit a data word across a plurality of data lines. The data word can comprise a plurality of digital data bits having a bit number order from a lowest bit number to a highest bit number with the lowest ordered bit numbers having higher noise content and the highest ordered bit numbers having higher harmonic content. The system also comprises an encoder configured to arrange the plurality of digital data bits as serialized data sets to be transmitted over each of the plurality of data lines by the data transmitter with consecutive data bits of at least one serialized data set being matched such that bits with the higher harmonic content are matched with bits of the higher noise content to substantially mitigate of at least one of the noise content and the harmonic content of the data word.

The demand for communications systems, such as network, computer, and/or wireless solutions, is constantly increasing. As a result, electronic devices that incorporate integrated circuits (ICs) are continually designed to operate at greater speeds with more efficiency. In a given electronic device, many interconnected ICs are designed to operate and communicate with each other based on very specific timing. As a result, the operation of different components in an electronic device can be synchronized for fast and efficient operation. In addition, as the amount of data that is transferred between two or more integrated circuits increases, data can be organized into data frames, such that data can be transferred in both a serial and parallel manner at higher data rates, such as double-data rate (DDR), triple-data rate, (TDR), or more.
In a high data-rate digital data interface system, a data receiver may require synchronization information from a data transmitter from which the data is provided. For example, the data receiver may require a clock signal to synchronizing timing between the two ends of a data link that interconnects the data transmitter and the data receiver. The data that is transmitted from the data transmitter to the data receiver can be organized into a data frame, such as a data word that is a digital representation of a sample of an analog signal. As such, the data corresponding to the most significant bits (MSBs) and the least significant bits (LSBs) can be ordered by the data receiver to properly reassemble the data.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a typical digital data interface system 10. The digital data interface system 10 includes a data transmitter 12 configured to transmit digital data signals to a data receiver 14. The data transmitter 12 can be any of a variety of devices configured to transmit data at a high data rate, such as an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). As another example, the data receiver 14 can be configured to convert digital data transmitted in the digital data signals into analog data, such that the data receiver 14 can be configured as a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). In the example of FIG. 1, the data transmitter 12 provides signals to the data receiver 14 across a plurality of data lines 16. Specifically, the data transmitter 12 provides a clock signal CLK to the data receiver 14, as well as six data signals labeled D0 through D5. Each of the data signals can include consecutive serial data, such that the data that is transmitted from the data transmitter 12 to the data receiver 14 can be organized into data frames, such as data words that are digital representations of respective samples of an analog signal.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a timing diagram 50 associated with the digital data interface system 10 of the example of FIG. 1. The timing diagram 50 demonstrates the six digital data signals D0 through D5. The digital data signals D0 through D5 carry bits of a twelve-bit data word 52 having bit numbers B0 through B11, where the bit numbers B0 through B11 are ordered from a lowest ordered LSB to a highest ordered MSB. It is to be understood that, as described herein, the lower-half of the bit numbers of a data word are the LSBs and the upper-half of the bit numbers of a data word are the MSBs. Therefore, in the example of FIG. 2, bits B0 through B5 are the LSBs of the data word 52, with the bit B0 being the lowest ordered LSB, and bits B6 through B11 are the MSBs of the data word 52, with the bit B11 being the highest ordered MSB.
In the example of FIG. 2, the digital data signal D0 includes bits B0 and B1, the digital data signal D1 includes bits B2 and B3, the digital data signal D2 includes bits B4 and B5, the digital data signal D3 includes bits B6 and B7, the digital data signal D4 includes bits B8 and B9, and the digital data signal D5 includes bits B10 and B11. Accordingly, the data word 52 is transmitted in an even/odd manner, such that the even bit numbers of the data word 52 are transmitted first, followed by the odd bit numbers of the data word 52. Thus, in the example of FIG. 2, the digital data signals D0 through D2 carry the LSBs of the data word 52, and the digital data signals D3 through D5 carry the MSBs of the data word 52.
In the example of FIG. 1, the data receiver 14 includes a data decoder 18. Upon the data receiver 14 receiving the clock signal CLK and the data signals D0 through D5, the data decoder 18 latches the data from the data signals D0 through D5 based on the clock signal CLK. In the example of FIG. 2, the data word 52 is transmitted at a DDR. Specifically, at a time T0, the clock signal CLK has a rising-edge, at which time the data decoder 18 latches the even bits B0, B2, B4, B6, B8, and B10. At a time T1, the clock signal CLK has a falling-edge, at which time the data decoder 18 latches the odd bits B1, B3, B5, B7, B9, and B11. Thus, subsequent to the time T1, the data receiver 14 can reorder the latched data bits B0 through B11 from LSB to MSB to properly assemble the data word 52.
FIG. 3 illustrates another example of a timing diagram 100 associated with the digital data interface system 10 of the example of FIG. 1. The timing diagram 100 demonstrates the six digital data signals D0 through D5. The digital data signals D0 through D5 carry bits of a twelve-bit data word 102 having bit numbers B0 through B11, where the bit numbers B0 through B11 are ordered from a lowest ordered LSB to a highest ordered MSB, similar to as described above. Specifically, in the example of FIG. 3, bits B0 through B5 are the LSBs of the data word 102, with the bit B0 being the lowest ordered LSB, and bits B6 through B11 are the MSBs of the data word 102, with the bit B11 being the highest ordered MSB.
In the example of FIG. 3, the digital data signal D0 includes bits B0 and B6, the digital data signal D1 includes bits B1 and B7, the digital data signal D2 includes bits B2 and B8, the digital data signal D3 includes bits B3 and B9, the digital data signal D4 includes bits B4 and B10, the digital data signal D5 includes the B5 and B11. Accordingly, the data word 102 is transmitted in an LSB/MSB manner, such that the LSBs of the data word 102 are transmitted first, followed by the MSBs of the data word 102. Thus, in the example of FIG. 3, the digital data signals D0 through D5 alternate in carrying the LSBs and the MSBs of the data word 102.
Similar to as described above in the example of FIG. 2, the data word 102 in the example of FIG. 3 is transmitted at a DDR. Specifically, at a time T0, the clock signal CLK has a rising-edge, at which time the data decoder 18 latches the LSBs B0 through B5. At a time T1, the clock signal CLK has a falling-edge, at which time the data decoder 18 latches the MSBs B6 through B11. Thus, subsequent to the time T1, the data receiver 14 can reorder the latched data bits B0 through B11 from LSB to MSB to properly assemble the data word 102.
In the example of FIGS. 2 and 3, it is demonstrated that a pin count for a given digital data interface system can be reduced by serializing the data transmitted across each data line. However, in a given data word that is representative of an analog signal sample, the different bits of the data word in a serialized data transmission can include components that affect the performance of the associated DAC or ADC. For example, the LSBs of a given data word can include noise content, such as quantization noise and/or thermal noise, with the lowest ordered LSB including the greatest amount of noise content. In addition, the MSBs of a given data word can include harmonic content of the analog signal, with the highest ordered MSB including the most harmonic content. As such, the harmonic content and noise can distort the analog performance, thus resulting in inaccuracies in the operation of the associated DAC or ADC. Some typical digital data interface systems can reduce noise and/or harmonic content interference by increasing power, but do so at the cost of power efficiency.

Low noise coding for digital data interface


The present invention entails a fastener unit for coupling two or more rafts together. In one embodiment the fastener unit is comprised of a pair of deformable closed walls, each having a central opening and designed to lock one in another. Each closed wall includes a connector extending therefrom for connecting to a raft. In a second embodiment, the fastener unit is comprised of a pair of fasteners, each having an eyelet with a flexible hook extending therefrom. The hook is extended from one eyelet and is connected to a second eyelet, and a hook from the second eyelet is extended back to the first eyelet to form a coupled relationship between the two fasteners. Each hook and eyelet fastener having a connector extending therefrom for connecting to a raft.

Water recreation is an important form of socialization and recreation. One piece of equipment typically used for water recreation is an inflatable raft used by individuals to float in the water. The most prevalent type of raft used is the inflatable raft designed to comfortably support an individual in a fully reclined position. These individual rafts are popular because they are inexpensive and convenient to both inflate and transport.
One problem with the individual raft is that two or more individuals often desire to float together on the water for safety reasons and so that they can easily talk and socialize. Individual rafts will not comfortably support two individuals in a fully reclined position. To accommodate the desire of individuals to float together on the water, larger rafts have been designed that will comfortably support two or more individuals floating on the water.
These larger rafts that permit two or mroe people to float together on the water have problems. First, this larger type is more difficult to inflate and transport than a raft designed for a single person. In addition, a larger raft permitting more than one person to stay in close proximity while floating on the water is typically more expensive than a raft designed for one person. Further, when used by a single person a larger raft normally is not as comfortable or as maneuverable as an individual raft. Accordingly, an improved raft design solving these problems is needed.


A motion guide display device includes a head-mountable image display device that displays an image, a camera that takes a self image from a first person perspective, an image display processing unit that displays a reference image from a first person perspective as a following target and the self image at the display unit alternately in a time-dividing manner under the condition generating a blending feeling, and a display mode setting unit that lets the image display processing unit operate within the range of cycles (frequencies) and self-other ratios as the condition generating a blending feeling. This can bring the blending feeling with the reference image, and can support the continuation of spontaneous following motion.

A video see-through head mounted display (VST-HMD) is known as a device to realize a visual guidance of a physical motion. A VST-HMD is typically configured to display video from a first person perspective at a display screen mounted at a head, and when two persons including a wearer and another person as a model sharing the view in the display screen perform a cooperative physical motion, first-person perspective videos of the other person and the wearer are synthesized at the same time for presentation for learning of the physical motion and cooperation thereof (Non-Patent Literature 1). Non-Patent Literature 2 discloses an image processing technique to use skeletal animation as guidance video on the expert side, configured to convert this skeletal animation into a first person perspective video to be shared with the wearer's perspective image for synthesized display.

Motion guide presentation method and system therefor, and motion guide presentation device


Epoxysilicone polyether block copolymers, when combined with certain sulfonium photocatalysts, provide one-component shelf-stable UV curable compositions. Non-polyether containing epoxy silicones form one part UV curable compositions with sulfonium salt solubilized in the presence of fluoroalcohols.

The present invention relates to epoxy-functional silicones. More particularly, the present invention relates to epoxy-functional silicones which in combination with a sulfonium salt photoinitiator form one part UV-curable compositions.
Ultraviolet radiation curable compositions containing epoxy-functional silicones and 'onium salt photocatalysts are known in the art. Reference is made, for example, to U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,717 (Eckberg et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,999 (Eckberg); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,967 (Eckberg).
Current applications of iodonium salt catalyzed UV-cure epoxysilicones have been limited to two-part compositions because the iodonium salts designed for miscibility with epoxysilicone polymers do not possess sufficient thermal stability to permit packaging them with the reactive epoxysilicones. Even at low concentrations, the photocatalyst and various additive packages promote gelation of the catalyzed polymers in a few days to a few weeks depending on storage conditions. It is therefore necessary for the end user to add the iodonium photocatalyst to the epoxysilicone polymer immediately before use. While this has not been a problem for some coating applications, other UV cure coating applications such as conformal coatings, optical fiber coatings, and various high-viscosity silicone uses of this sort are best served with a one-component product. Such a product is easy to use, and, more importantly, avoids potential contamination from mixing equipment or the entrainment of persistent air bubbles in the coating bath.
Although the epoxy-functional silicones disclosed in the patents recited above form excellent UV-curable compositions, it is continually desirable to provide improved UV-curable epoxy-functional compositions. For example, it is particularly desirable to provide shelf stable one part UV curable epoxy-functional coating compositions.
In addition, it is desirable to provide epoxy-functional silicones which are more miscible with certain 'onium salt photoinitiators than currently used UV-curable epoxy-functional compositions.

One-part UV-curable epoxy silicone compositions containing a fluorinated alcohol


A new diagnostic assay of sperm function has been found for infertility treatment and monitoring programs. The hemizona assay (HZA) measures tight binding of human spermatozoa to the human hemizona pellucida.

It has been estimated that male reproductive dysfunction is the primary factor in up to 40% of infertile couples. This high incidence of male factor infertility has promoted an intense search for reliable means to predict human sperm fertilizing potential in vivo and in vitro. For ethical reasons, scientists and physicians have frequently hesitated to perform direct diagnostic functional assessments; that is, binding of human spermatozoa to intact viable human oocytes has usually been regarded as an inappropriate test system. However, reliable and discriminating prognostic assays are needed to determine which infertile men are likely to achieve fertilization in vitro or impregnate their wives when assisted by artificial insemination (AIH).
Tight of human spermatozoa binding to the human zona pellucida represents the first critical event in gamete interaction leading to fertilization and activation of development. This binding step may provide unique information predictive of ultimate sperm fertilizing potential. Due to species specificity, human spermatozoa will bind firmly to only human zonae pellucida. Overstreet J W, Hembree W C: Penetration of the zona pellucida of nonliving human oocytes by human spermatozoa in vitro. Fertil Steril 27:815, 1976.


Modulation apparatus, comprising: a first delta-sigma modulator for providing a digital in-phase signal based on a modulation of an in-phase component of a baseband signal; a second delta-sigma modulator for providing a digital quadrature signal based on a modulation of a quadrature component of the baseband signal; a first multiplicative combiner for combining a carrier signal with the digital in-phase signal and for providing an in-phase output signal; a second multiplicative combiner for combining the carrier signal with the digital quadrature signal and for providing a quadrature output signal; a delay component for generating a 90° phase shift between the in-phase output signal and the quadrature output signal; and an additive output combiner for combining the in-phase output signal and the quadrature output signal and generating a transmit signal.

Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a modulation apparatus and modulation method. The present disclosure further relates to a radar system as well as to a communication system including said modulation apparatus.
Description of Related Art
Wireless signal transmission forms the basis for a range of applications in the fields of radar and communications. Due to the increasing number of applications making use of wireless signal transmission, techniques for using the spectrum efficiently and for reducing manufacturing costs have become more and more important.
There is, however, a need for further improvements in this field in particular with respect to manufacturing costs and efficient spectrum use.
The "background" description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventor(s), to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.


An optical printer module has a film pack compartment that stores a film pack which stores an instant print film in a frame composed of a main frame, a subframe and a cover. The frame contains a claw mechanism and a spread mechanism that includes a pair of spread rollers. The claw mechanism feeds the instant print film out of the film pack while the instant print film is being exposed, and the spread rollers pinch the exposed instant print film fed out of the film pack by the claw mechanism to develop the exposed instant print film and feed the developed instant print film from the optical printer module. The whole surface of the frame shades the film, except for an opening for the film pack.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an optical printer module, and more particularly to an optical printer module that exposes an instant print film with a light-emission head.
2. Description of Related Art
An optical printer that uses a plastic film pack storing instant print films is known.
This type of optical printer controls light emissions of a line-shaped light-emission head according to image signals to expose the film in the front on the color-by-color basis in order to form a color image on the film. Then, the optical printer feeds the exposed film to spread rollers with a claw mechanism. The spread rollers develop the film and feed it out of the optical printer.
The optical printer needs to shade the films from light other than the light of the light-emission head. However, it is difficult to shade the films since the printer has driving mechanisms for the spread rollers and the claw mechanism. In addition, a casing of the printer shades the films, and thus the casing can not be unrestrainedly designed.
A spread mechanism including the spread rollers, the claw mechanism and so on need to be precise and reliable, and the whole printer including the spread mechanism and the claw mechanism is designed for each type of printer even if each type of printer uses the same film pack.
The present invention has been developed in view of the above-described circumstances, and has as its object the provision of an optical printer module that can be used for different types of optical printers that use the same film pack to lower costs of the optical printers, and in which a casing of an optical printer does not need to shade a film and can be unrestrainedly designed.
To achieve the above-described object, the present invention is directed to an optical printer module, comprising: a film pack compartment that stores a film pack storing an instant print film; a claw mechanism that feeds the instant print film out of the film pack while the instant print film is being exposed; a spread mechanism that includes a pair of spread rollers that pinch the exposed instant print film fed out of the film pack by the claw mechanism to develop the exposed instant print film and feed the developed instant print film from the optical printer module; and a frame whose whole surface shades the film, except for an opening for the film pack, wherein the film pack compartment, the claw mechanism and the spread mechanism are arranged in the frame.
According to the present invention, the optical printer module can be applied to various optical printers (including an optical printer integrated with an electronic camera) in order to lower the costs of the optical printers. Moreover, the casing of the optical printer does not need to shade the films, except for a lid that is opened when the film pack is to be put in and taken from the film pack compartment. Thus, the casing of the optical printer can be unrestrainedly designed, and for example, it may be made from a transparent material. If a light-emission head is improved, only the light-emission head in the optical printer module is replaced.
The optical printer module further comprises the light-emission head that exposes the instant print film in the frame. Thus, the light-emission head can be used for various optical printers.
The optical printer module further comprises a speed determining part that determines a speed of the instant print film fed by the claw mechanism and the spread mechanism in the frame. The speed determining part is used when the light-emission head is driven in synchronization with the feed of the film.
The optical printer module further comprises a position determining part that determines a position of the claw mechanism in the frame.
The frame is composed of a main frame, a subframe arranged on a side of the main frame, and a cover for the main frame and the subframe, and a space enclosed by the side of the main frame and the subframe contains a driving mechanism for the spread rollers and the claw mechanism. This prevents lights from entering the main frame.
The space enclosed by the side of the main frame and the subframe further contains a motor for driving the spread mechanism and the claw mechanism, and a power transmitting mechanism that transmits driving power of the motor to the spread rollers and a claw of the claw mechanism.
Wires of the speed determining part, the position determining part, the light-emission head and the motor extend out of the frame. Only the wires of them extend out of the frame so that the frame shades the film.
A gear for obtaining driving power for the spread mechanism and the claw mechanism from the outside of the frame is arranged at such a position that the gear juts out of the frame. In addition, wires of the speed determining part, the position determining part and the light-emission head extend out of the frame.
The optical printer module further comprises a light-emission head that exposes the instant print film according to image data, a scan mechanism that moves the light-emission head along the instant print film, and a position determining part that determines a position of the light-emission head.
The frame has an adapter for attaching the optical printer module to an apparatus. The adapter makes it possible for the optical printer module to be easily attached to the apparatus.
Moreover, the frame has a lid at the opening for the film pack, and the lid shades the instant print film when it is closed, and the lid is opened when the film pack is to be put in or taken from the film pack compartment. Furthermore, the lid has a pressure part that presses the instant print film stored in the film pack.


The objective is to provide a data transfer control device and electronic equipment that are capable of reducing processing overheads, thus enabling high-speed data transfer within a compact hardware configuration. A packet diagnosis circuit diagnoses self-ID packets sent from many nodes, and detects the node that ought to become the isochronous resource manager (IRM) in accordance with IEEE 1394. The ID of that node is held in an IRM ID register. Firmware can discern the ID of the IRM by reading this register. If C and L bits of the self-ID packet of a node are both 1, the ID of that node overwrites the contents of the IRM ID register. Whether or not the system is within a self-ID period is detected and any packet that is sent in within that self-ID period is assumed to be a self-ID packet. When the IRM ID matches the ID of the self-node, information indicating that the self-node is the IRM is stored in a WIRM register, GPID and ESID signals are used together to determine the match between the IRM ID and the self-node ID.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a data transfer control device and electronic equipment comprising the same.
2. Description of Related Art
An interface standard called IEEE 1394 has recently been attracting much attention. This IEEE 1394 has standardized high-speed serial bus interfaces that can handle the next generation of multimedia devices. IEEE 1394 makes it possible to handle data that is required to have real-time capabilities, such as moving images. A bus in accordance with IEEE 1394 can be connected not only to peripheral equipment for computers, such as printers, scanners, CD-R drives, and hard disk drives, but also to domestic appliances such as video cameras, VTRs, and TVs. This standard is therefore expected to enable a dramatic acceleration of the digitalization of electronic equipment.
The concept of IEEE 1394 is disclosed in various publications, such as xe2x80x9cAn outline of the IEEE 1394 High Performance Serial Busxe2x80x9d (Interface, April 1996, pages 1 to 10), xe2x80x9cBus Standards for PC Peripheral Equipmentxe2x80x9d (Interface, January 1997, pages 106 to 116), and xe2x80x9cReal-Time Transfer Modes and Multimedia-Capable Protocols for IEEE 1394-1995 (FireWire)xe2x80x9d (Interface, January 1997, pages 136 to 146). Texas Instruments"" TSB12LV31 is known as a data transfer control device that conforms to IEEE 1394.
However, some technical problems have been identified with such a data transfer control device conforming to IEEE 1394, as described below.
That is to say, the current IEEE 1394 standard does make it possible to implement transfer speeds up to a maximum of 400 Mbps. In practice, however, the presence of processing overheads forces the actual transfer speeds of an entire system to be much slower. In other words, the firmware and application software running on a CPU require large amounts of time for processes such as preparing for transmitting data and reading in received data, which means it is not possible to implement high-speed data transfer overall, no matter how fast the data can be transferred over the IEEE 1394 bus.
A particular problem lies in the fact that a CPU incorporated into peripheral equipment has a lower processing capability than the CPU incorporated into the host system, such as a personal computer. This makes the problem of processing overheads in the firmware and application software extremely serious. It is therefore desirable to provide techniques that are capable of efficiently solving this overhead problem.
This invention was devised in the light of the above described technical problem, and has as an objective thereof the provision of a data transfer control device and electronic equipment using the same which are capable of reducing the processing overheads of firmware and application software, thus implementing high-speed data transfer within a compact hardware.
In order to solve the above described technical problem, there is provided a data transfer control device for transferring data among a plurality of nodes that are connected to a bus, according to a first aspect of the present invention. This data transfer control device comprises: a circuit for diagnosing a self identification packet and for automatically detecting a node that is qualified to become a manager having a given management function based on the results of the diagnosis, when the self identification packet containing basic information on each node is transferred from each node; and first holding means for acquiring the identification number of a detected node from basic information in the self identification packet sent by that node, and for holding that identification number.
This aspect of the invention ensures that the identification number of the node that is qualified to become the given manager is detected automatically by the hardware, and this identification number is held in the first holding means configuration of a register or semiconductor memory, by way of example. This arrangement makes it possible to reduce the processing load on the firmware or the like that is controlling data transfer. This also makes it possible to expect improvements in actual transfer speeds and reductions in the costs of devices.
An identification number of a node may be overwritten onto an identification number previously held in the first holding means, when it is determined from basic information in the self identification packet sent by the node that the node is qualified to become the manager having the management function, on condition that self identification packets are sent in sequence starting from nodes furthermost from a root node within node connection topology. This arrangement makes it possible to detect the node that is qualified to become the manager in a simpler manner, by skillfully utilizing a sequence in which the self identification packets are sent in.
The data transfer control device may further comprise a circuit for detecting whether or not the system is within a self identification period, based on status information sent in from a lower layer; and a packet that arrives within the self identification period may be assumed to be a self identification packet, and a node that is qualified to become the manager may be automatically detected based on that self identification packet. This configuration makes it possible to detect whether or not a packet that is to be processed is a self identification packet, in a simple manner, which makes the hardware more compact.
The data transfer control device may further comprise second holding means for holding information indicating that the self-node is the manager having the management function, when the identification number of a node that is qualified to become the manager matches the identification number of the self-node. This arrangement makes it possible to know whether or not the self-node is the manager having the management function, in a simple manner.
In this data transfer control device, a judgement may be made as to whether or not the identification number of a node that is qualified to become the manager matches the identification number of the self-node, using both a first signal that becomes active on condition that the identification number of the self-node has become definite and a second signal that becomes active on condition that a self identification period has ended. Use of the first signal ensures that correct action is taken even if the identification number of the self-node becomes definite after the self identification period has ended. Use of the second signal ensures that correct action is taken even if the node that is qualified to become the manager is changed after the identification number of the self-node has become definite.
In this data transfer control device, a judgement may be made as to whether or not the identification number of a node that is qualified to become the manager matches the identification number of the self-node, using a third signal that becomes active on condition of the detection of a subaction gap. This arrangement makes it possible to correctly detect a match between the identification number of a node that is qualified to become the manager and the identification number of the self-node, with a simple circuit configuration when the setup incorporates physical-layer devices wherein the identification number of the self-node always becomes definite within the self identification period.
This data transfer control device may further comprise means for reading out from the first holding means the identification number of a node that is qualified to become the manager and for controlling data transfer by use of the read-out identification number. Firmware running on a central processing unit can be considered as an example of this data transfer control means.
Note that the manager having the management function in accordance with this invention is preferably an isochronous resource manager conforming to the IEEE 1394 standard.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided electronic equipment comprising: any one of the above described data transfer control devices; a device for performing given processing on data that has been received from another node via the data transfer control device and the bus; and a device for outputting a storing data that has been subjected to the processing. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided electronic equipment comprising: any one of the above described data transfer control devices; a device for performing given processing on data that is to be sent to another node via the data transfer control device and the bus; and a device for taking in data to be subjected to the processing.
These aspects of the invention make it possible to increase the speed of processing in the electronic equipment for outputting or storing data that has been transferred from another node, or processing in the electronic equipment for transferring data that has been taken in to another node. These aspects of the invention reduce the processing load on firmware or the like that controls data transfer, thus making it possible to reduce the costs and size of the electronic equipment.

Data transfer control device for transferring data among a plurality of nodes and electronic equipment


A target is located and a track is associated with the target in the fusion coordinate system. An estimate/prediction of the target's velocity is developed within the tracker, as well as , a vector representing the distance from the fusion center to the target as estimated by the tracker, and , a vector representing the known distance from the fusion center to the sensor. The sensor's range vector,  (the distance from the sensor to the target as predicted by the tracker) is transformed to fusion coordinates. Using the sensor's range vector, normalized to unit length, in fusion coordinates and the estimated target's velocity, an estimate of the target's speed projected in the direction of  is derived. The estimated range-rate is compared per update to the sensor's measured range-rate in the form of an error measurement. The error is then used to correct the track's velocity prediction.

The term radar is an acronym that stands for "radio detection and ranging." A radar system transmits radio frequency (RF) signals in a predetermined direction (i.e., a bearing or angle-of-arrival) with the intention of contacting or illuminating moving objects ("contacts"). When the transmitted radar signal illuminates a contact, a return signal is reflected back toward the radar receiver. The return signal is detected if the return signal is stronger than any noise signals that may be present in the receiver. A contact's bearing corresponds to the direction of the transmitted radar signal because the signal travels at the speed of light. The distance, or "range," is determined by measuring the time between signal transmission and the reception of the return signal. Thus, radar systems are commonly used in commercial and military settings for purposes of identifying and tracking a radar contacts within a predetermined search volume.
Radar trackers are established components of radar systems. As radar systems receive reflected signals, or plots, from targets, radar trackers associate the most recent plot with prior plots from the same target. Associating several plots in this way creates a track representing the path a given target has followed. By creating these tracks for each target, radar systems are better able to reject false positives, to estimate the current speed and heading of a target, to remove measurement error from positions estimates, and to identify the paths and origins of multiple unique targets, among other benefits. Furthermore, radars tracker may also improve the accuracy of each received signal from a given target, by shifting it to fit a smooth curve with the target's established track. In this way, ambiguities or inaccuracies in each received signal can be accounted for and corrected.
Accuracy and range may be further improved with a radar tracker by associating multiple radar systems to a single tracker; this is known as a multi-radar or fusion tracking. Fusion tracking systems offer a number of advantages over single-sensor radar, because they can provide improved accuracy based on geometric diversity and an improved update rate, particularly if the sensors are transmitting asynchronously. Furthermore, multiradar systems can track targets when one sensor is blocked by terrain, or the target is out of range, if the other sensor maintains a clear view of the target.
In fusion tracking systems, it is necessary to the convert the coordinate system of the sensors to a central, often Cartesian, coordinate system. This is because each sensor naturally uses a spherical coordinate system that is centered around itself, providing measurements of range, azimuth angle, elevation angle, and range-rate. Thus to combine each sensor in a fusion system, the data from at least some sensors need to be transferred into another, common coordinate system, not referenced to those sensors.
While some of the data from each sensor may be easily transferred, range-rate may not be easily transformed into another coordinate system because it represents only a component of velocity, and is implicitly referenced to the sensor. Some methods have been developed to utilize range-rate in a fusion tracking system; however, these methods are inefficient and prohibitively computationally intensive.
Accordingly, there is a continued need in the art for a fusion tracking system that utilizes range-rate in an effective and computationally efficient manner.

Use of range-rate measurements in a fusion tracking system via projections


‘HC2-1’ apple tree is a new variety selected for its productivity and its attractive early maturing fruit.

'HC2-1' is a new and distinct variety of apple tree (Malus domestica) obtained from a controlled cross of female parent 'DL33' and male parent 'HY46-3', carried out at Seiches sur le Loir, France in 2003. Seeds obtained from the cross were planted at Seiches sur le Loir, and 'HC2-1' was selected from the resulting seedlings for propagation and further observation. 'HC2-1' was first asexually propagated by budding in 2009 at Seiches sur le Loir, and has since been observed to remain true to type over successive asexually propagated generations.

International Fruit Obtentions (IFO) GIE


Novel fusion proteins that enhance the immune response of an antigen are efficiently expressed and secreted by yeast host cells. The fusion proteins are recombinantly made by fusing the 3'-end of mature GM-CSF DNA sequence to the 5'-end of an antigen DNA sequence with or without a linker sequence. Methods of expression in yeast cells are provided.

The present invention relates generally to the construction of fusion proteins that enhance the immune response of an antigen and are efficiently expressed and secreted by yeast host cells. More specifically, the invention relates to yeast recombinant expression systems for producing fusion proteins comprising a granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) domain fused to a selected antigen domain.
Technologies for the efficient production of large quantities of antigenic proteins for use as immunogens have been sought for many years. Genes encoding protein antigens and fragments of antigens comprising particular epitopes have been expressed in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell expression systems with varying degrees of success. To elicit an antibody response in animals, administration of adjuvants, repeated administration of the expressed protein, or both often were needed.
Certain materials have been shown to have adjuvant activity, including for example alum, fragments of bacterial membranes, liposomes, coupling a protein of interest to a larger immunogenic protein, RIBI, and TiterMax.RTM.. Of all of them, alum is the only adjuvant licensed by the Food and Drug Administration for use in humans. Some investigators have attempted to chemically couple adjuvants to antigens. Such coupling involves harsh treatment and often results in destruction of a portion of the antigen and reduced antigenicity.
Some cytokines, e.g., interleukin-4 (IL-4) and GM-CSF, attract and activate antigen-presenting cells for more efficient presentation of antigens to T cells. These cytokines have been co-administered with antigen to increase antigenic activity. Other studies have shown that the host response to tumor challenge can be increased by inoculation of tumor cells genetically engineered to express particular cytokines, including .gamma.-INF, TNF-.alpha., IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, or GM-CSF.
Further, Tao and Levy (Nature, 362: 755-758 (1993)) created chimeric tumor idiotype/GM-CSF fusion proteins as vaccines for B-cell lymphoma. They created their fusion proteins by constructing plasmids with a coding sequence of a heavy-chain variable region from a mouse B-cell tumor inserted upstream of a human IgG1 heavy-chain constant region gene and a restriction cite generated next to the last codon of the CH3 exon into which genetic fragments encoding either murine or human GM-CSF were inserted. These heavy chain vectors were then cotransfected with a light chain chimeric constructs into a malignant plasma cell tumor. The proteins made by the transfected cells were tetrameric proteins that were dimeric with respect to GM-CSF.
Research continues toward enhancing the immune response of an antigen. Proteins that have the bioactivity of both cytokines and antigens will provide the advantages of using chemically defined antigenic entities and eliminating the need to separately administer or co-administer cytokines and antigens or inoculate patients with genetically modified living tumor cells.

Fusion proteins comprising GM-CSF and antigens and their expression in yeast


A system and method for end-to-end transaction processing and statusing is disclosed. In one embodiment, an application server computer is used to house a variety of applications. An application accessed by a user converts a user request into an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) document. The application server computer uses a high level protocol to pass the XML document to a back office server which has access to a business' enterprise resource planning (ERP) database. The back office server performs the functions requested in the XML document, which may include complex database manipulations. Once the requested function has been performed, the back office server generates a response XML document which is passed to the application server computer using a high level protocol. The information within the response XML document is then presented to the user. According to one aspect of the invention, a navigational interface is provided which incorporates a hierarchical display of business documents based upon a dominant-subordinate relationship between the documents, the relationship between the documents being established according to a progression based on how documents are encountered in a typical business environment. The selection of a specific document constitutes the user request and the response comprises user specific information from the business entity ERP database.

The computer has evolved to have a pervasive presence in the present culture. This is due, at least in part, to the availability of more efficient, reliable and cost-effective computers. An additional evolution has occurred with respect to the ability to network computers together such that resources such as, but not limited to, information, data, email, services, tools and software, can be made available to, and passed between, a number of users regardless of the geographic location or platform of the users. Of course, the networks may be further linked to other networks thereby providing even broader capabilities.
The Internet is a well-known collection of such networks (e.g., public and private data communication and multimedia networks) that have been linked using common protocols to form a world wide network of networks. The World Wide Web (hereinafter the "Web") was created in the late 20th Century, and is comprised of many Internet sites (computers connected to the Internet) having hypertext documents or "Web pages" that can be accessed by users via a "browser" program. When viewed via a browser, a Web page typically displays text and color graphics, and can play sound, animation, and video clips. Web pages, written in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), contain hypertext links (usually highlighted keywords) that provide access to other Web pages, is even those on other Internet sites. When a user selects a particular hypertext link, the Web browser reads and interprets the address, called a Uniform Resource Locator ("URL") associated with the link and then connects the user's computer with the Internet site (computer) at that address. A URL gives the type of resource being accessed and optionally the path of the file sought. For example: resource://host.domain/path/filename, wherein the resource can be "file", "http", "gopher", "WAIS", "news", or "telnet".
One major attraction of the Web from a user perspective has historically been its ease of use, especially for the novice computer user. With a click of the mouse, even a novice had the ability to cruise this information highway. Using any of the available search engines and a universal client tool known as a browser, one can easily access a wide variety of information sources. The Web, and the growing number of users, was quickly recognized as a potential market for entrepreneurs. The Web has subsequently become a significant outlet for businesses offering information and services to potential customers.
Frequently, a business sets up a home page on the Web. The home page constitutes an electronically-addressable location that may be used for promoting and advertising business, among other purposes. Potential electronic customers use Web browsers to access the information offered on those Web sites. However, computer technology, related to both hardware and software, has revolutionized the way business is conducted and expanded the use of the Web. While business was once conducted in large part based on confidence in the individual or company selling a service or a product, the speed with which information may be accessed has created a marketplace which is increasingly driven by availability of information. This is evidenced, in part, by the burgeoning volume of so-called "E-commerce".
"E-commerce" comprises Internet based business transactions. This type of transaction is generally characterized by the lack personal contact between the parties to a transaction. Consequently, business is conducted between the "on-line personae" of the parties to a transaction, thus creating a virtual marketplace. In the virtual marketplace, availability of information and ease of access to that information becomes paramount. For example, a consumer shopping for a wristwatch may obtain information regarding a number of watches from a number of manufacturers. Once the consumer has selected a particular model of watch, the consumer may research retail sources for the watch, critically assessing information such as availability and price. Typically, if a source does not provide this information, the consumer will merely eliminate the source, and proceed to a different source. Moreover, if the information is presented in a Web site which is difficult to navigate or which is frequently unavailable, the consumer is likely to become frustrated and proceed to a different source. Once the consumer has placed an order, there remains a need for timely information. The consumer frequently desires to know when to expect that the product will be received. Thus, providing the consumer with timely information in a reliable and easy to use interface is critical to competing in the virtual marketplace.
Of course, to conduct business on the Web, both parties must be uniquely identified. One example of creating this unique relationship is available at http://interactive.wsj.com/home.html, where the Wall Street Journal provides a "personalized journal" to each user. In order to open an account, the user typically has to complete a form electronically, providing a user name, a password, an electronic-mail ("e-mail") address, etc. The latter is often used by the Web site to send back information not provided on the Web site itself to the user. In the case of the Wall Street Journal site, the user must open an account, and then create Personal Journal setting which creates customized news folders.
Because of the unique expertise required to properly maintain a Web site which is up-to-date and easy to use, many business enterprises opt to have their Web site hosted by other entities. Under this type of hosted approach (normally referred to as an Application Service Provider (ASP) approach), the entire contents of a business' Web site is maintained at the ASP location. When a business wishes to make data, such as customer account information, available to its customers, this data is also maintained at the ASP location. The hosting of a Web site, however, becomes increasingly expensive as the data storage requirements increase. Additionally, because the ASP provides services to a number of business enterprises, and each business enterprise and customer relationship must be uniquely identified and tracked as described above, system complexity increases for each additional Web site hosted. Furthermore, it becomes increasingly likely that the data hosted by the ASP will not match the data on the business enterprise's database, either due to update errors or as a result of a time difference between updates of the ASP databases and information requests. Of course, even routine maintenance of the ASP database presents additional difficulties. It would be beneficial, therefore, to have a system which does not require maintenance of undesired data at the ASP server. It would be further beneficial if the system allowed for access to data from the business enterprise's database on a real-time basis.
An alternative ASP approach to hosting redundant databases site is to maintain the business' data in a single database at the ASP site. This alternative, while addressing some of the shortcomings of redundant databases, has at least two major shortcomings. First, access to the data by the business' employees constrained by the bandwidth available between the business and the ASP. Therefore, access to the database can be a slow, tedious process. Alternatively, a larger bandwidth connectivity requires significant outlay in capital investment and normally results in wasted capacity over a given period of time. A second shortcoming is that the business loses control of mission sensitive data. Because the data is housed outside the four walls of the business, there is an increased chance of corruption or compromise. Thus, business risk is increased.
As applied to the make-to-order (MTO), make to stock (MTS), engineer to order (ETO), assemble to order (ATO) or mixed mode manufacturing industry, the virtual marketplace presents a number of additional challenges. Providing a customer with an estimated delivery date is one such challenge. Depending on the product, there may be no standard delivery date because each product must be specially manufactured, and may include unique manufacturing steps. Thus, the time required to manufacture, engineer or assemble a product will depend on a number of factors. Some of these factors may include, for example, the availability of a base unit, availability of special components, paints or materials, availability of specific processing equipment, the present workload at the factory, etc. All of these factors are subject to change on a day-by-day, or even an hour by hour, basis. Problems may be further compounded by the desire to maintain minimum inventory of stock on hand to avoid, amongst other things, warehousing costs.
Additional challenges arise when a product must be manufactured according to design criteria unique to a particular customer. In this scenario, technically correct and complete design criteria must be passed to the manufacturer for evaluation of cost impacts. Frequently, a customer will desire a breakdown of the cost for a product on a feature by feature basis to perform a cost analysis. Additionally, the customer may desire an understanding of which features would delay delivery of a product. Obviously, each of these represent another piece or set of information which may be desired by a potential customer, and each may change in a very short span of time. In essence, the information desired by a potential customer comprises the information used by the manufacturing company in doing enterprise resource planning (ERP).
ERP software, such as that known as MADE2MANAGE® software offered by MADE2MANAGE Systems, Inc., has been a significant advance for businesses. Prior to ERP software, a business would generally use different software applications to automate different functional departments of a business. For example, accounting, order entry, manufacturing, inventory and shipping departments would each use their own software systems. While these individual departments can achieve improved operational efficiency through software, the business as a whole would not realize the potential afforded by information technology because the individual software applications may not smoothly interface with each other, and there could be significant duplication of data across the individual systems.
With ERP software, all of the different functional applications for a business may share a common database or databases, so all data is entered only once. Moreover, there is a seamless integration of data between disparate applications, so data generated by one application can be immediately used by any other application. Due to the use of a comprehensive database, ERP systems permit enhanced analysis of a business' data. Storage and maintenance of a duplicate ERP databases, however, may be relatively expensive, and errors between databases can create dissatisfied customers and lost business.
Because ERP systems provide such comprehensive access to a business' data, they frequently suffer from the additional shortcoming of having an end user interface that is difficult to learn. Generally, nearly every person in every operational department uses the ERP system, even though each user only accesses a small portion of the data in the entire ERP system. This tends to make ERP user interfaces inherently complicated, particularly for end users that need to access information outside of the end user's normal area of expertise. For example, while a sales person may become proficient in accessing quotation or sales order information in an ERP system, if customer asks the sales person a question about the shipment or invoice for a particular order, the ERP user interface will usually make it difficult for the sales person find the information, because the user interface for shippers and invoices is likely to be unfamiliar to the sales person. Obviously, this problem is would be exacerbated if the customer of the business were to attempt to retrieve information as to the customer's account or order without assistance from the sales person.
There exist a number of approaches for addressing some of the above problems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,416, Anand et al., discloses a method of creating a tabular data stream format. The method and tabular data of Anand et al. uses the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) as an application layer protocol layered on top of Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) so that business automation objects may be accessed and methods invoked over the Internet through Web Servers. In use of the system, Anand et al. contemplates retrieval of information from a server based on a query generated from a client computer. Creating a system according to Anand et al., however, requires a significant level of technical support and requires a significant capital investment in hardware and programming. Additionally, Anand et al. does not address the challenges present in a manufacturing environment. Furthermore, Anand et al. does not disclose how to present the information in a manner which is easy to understand and easy to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,796, Cianfrocca et al., discloses a secure middleware and server control system for querying through a network firewall. According to Cianfrocca et al., a communication server receives queries from a user and transmits replies to the user. The request is then passed through a firewall to application servers with database connections. Cianfrocca et al. claims that this structure is particularly adapted to large application systems in which data needed for appropriate response to user inquiry is located in remote sites, such as for a bank loan Web site application which of accesses student loan information stored on a plurality of database servers. Cianfrocca et al. thus discloses the use of a first server as a means for a user obtaining information resident on a second server in a commercial setting. Cianfrocca et al. does not, however, address the challenges present in a manufacturing environment. Furthermore, Cianfrocca et al. does not disclose how to present the information in a manner which is easy to understand and easy to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,264, Fisher et al., discloses a method for automatic notification of customers as to the status of their orders and shipments. The system of Fisher et al. periodically interrogates information systems to obtain status of orders and shipments. When a change in status is detected, a message is generated, such as by email, to notify the customer of the change in status. Fisher et al. thus discloses an automatic system for providing status to a customer concerning orders and shipments by periodically polling remote systems. Fisher et al. does not, however, address the challenges present in a manufacturing environment, such as calling for complex database manipulations across foreign systems. Furthermore, Fisher et al. does not disclose how to present the information in a manner which in easy to understand and easy to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,684, Pearson, discloses a system for interfacing client programs to legacy databases in financial institution computer systems. The system of Pearson stores in local memory certain information concerning a user's account in a remote legacy system. When queried by the user over the Internet, the system provides data to the user either from the local memory or by accessing the legacy system in real time. Pearson thus discloses real time reporting of customer account status in response to queries from a user, where user account information is obtained by accessing a remote database in response to a query over the Internet. Pearson does not, however, address the challenges present in a manufacturing environment. Furthermore, Pearson does not disclose how to present the information in a manner which is easy to understand and easy to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,551, to Doyle et al., discloses a computer-based system for placing orders, tracking shipment, and invoicing, including orders placed with multiple suppliers. Doyle et al. discloses that the order may be filled internally (by the system owner) or by external suppliers. According to the system of Doyle et al., the master item catalog is updated with information received from the suppliers. Prices are then taken from the database, and vendors are selected by the user. The system of Doyle et al. is thus limited to a relatively small set of information from various vendors including pricing data in the master item catalog. Doyle et al. does not, however, address the challenges present in a manufacturing environment. Furthermore, Doyle et al. does not disclose how to present the information in a manner which is easy to understand and easy to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,040, to Dworkin, discloses a system that allows the user to shop for products using product specifications. The user can also select a supplier for a particular item to be purchased. In support of the system, a relational database is provided. The relational database is a collection of catalog information from various vendors. The system of Dworkin thus permits a user to procure products from a choice of multiple suppliers utilizing a relational database of multiple supplier information. Dworkin does not, however, address the challenges present in a manufacturing environment. For example, Dworkin does not disclose a user submitting product specifications to a manufacturer in order to obtain information. Furthermore, Dworkin does not disclose how to present the information in a manner which is easy to understand and easy to use.
As is evident from these systems, what is needed, therefore, is a transaction and statusing system which may be used in a virtual marketplace for a manufacturing concern. Advantageously, the system should allow a customer to submit design criteria for a make-to-order product. The system should also provide an easy to use and easy to understand interface so that a user may automatically retrieve information concerning accounts and orders. The system should not require extensive technical support at the manufacturing company location. The system should not require excessive investment in hardware and software. It is further desired that the system not duplicate resources required for ERP.

End-to-end transaction processing and statusing system and method


A system for identifying magnetizing inductance and rotor resistance of an induction machine comprises an induction machine comprising a rotor and a stator, a DC voltage bus, and a DC-to-AC voltage inverter coupled to the DC voltage bus and to the induction machine. The system also comprises a controller configured to cause the DC-to-AC voltage inverter to apply a square-wave excitation to a plurality of phases of the induction machine, determine a stator resistance of the stator of the induction machine based on the square-wave excitation, and determine a rotor resistance of the rotor of the induction machine based on the square-wave excitation. The controller is also configured to calculate a magnetizing curve for the induction machine based on the stator and rotor resistances and control the induction machine to operate based on the magnetizing curve.

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to motor controls and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method determining a magnetizing curve of an induction machine.
High-performance sensorless vector control based on rotor flux orientation relies heavily on the parameter estimation of the induction machine. Many methods have been proposed for induction motor parameter identification, including online methods and the offline methods. Generally, online identifications of stator and rotor resistances are based on offline estimation values. A conventional method for rotor identification includes the locked rotor and no-load tests. However, the locked rotor and no-load tests cannot be realized in some engineering applications.
A method involving exerting different frequencies of single-phase sinusoidal excitations to the motor to imitate locked rotor and no-load situations has been proposed. A disadvantage of this method is that the frequency selection is very important, and the solution is very sensitive to sampling errors, which may result in a large rotor resistance identification error. Other methods have also been proposed based on statistical data, such as methods using a recursive least squares (RLS) algorithm. These methods can be highly precise but are often too demanding computationally, which leads to a long operation cycle.
Numerous applications use induction machines operating at a high speed far more than the rated speed. As the available voltage is limited under this high speed, the rotor flux reference are reduced as the speed increases, leading to operation in the flux weakening region. The issue of optimal magnetizing inductance updating in the flux weakening region has been a subject of great interest in recent decades. Online updating of magnetizing inductance can rely on the magnetizing curve identified offline. The magnetizing curve is typically made into a table that is stored in a controller, and the magnetizing inductance value is updated online by looking up the table according to the flux reference.
Common methods for magnetizing curve identification include curve fitting algorithms. In these methods, explicit functions are used (e.g., power functions, rational power functions, polynomials, etc.), and the coefficients of assumed functions are set accordingly. By selecting a group of magnetizing inductance estimation values under different magnetizing currents, the coefficients of the function can be solved. However, the real magnetizing curve relies on no definite function, and the magnetizing curve of one machine is different from that of another. So these methods may not be the best choice for accurate vector control.
It would therefore be desirable to have an apparatus and method for determining a magnetizing curve of an induction machine that overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

System for determining a magnetizing curve and rotor resistance of an induction machine and method of making same


A needle selection mechanism in a hand-operated knitting machine in which collisions of parts are minimized to reduce production of noises is disclosed. The mechanism comprises a patterning data carrier mounted alongside a needle bed and a pair of needle selector units mounted on a carriage and each including first and second drums each having a set of tiltable data storing elements mounted thereon. A set of patterning data are applied from the data carrier to each selector unit to be stored thereon when the unit passes the carrier which is fed from row to row when the carriage passes it. During a movement of the carriage on the needle bed, a preceding one of the selector units effects selective actuations of movable knitting needles in accordance with the data stored thereon. The tilted data storing elements on both drums of a following one of the selector units are restored to their initial positions by a clearing member common to both drums which operates in time before the following unit reaches the data carrier.

This invention relates to a hand-operated home knitting machine, and more particularly to a needle selection mechanism in a hand-operated knitting machine in which needle selection is controlled in accordance with a patterning or needle selection program prepared therefor.
Hand-operated knitting machines on which a knitted fabric having a desired design pattern thereon can be produced are normally provided with needle selection functions which are controlled in accordance with a patterning or needle selection program prepared therefor. Conventionally, a perforated or punched program card or sheet carries a needle selection program in the form of punched holes formed in rows and columns therein. A program reading device which is mounted alongside the needle bed of the knitting machine and has a set of feeler elements reads a row of punched holes of the program card or sheet, and during a sliding movement of the carriage on the needle bed a needle selector member on the carriage selects knitting needles in the needle bed in accordance with the readings of the program by the program reading device. Since such readings of the needle selection program are mechanically transmitted to the needle selector member and the needle selector member mechanically engages with the butts of knitting needles for their selection, considerable noises are produced by the associated parts of the machine. Taking it into consideration that hand-operated home knitting machines are typically used indoors by housewives or young women, it is always required for a hand-operated knitting machine to have, at least, minimized production of noises caused thereby.

Needle selection mechanism in a hand-operated knitting machine


A confetti launcher is provided and includes a housing for storing the confetti, a rotatable actuator coupled to the housing, and a spring biased movable member disposed within an interior of the housing for ejecting the confetti. The movable member is positionable between a first position where it is locked relative to the actuator and a second position where it is free to move and an energy stored in a biasing element is released and translated into a force applied to the stored confetti such that the confetti is ejected from an open end of the housing.

This invention concerns a device for launching confetti, novelty items, and the like, and more particularly, to a small, compact confetti launcher which is safe to operate and can be used by the general public.
A number of different devices for launching confetti have been disclosed in the prior art.
Most of these launching devices are of the type that are powered by compressed gas such that the confetti, novelty items or other types of items held within a canister (housing) are propelled by igniting a chemical based substance located at a base of the canister. The chemical based substance expands forcing a movable portion, whereupon, the confetti or the like is ejected out of the canister. Unfortunately, one of the disadvantages of these types of confetti launchers is due to the fact that they are gas based systems. More specifically, the actuation of the device can produce an uncontrolled and uncontrollable discharge of gas toward the user or other persons standing nearby. This can result in the user or other person(s) experiencing facial discomfort if the compressed gas is discharged into the user""s face, especially eye regions. Further, the discharged gas can carry foreign particles and the like which can be launched into the eyes or onto a person""s face. These foreign particles at least cause irritation of the eyes and in some instances can even result in an injury. It is also possible that the compressed gas can leak thereby rendering the device essentially useless since the confetti is unable to be launched without the gas propellant.
Thus, it would be desirable to develop a safer alternative confetti launcher in comparison to the ones that are powered by compressed gas.
A confetti launcher is provided and includes a housing for storing the confetti, a rotatable actuator coupled to the housing, and a spring biased movable member disposed within an interior of the housing for ejecting the confetti. The movable member is positionable between a first position where it is locked relative to the actuator and a second position where it is free to move and energy stored in a biasing element that biases the movable member is released and translated into a force applied to the stored confetti such that the confetti is ejected from an open end of the housing.
In one exemplary embodiment, the actuator has a key feature formed as a part thereof and the movable member includes a complementary locking feature that is formed as a part thereof. The key feature is received within the locking feature and then arranged into a locked position so as to restrict the movement of the movable member relative to the actuator. When the user desires for the confetti to be discharged, the user rotates the actuator relative to the housing while the movable member is disposed in the housing such that it can not rotate relative thereto. The actuator is rotated until registration between the key feature and the locking feature is achieved. The registration between the two features releases the stored biasing energy and this is translated into the movable member being displaced away from the actuator. The displacement of the movable member applies a force to the confetti and results in the confetti being ejected from the housing.
By substituting the conventional gas cartridge actuating system with an actuating system that is based on a biasing element (e.g., a spring), a number of advantages are realized. First, the present design is simpler because it does not require values or other structures to ensure separation of the various materials that react with one another to produce the gas. Second, the present design eliminates all safety concerns that are associated with a compressed gas system since the present launcher is devoid of any stored gas or combustible materials for forming gas.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present device will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.