A device according to various embodiments may comprise: a transceiver unit configured to transmit or receive information; and a control unit operatively coupled to the transceiver unit, wherein the control unit may be configured to receive, from each of a plurality of control devices that transmit a request for data to a storage device, state information of each of the plurality of control devices, to determine a threshold value for an outstanding data request of each of the plurality of control devices on the basis of the received state information, and to transmit the threshold value to at least one other device.

With the development of digital technology in recent years, various types of electronic devices, such as a mobile communication terminal, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a Personal Computer (PC), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), an electronic organizer, a notebook computer, and a wearable device, are widely used. The electronic devices have been evolving to encompass the functions of other devices through mobile convergence. For example, an electronic device may provide a call function for voice and video calls, a message-transmitting/receiving function for Short Messaging Service (SMS)/Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) and e-mail, an electronic organizer function, a photographing function, a broadcast playback function, a video playback function, a music playback function, an Internet function, a messenger function, a gaming function, or a Social Networking Service (SNS) function.
Various functions provided by the electronic devices may be implemented through various control devices. The various control devices may generate a variety of data requests to implement various functions.

Device and method for controlling data request


A roll film dispenser is disclosed which utilizes a switch-retractable serrated blade to cut film being dispensed. In one embodiment of the invention, the roll film dispenser contains a roll of film which is arranged so that the end of the roll exits the dispenser through a slot at the top. Severance of the film is accomplished by tearing the sheet over the serrated blade. When not in use, the serrated blade may be manually retracted. Optionally, an acrylic sheet may be interposed between the slot and the blade to aid in stabilizing PVC-type films prior to cutting. A conforming weight is provided at the lower rear of the dispenser to resist rollover.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention relates to the field of roll film dispensers. Roll film dispensers, also known as web dispensers and flexible wrap dispensers, serve to dispense and sever film or web from a roll of the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A common use for roll film dispensers is for the dispensing and cutting of sheets of PVC film used in the food service industry for covering and sealing dishes and trays of food. Similarly, wax paper, aluminum foil, and flexible wrappings such as gift wrapping paper, butcher paper, wallpaper and the like may also be dispensed by roll film dispensers.
A large number of flexible wrap dispensers are known. Since flexible wrap dispensers are primarily used commercially in restaurants, food service establishments and the like, efficiency and safety are of paramount importance.
Two serious recurring problems in the food service industry are (1) injuries caused to workers from being accidentally cut with or struck with the sharp blades of flexible wrap dispensers, and (2) waste of material due to replacement of a roll of flexible wrap prior to the exhaustion of the roll.
Many known flexible wrap dispensers present a dangerous cutting surface which may pose a risk of serious injury to the user. Some makers of flexible wrap dispensers have attempted to solve the safety problem at the cost of increased complexity. In some cases the increased complexity has made it difficult to use the dispenser.
Typically a flexible wrap dispenser is placed on a flat surface, such as a shelf, and the flexible wrap is pulled out of it and cut. Pulling the wrap creates a tensional force tending to cause the dispenser to roll over and fall toward the person pulling the wrap.
The common 3000 and 5000 foot rolls of PVC used in the food service industry are quite heavy and help to stabilize the flexible wrap dispensers--when they are full. A common problem occurs when the roll of flexible wrap is partially empty. Because a dispenser with a nearly empty supply of flexible wrap is much lighter than one that has a full supply, the former is less stable and may move when the end of the flexible wrap is pulled. If the dispenser is on a shelf, it may fall off. Accordingly, either injuries are risked or the roll is replaced (and thus the original weight and stability restored) at the expense of waste of the remainder of the roll. Neither outcome is desirable.
Another problem is posed by cardboard and paper dispensers. These tend to get wet in the kitchen environment causing structural failure of the dispenser and an early disposal and waste of the remainder of the roll of wrap.
A further problem with prior art dispensers of PVC film is that the film tends to tangle and fold once it has been cut because it is electrostatically attracted to itself. This problem leads to waste of film and frustration on the part of users.


The present invention relates to a method for regulating clearance for a vehicle, in which a relative velocity (vrel) and a relative distance (a) between the vehicle and a second vehicle driving ahead are detected, and a control signal for an adaptive cruise control device is generated from these quantities. The control signal being derived from a danger criterion (G) is determined from the relative velocity (vrel) and the relative distance (a), this danger criterion which is weighted with an adaptive factor (AF) representing the individual driving behavior of a vehicle driver, and a control signal initiating a deceleration of the vehicle is generated when the danger criterion (GF), weighted with the adaptive factor and adapted to the vehicle driver, falls below a defined threshold value (S).

The present invention relates to a method for regulating clearance for a vehicle, in which a relative speed and a relative distance between the vehicle and a second vehicle driving ahead of it are detected, and a control signal for an adaptive cruise control device of the vehicle is generated from these quantities; and also relates to a device for implementing the method.
German laid open application 42 00 694 A1 describes a method for regulating speed and distance of a vehicle with respect to an object located ahead of it in the direction of to travel. In that known method, the prevailing distance, as well as the instantaneous speed of the vehicle, are detected, and setpoint values for the distance to the object located in front of the vehicle and for the driving speed are calculated and set. A problem with this method, and with other known methods that enable a vehicle to be driven while regulating clearance, is that adaptive cruise controls are conceived as driver-supporting systems whose acceptance by the driver depends on how similar the control response is to his/her own driving behavior, especially in maintaining the distance to a vehicle driving ahead.
The publication xe2x80x9cAbstandsregelung von Fahrzeugen mit Fuzzy-Controlxe2x80x9d [xe2x80x9cRegulating the Spacing of Vehicles Using Fuzzy Controlxe2x80x9d], symposium volume of minutes of the Third Dortmunder Fuzzy Days Symposium, Reihe Informatik Aktuell [Current Series on Information Studies], Springer Publishers 1993 suggests determining a distance model which is a function of the type of driver and the weather instead of a definite specified setpoint distance. According to this proposal, the type of driver would be determined by an external sensory mechanism; however, a method for reliably recognizing the type of driver automatically is not described in the aforementioned publication.
Applicant""s earlier patent application EP 0 813 986 A2 discloses a method for regulating clearance for a vehicle, in which the setpoint distance to a second vehicle driving ahead is determined. This method employs a device for calculating the setpoint distance as a function of at least the driving speed of the vehicle. The response characteristics of the device may be adapted to the individual driving behavior of a vehicle driver, in the sense that the individual time interval between the vehicle and the second vehicle ahead is maintained by determining the setpoint distance. The device includes a fuzzy controller that receives driving speed as input variable and at least one additional input variable, and a setpoint distance is generated as the output variable. In addition, control equipment is provided in which truth values for the setpoint distance are determined from truth values for the input variables, and an output matching function is provided with which the setpoint distance to be reset is determined from the truth values of the setpoint distance. To carry out this control, a number of classes are established over the range of values of the input variables, and value combinations of the input variables and the distance values occurring in a learning phase are recorded. The established classes are modified, discarded, and/or new classes are generated as a function of the recorded value combinations, and adapted control equipment rules are generated as a function of the matching functions adapted to the established classes.
It may be that such a method allows the adaptive cruise control to be acceptably adjusted to a vehicle driver and, therefore, increases the acceptance of such a method.
However, it has the disadvantage that the fuzzy logic to be used in this case is relatively complex and, therefore, the device is expensive and costly to manufacture.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a device for regulating distance of a vehicle and a second vehicle ahead of it, in such a way that, given a simple design, the control response of the method according to the present invention can be adjusted to the driving behavior of an individual vehicle driver.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method and device, adapted to an individual vehicle driver, for regulating the distance between a vehicle and a second vehicle ahead of it which are characterized by their acceptance-promoting control response and ability to be easily implemented. Advantageously, the device for carrying out the method according to the present invention is relatively simple and low cost. In addition, complicated, and thus, time- and device-intensive learning processes are no longer necessary so that the method of the present invention is especially applicable to regulating clearance during cutting-in maneuvers, in which an overtaking vehicle passes the vehicle equipped with the adaptive cruise control method of the present invention and enters back into the lane in front of it.
The foregoing objectives are achieved according to the present invention by determining a danger criterion based on the relative speed and the relative distance between two moving vehicles, by weighting this danger criterion with an adaptive factor representing the individual driving behavior of the vehicle driver, and by generating a control signal causing the vehicle to decelerate when the danger criterion, which is weighted with the adaptive factor and adjusted to the vehicle driver, exceeds a defined threshold value.
The present invention provides a method for regulating clearance for a vehicle, in which a relative velocity (vrel) and a relative distance (a) between the vehicle and a vehicle driving ahead is detected, and a control signal (RV) for an adaptive cruise control device of the vehicle is generated from these quantities, wherein a danger criterion (G) is determined from the relative velocity (vrel) and the relative distance (a); that this danger criterion (G) is weighted with an adaptive factor (AF) representing the individual driving behavior of the driver of the vehicle; and that a control signal (RV) initiating deceleration of the vehicle is generated when the danger criterion (GF) weighted with the adaptive factor (AF) and adjusted to the vehicle driver, falls below a defined threshold value (S).
The present invention also provides a device for regulating clearance that operates in accordance with the above-described method.
Further details and advantages of the present invention can be taken from the exemplary embodiment, which is described below with reference to the Figures.

Method and device for regulating clearance for a vehicle


Embodiments of the present invention provide a system that facilitates executing a memory barrier (membar) instruction in an execute-ahead processor, wherein the membar instruction forces buffered loads and stores to complete before allowing a following instruction to be issued.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to techniques for improving the performance of computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for enforcing memory barrier (membar) instruction semantics in a processor during execute-ahead mode, wherein instructions that cannot be executed because of unresolved data dependencies are deferred, and other non-deferred instructions are executed in program order.
2. Related Art
Advances in semiconductor fabrication technology have given rise to dramatic increases in microprocessor clock speeds. This increase in microprocessor clock speeds has not been matched by a corresponding increase in memory access speeds. Hence, the disparity between microprocessor clock speeds and memory access speeds continues to grow, and is beginning to create significant performance problems. Execution profiles for fast microprocessor systems show that a large fraction of execution time is spent not within the microprocessor core, but within memory structures outside of the microprocessor core. This means that the microprocessor systems spend a large fraction of time waiting for memory references to complete instead of performing computational operations.
Efficient caching schemes can help reduce the number of memory accesses that are performed. However, when a memory reference, such as a load operation generates a cache miss, the subsequent access to level-two cache or main memory can require dozens or hundreds of clock cycles to complete, during which time the processor is typically idle, performing no useful work.
A number of techniques are presently used (or have been proposed) to hide this cache-miss latency. Some processors support out-of-order execution, in which instructions are kept in an issue queue, and are issued "out-of-order" when operands become available. Unfortunately, existing out-of-order designs have a hardware complexity that grows quadratically with the size of the issue queue. Practically speaking, this constraint limits the number of entries in the issue queue to one or two hundred, which is not sufficient to hide memory latencies as processors continue to get faster. Moreover, constraints on the number of physical registers that are available for register renaming purposes during out-of-order execution also limits the effective size of the issue queue.
Some processor designers have proposed entering an execute-ahead mode during processor stall conditions. In this execute-ahead mode, data dependent instructions are deferred while non-data-dependent instructions are executed in program order. For example, see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/686,061, filed 14 Oct. 2003, entitled "Selectively Deferring the Execution of Instructions with Unresolved Data Dependencies as They Are Issued in Program Order," by inventors Shailender Chaudhry, Marc Tremblay and Quinn A. Jacobson. By continuing to perform work during stall conditions, this technique can significantly increase the amount of work that can be completed by a processor.
Certain processors provide a type of instruction known as a memory barrier (membar) that gives programmers the ability to force a deterministic memory state on the system. For example, one common membar instruction forces a deterministic memory state by stalling the system until all buffered stores and loads are completed. Once the buffered loads and stores have completed, the processor can execute subsequent instructions with the assumption that all preceding memory references have completed. While useful and necessary, membar instructions can take an extremely long time to complete because the system may have to wait for large numbers of loads and stores to complete.
Hence, what is needed is a method and an apparatus for enforcing membar instruction semantics in an execute-ahead processor without the above-described performance problems.

Method and apparatus for enforcing membar instruction semantics in an execute-ahead processor


Certain embodiments include a cubic boron nitride (c-BN) device. The c-BN device includes a n/n+ Schottky diode and a n/p/n+ bipolar structure. The n/n+ Schottky diode and the /p/n+ bipolar structure are on a single-crystal diamond platform.

Certain electrical systems (e.g., electric power grid systems, electrical energy transmission or distribution systems, etc.) may use one or more devices that are inefficient and/or exposed to environmental hazards. Moreover, certain methods for manufacturing components of such electrical systems can be governed by conventional equilibrium thermodynamics, which can limit the capabilities of the manufactured components.

Doping and fabrication of diamond and C-BN based device structures


A system and method for the temporary closure of a wound, especially an abdominal wound, to facilitate re-entry, final closure, and long term healing of the wound. An abdominal wound dressing and methods of use are described that enable the application of negative pressure to the wound site in a site healing promoting manner while also limiting the formation of adhesions that would prevent the removal of the dressing. The dressing comprises a layer of porous foam material (36) enclosed by sheets of elastomeric material (38) punctuated by a number of appropriately placed holes (34). Multiple layers of porous foam may also be used. A suction tube connector (16) is provided on an upper surface of a layer of foam (12) for connection to a negative pressure source. At least one layer of foam is enclosed in elastomeric material and is placed in direct contact with the tissue within the open wound. Fluids are drawn by negative pressure through the holes positioned in the elastomeric envelope, and through the foam. If multiple foam layers are employed, the lower layer(s) of foam are of a finer porosity while the upper layer of foam is coarse. An adhesive elastomeric sheet (14) covers the entire wound dressing and seals the edges to the skin surrounding the wound. An appropriate vacuum device is attached to the suction tube connector.

The background description in U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,683 issued to Neumann et al., entitled Surgical Closure, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, reviews various complications associated with abdominal surgery and the process of post-operative cleansing of the abdominal cavity. Neumann et al. teaches a somewhat complex solution to establishing a re-enterable wound closure, namely, a flexible fabric or plate like securing device that covers the wound, provides a suction tube, and extends outward into a larger, sealable tube that may be re-entered as needed before final closure.
Many other techniques for post-operative temporary wall closure after abdominal surgery have been described. Studying these techniques enables the establishment for objective criteria by which to judge the suitability of various proposed temporary closure modalities.
A suitable temporary closure should be. simple, easy to apply, effective in containing the abdominal contents, minimally interfere with the abdominal organs and surrounding tissue, minimally, if at all, promote the formation of adhesions and fistula, and promote process towards definitive closure.
A problem common to many existing methods of temporary wound closure is adhesion formation between the tissue and the material in contact with the wound. Such adhesions are undesirable, and complicate the process of preparing the wound site for final closure. Placing porous materials such as gauze, surgical towels and even open cell foam, in direct contact with the open wound site, further complicates final closure by providing increased surface area that promotes adhesion formation, thereby making removing this material even more difficult.
Maintaining negative pressure on a wound site without creating conditions that make the removal of the temporary wound covering material more difficult, is manifestly beneficial. A desirable layered wound covering permits both the application of negative pressure, and the resultant removal of exuded fluids. Such a covering is re-enterable for the purpose of cleansing the wound without trauma to the wound site. Such a wound covering would be most advantageous for open abdomen surgical wounds. These devices and techniques could also be used on other types of open wounds that present a difficult healing process.
The need for a wound covering, and therapeutic treatment system that allows the application of therapeutic negative pressure without causing increased adverse side effects to the open wound site is apparent. Presently, no such wound covering, or treatment system is known to exist. It is towards the filing of this need that the present invention is directed.


The present invention provides a method for removing sacrificial materials in fabrications of microstructures using a selected spontaneous vapor phase chemical etchants. During the etching process, an amount of the etchant is fed into an etch chamber for removing the sacrificial material. Additional amount of the etchant are fed into the etch chamber according to a detection of an amount or an amount of an etching product so as to maintaining a substantially constant etching rate of the sacrificial materials inside the etch chamber. Accordingly, an etching system is provided for removing the sacrificial materials based on the disclosed etching method.

Sacrificial layers of selected sacrificial materials are commonly used in fabrications of microstructures, such as microelectromechanical systems and semiconductor devices. One type of sacrificial material is amorphous silicon. Once the desired structures of the microstructure are formed, the sacrificial layers are removed by etching. The success of the etching process depends upon the selectivity of the etching process, wherein the selectivity is defined as a ratio of the amount of sacrificial material being removed to the amount of the structural material being removed. Performance, uniformity and yield can all be improved with increases in the etch selectivity.
More recently, the etching method using selected gas phase etchants has drawn increased interest in fabricating microstructures due to its many advantages, such as potential high selectivity, less contamination and less process stiction as opposed to other possible etching methods, such as a wet etching techniques. In terms of the different ways of feeding the selected gas etchant into the etch chamber containing the microstructure to be etched, the current etching method has two major categories—continuous etchant feeding and one-time (Batch) etchant feeding. In a typical continuous etchant feeding process, the gas etchant flows through the etch chamber until the sacrificial materials of the microstructure are exhausted by the chemical reaction inside the etch chamber. This etch process is unfavorable because of its poor etchant usage efficiency and other disadvantages. In a typical one time etchant feeding process, the selected gas etchant is introduced into the etch chamber at one time and a chemical reaction occurs between the gas etchant and the sacrificial materials inside the etch chamber. This etch feeding technique improves the etchant usage efficiency and the possibility of precise control of the etching process. However, it also has disadvantages. For example, because the gas etchant and the sacrificial materials and the chemical reaction therebetween are confined in the etch chamber throughout the etching process, the etching product (reaction product) will accumulate within the etch chamber. The accumulation may result in the deposition of the etching products on the surface of the microstructure. In addition, because the amount of the etchant fed into the etching system at one time is fixed and the maximum amount of the sacrificial material that can be removed by the fixed amount of the etchant is limited for a given etching system, the maximum amount of the etchant fed into the etching at one time may not be enough to remove a larger amount of the sacrificial material. One approach to solve the etchant quantity limitation is to feed additional amounts of the etchant into the etching system in a discontinuous fashion. For example, in feeding an additional amount of the etchant, the etching system is pumped out and then provided with the additional amount of the etchant. During the pumping out process, the chemical reaction between the etchant and the sacrificial material, thus the etching process, is stopped until the additional amount of the etchant is provided. This feeding process, however, may cause "etch front marks" and/or etching non-uniformities in the microstructures after etch. For example, when the first amount of the etchant fed at one time into the etching system is not enough to remove all sacrificial materials in the microstructure, the boundaries of the sacrificial material (the etch front) may create "marks" in the structures of the microstructure when the chemical reaction (etching process) is stopped due to the lack of the etchant. These "marks" may be permanent throughout and even after the etching process.
In addition to the disadvantages mentioned above, none of these etching processes addresses the issue of non-uniform etch due to the surface variation of the sacrificial material during etching processes. The etch non-uniformity may arise from etch surface variations, especially in an etching process for a wafer having a plurality of dies, each of which has one or more microstructures. In this situation, the dies around the edge of the wafer and the dies near the center of the wafer experience different etching rates. Moreover, the microloading effect can result in etch rate variation within a single die. Since the selectivity often depends upon the etching rate, unstable etching rate may result in etching non-uniformity to the microstructures. As a consequence, the microstructures in different dies may be etched non-uniformly, which is better illustrated in FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b.
FIG. 1a plots the etching rate and the surface area of the sacrificial materials versus etching time during a typical etching process for a plurality of microstructure dies on a wafer shown in FIG. 1b. During the first 540 seconds, the surface area of the sacrificial materials of all microstructures of the dies deceases slowly with time. Accordingly, the etching rate (plotted in the dotted line) increases to around 22 angstrom/second during the first 160 seconds followed by a slow increase over time thereafter. During the following 160 seconds (from 540 to 700 seconds), the surface area of the sacrificial material presents a steep drop followed by a slow decrease after 700 seconds. Accordingly, the etching rate increases dramatically from 540 to 700 seconds, and increase slowly afterwards. This phenomenon of steep decrease in the surface area and dramatic increase in the etching rate arises from a fact that, during the 240 seconds (from 540 to 780 seconds), the sacrificial material of the dies (plotted in shaded areas in FIG. 1b) around the edge of the wafer is removed due to less sacrificial materials in these dies than those close to the center of the wafer. Because the etch rate is proportional to the concentration of the etchant gas, the rest of the sacrificial materials will experience a much faster etch rate. This etching rate difference may cause unexpected performance differences of the microstructures of the dies around the edge of the wafer and the microstructures of the dies close to the center of the wafer.
Therefore, a method and apparatus is desired for efficiently and uniformly removing sacrificial layers in microstructures using selected gas phase etchant.

Methods and apparatus of etch process control in fabrications of microstructures


To avoid interference of control wires and make a throttle control apparatus to be compact, the apparatus is structured such that a drive lever is mounted on one end of a throttle valve shaft protruding from one side outer wall of the throttle body and connected to a throttle lever, a throttle opening sensor is mounted on another end of the throttle valve shaft protruding from another side outer wall, a bypass air control apparatus having a bypass air passage and an air valve is provided on the other side wall, accelerator wires connected to the throttle lever and initial operation wire connected to the air valve are arranged at opposite sides of the intake passage respectively, so that the operating directions thereof are substantially the same to one another.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a throttle body which controls air flow supplied to an engine in the fuel injection apparatus, and more particularly relates to a throttle control apparatus used for a motorcycle.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
A conventional throttle body will be described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 in which FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of the throttle body and FIG. 5 is a right side view of FIG. 4.
In the figures, the reference numeral 10 indicates a throttle body having an intake passage 11 extending through laterally therein. A throttle valve shaft 12 is provided, across the intake passage 11, and both ends of the throttle valve shaft 12 are rotatably supported on the throttle body 10.
Also, a throttle valve 13 is provided in the intake passage 11 for opening or closing of the intake passage 11. The throttle valve 13 is mounted on the throttle valve shaft 12 so as to open or close the intake passage 11 in accordance with the rotation of the throttle valve shaft 12.
One end 12a of the throttle valve shaft 12 is protruded rightward from one side outer wall 10a of the throttle body 10 (right side as shown in FIG. 4), and a drive lever 14 is mounted integrally with the one end 12a.
The reference numeral 15 indicates a rotary shaft provided uprightly on the one side outer wall 10a of the of the throttle body 10. A throttle lever 16 is fixed to the rotary shaft 15 by means of a screw nut.
As shown in FIG. 5, the throttle lever 16 is provided with a first retention hole 16a and a second retention hole 16b. An end 17b, which is attached to one end of the accelerator wire 17a to make the throttle valve 13 open, is inserted to the first retention hole 16a and engaged therein, while an end 17d, which is attached to one end of the accelerator wire 17c to make the throttle valve 13 close, is inserted to the second retention hole 16b and engaged therein.
Other ends of the accelerator wires 17a and 17c are connected to the acceleration grips (not shown) respectively. When the acceleration grip is rotated by a driver, this rotation is transmitted to the throttle lever 16 through the ends 17b and 17d of the accelerator wires 17a and 17c, respectively, to rotate the throttle lever 16.
The reference numeral 18 indicates a link lever which connects the throttle lever 16 and the drive lever 14. The rotation of the throttle lever 16 is transmitted to the drive lever 14 through the link lever 18. Due to the arrangement where the throttle lever 16 and the drive lever 14 are connected by means of the link lever 18, the rotation of the acceleration grip and the opening characteristic of the throttle valve 13 are made nonlinear.
The reference numeral 19 indicates a throttle opening sensor attached to another end 12b of the throttle valve shaft 12 which protrudes from the other side outer wall 10b of the throttle body 10. The output signal from the opening sensor 19 is inputted to ECU (not shown) and is used for the various control.
When the acceleration grip (not shown) is rotated in one direction, a wire 17a to open the throttle valve 13 rotates the throttle lever 16 in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 5. By this rotation, the drive lever 14 is rotated through link lever 18, resulting in the opening of the intake passage 11 by the throttle valve 13.
On the other hand, when the acceleration grip (not shown) is rotated in the other direction, a wire 17c to close the throttle valve 13 rotates the throttle lever 16 in a clockwise direction in FIG. 5. By this rotation, the drive lever 14 is rotated through link lever 18, resulting in the closing of the intake passage 11 by the throttle valve 13.
In the conventional throttle body, control of idling air flow rate at the time of idling of engine and/or control of initial air flow rate at the time of starting of engine are carried out by a bypass air control apparatus which comprises a bypass air passage that by-passes the throttle valve, and an air valve for controlling the opening area of the bypass air passage.
Generally, in the throttle body used for a motorcycle, the air valve is remote operated by a initial operation wire which is connected to a start lever. The start lever is arranged in the neighborhood of the acceleration grip and is operated by the driver. Two kinds of wires are arranged around the throttle body, i.e. two accelerator wires and one initial operation wire.
In the conventional throttle body used for the motorcycle, there are problems that the two kinds of wires should be arranged without interfering one another, and the bypass air control apparatus should be arranged in close vicinity to the peripheral wall of the throttle body in order to make the throttle body compact.


A battery pack comprises a plurality of rectangular shaped batteries, wherein each of the plurality of rectangular shaped batteries is formed into a thin rectangular-parallelepiped shape, and wherein the plurality of rectangular shaped batteries are stacked side-by-side in a thickness direction, and a pair of pressurizing plates, wherein one of the pressurizing plates is located at each end of the stacked rectangular shaped batteries oriented in the thickness direction, wherein the pressurizing plates are elastically pushed against each other to pressurize the plurality rectangular shaped batteries.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery pack to be mounted to an electric vehicle or the like. Specifically, the present invention relates to a battery pack comprising a plurality of rectangular shaped batteries formed into a thin rectangular-parallelepiped shape which are stacked side-by-side in a thickness direction to be integrated into a battery pack.
2. Description of the Related Art
A secondary battery which can be repeatedly charged and discharged is used as a power source of a motor in various types of electric vehicles, for example, a hybrid electric vehicle, or the like. A secondary battery, when used in an electric vehicle, is required to have a large capacity of charge and a high voltage. Therefore, a plurality of thin rectangular-parallelepiped shaped batteries, each comprising a plurality of battery cells, are stacked side-by-side and integrated to form a battery pack. The battery pack is mounted in a vehicle.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an example of a battery pack 800 to be mounted in an electric vehicle. The battery pack 800 shown in FIG. 8 comprises a plurality of rectangular shaped batteries 801, each having a thin rectangular-parallelepiped shape. The rectangular shaped batteries 801 are stacked side-by-side in the thickness direction. All the rectangular shaped batteries 801 stacked side-by-side are fixed to a lower case 863 with each being pressurized toward the thickness direction by a pair of pressurizing plates 830 located on both ends of the stacked rectangular shaped batteries 801 in the thickness direction.
Each of the rectangular shaped batteries 801 comprises Nickel-metal hydride secondary batteries having similar structures and a thin rectangular-parallelepiped shape battery case. An inner space of the battery case is divided into, for example, six battery cells located in parallel in the width direction, which is orthogonal to the thickness direction and a height direction, by five walls extending in the thickness direction. Each of the battery cells contains a plurality of positive plates and a plurality of negative plates. In the battery cells, the positive plates and the negative plates are provided with separators interposed therebetween.
All the positive plates in the battery cell are connected to a collector plate. All the negative plates in the battery cell are also connected to a collector plate. In the battery cell, the collector plates oppose each other with all the positive plates and the negative plates interposed therebetween. The collector plates extend along side surfaces of the battery cases. The collector plate of the positive pole located in one battery cell is connected to the collector plate of the negative pole located in the adjacent battery cell. In the battery cells located on both ends of the battery case in the width directions, the positive collector plates and the negative collector plates extending along the side surfaces of the battery case are respectively connected to positive and negative posts 818 which are respectively provided on the side surfaces of the battery case with washers 809.
The rectangular shaped batteries 801 are positioned so that the positive posts 818 of rectangular shaped batteries 801 and the negative posts 818 of the adjacent rectangular shaped batteries 801 are aligned alternatively in the thickness direction. Furthermore, all rectangular shaped batteries 801 are connected in series so that the positive post 818 and the negative post 818 adjacent each other are electrically and mechanically connected to each other by a bus bar 861. The bus bars 861 are fixed by nuts 862 which are screwed to the positive and negative posts 818.
The pair of pressurizing plates 830 for pressurizing all the stacked rectangular shaped batteries 801 are connected to each other by an upper pair of tie rods 850 and a lower pair of tie rods 850 with all the rectangular shaped batteries 801 being pressurized. Each end of the tie rods 850 is fixed to the respective pressurizing plates 830.
The lower case 863 has a bottom surface 863a which supports the rectangular shaped batteries 801 and the pair of the pressurizing plates 830, and a side surface 863b extending upwards from one end of the bottom surface 863a. Each of the rectangular shaped battery 801 is respectively fixed to the bottom surface 863a of the lower case 863 by a pair of bolts 864.
In a battery case 800 having the above-described structure, upper portions of the pair of the pressurizing plates 830 are connected to each other by a pair of the tie rods 850. Similarly, lower portions of the pair of the pressurizing plates 830 are connected to each other by a pair of the tie rods 850. By adjusting the tie rods 850 so that the pressurizing plates 830 locate close to each other, all the stacked rectangular shaped batteries 801 are maintained under pressure. The rectangular shaped batteries 801 in such a state are fixed to the bottom surface 863a of the lower case 863 by the pair of the bolts 864 and form the battery pack 800. The battery pack 800 formed as described above is mounted to be used in an electric vehicle, or the like.
While the rectangular shaped batteries 801 of the battery pack 800 is used, the temperature inside the rectangular shaped batteries 801 rises and hydrogen gas is generated due to an electrochemical reaction which occurs in the battery cells. Thus, the battery cases, which are made of a synthetic resin, expand. Creep deformation of the battery cases of the rectangular shaped batteries 801 occurs when they are maintained pressurized for a long time under a high temperature by the pair of the pressurizing plates 830 connected to each other by the upper pair and the lower pair of tie rods 850. After use of the rectangular shaped batteries 801, the battery cases of the rectangular shaped batteries 801 which suffer the creep deformation are left in a low temperature atmosphere. Thus, the rectangular shaped batteries 801 which suffer the creep deformation shrink and a gap may be generated between the rectangular shaped batteries 801 adjacent each other.
Since the above-described battery cases of the rectangular shaped batteries 801 are fixed to the bottom surface 863a of the lower case 863 by the pair of the bolts 864, and the posts 818 of the rectangular shaped batteries 801 adjacent each other are connected by the bus bar 861, there is no possibility that all of the rectangular shaped batteries 801 are disconnected from each other. However, such a structure in which all the battery cases of the rectangular shaped batteries 801 are fixed to the bottom surface 863a of the lower case 863 by the pair of the bolts 864 requires screwing a number of threaded bolts 864. Thus, there is a problem that the bolting cannot be readily performed.
If a gap is generated between the rectangular shaped batteries 801 adjacent each other, loads imposed by the tie rods 850 are not applied to the battery cases of the rectangular shaped batteries 801 any more. As a result, expansion of the battery cases of the rectangular shaped batteries 801 cannot be prevented thereafter.

Battery pack with pressurized terminal plates

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


In one embodiment the present invention comprises a smartphone and encoders for commissioning RFID transponders. The present invention further includes novel systems, devices, and methods for commissioning RFID transponders with unique object class instance numbers without requiring a realtime connection to a serialization database.

The present invention relates to a system, including methods and devices, utilizing wireless sensor devices and RFID (radio-frequency identification) transponders. Specifically, the present invention relates to a system incorporating novel devices and methods that enable point-of-use and on-demand commissioning of RFID transponder-equipped wireless sensors.
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) transponders enable improved identification and tracking of objects by encoding data electronically in a compact tag or label. And, advantageously, the compact tag or label does not need external, optically recognizable or human-readable markings. In fact, using the Gen2 EPC specification, a three-meter read-distance for RFID transponders is common—even on high-speed material handling lines.
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) transponders, typically thin transceivers that include an integrated circuit chip having radio frequency circuits, control logic, memory and an antenna structure mounted on a supporting substrate, enable vast amounts of information to be encoded and stored and have unique identification. Commissioning, the process of encoding specific information (for example, data representing an object identifier, the date-code, batch, customer name, origin, destination, quantity, and items) associated with an object (for example, a shipping container), associates a specific object with a unique RFID transponder. The commissioned transponder responds to coded RF signals and, therefore, readily can be interrogated by external devices to reveal the data associated with the transponder.
Current classes of RFID transponders rank into two primary categories: active RFID transponders and passive RFID transponders. Active RFID transponders include an integrated power source capable of self-generating signals, which may be used by other, remote reading devices to interpret the data associated with the transponder. Active transponders include batteries and, historically, are considered considerably more expensive than passive RFID transponders. Passive RFID transponders backscatter incident RF energy to specially designed remote devices such as interrogators.
Combining the benefits of the latest technology in RFID transponders with sensing devices, a broader class of devices called wireless sensors is emerging. Wireless sensors have a unique identity, sense one or more attributes within its environment, and report its identity and data corresponding to the sensed attributes. For example, a wireless sensor interprets environmental conditions such as temperature, moisture, sunlight, seismic activity, biological, chemical or nuclear materials, specific molecules, shock, vibration, location, or other environmental parameters. Wireless sensors are distributed nodes of computing networks that are interconnected by wired and wireless interfaces.
Wireless sensors, made using silicon circuits, polymer circuits, optical modulation indicia, an encoded quartz crystal diode, or Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) materials to affect radio frequency or other signaling methods, communicate wirelessly to other devices. For example, certain embodiments of wireless sensors communicate on a peer-to-peer basis to an interrogator or a mobile computer. Communication methods include narrow band, wide band, ultra wide band, or other means of radio or signal propagation methods.
Generating a unique serial number is imperative, and is required for EPCglobal RFID tagging implementations. Serialization requires a central issuing authority of numbers for manufacturers, products, and items to guarantee uniqueness and to avoid duplication of numbers. Blocks of numbers are distributed to remote locations globally. Unless a product (or SKU) is serialized at one location, the numbering space is usually partitioned according to some method, or each remote location receives each number one-by-one. Either way, there is eventually a reconciliation of serial number usage with a granularity of either one or several numbers at a time.
A preferred method of generating unique serial numbers is to assign unique numbers in a central location, such as in a label converter facility where unique bar coded labels are printed. Each unique label is then packed and shipped to remote locations, usually either in sheets or rolls. Upon arrival at a manufacturing facility, rolls are loaded onto high speed label applicators that apply one serialized label onto each carton. As those serialized cartons move through the supply chain, they may eventually arrive at a case pick location, a receiving dock, or similar location where a serialized carton is selected for having an RFID transponder applied to it. Using a bar code scanner to read one or more bar codes sufficient information can be collected to uniquely encode that data into an RFID transponder and apply it to that carton.
The uniqueness of an identifier is critical to the success of almost any tracking system. Assuring uniqueness is not necessarily simple. A generically descriptive bar code can be matched to authorizations for selected numbering systems that provide additional data fields including a unique serial number or using algorithms that assure uniqueness through numerical representations of time and space.
Certain prior art systems use printer encoders to merge the printing and RFID transponder encoding operations into a single atomic transaction. This method is more expensive in every respect. It requires mobile distributed printing with nearly perfect networking implementations in order to achieve a smooth, easy, and regular manual transponder application process. This all comes at a higher price, size, and weight. Prior art implementations tend not to be mobile, as represented by U.S. Pat. No. 7,066,667 issued to Chapman et al. on 27 Jun. 2006 and include U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,476 issued to Barrus et al. on 31 May 2005, or by U.S. Pat. No. 6,246,326 issued to Wiklof et al. on 12 Jun. 2001, describe a device that commissions an RFID transponder with a printed label. This approach, however, introduces unnecessary waste, cost, and propensities for error. There is a growing category of applications that do not require anything other than a custom-encoded RFID transponder. This prior art calls for the inclusion of label printer hardware and related consumable materials that are not necessary for many RFID applications. Unneeded printer mechanisms create unnecessary complexities, size, and weight. In some instances this additional bulk hinders practical mobile applications. The result is that tagging solutions that include printing result in a higher total cost of ownership than a pure RF tag encoding system.
So, despite recent advances in RFID technology, the state-of-the-art does not fully address the needs of simple, efficient, economical, high-volume, reliable deployment and commissioning of RFID transponders and wireless sensors. Large-scale adoption of RFID transponders depends on systems utilizing reliable, low-cost transponders deployed at thousands of distributed locations that implement simple and efficient manual transponder commissioning means. Such systems should further include processes for efficient commissioning of batches of RFID transponders, without the need for realtime wireless connectivity.

Systems, methods, and devices for commissioning wireless sensors


A solid-state imaging device which includes, a photoelectric conversion film provided on a second surface side which is the opposite side to a first surface on which a wiring layer of a semiconductor substrate is formed, performs photoelectric conversion with respect to light in a predetermined wavelength region, and transmits light in other wavelength regions; and a photoelectric conversion layer which is provided in the semiconductor substrate, and performs the photoelectric conversion with respect to light in other wavelength regions which has transmitted the photoelectric conversion film, in which input light is incident from the second surface side with respect to the photoelectric conversion film and the photoelectric conversion layer.

The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging device and an electronic apparatus, particularly, to an electronic apparatus which performs photoelectric conversion to input light using a photoelectric conversion film, and an electronic apparatus having the solid-state imaging device.
As the solid-state imaging device, a device is in general use in which, for example, pixels (sub-pixels) corresponding to three primary colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) are arranged planarly on the semiconductor substrate, light beams of the three primary colors are photoelectrically converted, respectively in each pixel, and the charge obtained by the photoelectric conversion is read out. As the pixel array of colors, the Bayer array in which one red pixel and one blue pixel are present with respect to two green pixels is representatively exemplified.
In this type of solid-state imaging device, there is a problem in that color separation occurs, since the light beams of the three primary colors RGB are detected in different plane positions from each other, and a false color occurs due to the difference in light receiving position. The false color causes a deterioration of image quality. In order to avoid this problem, a solid-state imaging device having a so-called lamination type pixel structure in the related art, in which G light photoelectric conversion film is provided outside the semiconductor substrate, and photoelectric conversion layers for B light and R light are provided inside the semiconductor substrate has been proposed (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-278446).

Solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus including a photoelectric conversion unit disposed between another photoelectric conversion unit and a photoelectric conversion film

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation


A device for attaching protective insulation to the end of an electric wire, having at least one lead to which a contact element has been attached, includes a carrier (1), equipped with at least three injection dies (3), which can rotate around an axis (A), and of at least one injection molding device (2, 10), located in the circumferential area of the carrier (1). A guide path, extending circumferentially around the carrier (1), is attached to a fixed part of the device. The guide path includes two portions of different radii, extending together nearly 360.degree., which are concentric to the axis (A) of carrier (1), and converge at one end through a transition piece in the guide path. The other ends of the guide path are located at the loading position level (I) of the injection dies (3). The movement of the injection dies (3) is guided by the guide path. The injection dies are closed in the small radius area of the guide path, and are open in the larger radius area. The carrier (1) can rotate in steps of an angle corresponding to the distance of the injection dies (3) from each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention refers to a device for attaching a protective insulation material to the end of an electrical wire having at least one lead, with a contact element attached to the bare end of the lead. The device includes an injection molding unit, through which the protective cover is extruded around the contact element and the end of the wire. The part of an electric connector thus made may be a plug or an outlet. The contact elements on the conductor of the wire are pins or sockets. Wires, to which a plug or a socket is permanently attached at one end, are described as "premanufactured" wires. The other end of such wires generally remains free. The wires are delivered to the end user as semi-finished products, for installation in any electrical device. This requires the desired part of the electric connector to be extruded onto the wire, and the other end of the wire to be prepared for connection to the electrical device without any additional expenditure. However, such premanufactured wires can have electric connector parts attached at both ends.
2. Description of the Prior Art
German Patent Document No. DE-PS 24 40 264 describes a process for producing premanufactured wires. This process is fully automatic, up to the attachment of contact elements to the bare lead of the wire. However, while this document mentions that the protective cover can be automatically extruded, no information is provided regarding the configuration of a corresponding device. In addition, provisions are made to extrude protective covers to the wire ends with contact elements, with existing injection equipment requires the wire ends to be manually inserted one by one, or several at a time. Thus, the cost of producing a premanufactured wire using this equipment is considerable.
With the device according to German Patent Document No. DE-OS 37 20 041, premanufactured wires can be produced automatically by cyclic advance. One end of a wire equipped with contact elements is cyclically advanced to at least two injection molding devices, hereinafter simply called "extruders". Each extruder extrudes a part of the protective cover to be produced. The amount of material for each part is measured, so that each part hardens sufficiently during the cycle time, and can be further transported without damage. Although this device is able to produce a premanufactured wire in one operation, the cost is relatively high, since each part requires its own extruder. In addition, the part must be extruded with great care, to ensure that a homogeneous protective cover is produced.

Device for attaching a protective cover to the end of an electric wire


A method and apparatus for transparent processing of IPsec network traffic by a security processor in line between a framer and a network processor. Security processor parses packet header and tail information to determine if encryption or decryption is required. After encryption or decryption is completed packet header and tail information is modified to reflect the changes in the packet such as length of the packet. The modified packet is then passed on to the network processor or framer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to field of network processing. Specifically, this invention relates to the inline processing of network traffic by a security processor between a framer device and a network processor.
2. Background
Communication networks and the number of users of such networks continue to increase. On-line sales involving both business-to-business and business to consumer over the Internet continues to proliferate. Additionally, the number of people that are telecommuting continues to grow. Both on-line sales and telecommuting are examples of usage of communication networks that typically involve private and sensitive data that needs to be protected during its transmission across the different communication networks.
Accordingly, security protocols, (e.g., Transport Layer Security (TLS), Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) 3.0, Internet Protocol Security (IPSec), etc.), have been developed to establish secure sessions between remote systems. These security protocols provide a method for remote systems to establish a secure session through message exchange and calculations, thereby allowing sensitive data being transmitted across the different communication networks to have a measure of security and/or untamperability.
These security protocols utilized encryption to protect the content of the messages sent between machines and network devices. In some instances, it is necessary that a network device handling a message decrypt at least a portion of the message in order to process the message, such as determining the message destination. Decryption algorithms often require significant processing resources. This puts a strain on network processors in a network device. A network processor often receives incoming packets from a framer, which is a device that is designed to receive frames of a specified format such as an Ethernet frame specified by IEEE 802.3. Framing devices are typically simple circuits capable of little but receiving and transmitting frames.
IPsec is a security framework for Internet Protocol (IP) networking that provides security services, including access control, integrity, authentication, protection against replay, confidentiality and similar services. IPsec utilizes a security association (SA) to implement its services. An SA is a simplex connection that is protected by one or more of the security services. An SA may be established between a pair of hosts, between a host and a security gateway, such as a router, or between a pair of gateways. IPsec connections between two peers consist of a pair of SAs as an SA is unidirectional. An SA contains all the information required to execute the security services of a IPsec packet. When created, an SA is assigned a security parameters index (SPI) by a receiving machine. A combination of the SPI and the destination IP addresses uniquely identifies an SA. A receiving host uses this information to determine which SA an incoming packet belongs to, and thus which algorithms for decryption and packet processing to apply to the packet. On the transmit side, the host performs a lookup based on the IP header information to find the SA to be used for encryption and packet processing.

Transparent IPSec processing inline between a framer and a network component


A range finder device includes a light projecting section for projecting range finding light onto an object and a light receiving section for monitoring the image pattern of the object. An integrating circuit integrates an output signal from the light receiving section. A steady light component removing section prevents an output signal accompanying steady light irradiated steadily onto the light receiving section from being fed to the integrating circuit. A control section sets a first mode in which the steady light component removing section is operated during range finding or a second mode in which the steady light component removing section is not operated based on an output signal from the light receiving section.

The present invention relates to a range finder device used in, for example, a camera or the like.
Range finder devices can be classified into two types. In the active mode type, range finding light is projected onto an object and range finding is performed using reflection signal light. The passive mode type uses an image signal of the object. However, because the active mode type uses reflection signal light, it has a drawback in that it is disadvantaged when used on objects with low reflectance or which are at a considerable distance. The passive mode has a drawback in that it is unable to perform accurate range finding in dark scenes in which a picture signal is difficult to obtain or on flat objects having little variation in density.
In Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication Nos. 55-35399, 7-167646, and the like, there is disclosed a method in which range finding is performed using the two above-described modes in combination according to the environment surrounding the object.
By switching between the active mode and passive mode according to the environment surrounding the object, in this way, examples of cameras which can focus correctly for any scene have hitherto both been proposed and manufactured.
However, the above described technology amounts to no more than simply providing both modes side by side and uses a simple structure in which one of these two modes is chosen according to the object. Accordingly, in this type of structure, the space required for the two devices to be mounted together is wasted. Moreover, the wasteful provision of sensors and circuits is a factor in causing the costs to be increased. Further, time is often wasted as both range finding results must be compared in order to decide which mode to employ.
In particular, when the above described range finding modes are used in a camera, after the release operation is performed, if time is required to choose one of the two modes, then the camera ends up acting as a long release time lag camera which is unable to track the movement of the object. For example, even if the expression of a model was excellent at the moment the release button was operated, the expression may have changed during the time taken for the range finding. Accordingly, although the photographer had intended to record a fleeting moment, all that remains in the photograph is often an empty reminder of what the happy memory may have been. Accurate range finding is important, but it is also important to consider these types of photo opportunities in a camera, which is essentially a device for enabling the user to capture the instant that he or she intended to photograph.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a range finder device which does away with difficulty to photograph objects, which is effective both cost-wise and space-wise and which has a shortened time lag.
In order to achieve the above objects, the first aspect of the present invention is a range finder device comprising: a light projecting section for projecting range finding light onto an object; a light receiving section for monitoring image patterns of the object; an integrating circuit for integrating an output signal from the light receiving section; a steady light component removing section for preventing an output signal accompanying steady light irradiated steadily onto the light receiving section from being fed to the integrating circuit; and a control section for setting, during range finding, a first mode in which the steady light component removing section is operated or a second mode in which the steady light component removing section is not operated, based on an output signal from the light receiving section.
Further, the second aspect of the present invention is a range finder device comprising: a light projecting section for projecting range finding light onto an object; a light receiving section onto which reflection signal light from the object is irradiated and which monitors image patterns of the object based on the reflection signal light; an integrating circuit for integrating an output signal from the light receiving section; a steady light component removing section for preventing an output signal accompanying steady light irradiated steadily onto the light receiving section from being fed to the integrating circuit; a first determining section for determining a spot configuration of the reflection light signal; a second determining section for determining a contrast of an image pattern of the object; and a control section for setting a first mode in which the steady light component removing section is operated or a second mode in which the steady light component removing section is not operated, based on the determination results of at least one of the determination by the first determining section and the determination by the second determining section.
Further, the third aspect of the present invention is a range finder device comprising: a light projecting section for projecting range finding light onto an object; a light receiving section for monitoring image patterns of the object; an integrating circuit for integrating an output signal from the light receiving section; a first steady light component removing section for preventing an output signal accompanying steady light irradiated steadily onto the light receiving section from being fed to the integrating circuit; and a second steady light component removing section for further removing steady light components from an output signal from the first steady light component removing section.
Further, the fourth aspect of the present invention is a range finder device comprising: a light projecting section for projecting range finding light onto an object; a light receiving section for receiving reflection signal light from the object; an integrating circuit for integrating an output from the light receiving section; a steady light component removing section for preventing a signal based on light irradiated steadily onto the light receiving section from being input to the integrating circuit; a determining section for determining a spot configuration of the reflection signal light or a contrast of an image incident onto the light receiving section according to the result of a first range finding step in which a preliminary range finding operation is performed accompanying the control of the light projecting section, without the steady light component removing section being operated; and a control section for determining, based on determination results by the determining section, whether to perform a second range finding step subsequent to the first range finding step or to perform a steady light component removing operation in the second range finding step.
Further, the fifth aspect of the present invention is a range finder device comprising: a light projecting section for projecting range finding light onto an object; a light receiving section for receiving reflection signal light from the object; an integrating circuit for integrating an output from the light receiving section; a steady light component removing section for preventing a signal based on light irradiated steadily onto the light receiving section from being input to the integrating circuit; a determining section for determining a spot configuration of the reflection signal light or a contrast of an image incident onto the light receiving section according to the result of a first range finding step in which a preliminary range finding operation is performed accompanying the control of the light projecting section, with the steady light component removing section being operated; and a control section for determining, based on determination results by the determining section, whether or not to perform a second range finding step subsequent to the first range finding step.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.

Range finder device having mode for removing steady light components and mode for not removing steady light components


A heating system includes a reflector having a concave section symmetrical with respect to an axis of symmetry. In addition, a first radiation system having at least a first radiation member is capable of emitting a first type of radiation and a second radiation system having at least a second radiation member is capable of emitting a second type of radiation. The second radiation system is positioned in a direction parallel to the axis of symmetry with respect to the first radiation system.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,503 published Jul. 16, 2002 describes a heating system comprising two radiation members capable of emitting two different types of radiation. These radiation members are tubular in shape. The first radiation member comprises an incandescent filament capable of emitting a radiation in the near infrared range, whereas the second radiation member comprises a carbon ribbon capable of emitting a radiation in the medium infrared range.
It is a disadvantage of such a system that a given point of a coating under treatment is not simultaneously exposed to the two types of radiation. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of such a heating system and of a coating treated by this heating system. The heating system shown in FIG. 1 corresponds to a heating system of FIG. 5 from U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,503. Such a heating system comprises a first radiation member 10 comprising a first quartz envelope 12 and a carbon ribbon 14, and a second radiation member 11 comprising a second quartz envelope 13 and an incandescent filament 15 kept in position by a support 15a. The two radiation members 10 and 11 are fixedly joined together by a central section 17. Each of the two radiation members 10 and 11 is covered with a reflecting layer 16 on an upper half of the respective quartz envelope 12 or 13.
Under these operating conditions, the radiation emitted by the first and the second radiation member 10 and 11 is necessarily downwardly directed when the heating system is arranged as shown in FIG. 1. Consequently, an object 18 to be treated by this heating system is present below said heating system. This object 18 comprises a coating 19 which is to be treated by the heating system. This may relate to, for example, a metal plate on which a paint comprising a pigment and a solvent has been deposited.
In such a configuration, the rays emitted by the radiation members 10 and 11 are not focused on the same location of the coating 19. As a result, the overlap of the two types of radiation, which is particularly advantageous in applications such as the drying of paints, is limited, i.e. the spectral combination of the spectra of the two types of radiation is limited.
In addition, the fact that the rays emitted by the radiation members 10 and 11 are not focused on the same location of the coating 19 leads to a prolonged treatment time for the coating 19, since each point of the coating 19 must be exposed to two types of radiation.
Another disadvantage of such a heating system is that the heating system is cumbersome. An oven for drying the coating will in fact generally comprise several heating systems arranged side by side, parallel to a direction in which the objects under treatment are moved. The dimensions of the heating system of FIG. 1 are important in view of this direction, because the heating system comprises two radiation members 10 and 11 arranged in this direction.

Heating system comprising at least two different radiations


In advance of carbon coating, by injecting ion into the shaped surface of metallic mold made of super-hard materials, it becomes possible to increase the adhesiveness of the carbon coat onto the mold material, and to increase the life of the mold. In a metallic pressing mold with the required flatness secured by carbon coating on the surfaces, it is characterized in that the surface layer of the shaped surfaces is modified by ion injection in advance of carbon coating.

This invention relates to a mold for pressing glass plates for liquid crystals or Braun tubes which are useful for electronic calculators, computer and word processor monitors, and molded glass plates for photomasks pressed by using it.
Generally, plastic materials such as polycarbonate, acrylic, epoxy or olefin resin are used for base plates of this type of optical disk, however, the plastic materials have such disadvantages as deterioration by aging under high temperature and high humidity conditions, and limited memory capacity. Accordingly, glass which is hardly affected by environmental conditions has widely been used as material for optical disks.
The glass plates molded by a fusion method or a float method are cut into required shapes after inspection, annealed at a temperature of 300-500.degree. C., and then treated to polish the edges and surface. It is well known that the surface treatment takes considerable time and labor. Also, as glass plates are washed with organic neutralizing agents and pure water after polishing, it was necessary to invest in expensive facilities for waste water treatment.
Recently, as is adopted in the field of small-sized caliber lens manufacturing, a similar molding process has been applied to glass plates which have been treated by the processes of cutting and annealing, and the molded glass plates obtained have satisfactory surface flatness. The pressing mold used in this method is made of a super-hard material on the surface of which graphite or amorphous diamond-type carbon is coated, and the flatness thereof is also highly accurate.
The carbon coating on the surface of the mold is to prevent any scratches on the surface of the molded glass plates, due to air pores remaining on the surface of the mold.
This carbon coat has the superior property of not wetting the glass surface and not adhering to it, but there is a drawback in that it is easy to peel off of the surface of the mold (for example, in the continuous glass molding process, it will peel off when it is used less than 10,000 times).
Therefore, after long-term research and development directed to this problem, the inventor has found and invented that the life of the mold can be greatly extended by performing ion sputtering on the surface of the super-hard material prior to the carbon coating. It is also found that mechanical characteristics such as anti-friction, anti-wear, and anti-fatigue properties have been significantly improved.

Carbon coated metallic mold for making a glass plate


The present invention relates to a vertical floor self-locking musical instrument stand and a self-locking hook. The vertical floor self-locking musical instrument stand is provided with a plurality of folding structures, which can facilitate telescopic storage and reduce the occupied space. The telescopic length can be changed as needed to be portable. Various components are flexibly connected and assembled. The height of the position can be adjusted as needed. The stand is equipped with a folding anti-collision component and a self-locking hook, which can better protect the musical instrument and prevent the musical instrument from bumping or falling. When the musical instrument is suspended on the self-locking hook, the self-locking hook automatically locks the self-locking locking arm under the gravity of the musical instrument itself, providing protection for the musical instrument suspended thereon.

The currently used guitars and other stringed instruments of similar structure need to be temporarily placed on shelf for storage or be stored for display when not being played. If placed incorrectly or touched by an external force, stringed instruments such as guitars fall easily due to slippage or even are damaged due to fall. In order to provide protection for musical instruments when they are placed on shelf, a musical instrument hook or a musical instrument stand for fixedly positioning, temporarily storing, and displaying stringed instruments such as guitars is designed.
One type of musical instrument stands is a vertical floor musical instrument stand: a bearing structure of the fixed musical instrument is provided on the stand, a single supporting fork for protecting the musical instrument is provided at the bottom of the stand. A piano guard supporting fork is provided at the top of the stand. A simple interceptor is used to prevent the musical instrument from falling and sliding, which is rigid and inconvenient to operate. The stand needs to be disassembled into several main parts when the stand is stored. The assembly is also rigid and inflexible. It is inconvenient to carry about. A vertical floor instrument stand can generally only hold one musical instrument.

Vertical floor self-locking musical instrument stand and self-locking hook


A detector system that combines a 6Li loaded glass fiber scintillation thermal neutron detector with a fast scintillation detector in a single layered structure. Detection of thermal and fast neutrons and ionizing electromagnetic radiation is achieved in the unified detector structure. The fast scintillator replaces the polyethelene moderator layer adjacent the 6Li loaded glass fiber panel of the neutron detector and acts as the moderator for the glass fibers. Fast neutrons, x-rays and gamma rays are detected in the fast scintillator. Thermal neutrons, x-rays and gamma rays are detected in the glass fiber scintillator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to detectors of neutrons and gamma rays. More particularly, a fast scintillator detector replaces the polyethylene moderator adjacent the glass fiber structure of a 6Li loaded glass scintillator fiber-optic thermal neutron detector. The unified detector that results is sensitive to thermal and fast neutrons as well as ionizing electromagnetic radiation such as x-rays and gamma rays.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices are needed that can detect and characterize neutron and ionizing electromagnetic radiation sources in large objects at large distances. Such devices are of great interest for detecting and monitoring the movement of fissile and other nuclear materials. Gamma detectors and helium monitors are used at transportation portals for monitoring people, vehicles and large trucks.
In these applications, large area detectors are necessary for the collection of low source strength radiations within reasonable detection times. What is a reasonable time may be dictated by the economic costs associated with the slowing down of personnel and goods.
A viable alternative, in terms of radiation detection, is the employment of many detectors to cover the same area. Many detectors, however, carry the burden of associated electronics, cables, and processing electronics.
Fast plastic scintillation detectors are favored for use in portal monitors because of their sensitivity to gamma rays, and also because they can be made in large sizes inexpensively. The fast plastic output light can be used to measure time correlations of neutrons and gamma rays that characterize the fission chain multiplication processes in plutonium, uranium or other materials. The time dependent coincidence counts between pairs of detectors can and has been used in the past to characterize fissile material.
Another device that is applicable to the radiation detection problem is the 6Li loaded glass fiber detector where 6Li loaded glass fibers are embedded in polyethylene. The polyethylene moderates the fast neutrons and allows their subsequent absorption by the 6Li.
In the conventional 6Li detector, the 6Li loaded glass fibers are embedded in a polyethylene slab that can be up to one meter long. Since the glass fibers detect thermal neutrons preferentially, fast neutrons from fission must be slowed to low energy to be detected by the 6Li (nγ) reaction. To achieve this, additional polyethylene of various thicknesses is placed in front and back of the fiber panels to form a thermal neutron detector. The light produced in the fibers is collected at both ends and viewed by photomultiplier tubes. Electrical pulses produced by the photomultiplier tubes can be counted in coincidence or not. Coincidence counting eliminates photomultiplier and other electronic noise contributions.
The 6Li fiber optic detectors are designed for high-efficiency thermal neutron detection, and their utility for thermal coincidence counting and multiplicity counting is known. The time constants (˜100 ns) of the fission chain multiplication and decay processes of fissile material cannot be observed with the 6Li fiber optic detectors due to the polyethelene moderator (10's of microseconds) used in the detector. The time distribution of coincident counts only includes information about the moderator, although the amplitude is related to the quantity of fissile material.
The present invention is a unified layer structure merging a 6Li loaded glass scintillation fiber-optic thermal neutron detector with a fast scintillation detector. Detection of thermal and fast neutrons and ionizing electromagnetic radiation is achieved in a single detector structure.

Fiber optic thermal/fast neutron and gamma ray scintillation detector


A lamp drive circuit periodically energizes a lamp above its rated voltage and current for rapid illumination of the lamp. In the preferred embodiment, the lamp is connected in a voltage divider and the circuit monitors the voltage drop across the lamp. The voltage drop is indicative of the lamp resistance and thereby the temperature. When the voltage drop reaches a predetermined limit corresponding to the temperature rating of the lamp, it is de-energized and allowed to cool during the remainder of the cycle thereby enabling a high modulation frequency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with a lamp drive circuit that periodically energizes a lamp above its rated voltage and current for rapid illumination of the lamp. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a circuit in which the lamp is connected in a voltage divider and the circuit monitors the voltage drop across the lamp. The voltage drop is indicative of lamp resistance and thereby temperature. When the voltage drop reaches a predetermined limit corresponding to the temperature rating of the lamp, it is de-energized and allowed to cool during the remainder of the cycle thereby enabling a high modulation frequency.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Some measuring instruments measure the absorption or transmittance of certain light wavelenghts from a light source as a measure of a parameter of interest such as carbon dioxide. In order to eliminate the effects of ambient light and other noise components, the light from the light source is modulated, which allows filtering of DC inaccuracies. Such modulation is typically accomplished by using a mechanical, rotating filter wheel. Such mechanisms are relatively expensive, bulky and prone to mechanical failure.
Electronic modulation of the light source itself would eliminate the need for mechanical modulation, but available solid state devices such as LEDs and laser diodes cannot produce some needed frequencies such as the 4.2 uMeter wavelength necessary for carbon dioxide detection. A standard tungsten filament lamp can provide needed wavelengths but cannot be modulated electronically with a high enough modulation frequency because of the long thermal time constant of the filament.

Lamp modulation circuit having a feedback for measuring lamp temperature


A system, method and associated data structures for providing inter process communication where IPC endpoints may get relocated during the operation of the system. A device in accordance with the principles of the present invention comprises IPC filter rule management process, IPC filter rule lookup process, IPC filter rule table and plurality of IPC endpoints and a network interface for connectivity, wherein IPC filter rule management process creates, deletes and updates the entries in IPC filter rule table, and wherein IPC filter rule lookup process finds the matched rule and takes the forwarding actions. A system in accordance with the principles of present invention for providing inter process communication where IPC endpoints may get relocated during the operation of the system comprises a plurality of preferred devices which in an embodiment may be connected with plurality of functional peers through plurality of network interfaces.

In conventional communication systems shown in FIG. 1, a node 10 is required to interface with many neighbors. These are collectively shown in FIG. 1 as "Functional Peer Left" and "Functional Peer Right". There are strict availability and scalability requirements for the said node on all interfaces. In order to meet availability requirements, the system is implemented using redundant software components, redundant hardware elements and one or more of several possible high availability schemes. Scalability requirements are met through modular design. Software components are mapped to hardware elements which provide an execution environment for these software components. High availability schemes are realized using appropriate check pointing, data replication and failure detection schemes. On failure of a working hardware element or software component, a standby (hot) software component starts functioning in place of the failed software component. It also includes switching of hardware elements.
FIG. 2 shows a communication system 10 comprising plurality of hardware elements 20 through 2x. Software functional components associated with the processing of the interworking with functional peer left comprising plurality of modules 20_500 through 20_5xx and with functional peer right comprising plurality of modules 21_600 through 21_6xx. Functionality of these components is defined by the relevant specification in terms of protocol data units (PDU) or messages received from the functional peer and actions to be taken by the node 10. Such an action is performed by the plurality of software functional components 20_500 through 20_5xx and 21_600 through 21_6xxx and may or may not produce PDU on the same interface or on other interface. To realize this processing, the software functional components 20_500 through 20_5xx and 21_600 through 21_6xx are required to communicate among each other. This type of communication is referred to as inter process communication (IPC). Software function components that communicate with each other using IPC are called IPC end points. This is realized using a network 50 internal to the node. Every hardware element is connected to network 50 through network interface 20_400 through 2x_400 and assigned layer 3 addresses 10.0.0.1 through 10.0.0.x+1. The IPC endpoints may be located on the same hardware element or on different hardware elements. IPC endpoints 20_300 through 2x_300 are responsible for delivering the IPC messages to the destination IPC endpoints. There are also several different timing or design specific considerations for inter process communication.
There are many standard platforms such as cPCI, ATCA, microTCA etc. available off the shelf which can be used to realize node 10. These standard platforms can accommodate one or more hardware elements (such as hardware boards) to realize plurality of hardware element 20 through 2x. These hardware elements have a CPU, memory, the required communication interface, other hardware accelerators and a host operating system such as Linux. A communication interface on the hardware element is assigned one or more IP addresses and used for local-to-remote communication. A loopback interface is also provided for local communication.
IPC routing module maps the destination IPC endpoint to IP address and IPC message is sent through TCP/IP and routed using a kernel IP routing table to the destination IPC endpoint. To communicate with a desired IPC endpoint, the source IPC endpoint is required to select the correct IP address associated with the hardware element where the desired destination IPC endpoint is located. In other words, an IP address is associated with an IPC endpoint. FIG. 3 shows IPC message exchange 1000 from 20_500 to 20_501 located on same hardware element 20. IPC endpoint 20_300 maps 20_501 to the IP address 20_400 and message is routed using IP routing table. IPC endpoint 20_300 receives the message and sends it to 20_501. FIG. 3 also show IPC message exchange 2000 from 20_500 to 21_600 located on hardware elements 20 and 21 respectively. IPC endpoint 20_300 maps 21_600 to the IP address 21_400 and message is routed using IP routing table. IPC endpoint 21_300 receives the message and sends it to 21_600. Hardware element 22 is hot standby to hardware element 21.
The association of an IP address with an IPC endpoint is not fixed and may change because of failure. FIG. 4 shows that on failure of hardware element 21, hardware element 22 becomes active and 21_600 is now associated with different IP address (22_400). This means IPC endpoint 20_300 should send messages for IPC exchange to IP address 22_400.
PDUs from left functional peer and right functional peer are processed in a user data context which may be established through control PDUs exchange or statically configured. There will be many user data contexts exist in the system, one each for every PDUs flow. A scalable system would implement plurality of software functional elements and plurality of hardware elements for handling many user data contexts. Due to this user data context associated with a flow will have many instances. Software functional components are required to communicate with each others to process PDUs associated with user data context. This means a software functional component together with user data context participates in inter process communication and are being referred to as IPC endpoints.
The IPC endpoints may get relocated because of exceeded capacity, failure or change in the Functional peer and will require change in the selected layer 3 address and destination IPC end point by source IPC endpoint for IPC messaging. IPC message exchange between two IPC endpoints is called as IPC message flow.
It can be seen that there is a need for a method and data structures for providing efficient inter process communication where IPC endpoints may be relocated during operation of the system.

Method and system for efficient inter-process communication in a high availability system


In a device and a method for increasing the safety of a motor vehicle, a first sensor unit (2) detects the environment, in particular free spaces and objects (0) and the position and motion thereof, a second sensor unit (20) detects the environment state, a third sensor unit (30) detects the vehicle state, and a fourth sensor unit (40) detects the driver inputs. The respective data from the several sensor units are combined. In consideration of the data, a driving safety coordinator (6) calculates the risk of collision on the basis of a risk evaluation, and determines pre-collision phases (P1, P2, P3, P4a, P4b) of the motor vehicle (1) with regard to the object (0).

Such a safety device and method for increasing safety in road traffic is known from EP 1 735 187 A1. In the known system, a supporting driving maneuver is determined during or after a steering action as part of an avoidance maneuver initiated by the driver, wherein the driver input can be overridden at any time. This known method determines based on environmental signals if a critical situation with respect to driving dynamics exists or if a collision is imminent. The method is preferably used for avoidance maneuvers in emergency situations.

Safety device for a motor vehicle and method for operating a motor vehicle


A captive fastener including a bushing having a body portion and an internal bore extending through the body portion A snap ring is mounted within the internal bore. A fastener having an elongated shaft is mounted within the bore and is adapted to reciprocate within the bore between retracted and extended positions. The elongated shaft has a shank diameter and threads formed on one end of the fastener. The snap ring engages the bolt when the shaft is extended and retracted. The fastener has a shank diameter which is 0.020 inches to 0.060 inches shorter than the bore diameter so that the fastener can be moved laterally within the bore.

Captive fasteners are well known in the manufacturing industry. A captive fastener is typically a fastener that is held in a bushing to prevent the fastener from being inadvertently removed from the bushing. The fastener can reciprocate within the bushing between a fastened position and unfastened position. The purpose is to keep the fastener attached to the bushing so that it is not lost. The bushing is mounted for example to a first work surface in a manner to prevent unintended removal. The bushing could be pressed in, threaded, deformed, or mounted with a secondary fastener such as a locking screw. Many captive fasteners use thread locking, press-fitting, or broaching to accomplish their anchor-hold within the larger assembly housing. However, some captive fasteners meld with the material into which they are joined, either through cold forming or welding.
The fastener is intended to be fastened to a second work surface by pushing the fastener into the bushing and then fastening the fastener to a receiver in or adjacent the second work surface. The fastener and receiver can take many forms, for example, it could be a t-fastener which fits in a slotted fastener, a threaded end that is threaded into a nut, etc. Captive fasteners are designed for permanent retention within their target assembly or housing providing a secure joint and avoiding loss or damage that might be caused by a loose part.
Typical captive fasteners have the bolt or shaft tightly received within the longitudinal opening in the bushing. There is no play between the fastener and the bushing. The fastener is free to reciprocate longitudinally with respect to the bushing, but cannot move laterally with respect to the bushing.
A major problem with captive fasteners and in particular threaded fasteners is that the fastener has to be carefully and accurately aligned with the receiver since the fastener cannot be adjusted laterally with respect to the receiver. If the fastener and receiver are misaligned even slightly, the fastener cannot be properly inserted into the receiver. With several captive fasteners in a single workpiece, this problem becomes even more acute. To align the fasteners properly, the workpiece must be realigned, which slows the operation.
The problem is greatest with threaded fasteners since the external threads of the fastener must align with the internal threads of the receiver. If they are misaligned, the threads can bind.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.