A system and method for reducing data usage for wireless subscription plans. An email and an attachment are downloaded to a first device of a first recipient. An attachment is identified on the email by an attachment processing service that ensures that sharing from the first device is based on a credit policy. That there is more than one recipient for the email and attachment is determined. That a second device of a second recipient is in the vicinity of the first device is determined. Verification of the second device is established with an email fingerprint exchange handshake based on a fingerprint of the email for the second recipient that is computed from a hash of content of the email, an identifier of the attachment, and an email id of the second recipient. A second network is utilized to copy the attachment from the first device to the second device.

People are now using mobile telephones to download email attachments using their provider networks. Often times the same attachment gets downloaded by multiple people who are part of the same recipient group. There is no standard way to optimize the download and sharing of this same attachment (or set of attachments). What is needed is a way to recognize this download redundancy and to optimize it to reduce the data usage for mobile telephone users. In the increasingly interconnected world where smart phones are used as a tool for social media, entertainment and office work, the data usage of a phone needs to be optimized to save cost and bandwidth for corporations and users.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Cost optimized email attachment download in a mobile device

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A flame retardant composition comprising:. (i) a thermoplastic resin; PA1 (ii) magnesium hydroxide; and PA1 (iii) an organopolysiloxane modified styrene elastomer.

Thermoplastic resins, which have good electrical insulation characteristics, are widely used to provide insulating jacketing or sheaths for wire and cable. Recently, there has been a demand for improved flame retardant properties, e.g., as high as V-1 to V-0 using Underwriters Laboratories standards.
Thermoplastic resin can be made flame retardant by adding to the resin organic halides or antimony oxides, for example, or the resin itself can be halogenated to provide polymers such as polyvinyl chloride or chlorinated polyethylene. These thermoplastic resins, however, on burning, drip, sag, and emit large amounts of smoke and other harmful gases, and also corrode metals.
In order to solve these problems, it has been proposed to add metal hydroxides to non-halogenated thermoplastic resins. Aluminum hydroxide was first used because of its low cost, but it has such a low decomposition temperature (170.degree. to 190.degree. C.) that the aluminum hydroxide decomposes, generating water, which, in turn, causes foaming on interior surfaces. Furthermore, to obtain a flame retardance of V-1 to V-0, aluminum hydroxide has to be added to the thermoplastic resin in amounts of as much as 60 to 65 percent by weight based on the weight of the total composition.
Compared with aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide has a much higher decomposition temperature (about 360.degree. C.), and, thus, exhibits less foaming. For this reason, and others, magnesium hydroxide has been widely used as a flame retardant in resins. One disadvantage of a thermoplastic resin/magnesium hydroxide flame retardant composition, however, is that the magnesium hydroxide absorbs carbon dioxide from high humidity, high temperature atmospheres such as the atmosphere found in a cable tunnel. This results in the formation of magnesium hydroxycarbonate (MgCO.sub.3 .multidot.Mg(OH).sub.2), a white substance, on, for example, the surface of a wire or cable jacket. This "whitening" not only detracts from the appearance of the jacket, but also has a degrading effect insofar as arc resistance, insulation, mechanical, low temperature brittleness, and other properties are concerned.
Magnesium hydroxide is also not conducive to good moldability. When combined with a thermoplastic resin, poor flammability, slow molding speed, rough surfaces, and lower electrical and mechanical properties can be the result.


A new and distinct cultivar of Angelonia plant named ‘Balanglader’ characterized by its lavender-colored flowers, medium-sized flowers, and compact, upright growth habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Angelonia plant botanically known as Angelonia angustifolia and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'Balanglader'.
The new cultivar was developed by the inventor in a controlled breeding program during July 1999 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Angelonia cultivars with unique flower colors, good branching, and compact growth habit.
The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietary Angelonia angustifolia breeding selection designated 254-AA, not patented, characterized by its pink-colored flowers with purple-colored spots, dark green-colored foliage, and well-branched, mounded growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietary Angelonia angustifolia breeding selection designated BFP-272, not patented, characterized by its white-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and well-branched, compact, and upright growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during October 2000 in a controlled environment at Arroyo Grande, Calif.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since October 2000 at West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.


A permeameter including a fluid control chamber, a permeability specimen area, and a first outlet from the specimen area measuring fluid as a function of a normal permeability of at least one specimen in the specimen area and a second outlet from the specimen area receiving and measuring further fluid as a function of a radial permeability of the at least one specimen in the specimen area.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,192, hereby incorporated by reference herein, describes a permeameter providing both normal and lateral permeability measurements on porous materials. The prior art permeameter has a base, a fluid chamber housing and a compression ring. The base has a recess. The recess is defined by a transverse wall and a cylindrical upper sidewall. The fluid chamber housing has an upper axially extending tubular section and an enlarged lower section. A piston is positioned within the upper tubular section which is axially moveable within the upper tubular section. A seal is provided between the head of the piston and the upper tubular section with an o-ring.

Simultaneous normal and radial liquid permeameter


A rotor nozzle includes a nozzle housing having an inlet opening at one end and an outlet opening at another end and has a rotor which is arranged in a turbulence chamber and which is provided at its front end facing the outlet opening. A nozzle is supported in a cup bearing and has an inflow opening. A bypass device changes a radial or a tangential component of the liquid flowing into the turbulence chamber, which sets the rotor into rotation. A control surface is provided in the turbulence chamber. A restoring device is provided which is active between the front end of the rotor and the rear rotor end, wherein as the rotor rotary speed increases, the inclination of the rotor increases against the action of a restoration force of the restoring device and the restoring device reduces the rotor inclination as the rotor rotary speed decreases.

The invention relates to a rotor nozzle, in particular for high-pressure cleaning devices in accordance with the preamble of claim 1.
Rotor nozzles of this type are generally known and serve to discharge liquid in particular at a high pressure. There is generally a need for rotor nozzles which can be used in as versatile a manner as possible, with the safety of the user moreover in particular being ensured at high operating pressures at any time.


A method for determining a position of a rotating shaft and, more particularly, for determining a sync position of an engine crankshaft or engine camshaft. The method includes sequentially measuring consecutive time periods generated in response to rotation of the shaft, and comparing each measured time period to a value calculated from a predetermined function based on more than one measured time period to determine the sync position. Preferably, the comparing step includes comparing a penultimate measured time period to a product of a sync factor and the sum of an ultimate measured time period, the penultimate measured time period, and an antepenultimate measured time period. After determining the sync position, the method includes sequentially measuring a predetermined number of consecutive time periods generated in response to further or continued rotation of the shaft, and comparing a penultimate measured time period to a value calculated from the predetermined function to verify the sync position.

The present invention relates to methods for determining a position of a rotating shaft.
Crankshaft position information and/or camshaft position information is vital to provide accurate spark plug ignition and fuel injection in most vehicle engines. One prior art system for detecting the position of a rotating shaft utilizes feature pattern recognition to determine a synchronization or sync position of the shaft. The prior art system includes a target wheel having a predetermined feature pattern rotating with the shaft during engine operation, means for generating an electrical signal in response to rotation of the feature pattern, and means for identifying a sync period from the generated feature pattern signal and determining the sync position of the shaft. The feature pattern is formed with a plurality of timing features including a sync feature. The sync feature can be either an extra or missing timing feature on the target wheel.
FIG. 1 is a graph illustrating an electrical signal 10 produced in response to rotation of a feature pattern on a target wheel fixed to an engine shaft and including a sync period determined in accordance with a prior art method. The feature pattern includes six consecutive timing features producing six consecutive pulses, labeled as 1-6 respectively in FIG. 1, and a seventh or sync feature producing one pulse, labeled as 7 in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the seventh or sync feature is uniquely spaced on the target wheel. More specifically, consecutive features are equally spaced with the exception of the sync or seventh feature which is uniquely spaced by a shorter distance from the sixth and first timing features. In other words, the fifth and sixth timing features and the sixth and first timing features are equally spaced, and the seventh or sync feature is disposed between the sixth and first timing features with the sync feature spaced closer to the sixth feature than the first feature.
One prior art method of identifying the sync period includes the steps of: measuring time periods between consecutive pulses; determining whether the current time period is a predetermined fraction of the last time period; and if the current time period is a predetermined fraction of the last time period, measuring the next time period and determining if the next time period is a predetermined multiple of the current time period to locate the sync period and determine the sync position of the shaft. For example, assume that the current time period (tc) is the time period between the sixth pulse and the seventh pulse as labeled in FIG. 1. If the current time period (tc) is the predetermined fraction of the last time period (tl), i.e. the time period between the fifth pulse and the sixth pulse as labeled in FIG. 1, then the next time period (tn), i.e. the time period between the seventh pulse and the first pulse as labeled in FIG. 1, is measured. If the next time period (tn) is a predetermined multiple of the current time period (tc), then the sync period is determined to be the time period between the sixth pulse and the seventh pulse.
However, some vehicle engines produce large engine r.p.m. oscillations during starting conditions shortening or lengthening the time period being measured and, thus, resulting in either missed feature recognition or false feature detection of the sync period when using the prior art method. Accordingly, there is a desire to provide an improved method of determining a position of an engine shaft during engine operation or shaft rotation.
The present invention provides a method for determining a position of a rotating shaft and, more particularly, for determining a synchronization or sync position of an engine crankshaft or engine camshaft. The method includes sequentially measuring consecutive time periods generated in response to rotation of the shaft, and comparing each measured time period to a value calculated from a predetermined function based on more than one measured time period to determine the sync position.
Preferably, the comparing step includes the step of comparing a penultimate measured time period to a product of a sync factor and the sum of an ultimate measured time period, the penultimate measured time period, and an antepenultimate measured time period.
After determining the sync position, the method includes sequentially measuring a predetermined number of consecutive time periods generated in response to further or continued rotation of the shaft, and comparing a penultimate measured time period to a value calculated from the predetermined function to verify the sync position. In other words, after the sync position is located, the method performs the comparing step to verify the sync position only with selected time periods or at selected sync and timing features.

Method for determining a position of a rotating shaft


A baby bath including a tub and a showerhead. The baby bath also includes a hose capable of connecting to a water source allowing for a flow of water. The hose may be located in a circumference of the tub or connected to the showerhead.

This invention relates to bathing a baby and in particular, bathing the baby using a combination of a baby bathtub and a baby shower.
A popular technique of bathing an infant utilizes filling an oval-type basin with water and placing the baby therein. There are many hazards and inconveniences associated with bathing the baby using this method. To name a few, the baby may become slippery and difficult to handle and the baby's head may become submerged below the surface of the water. To diminish these hazards, a person bathing the infant uses his/her arm to support the baby. However, this makes it difficult to wash and rinse the baby since one hand is used as a support. During the course of the bath, the water in the conventional basin is not changed since the act of waiting for the existing water to drain and for the tub to be replenished is tedious. In addition, post delivery mothers are recuperating from delivery. Thus, they want the care of their newborns to be simple, efficient, and sanitary.


A switch structure includes a switch body, a holding member, a torsion member, and a swinging lever. The switch body includes a base included a front surface and a rear surface, a pushing portion, two fixing portion, each fixing portion defining a guiding slot. The holding member defines two cavities. The switch body is rotatably installed onto the holding member by inserting the fixing portion into the cavity. The torsion member includes two elastic arms and a connecting pole, one of the elastic arm is hooked to the holding member. The swinging lever includes a first end movably connected to the switch body, a second end movably connected to the other elastic arm, and a connecting portion connecting the first and second end, the swinging lever rotatably installed to the holding member via the connecting portion.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a switch structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many electronic devices include a side switch for triggering/inputting control instructions. When designing such side switches, button segment feeling (reaction effect provided by the side switch to a user) is a main factor to be considered. However, current side switches usually cannot provide desirable button segment feeling.
Therefore, what is desired is a switch structure that can overcome the above described problem.


A method of operating an internal combustion engine wherein a predicted engine exhaust temperature is used as an input to a microprocessor controlling the engine. Exhaust temperature can be controlled by adjusting engine operation. Exhaust gas recirculation mass flow can be more accurately determined using the predicted engine exhaust temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to predicting exhaust gas temperatures of an internal combustion engine.
2. Prior Art
Exhaust gas temperatures from internal combustion engines are typically considered when designing engine exhaust systems and components of such systems. Exhaust gas temperature from an engine can be determined by measuring the temperature of the engine exhaust gas. Alternatively, various thermodynamic considerations can be considered and a predicted exhaust gas temperature can be calculated based upon the thermal mass and conductance of the engine and the expected steady-state engine operating parameters.
It would be desirable to have a method of determining exhaust gas temperature as a function of actual engine operating conditions. The method can provide an engine control input for an engine controller which can adjust engine operation to control the engine exhaust gas temperature. Further, the accuracy of determining exhaust gas recirculation mass flow can be improved by using predicted exhaust gas temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,829 teaches a method of predicting the temperature of the bed of a catalytic converter positioned in the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine. The catalytic converter temperature is predicted based on engine operating parameters by using empirically determined steady state temperature contributions to the catalytic converter from the mass air flow through the engine and the air/fuel ratio of the mixture supplied to the engine. These steady state values are applied to a first order lag filter equation having a time constant that is based on mass air flow through the engine and which defines the response of the catalytic converter temperature to transient operation of the engine. There is no specific compensation for engine speed, ignition timing and exhaust gas recirculation rate. Accordingly, a more accurate means for inferring and controlling engine exhaust gas temperature would be desirable.

Engine operation to estimate and control exhaust catalytic converter temperature


An image sensor is disclosed. The image sensor includes a plurality of pixels formed in a semiconductor substrate, each pixel including a light sensitive element. Further, a multilayer stack is formed over the pixels, the multilayer stack adapted to filter incident light in the infrared region. Finally, micro-lenses are formed over the multilayer stack and over the light sensitive element.

Image sensors are electronic integrated circuits that can be used to produce still or video images. Solid state image sensors can be either of the charge coupled device (CCD) type or the complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) type. In either type of image sensor, a light gathering pixel is formed in a substrate and arranged in a two-dimensional array. Modern image sensors typically contain millions of pixels to provide a high resolution image. An important part of the image sensor are the color filters and micro-lens structures formed atop of the pixels. The color filters, as the name implies, are operative, in conjunction with signal processing, to provide a color image. The micro-lenses serve to focus the incident light onto the pixels, and thus to improve the fill factor of each pixel.
An infrared (IR) filter is typically used in conjunction with image sensors. The IR filter prevents or limits IR radiation from being incident to the image sensor. Many prior silicon-based pixels are reactive to light in the IR region. Thus, if IR radiation is incident on the pixel, the pixel will generate an output signal. This is undesirable in most applications of image sensors, since these image sensors are designed to provide an image based upon light visible to the human eye.
One common prior art method for solving this problem is to provide a discrete IR filter component in front of the image sensor and/or the lens of the image sensor. The IR filter may come in various forms, but may take the form of a coated glass filter. However, this adds to the cost of the entire camera apparatus.

Image sensor having integrated thin film infrared filter


Nanometer to micrometer sized particles containing platinum and having selected morphologies are prepared by a sonochemical process. A compound of platinum is dissolved, suspended, or diluted in a suitable liquid medium at a predetermined concentration and the liquid is maintained at a predetermined temperature from sub-ambient temperatures to above ambient temperatures. A reducing gas is bubbled through the liquid as it is subjected to cavitation at a controlled power to affect the reductive decomposition of the platinum compound. The morphology of the precipitated platinum particles can be varied widely by varying the described concentration, temperature and power parameters.

Small metallic platinum particles are used in a wide range of catalytic applications including fuel cell anodes and cathodes, automotive catalysis, hydrocarbon reforming, and carbon monoxide cleanup via the water-gas shift reaction. Surface studies have shown that the rates at which such catalyzed reactions proceed are affected by the specific morphology of the platinum particles. Conventional platinum deposition methods provide no opportunity for variation in platinum particle morphology and typically yield only generally spherical particles with smooth (if porous) surfaces. Small spherical platinum particles can provide a large surface area per gram of particles, but there remains a need for a general method of making small platinum particles of differing morphologies, especially with different surface characteristics, so that a preferred particle shape may be made for a specific catalyst application.

Platinum particles with varying morphology


A direct drive water pump is provided for circulating coolant in a high performance engine with or without a radiator. The direct drive water pump utilizes an electric motor that may be removed. The direct drive water pump utilizes removable flanges that provide for the use of the pump with multiple engines having various water passage configurations.

The present invention relates generally to a water pump for circulating coolant and, in particular, to the use of an electric motor and a plurality of blades on an impeller to increase coolant circulation in high performance engines.
Internal combustions engines, such as those used in automobiles typically utilize a liquid cooling system to reduce the operating temperature of the engine and to increase engine performance. The liquid cooling system is conventionally composed of passages and chambers in the engine block and cylinder head had that are interconnected to allow the liquid to flow through these components to a radiator consisting of small tubes in cooperation with a honeycomb structure of fins to facilitate heat exchanging to cool the liquid. The liquid is typically water with ethylene glycols added to increase the boiling temperature and lower the freezing point of the water. To facilitate the movement of the water in the cooling system, a centrifugal-type pump driven by a belt, chain or gears in cooperation with the rotation of the engine crankshaft. Furthermore, to facilitate the heat exchange, a fan is utilized to draw cooler air through the radiator.
In high performance engines, such as those used in street rods, muscle cars and racecars typically operate at higher temperatures due to the increased horsepower and operating temperatures of the engine. These types of engines require more large cooling systems, such as increased volume radiators and fans. However, the size of the cooling system may be limited by the size of the engine compartment and often race sanctioning bodies such as the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (xe2x80x9cNASCARxe2x80x9d), National Hot Rod Association (xe2x80x9cNHRAxe2x80x9d), Formula One, Champion Auto Racing Teams, Inc. (xe2x80x9cCARTxe2x80x9d) and others, often limit the volume of coolant allowed in the engine and radiator systems. Moreover, some engine builders and race mechanics may limit the amount of coolant used, or the size of the radiator in an attempt to reduce the weight of the vehicle. Often, engine builders fill a portion of the coolant passages to increase the strength of the engine block.
The flow of coolant through the engine block, cylinder heads and radiator, is controlled by the volumetric output of the coolant pump and, with conventional crank driven pumps, engine speed measured in revolutions per minute (RPM). These types of pumps are composed of a gear mechanism in the pump housing that is rotated by a belt driven off of the crankshaft. Therefore, the greater the RPM of the engine, the faster the rotational speed of the pump gear which, in turn, increases the flow rate of the coolant. Even though these pumps are effective for high RPM situations, these pumps are insufficient for low RPM situations such when the engine is at an idle or at low speeds.
In racing venues, it is common to see the engine mechanics using other methods to reduce engine temperatures while the engine is at idle or directly after running a race and in anticipation of the next pass. Racing sanctioning bodies often prohibit the use of the ethylene glycol in the cooling systems. Although the additive is effective at increasing the boiling point of water, it is extremely difficult to remove from concrete and asphalt and if spilled on the racing surface will cause a dangerously slippery racetrack. Besides eliminating additives, some racecars may not utilize a radiator, fan, or both in an attempt to decrease weight and eliminate load of the fan or pump paced on the engine. To minimize overheating, drag racers often tow the racecar by a tow vehicle to the staging lanes, starting line and from the finish line after the driver has shut down the engine. However, some racing classes do not allow tow vehicles and require the driver to drive the racecar to the staging lines and from the finish line. To control overheating, these types of racers, will position bags of ice on the engine intake manifold to assist in cooling the engine, spray water on the engine block or use large fans to blow cooler air at the engines. Although these methods may be effective in lowering the engine temperature, they are not practical in all racing situations and thus, method and system is needed to reduce engine temperatures in high performance engine, which do not take horsepower away from the engine.
The present invention provides a water pump for driving the coolant system of a high performance engine without reducing the horsepower of the engine. The water pump utilizes a direct drive system, which provides pump speeds that are independent of engine RPM. An electric motor is utilized to drive an impeller in the water pump, which is powered by a conventional 12-volt car battery or a 16-volt race battery. The impeller of the water pump has multiple blades to increase the flow rate of the pump.
The water pump of the present invention also provides a modular system that allows for the adaptation of a single motor and reservoir housing to be used on engines of varying sizes (i.e., big block and small block engines) and engines having unique coolant passageway locations by providing different shape and sized flanges that mount with the engine coolant passageway and the inlet of the impeller housing with coolant reservoir of the pump. This modular design also provides for easier access to the camshaft of conventional push-rod motors by allowing removability of the pump section while keeping the flanges attached to the motor.


An actuator system for linear movement comprises an array of movable control wires, a spring-loaded, axially telescoping assembly and two bi-directional one-way clutch assemblies fitted to the ends of the telescoping assembly, the reciprocating compressive action of which operates in concert with the clutch assemblies whereby the wire is alternatingly pulled in one assembly while being ratcheted by the other to achieve incremental linear motion in one selected direction or the other. The telescoping assembly is compressed by a mechanical motion derived preferably from one of several alternate solid state electrical-to-motion transducers. The actuator system is built using the change in length of solid material. The bigger the actuator's scale, the more powerful the actuator. Conversely, since the dimensional changes take place in the material on a molecular level it suggests that very small units could be built in the micro-actuator size. The very large advantage of the microsystem of the present invention is derived from the simplicity of construction. There are no micro-motors or gears or shafts or bearings to build.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to linear actuators. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for linearly displacing an output member in the form of a mechanical control wire, by means of at least two wire-gripping assemblies operating in concert with an intermediate compressible assembly provided therebetween. The wire is gripped by means of two one-way linear clutches setable in either direction. The clutches are mounted on opposite ends of the compressible assembly. The intermediate assembly is contracted by an array of shape memory alloy wires, then allowed to expand thereby pulling tendon wire therethrough.
II. Description of the Relevant Art
It is often desired to apply linear motion to an output member such as a mechanical control wire in order to displace the member to an accurate position.
The rack-and-pinion assembly, the jack screw and the hydraulic cylinder assembly are the preferred and known mechanisms presently used that are able to generate linear motion. Each of these mechanisms has its own special attraction to a given application.
However, while none of these mechanisms is complicated in theory, resulting linear motion actuators themselves are relatively complicated in practice, and usually include expensive and heavy elements such as carefully machined gear and shaft members. Others require expensive, complicated and massive support systems.
Regardless of their cost, complexity and size the known linear actuators systems serve well their specific functions. However, they fail to effectively function in other linear motion areas. For example, in the art of robotics comprising robotic arms, fingers and the like, the required motions are articulate and the required mechanism is light. Motion multiplexing from a single central actuator reduces the multiple duplication of motor weights and equipment costs. In this application, delicate, strong, fast, and accurately controllable movement of one or more control wires is critical. An improved analog for muscles and tendons in robots is wanting.
The known methods of linear actuation fail to meet the very specific and, in their own way, very demanding needs of robotics. Accordingly, prior approaches to providing linear actuators to robot control machines have been assemblages of parts from other technologies, neither being a perfect fit nor a perfect function.

Multiplexing incremental linear actuator system


A method includes receiving, by a check-in device associated with the event management system, a ticket information for an attendee of an event, the check-in device comprising an access point, the access point being operable to connect by a wireless signal to one or more mobile devices, transmitting, from the check-in device to a gatekeeper system associated with the event management system, the ticket information for the attendee, wherein the gatekeeper system comprises a router, a switch, and a computing system, and wherein the check-in device is communicably connected to the gatekeeper system, validating, by the gatekeeper system, the ticket information for the attendee, and transmitting, from the gatekeeper system to the check-in device, an indication of validity of the ticket information for the attendee.

Entry management at events is a long established problem. Typically, event organizers will have someone man the door equipped with a clipboard, a list of all the registered attendees printed on paper and a pen to mark off those who have entered. The process is time consuming and breaks down when an event has multiple locations with multiple points of entry. Entry lines will often be long and slow as the person at the door looks up each person on the list. When multiple locations are involved, a person could sneak into the event by giving the name of a person that went in the other door. [4] Event management information can be stored in relational databases. Generally, a relational database is a collection of relations (frequently referred to as tables). Relational databases use a set of mathematical terms, which may use Structured Query Language (SQL) database terminology. MySQL is a relational database management system (RDBMS) that runs as a server providing multi-user access to a number of databases. SQLite is a software library that implements a self-contained, serverless, zero-configuration, transactional SQL database engine.

System for on-site management of an event


The display device with high detection accuracy includes: display pixel electrodes; a common electrode; a display function layer; a display control circuit performing image display control by applying a pixel voltage to each of the display pixel electrodes and applying a common drive voltage to the common electrode, the common drive voltage inverting in synchronization with a drive cycle of the image display control; a touch detection electrode cooperating with the common electrode to form a capacitor; and a touch detection circuit detecting an external proximity object, based on a detection signal obtained from the touch detection electrode in response to the common drive voltage applied to the common electrode. The touch detection circuit performs the detection operation in a inversion period following an inversion timing of the common drive voltage, based on both first and second detection signals obtained before and after the inversion timing, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device such as a liquid crystal display device, and particularly relates to a display device which includes a capacitance type touch sensor and into which information can be input with a touch by a user's finger or the like, and to an electronic unit having such a display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, attention has been given to a display unit in which a contact detection device (hereinafter, referred to as a touch sensor) generally called a touch panel is directly mounted on a liquid crystal display device and causes the liquid crystal display device to display various buttons for input of information in stead of providing typical buttons. Amid a trend towards an increase in the size of a screen on a mobile device, this technique enables an arrangement common to a display and buttons, bringing about great advantages such as space savings and a reduction in the number of components. However, this technique has such a problem that the thickness of the entire liquid crystal module is increased because the touch sensor is mounted. In particular, when this technique is applied to a mobile device, it is necessary to provide a protection layer so as to prevent scratches on the touch panel and therefore, there is such a problem that the thickness of the liquid crystal module tends to be larger, going against a trend towards a reduction in thickness.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-9750 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,057,903 each propose a liquid crystal display element with a capacitance type touch panel, whose thickness is reduced. In this type, a conductive film for the touch panel is provided between a substrate on an observation side of the liquid crystal display element and a polarizing plate for observation arranged on an outer surface of the substrate on the observation side, and the capacitance type touch panel is formed between the conductive film for the touch panel and an outer surface of a polarizing plate so that this outer surface of the polarizing plate is used as a touch face.


A heat sink for cooling an electronic component includes a lower plate, an upper plate, an upper fin set and a lower fin set respectively fixed on the upper plate and the lower plate, and a plurality of heat pipes sandwiched between the upper plate and the lower plate. The lower plate forms a protrusion projecting downwardly therefrom. A bottom surface of the protrusion is milled to be flat and smooth, whereby the bottom surface can intimately contact the electronic component. A method for manufacturing the heat sink comprising milling a bottom surface of a protrusion punched downwardly from a lower plate, whereby the bottom surface can be flat and smooth sufficiently to have an intimate contact with an electronic component, and sequentially welding an upper plate on the lower plate and a plurality of fins on the lower plate and the upper plate, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat sink and a method manufacturing the same, and more particularly to a heat sink having a downward protruded surface which is milled for being in intimate contact with an electronic component to be cooled and a method manufacturing the heat sink.
2. Description of Related Art
The central processing unit (CPU) mounted on the motherboard in a computer is the center of operations of the computer. During the operations of the computer, the CPU produces heat. The heat must be quickly carried away from the CPU during the operations of the computer. Accordingly, a heat sink is used to remove the heat from the CPU.
Conventionally, a heat sink includes a metal base contacting the CPU to absorb heat therefrom, and a plurality of fins extending from the base to dissipate the heat to an ambient atmosphere.
The metal base has a bottom surface contacting with a top surface of the CPU. To enable the bottom surface and the top surface to have an intimate engagement therebetween, the bottom surface is milled to be highly flat and smooth. In the conventional heat sink, an entirety of the bottom surface of the metal base is milled, which is time consuming and costly.
What is needed, therefore, is a heat sink which can overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Heat sink and a method for manufacturing the same

Fu Zhun Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd.


A payment device includes an integrated circuit (IC) to store at least two account numbers. The payment device also includes an antenna coupled to the IC to selectively transmit a selected one of the account numbers. The IC includes at least three terminals by which the IC is coupled to the antenna and to at least one other device.

Many holders of payment cards (credit and/or debit cards) find to their inconvenience that they wish to carry several such cards at the same time, potentially leading to overcrowding of the limited space in the holders' wallets. Among other proposed solutions, it has been proposed (e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,631,849, issued to Blossom) to alleviate this problem with payment cards that carry two or more magnetic stripes, where each of the magnetic stripes is used to access a respective payment card account. This same problem potentially exists with respect to proximity payment devices, of which one example is the "PayPass"® card distributed by MasterCard International Incorporated, the assignee hereof. However there has been to date little or no detailed consideration of how to configure a proximity payment device to allow the user to access more than one account with a single device.

Multiple account wireless payment device


A process for producing a protein hydrolysate derived from keratin containing material with an oxidative bleaching agent at an acidic pH and mixing the keratin hydrolysate as an additive to the wet-end of a papermaking process. The process achieves a paper with a lower porosity and greater breaking length.

The present invention relates to the use of protein hydrolysate derived from keratin-containing material in the wet-end of a papermaking process, a process for preparing a paper product, and paper pulp and paper products comprising such a protein hydrolysate additive.
In the papermaking industry a wide variety of additives is applied to improve properties of the finished paper product. Such properties include, for instance, printability, wet/dry strength, softness and wetting properties. Generally, the amounts of additives to be used need to be carefully controlled because most of these additives are expensive chemicals.

Mixing of a protein hydrolysate derived from keratin-containing material in the wet-end of a papermaking process

Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepastnatuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno


A golf shaft grip which is lightweight, provides sufficient hand to grip adhesion qualities and can be installed without the use of glue, tape or solvents, the grip including grip nodules positioned along the grip end of a golf shaft and attached to the shaft at holes spatially positioned thereabout.

Grips for golf shafts have traditionally been made of leather, synthetic or natural rubber materials which are formed into a tapered tube shape and fitted over or around the grip or butt end of the golf shaft. Typically, the grips are secured to the shaft by glue or tape. Golf shaft performance can be greatly impacted by altering the materials and structure thereof and significant efforts have been directed at reducing the overall weight of the shaft. These efforts have also been directed to reducing the weight of the golf shaft grip and such weight reduction efforts have traditionally focused on modifying the raw materials and manufacturing process for the grips. Practical limitations are encountered, however, when the desire to reduce the weight of the grip is combined with the need to maintain the outside grip dimensions for comfort and feel purposes. A "gripless" golf shaft system exists that eliminates the golf grip entirely, but such a gripless system has resulted in, inter alia, problems of insufficient hand-to-grip adhesion and difficulties in renewing the adhesive qualities of the grip area.


A method for controlling a sensor includes steps of: sensing an object for determining whether the object is within a sensing range of the sensor; if it is determined that the object is not within the sensing range, the sensor is turned into a non-active mode for a predicted non-active time, wherein the predicted non-active time is calculated based on a predetermined or a historical non-active time; sensing the object for determining whether the object is within the sensing range during the predicted non-active time; and if it is determined that the object is not within the sensing range during the predicted non-active time, the sensor is turned into a sleep mode for an predicted sleep time, wherein the predicted sleep time is calculated based on the predetermined non-active time and a predetermined sleep time, or is calculated based on the historical non-active time and a historical sleep time.

Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling an electrical device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a sensor.
Description of Related Art
With the progression of technology, sizes of portable electrical devices become slimmer and lighter, so does the size of batteries in portable electrical devices, which limits the capacity of the battery. On the other hand, customers prefer to have portable electrical devices with the longer service time such that they can work or play with the portable electrical devices for a longer time when unplugged.
In view of the above, how to decrease power consumption of the portable electrical devices for extending service time of the portable electrical devices so as to attract customers has become the priority of manufacturers.


A vault is of the multi-lobed double-wall type, including inflatable beams disposed side by side. The vault includes at least one opening-out or folding-up path along which the beams are slidably mounted. Each opening-out or folding-up path traverses the beams in a sealed manner.

The present invention relates to multi-lobed double-wall inflatable vaults, which can be opened outwardly and collapsed by inflating and deflating, respectively.
An inflatable vault generally includes a plurality of longitudinal beams disposed side by side, means for sliding at least one longitudinal end of the beams along at least one opening-out or folding-up path and means for supplying the beams with inflating fluid.
An inflatable vault is known, more particularly, in French Patent Application FR-A-87 14,259 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,074, in which each beam comprises two opposite panels forming flanges, each constituting one of the lobes of an inner or outer wall of the vault, and two lateral panels forming webs of the beam. The means for supplying the beams with inflating fluid are formed by at least one conduit traversing the beams and being extendable in its length, its pulling-out and its retraction being controlled by the opening-out and the collapsing of the vault, respectively.
In such vault, the supply conduit is common to all the beams and communicates with each of the beams via an orifice which can be shut off and controlled by shutting-off means, and the supply conduit traverses in a sealed manner openings made in each of the lateral panels.
The opening-out of such vault poses problems because the opening-out path is located at the end of the beams, which leads to stresses distributed over a small zone of the wall.

Inflatable vault which can be opened out and collapsed


This invention provides the following: an amphiphilic functional substance with lipophilicity, affinity for supercritical CO2, and if necessary hydrophilicity comprising an oligoolefin chain and a perfluoroalkyl group(s) at a single end thereof or at both ends thereof with or without the intervention of a poly(oxyalkylene) chain, which enables the utilization of supercritical CO2 as a reaction medium; a photopolymerizable functional substance comprising an oligoolefin chain and a reversible photopolymerization/dissociation group(s) at a single end thereof or at both ends thereof and a functional substance comprising a photo- and/or thermodissociable polymer obtained by photopolymerization of the aforementioned photopolymerizable functional substance, which can be utilized as recycle polymers; a hydrolyzable functional substance comprising a polymer obtained by chain-elongating plural oligoolefin chains through ester linkages, which can be utilized as a recycle polymer; and a functional substance capable of forming a microphase separation structure comprising a polymaleimide comprising an oligoolefin chain and a polydimethylsiloxane chain which are bonded to form an imide linkage, which can be utilized as a functional product such as an electronic material. There is also provided novel oligo(1-butene) containing a terminal vinylidene group, which is useful as a raw material in producing the group of functional substances described above.

In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication SHO 55-084302 (JP 55-084302 A), the present inventors proposed a process for producing α·ω-diene-oligomers by the thermal decomposition of polymer materials including poly(α-olefins); and they also reported in Macromolecules, 28, 7973 (1995) and others that the highly controlled thermal decomposition of polyolefins produced monodispersed oligoolefins containing vinylidene double bonds at their both ends or at their single ends. At that time it was only demonstrated that the thermal decomposition of isotactic polypropylenes produced propylene oligomers containing terminal double bonds. Even thereafter it has only been reported that the thermal decomposition of polyisobutylenes produced oligoisobutylenes containing terminal double bonds (Polymer, 37, 3697 (1996)).
1-Butene is produced as a by-product in the manufacture of isobutylene or butadiene. On the other hand, poly(1-butene), which is a polymeric form of 1-butene, is produced in very small quantities due to its limited utilities, because it displays characteristics different from those of polyisobutylene or those of polybutadiene or polypropylene of which the carbon number of the monomer unit is one less. Reactivity with other monomers or polymers is imparted to poly(1-butene) by introducing to its terminus, a functional group such as a double bond, a hydroxyl group or a carboxyl group. It can thus be expected that novel utilities of poly(1-butene) will be developed based on its characteristics. However, it is extremely difficult to introduce a functional group to the specific position of a polymer chain by utilizing polymer reaction.
Although it is unexpectedly difficult to polymerize between the above-mentioned oligoolefins at their terminal vinylidene double bonds and to make them gain higher molecular weights, the terminal vinylidene double bonds can further be modified into functional groups by hydroxylation or maleic acid modification (Annual Meeting of Polymer Society, Polymer Preprints, Japan, 47, (7), 1255 (1998)). It is expected that novel substances with various functionalities can be created from the oligoolefins containing such terminal functional groups by utilizing their reactivity.
Once the substances having various functionalities have been developed, waste polymers such as polymer pellets, which raise an environmental problem, can be utilized as the polymers that will be subjected to the highly controlled thermal decomposition.
Among the functional substances, there are amphiphilic substances that are provided with both lipophilicity and affinity for supercritical CO2, and further preferably with hydrophilicity.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an indispensable substance for the living matters just as water is. On the other hand, the CO2 gas emitted as a result of vast consumption of the carbon resources has been responsible for global warming; therefore, the emission regulation has been discussed at international conferences. The regulation for the emission of CO2 gas has made it an urgent need to recover the CO2 generated by the combustion of carbon fuels and to reutilize it.
Creation of the new C1 chemical technology is contemplated as one of the CO2 reutilization techniques. The realization, however, requires a great amount of energy, which results in the emission of CO2 afresh. Another CO2 reutilization technique is proposed that a supercritical CO2 fluid be utilized as an extraction/reaction medium. The utilization of supercritical CO2 as solvent can eliminate environmental problems such as toxicity and inflammability by getting rid of organic solvents. It also can possibly realize the operations that are difficult to attain by ordinary solvents. Great expectations are, therefore, drawn.
The utilization of supercritical CO2 as solvent cannot be done unless various substances having the affinity for supercritical CO2 are available. Accordingly, there is a need for surfactants provided with lipophilicity, affinity for supercritical CO2 and, if necessary, with hydrophilicity. Up till the present time, no surfactant has been reported to satisfy the need.
The alternative is a polymer having functionality resulting from the elongation of an oligoolefin chain.
As stated above, it is extremely difficult to extend the oligoolefin chain by directly polymerizing the terminal vinylidene double bonds of highly controlled thermal decomposition products from polymers.
The present inventors reported in J. Polymer Science, 34, 36525 (1996), the synthesis of a block copolymer of oligopropylene containing vinyl groups at both ends thereof and polydimethylsiloxane containing hydroxyl groups at both ends thereof which are synthesized through polymer reaction. This block copolymer, however, needs a supplementary test in order to prove that it is indeed a block copolymer.
In Macromolecules, 12, 848, 853 (1979) there is reported that anthracene or a pyrimidine base (such as uracil or thymine) undergoes dimerization and dissociation reversibly under selected wavelengths of irradiated light.
It is an object of this invention to provide novel substances comprising as segments thereof, oligoolefin chains of oligoolefin obtained from the highly controlled thermal decomposition of polyolefins as well as to provide processes for their production.
The aforementioned functional substances include a functional substance with exhibited amphiphilicity comprising an oligoolefin chain and a perfluoroalkyl group at an end thereof, a photopolymerizable functional substance comprising a telechelic oligomer containing a reversible photopolymerization/dissociation group, a photo- and/or thermodissociable functional substance comprising the foregoing polymer, a hydrolyzable oligoolefin/oligoolefin block copolymer and a polymaleimide comprising an oligoolefin chain and a polydimethylsiloxane chain.
Another object of the invention is to provide oligo(1-butene) containing a terminal vinylidene double bond.

Functional substances derived from oligoolefins having functional groups at the ends


A resonance load circuit is supplied with the high-frequency voltage from the inverter circuit, and includes an inductor, a capacitor and a discharge lamp. The resonance load circuit is so that a declination with respect to the lighting frequency fs is set to a range from −20° to 40° in impedance when the discharge lamp is operating at rating. The CPU continuously generates a pulse voltage for driving on and off the switch elements at a cycle shorter than a lighting cycle of the discharge lamp based on program data and data stored in a memory, and makes pulse-width modulation with respect to an on-state width of the pulse voltage in accordance with a waveform change of a sinusoidal voltage corresponding to the lighting cycle, and further, supplies an approximately sinusoidal current to the discharge lamp using a high-frequency output from the inverter circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a discharge lamp lighting device and lighting unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a discharge lamp lighting device having the following circuit configuration has been known (e.g., see JPN. PAT. APPLN. KOKAI Publication No. 10-243661). According to the circuit configuration, a direct current (DC) power supply is connected in series with a pair of switch elements. One switch element is connected in parallel with a resonance load circuit including inductor, capacitor and discharge lamp. Direct voltage is converted into high frequency voltage by the switching operation of each switch element so that it is supplied to the discharge lamp. With the foregoing circuit configuration, power loss of the switch element and the inductor is reduced to improve power conversion efficiency.

Discharge lamp lighting device and lighting unit

Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation


Combinatorial high throughput screening is used to rapidly investigate and screen a multiplicity of complex thermal barrier coating candidates. In the screening method, a solution of thermal barrier coating precursors is formed and injected into a plasma jet of an air plasma spray (APS). The plasma jet is directed toward a substrate to deposit a gradient film formed from the precursors onto the substrate. An APS torch system comprises an APS torch, solution precursor vessels connected to the torch through a mixing zone and injector, a substrate oriented with respect to the torch to receive a plasma spray film formed from solution precursors from the vessels and a controller. The controller is connected to the solution precursor vessels and the torch or substrate to control mixing of the solution precursors and to control orientation of the torch or substrate to deposit a gradient film onto the substrate from the plasma spray. A CHTS array comprises a substrate and a gradient film of candidate TBC materials deposited over the substrate.

The present invention relates to a plasma spray method and system for high throughput screening. Particularly, the invention relates to a plasma spray method and system for selecting a thermal barrier coating.
A thermal barrier coating (TBC) is deposited onto gas turbine and other heat engine parts to reduce heat flow and to limit the operating temperature of the metal parts. To be effective, a TBC must have low thermal conductivity, strongly adhere to the part and remain adherent throughout many heating and cooling cycles. New gas turbine designs push the limits of current coating capability, particularly with regard to high temperature sintering, thermal conductivity and resistance to erosion, impact and corrosion. Hence, there is a great interest in improving thermal barrier coatings to permit operation of turbine engines at higher temperatures and to extend turbine engine part life.
Although thermal barrier coating chemistry has been extensively explored, few general principles have emerged that allow the prediction of a next generation coating material. Currently, discovery of new thermal barrier coatings depends on empirical or intuitive investigation often based on trial and error synthesis. There is a need for a method and system to investigate new thermal barrier coating candidates particularly the promising but complex multiple oxide coating candidates.
The present invention provides a method and system to rapidly investigate and screen a multiplicity of complex thermal barrier coating candidates. The method comprises selecting a thermal barrier coating by combinatorial high throughput screening (CHTS).
In another embodiment, the invention is a method of forming a CHTS array, comprising forming a solution of thermal barrier coating precursors and injecting the solution into a plasma jet of an air plasma spray (APS). The plasma jet is directed toward a substrate to deposit a gradient film formed from the precursors onto the substrate.
In another embodiment, the invention is a method, comprising steps of (i) simultaneously forming a controlled pattern of candidate TBC coatings on a substrate; and (ii) evaluating the coatings.
In still another embodiment, the invention is an APS torch system, comprising an APS torch, solution precursor vessels connected to the torch through a mixing zone and injector, a substrate oriented with respect to the torch to receive a plasma spray coating formed from solution precursors from the vessels and a controller. The controller is connected to the solution precursor vessels and the torch or substrate to control mixing of the solution precursors and to control orientation of the torch or substrate to deposit a gradient film onto the substrate from the plasma spray.
Finally in another embodiment, the invention is a CHTS array, comprising a substrate and a gradient film of candidate TBC materials deposited over the substrate.

Plasma spray high throughput screening method and system


A process for converting the format of an image sequence wherein, for a coded pixel group to be converted, if the mode of coding used is of the inter type with no residue, the conversion is performed by a copy of a converted pixel group of a preceding image linked by the motion vector associated with said coded pixel group.

Most applications which require video display work with encoded video data. After decoding, these data are often available in a format which is not compatible with the desired display format or composition format. It is thus necessary, in most cases, to perform a format conversion employing compressed video data, before displaying the corresponding image or performing the image composition. This format conversion is applied to the complete image and generally eats up time and memory space, since it involves successive additions and multiplications for each pixel of the image.
For example, the output format from decoding a binary video data stream to the H 263 standard is of the type 4:2:0, Y U V. The Java software graphics interface libraries (AWT) provide API (standing for Application Program Interface) interfaces for image formats based on the 4:4:4, R G B format. Thus, the use of an "applet" (Java application loaded via the Internet) for such a stream requires that the images in the 4:2:0, Y U V format be converted into images in the 4:4:4, R G B format.
The term image used subsequently shall apply to any type of image, frame, biframe, etc. and regardless of the type of scanning.
The expression decoding domain will refer to anything concerning the reception by the decoder of the coded data and their decoding and the expression display domain will refer to anything concerning the utilizing of the decoded data for their composition and their display. The conversion process consists in switching from the decoding domain to the display domain. The decoding processes customarily utilize a predictive temporal mode in which images are predicted from preceding or succeeding images. This involves for example the MPEG 1, MPEG 2, MPEG 4, H261 or H263 standards. In these standards, an image of P type (predictive) is predicted from a preceding image of I type (intra) or from a preceding image of P type and an image of B type (bi-directional) is predicted from a preceding image of I or P type and from a succeeding image of I or P type.
In one example, in respect of the coding of an image block in an image, the preceding image is reconstructed and a motion estimation is performed to determine, in this reconstructed image, the block best correlating with the image block to be coded. The reconstructed image is then motion compensated employing the motion vector corresponding to this estimation so as to provide the predicted block. The predicted block is subtracted from the current block to provide a block called residue, which is coded and transmitted.
The decoding process consists in calculating the predicted blocks by reconstructing the preceding images and in adding thereto the blocks of residue transmitted from the current image.
In the case of images of B or P type, the blocks are predicted from the preceding reference image and, for the B type, also from the succeeding reference image. These reference images are reconstructed at the decoder level and the predicted block is calculated from these images and the motion vectors transmitted in the data stream. The residue block transmitted in the data stream is decoded then added to the predicted block defined by the associated motion vector so as to provide the reconstituted image block in the image.
FIG. 1 very schematically represents the data decoding and conversion process.
The video data pertaining to the reference images are received on a time prediction circuit 1 so as to provide an adder 3 with the predicted images. The video data pertaining to the current image are received on a decoding circuit 2 so as to provide the adder 3 with decoded images. The data output by the adder 3, which correspond to the reconstituted image, are transmitted to a format conversion circuit 4 which converts the images so as to transmit them to a display or to an image composition circuit.
The structure to which the various data compression operations are applied, in the MPEG standard, is the macroblock. The pixels are grouped into image blocks, for example 16×16 pixels in size, four luminance blocks and the corresponding chrominance blocks constituting the macroblock. If the image format, during coding, is 4:2:0, Y, Cr, Cb, the macroblock consists of four luminance blocks and two chrominance blocks. In the predictive temporal mode, each macroblock has its own decision mode. As stated otherwise, the coding mode is decided for each macroblock. It may involve a coding of intra type for which no prediction is used, of predictive type utilizing a backward, forward (as it is known in the standard) or bi-directional motion vector. A macroblock of an image of P type can be coded in intra mode while the succeeding macroblock can be coded in inter mode using motion compensation employing a reference image.
Other modes of compression, which are not necessarily standardised, are based on calculations pertaining to pixel groups which are not image blocks as they are described in the MPEG standard. The prediction modes may be based on regions obtained by segmenting the image according to homogeneity criteria.
The invention applies to these pixel groups, also referred to as gop hereinbelow. This may therefore involve macroblocks or image blocks or else small complex structures such as connected regions. The coding decision mode is independent for each gop, which may be coded independently or by employing preceding and/or succeeding images.
An aim of the proposed invention is to alleviate the drawbacks described previously.

Process for the format conversion of an image sequence


A tandem type rotary generator has a rotary shaft, and two power generating sections disposed adjacent to each other along an axial direction. Each power generating section has a Lundell type rotor core fixed to the rotary shaft, a field coil wound on the rotor core, a stator core disposed on an outside of the rotor core opposite to the rotary shaft in a radial direction, and a stator coil wound on the stator core. A center of the field coil of each power generating section is positioned away from a center of the stator core of the power generating section in the axial direction toward the other power generating section. Two cooling fans cooling the power generating sections are disposed on both sides of the pair of rotor cores in the axial direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tandem type rotary generator having two Lundell type rotors disposed tandem to independently generate two voltages of electric power.
2. Description of Related Art
To double electric power generated in a rotary generator, a tandem type rotary generator having two Lundell type rotor cores tandem connected with each other has been proposed in Published Japanese Patent First Publications H01-157251, H05-137295 and H05-308751. In this rotary generator, generation of electric power can be easily controlled, and two voltages can be independently outputted. Therefore, as compared with installation of two generators for outputting two voltages, an installation space and manufacturing cost can be reduced. The tandem type rotary generator independently outputting two voltages is preferably applied as a two-voltage rotary generator wherein a high voltage such as 42V is independently outputted in addition to a normal voltage like 12V.
However, in the conventional tandem type rotary generator, because two power generating sections are disposed in tandem along an axial direction of a rotary shaft, the rotary generator is undesirably lengthened in the axial direction. Further, because the power generating sections acting as two heat sources are disposed near to each other, a spatial density in heat generation is increased, and it is difficult to dispose a cooling system in the generator such that the cooling system effectively dissipates heat from the generator.
For example, when a rotary generator has only a single power generating section, two cooling fans can be disposed on both sides of the power generating section, respectively. Therefore, the cooling fans can effectively cool the single power generating section. However, when a rotary generator has two power generating sections disposed tandem, a single cooling fan can be disposed only on one side of each power generating section in the axial direction. As a result, as compared with a Lundell type rotary generator having only a single power generating section, temperature-sensitive parts such as coils coated with resin are extremely heated up in the tandem type rotary generator. In this case, resin of coils is melted or broken, so that insulation between the coils undesirably deteriorates.

Tandem type rotary generator generating two voltages


An adjustment method and apparatus to derive a pressure and measure for the securement force and alignment of flanges, couplings, bearings, headers, and securement bolts or nuts, where at least one member is moveable in relationship to another member such as a spindle nut retaining a wheel hub and the hub's inner and outer bearings upon a spindle, the spindle nut having affixed upon or embodied within, one or more axially affixed pressure calibration instruments to sense an axial pressure, and integrated with a corresponding axial micro measurement, to identify an exact pressure reference point from which is accomplished a desired securement force, the desired securement force being either satisfied or further accomplished by a specified increment of tightening of the securement device, thusly achieving dimensional stability of the structure. The precise method of the pressure calibration instrument provides an unequaled speed of adjustment and simplicity, sets new standards in securement and stress related safety, and introduces an exacting science to alignment, securement, and bearing adjustment.

This invention relates to the securement of flanges, headers, machinery components, bolts and nuts wherein dimensionally uniform clamping forces are desirable, to axial couplings of driven machinery wherein dimensional alignment of such flanges is critical, and to preload pressure adjustment of bearings used in machinery, and particularly to heavy duty taper roller wheel bearings in the transportation industries.
Stressed securement of couplings, flanges, and headers, and adjustment of tapered roller wheel hub bearings has been dependent upon time consuming and inaccurate prior art methods dependent upon gap gauges, digital or dial calipers and indicators, the often used mechanics guesstimate attempting to detect either bearing looseness or excessive preload by means of feeling looseness or stress by the technicians hand, voltage resistant stress materials, a screw thread torque measuring method as a final measure, a screw thread torque measurement from which to measure a final screw thread rotation, use of a dial indicator instrument to measure a perceived degree of free axial movement, or upon dial indicator measure of a perceived zero point from which to measure a final screw thread rotation.
Taper roller bearing failure analysis in the heavy duty transportation industry demonstrates that improper bearing retaining spindle nut adjustment initiates the first component failure resulting in premature wheel end component wear out, successive wheel end component failure, or culminating in vehicle-wheel separation.
Friction variables, a result of dimensional irregularities, lubricant characteristics, contamination, material alloy, finish and smoothness, wear, damage, temperature, galling, and so forth, of wheel end spindle threads, spindle nut threads, and nut face surfaces, collectively render torque-based measurements to very broad adjustment parameters. Without an exact adjustment reference point, bearing preload cannot be set without risk of severely overloading the bearings and precipitating an immediate bearing failure. Consequently, the transportation industry has been forced to adjustment procedures wherein bearings are adjusted loose, but which also reduces useable wheel end component life, results in costly maintenance and operation expenses, and compromises safety.
The industry as a whole has historically chosen to perceive this major safety problem, liability concern, and expense, to be a result of improper maintenance procedures. However, attempts to resolve these issues over the past several decades have lead the industry to adopt a variety of adjustment procedures verifiable by measurement of a minimal free bearing axial endplay. Controllable preload adjustment has not been possible with spindle nuts, measuring devices, and calibration means in present use, and a portion of the industry has attempted to resolve these wheel bearing adjustment issues by resorting to non-adjustable hubs.
The problem lies in that the common practice of endplay verification is badly flawed. Tests demonstrate that the melding of, friction variables of the wheel end components, the heavy weights of the wheel ends, the physics of the inclined planes of the double taper roller bearings, dial indicator placement, and the resultant geometry of exactly how the wheel end is moved, and conclude that verifiable free endplay is only a measure of how far the spindle mounted heavy wheel end can be readily moved in that individual situation, and as such only verifies that the wheel end is loose. A great demonstration of this is to attempt to adjust zero free play, having as an example 0.005 inch verifiable free end play as initially verified by a dial indicator measurement.
By rotating the spindle nut a corresponding degree of rotation in relationship to the spindle screw thread pitch a subsequent verification should then result in zero endplay. The need to repeat this process two or three or four times to obtain a near zero or merely an unknown point where you measure zero immediately becomes evident. The first verification measurement proved to be flawed, and it follows that subsequent verifications are equally flawed. Highly controlled laboratory experiments further verify the illogic and dramatic errors of the concept of verifiable free endplay.
The public safety and liability concerns are so serious that the National Transportation Safety Board has for several years been facilitating efforts and studies of numerous transportation and manufacturing associations to establish a scientific method of preload adjustment and measurement including the development of a test machine to compare new methods to the three piece spindle nut in use for a hundred years. These tests methods are comparative of the popular methods and devices of prior art and do not relate to specific preload pressures in non-laboratory shop and field applications nor resolve the problems. Attempting to sneak up on a desirable and verifiable axial endplay is a very time consuming process and at best the bearings are adjusted loose. At worst the bearings are excessively preloaded.
The prior art method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,078 precisely resolves free play and preload adjustment problems by pre-stressing the axial assembly to remove all friction and elasticity variables from the measurement and adjustment process. The spindle nut is over tightened and a dial indicator is then used to measure the relaxation of the excessive preload by measure of the wheel hub in relation to the spindle as the screw threaded spindle nut is slowly loosened. The problems with this sophisticated and precise adjustment method is that it is dependent on the knowledgeable and time-consuming use of a dial indicator. The dial indicator may be improperly installed and misused by the service personnel and in many shops and in the field an accurate dial indicator and mounting means is not available. Further more, there always exists the possibility that the inner wheel lubricant seal or other wheel end component may interfere with the hubs free axial travel upon the spindle requiring diligent observation of the technician.
In other axial alignment applications, such as securement of headers or alignment of couplings, digital and dial gauges are often used with varying degrees of success as they do not provide a measure of pre-securement stresses affecting accurate and consistent header and flange pressures, or final coupling alignment stresses. Unintended stresses are often first discovered in equipment vibration analysis studies and are further reflected in equipment component useable life and operating efficiency.

Pressure calibration instrument and method for use in securement and adjustment of flanges, couplings, bearings, and fasteners


An LED light device with special effects utilizes persistence of vision theory to cause an LED(s) or LED array to change faster than the human eye response time of 1/16 to 1/24 second to display a special message, time, drawing, light patterns, or color changes. In addition, the light device may be provided with a sealed-unit arranged to receive a variety of eye-catching shades.

This application has subject matter in common with U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/624,621, 12/622,100, 12/318,471, 12/318,470, 12/318,473, 12/292,153, 12/232,505, 12/232,035, 12/149,963, 12/149,964, 12/073,095, 12/073,889, 12/007,076, 12/003,691, 12/003,809, 11/806,711, 11/806,285, 11/806,284, 11/566,322, 11/527,628, 11/527,629, 11/498,874, 12/545,992, 12/806,711, 12/806,285, 12/806,284, 12/566,322, 12/527,628, 12/527,629, 12/527,631, 12/502,661, 11/498,881, 11/255,981, 11/184,771, 11/152,063, 11/094,215, 11/092,742, 11/092,741, 11/094,156. 11/094,155. 10/954,189, 10/902,123, 10/883,719, 10/883,747, 10/341,519, 12/545,992, and 12/292,580. The above-listed applications include disclosures related to light devices such as night lights powered by an AC outlet, battery, solar cell, or other power source, the light devices using optics theory to create a plurality of LED light images on a surface and which may contain more than one light source, function, or optics means.
The current invention applies the persistence of vision effect to a desktop or outlet plug-in LED light device to cause LED array light effects to be seen by viewers as light patterns such as a message display, time display, color changing display, word display, logo display, or advertisement display. It also provides a sealed-unit with self-test certification issued by laboratories for add-on shades to provide a more exciting and eye-catching LED device. Each light device has a desired power source, circuitry, switch, sensor, timer and and/or other related parts and accessories to cause the light to have a long life and be convenient to people to use.
The light device with special effects of the current invention may include one or more of the following 14 features:    1. The LED light device with special effects may include a special effects mechanism made up of at least one LED array arranged on a substrate, and at least one spin means for rotating the substrate means at a predetermined speed (RPM) about an axis extending from the spin means. The predetermined speed is preferably sufficient to provide a persistence of vision effect as described below.            The LED or LEDs of the light device will turn on and off according to a predetermined pattern, timing, color, function, and/or effects and controlled by an appropriate circuit, switch, sensor, timer, auto turn on and turn off, power source (DC, AC, or interchangeable power source), gear sets, motor, integrated circuit (IC), and/or conductive means to cause the light device to exhibit desired light patterns such as a message display, time display, color changing display, word display, logo display, and advertisement display.        The LED light device having persistence of vision properties includes a desktop or outlet plug-in type housing for any substrate, spin means, LED(s) or LED arrays, motor, switch, sensor, circuit, IC, and power source means provided in the light device.        The LED light device may further incorporate a vibration absorbing means to absorb all vibrations of the motor or spin means vibration when people put the device on a desk top or plug-in outlet.            2. The LED light device with special effects may include a sealed unit for at least one LED, the sealed unit having its own safety certification issued by a laboratory to meet the applicable safety standard and a receiving means to allow different shades to be added onto the sealed unit to obtain a final LED light device with special effects provided by the shades.            The added on shades may be made of plastic, paper, wood, a laser piece, a hologram piece, an air-bag, a balloon, assembly pieces, a light block out means, or a grill to cause the final LED light device with special light effects to have an eye-catching appearance. Because all electrical parts are in the already-certified sealed unit, the final LED light device does not need to pass any other laboratory's further tests. As a result, the shade can be made of any kind of material. The final LED light device may use any power source, such as a battery, outlet, or power source that is interchangeable between DC and AC power sources for desk top or plug-in application.            3. The light device with special effects may be arranged to meet the requirements of persistence of vision theory to create an illusion based on the inertia of a human eye, which takes 1/16 to 1/24 second to respond to an image. When the LED or LEDs are turned off for periods of less than 1/16 to 1/24 second, the off time will not be noticed by a viewer and the image will appear to be steady.    4. The LED light device with special effects may be a tap light that is activated when a top cover is touched.    5. The LED light device with special effects may have a ball shape housing, and rotating means inside the ball to show the special effects, and spin means under the ball to provide a better appearance.    6. The spin means of the LED light device with special effects may be a motor with fan blades having a substrate to install the LED(s) or LED array within the said fan blade.    7. The spin means of the LED light device with special effects may be a motor with bars that include a substrate to install the LED(s) or LED array within the bars.    8. The spin means of the LED light device with special effects may be a motor with frame substrate to install the LED(s) or LED array within the frame.    9. The spin means of the LED light device with special effects may be a motor with a round disc substrate to install the LED(s) or LED array within the disc.    10. The spin means of the LED light device with special effects may be a motor with a geometric shape substrate to install the LED(s) or LED array with the geometric shape substrate.    11. The LED light device WITH special effects may include a switch, sensor, and/or timer means to control the circuit to provide predetermined functions.    12. The power source of the LED light device with special effects may come from a battery, USB outlet, generator, chemical power source, green power source, wind power source, outlet, extension cord, power strips or other power generator device(s).    13. The LED light device may be an LED light device with power saving features, including: at least one LED for a light source, and at least one housing having space to install circuit means, conductive means, electric components parts and accessories, switch means, sensor means, an integrated circuit (IC), and/or micro controller to connect with a conventional market-available power source to cause the said LED or LEDs to turn on and off according to a predetermined function, effects, duty cycle, color, and brightness, the LED or LEDs turning off for a certain percentage of each cycle that is shorter than the time required to meet the persistence of vision of human eye, i.e., more quickly than the human eye's response time of 1/24 to 1/16 second as noted above, so that the blinking LED or LEDs will appear to be continuously on.    14. The LED light device with special effects may have the additional cost saving feature, in case the power source is batteries, wherein the total batteries' voltage is less than the LED trigger voltage, the light device including voltage boosting components and related parts and accessories to increase the lower voltage to over the LED or trigger voltage.


Techniques for improving data rates at mobile terminals that are subject to periodic channel interruptions in a beyond-line-of-sight communication system are disclosed, including improved encoding and decoding systems that identify blockages and modify receiver operation during blockages to reduce data errors. In certain embodiments, encoding, symbol mapping, interleaving, and use of unique periodic identifiers function to enable a series of packets that may be received in a blockage impaired channel with reduced errors.

The present invention relates generally to satellite communications and, more specifically, to a beyond line of sight (BLOS) communication system in which mobile terminals can experience channel blockage events.
Developments in broadband beyond line of sight communications have focused mainly on ground-mobile platforms and, to a lesser extent, on maritime vessels and fixed wing aircraft. For example, in recent years, there have been advances in precision tracking antenna technology. Some progress has also been made in the area of waveform construction and protocol performance for the ground-mobile environment.
Advances relating to rotary-wing aircraft and other platforms that experience occlusions have been conspicuously absent. Helicopter communications, for example, can experience periodic outages such as when the rotor blades block the antenna, or when the orientation of the aircraft changes relative to a communications satellite. Rail communications may experience interruptions due to trellises or other overhead structures.
As a result, these platforms have been relegated to relatively low data rate systems such as UHF SATCOM (Ultra High Frequency Satellite Communications) and Inmarsat's L-band GAN (Global Access Network) service. Conventional systems such as these can only offer data rates of between 64-384 kbps and have thus failed to keep pace with the rapidly increasing demand for bandwidth required to support modem user applications.

Cyclical obstruction communication system


A method of forming a lithographic mask, including exposing an energy beam on a first selected spot (118) on the patterning layer of a mask substrate, within a selected portion (117) on the patterning layer, and exposing an energy beam on a second selected spot (122) on the patterning layer. The selected portion corresponds to a lithographic feature (116) and has a boundary (128) including a plurality of boundary segments defining a polygon. The energy beam is exposed on the first selected spot (118) at a first dosage, and at the second selected spot (122) at a second dosage that does not equal the first dosage. According to the present invention, a lithographic feature (116) is provided on the lithographic mask and includes a serif (126), a portion of which is provided by altering the dosage level at the second selected spot.

The present invention is drawn to a lithographic mask, particularly a method for forming a lithographic mask used for patterning semiconductor die.
As is known in the art of semiconductor processing, lithographic masks are commonly employed in connection with patterning of resists, such as photoresists, deposited on a semiconductor wafer. By irradiating an energy source through the mask, a pattern formed in a layer on the mask is replicated onto the resist deposited on the semiconductor die or wafer. Energy sources include ultraviolet (UV), deep ultraviolet (DUV), extreme ultraviolet (EUV), as well as x-ray, electron and ion beams. With respect to UV, DUV, and EUV, it is well known that at times the pattern contained within the mask is not exactly replicated on the photoresist of the semiconductor die. For example, diffraction of DUV rays along corners or ends of a feature of the pattern may cause inexact replication of the pattern. Such is illustrated with particularity in connection with the drawings.
Turning to FIG. 1, a basic cross-section of a lithographic mask 1 is illustrated. Lithographic mask 1 includes a substrate layer 10, having a film 12 patterned thereon. The substrate layer 10 may be made of any one of various materials, depending upon the particular energy source employed. For example, in the case of DUV photolithography, film 12 is comprised of chromium, and substrate 10 is formed of fused silica. In this case, the lithographic feature 16 provided within photoresist 14 is transferred to film 12 by etching an exposed region of film 12. Accordingly, upon irradiating the lithographic mask 1 with a DUV energy source, DUV energy passes through substrate 10. Thereafter, a first portion of the energy is absorbed by film 12, and a second portion of the energy is unobstructed by film 12 (i.e., passes through the lithographic feature, corresponding to those portions of film 12 that are patterned). Accordingly, the lithographic feature from the lithographic mask is replicated along the resist provided on the semiconductor die.
It is noted that the general operation of patterning a resist on a semiconductor die utilizing a lithographic mask as described above is set forth in connection with a DUV process. However, the lithographic mask 1 may easily be configured for use with other exposure methods, including EUV, etc. Such masks are well known in the art.
FIG. 2 illustrates an attempt of replicating lithographic feature 16 onto semiconductor die 8, in the case of a negative resist on the semiconductor die 8. Here, it is shown that the lithographic feature 16 is not precisely replicated onto the semiconductor die 8. Indeed, only a portion of the feature is replicated, corresponding to adequately exposed region 18, leaving behind inadequately exposed region 20. This imprecise replication is due to diffraction effects at opposite ends of the lithographic feature known as "line end shortening". In an attempt to address this problem, it is common in the art to incorporate serifs. In this technique, the lithographic feature provided on the lithographic mask 16 is modified to include a serif 26 as illustrated in FIG. 3. By expanding the area of exposure at each end of the lithographic feature, the serif is effective to mitigate the effects of diffraction, and better replicate the desired lithographic feature.
The addition of serifs to the lithographic feature provided on the mask has proved effective. In this regard, generally the database, particularly a computer-aided design (CAD) database, that defines the lithographic feature is modified so as to include serifs. For example, the CAD database may be modified manually by a designer such that the data include serifs. In addition, automated routines are known in the art to add serifs to CAD databases. However, both manual and automated addition of serifs is laborious, as such databases typically contain several gigabytes. As such, addition of serifs in one mask set for a semiconductor die may actually take days to complete, thereby adding cost and complexity to the process for fabricating a mask. The present inventor has recognized a need in the art to provide an improved method of forming a lithographic mask having serifs, which is more cost effective, is relatively simple, and which reduces the cycle time for mask manufacture.

Method for forming a lithographic mask used for patterning semiconductor die


A method for multicasting a message in a computer network is described, in which at least some nodes of a multicast group transmit fault recovery information to other nodes of the group in addition to, or as part of, the message itself. The fault recovery information allows nodes to determine what dissemination responsibility should be assigned to successor nodes in the event that one or more nodes of the multicast group fail.

Multicasting is, in general, a term used to characterize communication between a single sending node and multiple receiving nodes on a network. Multicasting is used for a variety of purposes, such as updating mobile corporate employees from a home office, or publishing online newsletters. Typically, the receiving nodes are all members of a predefined multicast group.
Many multicasting techniques rely on the use of a multicast tree to disseminate a multicast message among the members of a group. A multicast tree is a communication topology in which the sender of the multicast message transmits the message to a subset of the nodes in the group. Each of the nodes that receives the message then forwards copies of the message to a second subset of nodes in the group. The second subset repeats this process, and so on, until the message reaches all of the members of the multicast group.
One of the challenges faced when multicasting a message via a multicast tree is how to recover from the failure of nodes in the tree. Because of the pyramidal structure of a multicast tree, the failure of even a single node to forward the multicast message can prevent many other nodes from receiving it.

Method for multicasting a message on a computer network


A system for covering a railcar includes a first set and a second set of structural members coupled to a railcar. The structural members are configured to move between a loading position, an unloading positing, and a covered position. The system includes a plurality of cover portions, each coupled to a structural member of the first set and a structural member of the second set. In the loading position, at least one of the first set and at least one of second set are proximate longitudinal sides of the railcar. In the unloading position, at least one of the first set and at least one of second set are proximate a longitudinal center line of the railcar. In the covered position, the first set are proximate the longitudinal center line of the railcar, and the second set are proximate the longitudinal sides of the railcar.

Uncovered railcars, particularly uncovered railcars transporting coal, present environmental and rail maintenance challenges. Communities with near-rail residential, agricultural, educational, or professional centers often have concerns about the health and environmental impact of coal dust. Additionally, companies operating railways face maintenance problems and rail bed damage caused by coal dust.
Existing covers include fiberglass models that are heavy and may prove cumbersome to use during loading and unloading. Other methods to control coal dust include the application of a dusting agent to loaded coal and grooming loaded coal. However, neither method may realize the containment targets set or desired by operating companies and near-rail communities.