A radio device transmits outgoing radio signals on a carrier frequency to a further radio device and receives incoming radio signals on the same carrier frequency from the further radio device. The radio device switches at least between a first antenna configuration and a second antenna configuration, e.g., by using a switch. In the first antenna configuration, the outgoing radio signals are transmitted via at least one first antenna while simultaneously the incoming radio signals are received via at least one second antenna. In the second antenna configuration, the outgoing radio signals are transmitted via the at least one second antenna while simultaneously the incoming radio signals are received via the at least one first antenna.

In wireless communication systems, it is known to utilize full-duplex operation or half-duplex operation. In the case of full-duplex operation, a radio device can transmit and receive at the same time, while in the case of half-duplex operation, the radio device may only either transmit or receive at a given time. Full-duplex operation modes are for example defined for the LTE radio technology specified by 3GPP. In the case of the full-duplex operation specified for the LTE radio technology, transmit radio signals and receive radio signals are separated in the frequency domain, i.e., different carrier frequencies are used for the transmit radio signals and the receive radio signals.
To further enhance capacity or performance, it was also suggested to use full-duplex operation on the same carrier frequency. Corresponding research is for example described in "Full-duplex Radios" by D. Bharadia et al., Proceedings of the ACM SIGCOMM 2013 conference on SIGCOMM (2013). In the case of full-duplex operation, a radio module typically has a transmitting branch for processing outgoing radio signals and a receiving branch for processing incoming radio signals. Cross-talk cancellation techniques are typically applied for cancelling the outgoing radio signals from the incoming radio signals.
In the case of full-duplex operation, one challenge is to achieve sufficient isolation between the transmitting branch and the receiving branch, in particular between an output power amplifier (PA) of the transmitting branch and an input LNA (low noise amplifier) of the receiving branch. One approach to address this challenge is to use separate antennas for the outgoing radio signals and the incoming radio signals. However, this may have adversely affect channel reciprocity for the incoming radio signals and the outgoing radio signals, i.e., radio channel characteristics for the incoming signals may not be considered as equivalent to radio channel characteristics for the outgoing signals. Accordingly, problems may arise if channel reciprocity needs to be assumed for channel estimation purposes, like for example in some MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technologies.
Accordingly, there is a need for techniques that allow for efficiently utilizing full-duplex radio transmission on the same carrier frequency.

Antenna configuration switching for full-duplex transmission


Systems, methods and apparatuses for determining the location, direction of travel and other parameters of wheeled vehicles such as cars and trucks being driven along public roads and highways based on sounds produced, transducers and digital signal processing.

Traditional, so-called rumble strips have been in use for many years. These are often placed in three or four groups of raised, parallel bars across one lane of traffic, perpendicular to the direction of travel in advance of stop signs or traffic lights as an alert to drivers. The tires of a vehicle passing over a rumble strip make a staccato buzz-saw-like sound, alerting a driver to an upcoming stop sign or traffic light, as in FIG. 2. In like manner, narrow rumble strips incorporated into the shoulder of a paved road will alert a dozing driver who may have inadvertently drifted onto a road's shoulder, as in FIG. 3, before the vehicle leaves the road entirely.
Musical rumble strips have been placed as a novelty or entertainment on roadways. In this usage, the spacing between bars is varied, so that when a vehicle travels over the strips at a steady speed, a few bars of a recognizable tune are reproduced, such as a college fight song, a national anthem or a current pop tune.
More recently, some automakers have incorporated rumble-strip detection systems into certain models of their automobiles, or have discussed doing so. One such system detects road-shoulder rumble strip will activate an electromechanical steering mechanism to automatically steer a car away from the shoulder and back onto the road. In a similar manner, passing over lane-width rumble strips as in FIG. 2 could activate an automatic braking system if, according to the system's calculations, the vehicle's driver and was not applying braking in a degree sufficient to manage a timely full stop at an upcoming stop sign, railroad crossing, intersection or other potential hazard.
All of these prior-art systems utilize analog techniques, similar to the 45- and 33-1/3-RPM/LP vinyl records of an earlier era. Pitch may be altered by adjusting the spacing between the individual rumble bars or vehicle speed. A vehicle-on-board system that has a speed sensor input can compensate for speed and calculate a bar spacing value. Different bar spacings may signal different events, such as leaving the left side of a road, leaving the right side of a road, or approaching a stop sign or traffic light. The number of different events that can be encoded in such a manner is quite limited.
An object of the present invention is to greatly expand the capabilities and function of rumble strips by incorporating digital techniques into their design. Another object of the present invention is to advance detection means, methods and apparatuses, achieving ends that are not achievable using conventional analog rumble strips.
Yet another object of the present invention is to detect and process the noise generated by one or more wheeled vehicles traveling over a road or other navigable surface wherein the surface has not been prepared or modified in any way, and to measure and distinguish certain parameters of each of those one or more vehicles individually by means of cross correlation between vehicle-generated noise received at multiple non-collocated transducers and applying digital signal processing techniques to perform any or all of time and pitch shifting, environmental-factors correction, amplitude adjustments and other adjustments to the multiple inputs from multiple sound and vibration transducers. The certain parameters include but are not limited to vehicle location, speed, direction, acceleration, deceleration and collisions between vehicles, or collisions between vehicles and fixed obstacles or terrain features.

Systems for determining vehicle location


A sliding flat panel display and keyboard module for monitoring and controlling server computers on a server rack is described. The sliding flat panel display and keyboard module has an L-shaped supporting frame, a vertical sliding rail, a horizontal sliding rail, a flat panel display, and a keyboard. The vertical sliding rail and the horizontal sliding rail are respectively disposed on a vertical surface and a horizontal surface of the L-shaped supporting frame. The flat panel display couples to the vertical sliding rail and the keyboard couples to the horizontal sliding rail, so that the flat panel display and the keyboard are able to slide on the L-shaped supporting frame horizontally.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a sliding flat panel display and keyboard module. More particularly, this invention relates to a sliding flat panel display and keyboard module for a rack-mounted KVM switch.
2. Brief Discussion of the Related Art
Information technology and the computer industry are highly developed now. People rely heavily on computer systems. Therefore, computer servers with high calculation capacity and high stability are important for computer systems. Due to increasingly reduced office space, area occupied by computer servers must also be reduced. Computer servers must maintain a high degree of stability to serve users, and the space occupied by one computer server is therefore greater than or equal to that of a desktop computer. Accordingly, the management of computer servers is difficult and space utilization is tightened. Some companies have two or three computer servers, while others may have more than a thousand computer servers. Computer server management and space utilization become more critical in companies with more computer servers.
A 1U computer server assembled on a standard 1U server rack is the mainstream computer server arrangement. Each standard layer of the server rack is about 1.75 inches (about 4.5 centimeters), so that the 1U server and the server rack effectively conserve occupational space of the computer servers. Moreover, the 1U servers and racks are more efficiently controlled because the 1U servers and racks can be centrally managed and easily stacked. Normally, hardware used in the 1U server is provided with a smaller size and lower height to fit the thickness limitation of 1.75 inches.
For conveniently controlling the stacked 1U computer servers on the server rack, users utilize KVM switches to connect and control the computer servers. Hence, the quantity of the display and keyboard for controlling the computer servers can be effectively reduced and the occupied space thereof is also reduced.
However, due to the height constraints on the 1U server rack, the dimensions of the keyboard and the display have to fulfill the dimension limitations to operate on the server rack. Additionally, even under the dimension limitations, the keyboard and the display have to further improve the strength and the safety thereof to provide a safe and reliable working environment for users.

Sliding flat panel display and keyboard module


Various examples are disclosed for workload placement using forecast data. Forecast data for workloads and providers during a predefined period of time in the future is considered when identifying stressed providers and the feasibility of a workload move. Workloads with demand spikes at different future times can be matched by stacking current demand and forecast demand by timestamps. The possibility of stress can be reduced by making moves preemptively and considering forecast demand when evaluating the feasibility of a workload move.

Network infrastructures can provide the hardware and software resources required for the operation and management of an enterprise. For example, a network infrastructure can include a hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI), a converged infrastructure, a hierarchical cluster engine (HCE) infrastructure, and/or any other type of infrastructure. An HCI, for example, can provide an enterprise with modular and expandable central processing unit (CPU), memory, storage, and network resources as well as system backup and recovery. In a hyper-converged infrastructure, CPU, memory, storage, and network resources are brought together using preconfigured and integrated hardware. Tasks can be allocated to hardware that is capable of performing the allotted task. When a task requires more resources, additional hardware can be assigned to the task, for example, using virtualization software.
Tasks, such as applications or virtual machines, can be allocated across a fleet of physical machines in a cluster of host machines by a resource scheduler. The resource scheduler can allocate and balance workloads across host machines that are aggregated into logical resource pools. Traditionally, resource schedulers can distribute workloads across hardware resources by balancing CPU, memory, storage, and network usage across a cluster of host machines.
Workload placement is a multi-dimensional problem which considers various resource dimensions (e.g., CPU, memory, storage, network, etc.) and different resource constraints to achieve overall optimization. Decisions often involve a large number of resources and need to be completed in a nominal amount of time (e.g., seconds). Current workload balance approaches tend to be reactive. Known approaches detect a problem in the environment and move workloads to rectify the problem. Workload migration can be a resource intensive operation. Further, without a consideration for future demand, a workload move that is determined to be optimal for a current time can still cause contention in the near-future, thus requiring a reallocation of the workload. Moving workloads constantly for optimal balance can exacerbate issues and cause unnecessary contention in the environment.


A medium, system, and method are disclosed for a common data storage medium depression depth. An optical data storage medium comprises a plurality of spacer layers and data surfaces. A wavelength for a radiation beam such as the emission of a laser diode is identified. The index of refraction for a first spacer layer or substrate is also identified. The substrate is configured to transmit the radiation beam. The index of refraction of a second spacer layer that is configured to transmit the radiation beam is also identified. A depression depth for a plurality of pits for ROM media, or sector headers for recordable media, or grooves for recordable media on each data surface is substantially equal to the radiation beam wavelength divided by four times the average of the indexes of refraction of each spacer layer. In one embodiment, the average is an arithmetic mean of the indexes of refraction. In an alternate embodiment, the average is a harmonic mean of the indexes of refraction. The average may also be a geometric mean of indexes of refraction.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to optical media and more particularly relates to the depression depth made in optical media.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical data storage medium such as a compact disc ("CD"), digital versatile disc ("DVD"), DVD read only memory ("DVD-ROM"), High Definition DVD-ROM ("HD-DVD-ROM"), writable DVD and HD-DVD media, Blu-Ray ROM, Blu-Ray writable media, and the like, stores digital data that is retrieved using a radiation beam such as the emission of a laser diode. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of an optical data storage device 100 for the optical data storage medium 130. The device 100 includes an optical module 105, an arm 110, an optical head 115, a clamping spindle 120, a spindle motor 125, and the optical data storage medium 130.
The optical data storage medium 130 (herein referred to as "Disc") is removably mounted on the clamping spindle 120. The spindle motor 125 rotates the Disc 130. The arm 110 positions the optical head 115 to retrieve data from the Disc 130. In one embodiment, the optical module 105 includes a voice coil motor that transports the arm 110 and the optical head 115 radially relative to the Disc 130. The combination of the rotation of the Disc 130 by the spindle motor 125 and radial movement of the optical head 115 may position the optical head 115 over any portion of the Disc 130 that is used for data storage.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of an optical path 200 of the optical data storage device 100 of FIG. 1. The optical head 115, arm 110, and optical module 105 of FIG. 1 may comprise optical path 200. The optics path 200 includes a holder 212, one or more lens 214, 222, 228, 234, 250, a mirror 216, an arm path 218, one or more optical detectors 220, 238, 240, a first beam splitter 224, a circularizer 226, a laser diode 230, a multiple data surface filter 232, a second beam splitter 244, a half-wave plate 242, a polarizing beam splitter 236, an astigmatic lens 246, a focus actuator motor 256, and a quad optical detector 248. Also depicted is the Disc 130 of FIG. 1 with a plurality of data surfaces 205 and a plurality of spacer layers 210.
The laser diode 230 may be a gallium-aluminum-arsenide diode laser that produces a primary radiation beam 252. In one embodiment the radiation beam 252 is in the range of 630 nm to 670 nm. In an alternate embodiment, the radiation beam 252 is in the range of 385 nm to 425 nm. The radiation beam 252 is collimated by the third lens 228 and is circularized by the circularizer 226 which may be a circularizing prism. The radiation beam 252 passes to the first beam splitter 224. A portion of the beam 252 is reflected by the first beam splitter 224 to the second lens 222 and the first optical detector 220. The first optical detector 220 monitors the power of radiation beam 252.
The rest of radiation beam 252 passes through the arm path 218 to the mirror 216. The arm path 218 may be a variable length optical path between the first beam splitter 224 that resides in the optical module 105 of FIG. 1 and the mirror 216 that may reside in the optical head 115 of FIG. 1. The beam 252 is reflected by the mirror 216 and passes through the first lens 214 and the multiple data surface aberration compensator 250 and is focused onto one of the data surfaces 205 of the Disc 130. As depicted, the radiation beam 252 is focused on the second data surface 205b.
The first lens 214 is mounted in the holder 212. The position of holder 212 is adjusted relative to medium 12 by the focus actuator motor 256 which may be a voice coil motor. The focus actuator motor 256 may position the first lens 214 relative to the Disc 130 to focus the beam 252 on any one of the data surfaces 205.
A portion of the radiation beam 252 may be reflected at the data surface 205 as a reflected beam 258. The reflected beam 258 returns through the compensator 254 and the first lens 214 and is reflected by the mirror 216. At the first beam splitter 224, the reflected beam 258 is reflected through the multiple data surface filter 232. The reflected beam 258 passes through the multiple data surface filter 222 and passes to the second beam splitter 244.
At the second beam splitter 244 a first portion of the reflected beam 258 is directed to the astigmatic lens 246 and the quad optical detector 248. The quad optical detector 248 is divided into four equal sections. The quad optical detector 248 detects and provides focus and tracking information in response to the reflected beam 258. When the radiation beam 252 is focused on the data surface 205, the reflected beam 258 is focused on the quad optical detector 248 with a circular cross section with each of the sections of the quad optical detector 248 receiving substantially equal radiation.
If the radiation beam 252 is not focused on the data surface 205, the reflected beam 258 is focus on the quad optical detector 248 with an oval cross section. As a result, one or more quad optical detector 248 sections receive more radiation than other sections. The focus error of the radiation beam 252 is estimated from differences in radiation received by the sections, and the optical module 105 may correct the focus. For example, the focus actuator motor 256 may position the holder 212 and the first lens 214 to focus the radiation beam 252 in response to reflected beam 258 radiation pattern on the quad optical detector 248.
A second portion of the reflected beam 258 is directed from the second beam splitter 244 through the half-wave plate 242 to the polarizing beam splitter 236. The polarizing beam splitter 236 separates the reflected beam 258 into a first orthogonal polarized light component 260 and a second orthogonal polarized light component 262. The fifth lens 250 focuses the first orthogonal polarized light component 260 on the third optical detector 240 while the fourth lens 250 focuses the second orthogonal polarized light component 262 on the second optical detector 238. The second and third optical detectors 238, 240 detect the reflected beam 258 or absences of the reflected beam 258, (both referred to herein as "Detections"). The second and third optical detectors 238, 240 further provide detection signals in response to the Detections of the reflected beam 248.
FIG. 3 is a cut-away perspective drawing illustrating one embodiment of a portion of the DISC 130 of FIGS. 1 and 2. As depicted, the Disc 130 may be a dual-layer DVD-ROM media. In addition to DVD-ROM media, the Disc 130 could be HD-DVD-ROM media, or Blu-Ray ROM media. Alternately, FIG. 3 may depict the stamped headers of recordable data sectors in recordable optical media.
The Disc 130 includes one or more spacer layers 210 and one or more data surfaces 205. For illustrative purposes, the thickness of the data surfaces 205 and spacer layers 210 are not drawn to scale. In one embodiment, a spacer layer 210 such as the first spacer layer 210a may also be referred to as the substrate. Each spacer layer 210 is configured to transmit a radiation beam 252 such as the radiation beam 252 of FIG. 2. In addition, each spacer layer 210 has an index of refraction that is a physical property of the spacer layers 210.
The first data surface 205a may be coated with a semi-transparent/semi-reflective coating, such as gold. The radiation beam 252 may either be reflected off of the first data surface 205a or transmit through the first data surface 205a to the second data surface 205b. The second data surface 205b is typically highly reflective and coated with aluminum or another highly reflective coating. In one embodiment, for Discs 130 with three or more data surfaces 205, all data surfaces 205 are semi-transparent/semi-reflective except for the inner data surface 205 which is reflective.
A lens 214 such as the first lens 214 of FIG. 2 focuses a radiation beam 252 such as the radiation beam 252 of FIG. 2 on either the outer first data surface 205a or the inner second data surface 205b. For purposes of illustration, a first and second instance of the first lens 214a, 214b is depicted focusing a first and second radiation beam 252a, 252b on the first and second data surface 205a, 205b. However, a single radiation beam 252 is typically employed.
The first data surface 205a is physically separated from the second data surface 205b by a second spacer layer 210b. Each data surface 205 is depicted with one or more pits 305. The pits 305 are of a specified depth to cause light cancellation so that the pits look dark to the optical path 200. In one embodiment, the pits 305 are stamped into the data surface 205. The stamped data surface 205 may be physically connected to the spacer layer 210. A plurality of data surfaces 205 and spacer layers 210 may be physically connected to form the Disc 130.
In a certain embodiment, the pits 305 are stamped into a groove or an inverted groove of the data surface 205. Recordable media typically has such stamped grooves, and adjacent lands there between, where data is recorded by the user. Sector headers, marking the fixed block architecture of the recordable media, may be encoded with pits within the grooves and on the lands, as sector headers are intended to be read-only. The groove or inverted groove may be formed on the data surface 205 to aid in tracking and correction the focus of the radiation beam 252.
The first radiation beam 252a is focused on a fifth pit 305a of the first data surface 205a. The second radiation beam 252b is focused on a third pit 305c of the second data surface 205b. The depth of a pit 305 is selected such that when the radiation beam 252 is focused on the base of the pit 305, as is depicted for the third and fifth pits 305c, 305e, the radiation beam is reflected from the pit 305 with a phase that is substantially one hundred and eighty degrees out of phase from the radiation beam 252 entering the pit 305. The interference of the reflected beam 258 and the radiation beam 252 is detected by the second and third optical detector 238, 240, detecting the pit 305.
The depth d of the pit 305 has been determined as a function of the wavelength λ of the radiation beam 252 and the index of refraction n of the spacer layer 210, as illustrated in Equation 1.
                    d        =                  λ                      4                        n                                              Equation                                                  1
Because each spacer layer 210 may have a unique index of refraction, each data surface 205 may have a different pit 305 depth. For example, Equation 2 illustrates the relationship between the pit depth d1 for the first data surface 205a and the index of refraction n1, of the first spacer layer or substrate 210a, the pit depth d2 for the second data surface 205b and the index of refraction n2 of the second data surface n1, and the radiation beam 252 wavelength λ.
                                          d            1                                          n            1                          =                                            d              2                                                  n              2                                =                      λ            4                                              Equation                                                  2
Unfortunately, providing for a unique pit depth for each data surface 205 increases the complexity of manufacturing the Discs 130 as multiple pit depths must be stamped. The increased complexity increases the cost of manufacturing Discs 130.
From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for an apparatus, system, and method that calculate a common Disc 130 pit depth. Beneficially, such an apparatus, system, and method would reduce the manufacturing costs of Discs 130 by allowing each ROM data surface 205 to be stamped with pits 305 of a common pit depth, or each rewritable surface to be stamped with grooves of a common groove depth.

Medium, system, and method for a common optical data storage medium depression depth

International Business Machines Corporation


Solid materials have been developed to remove arsenic compounds from aqueous media. The arsenic is removed by passing the aqueous phase through the solid materials which can be in molded, granular, or powder form. The solid materials adsorb the arsenic leaving a purified aqueous stream. The materials are aerogels or xerogels and aerogels or xerogels and solid support structure, e.g., granulated activated carbon (GAC), mixtures. The species-specific adsorption occurs through specific chemical modifications of the solids tailored towards arsenic.

Substantial effort has been directed to the removal of contaminants from an aqueous media, such as ground water. Numerous "Superfund" sites have been established because of contamination of ground water by various materials. The main contaminants are metals, particularly uranium and hexavalent chromium, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), high explosive compounds, nitrates, perchlorates, arsenic, and tritium, as well as various commercial and manufacturing waste contaminants. Additionally, naturally occurring arsenic and arsenic from industrial operations has contaminated drinking water sources.
Presently, granular activated carbon (GAC), ion-exchanged resins, air-strippers, and bioremediation are used for contaminate removal. These work on many contaminants. However, there is not a readily available cost-effective remedy for arsenic removal from ground water and surface waters to meet the newly promulgated regulatory requirement for arsenic in drinking water that states a maximum contaminant level of 10 ppb for arsenic. GAC has been commercially used as an adsorbent for contaminants in water. It is cheap and treatment technology hardware is readily available commercially for its use. Even though GAC is a good adsorbent medium for many contaminants, such as VOCs, it is not efficient for certain metals, particularly uranium, hexavalent chromium, and arsenic. Thus, there has been a need for a material by which contaminating metals and certain organic compounds may be removed from aqueous and vapor medias.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Solid materials for removing arsenic and method thereof

Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC


A measurement support system includes a measurement device and a management device connected to the measurement device via a communications network. When the measurement device uses consumable materials such as reagents, the management device manages the stock of consumable materials, supplies the consumable materials, and corrects measured data in accordance with the state of the consumable materials. Thus, the measurement support system can reduce the burden on users of the measurement device. The reagents that are used in measurement by a personal measuring instrument (3) located at each of patients' homes (B, C, . . . ) are assigned a reagent ID number beforehand. This reagent ID number and measured data are transmitted to a host computer (1) of a medical institution (A). The host computer (1) determines the stock of reagents based on the consumable material identifier received from the personal measuring instrument (3) and ships the reagents to the patient's home when the stock is running low. The host computer (1) also corrects the measured data in view of a calibration curve and degradation based on the production lot information of the reagents stored in correspondence with the reagent ID number.

A conventional personal measuring device is known that allows patients to measure various data by themselves in places other than medical institutions. For example, people with diabetes, who have to control their blood sugar levels daily, use a personal measuring device (a blood sugar meter) to measure the blood sugar levels four times a day (after or before meals and at bedtime) and write the results down in their notebooks for treatment. They go to a hospital about once a month and present the measurement record to a doctor for receiving the doctor's diagnosis or directions about the self-administration of blood sugar levels.
The conventional personal measuring device may use consumable materials, such as disposable reagents, sensors, and test papers. For example, the blood sugar meter electrically measures blood sugar levels by a sensor on which a blood drop obtained from a patient's fingertip or the like is placed. This sensor is thrown away after use.
When visiting a hospital, users of such a personal measuring device that requires reagents, sensors, test papers, or other consumable components have to purchase the reagents, etc. in a large amount necessary for the whole period of time until the next visit to the hospital and carry them home. Alternatively, those users have to visit medical institutions to purchase the reagents, etc. every time the stock on hand is running low.
Recently, a remote medical examination system also is known that allows patients to receive a doctor's diagnosis at home. In the remote medical examination system, a personal measuring device is connected to a host computer of a medical institution via a communications network such as a telephone network, and measured data from the personal measuring device are transmitted to the medical institution via the communications network. Even with this system, however, when the personal measuring device uses consumable materials such as reagents, the patients have to manage the stock of consumable materials by themselves and visit the medical institution to purchase the consumable materials.
There may be a variation in ingredient of reagents for each production lot. Therefore, measured data are corrected generally in accordance with the calibration curve information of each production lot of the reagents (i.e., a lot correction). Moreover, the ingredients of the reagents may degrade with time after manufacture of the reagents. This may leads to a difference in result between the measurement performed shortly after the manufacturing date of the reagents and the measurement performed closer to the expiration date of the reagents, even if the reagents have the same production lot. Thus, the measured data also should be corrected in view of degradation that depends on the period of time between manufacturing of the reagents and performing of the measurement.
A conventional measuring device using a dry-type measuring element is known as well. This measuring device reads a lot number or the like from bar-code information attached to each measuring element and selects the measurement conditions and a calibration curve that are suitable for the measuring element to be used. However, the device configuration is complicated, and it is troublesome for patients to carry out corrective operations for every measurement.
To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a measurement support system that automatically can perform the stock management, supply, etc. of consumable materials when a measurement device uses the consumable materials, and correct measured data properly in accordance with the state of the consumable materials, thereby reducing the burden on users of the measurement device.

Measurement support system and measurement support method


A ceiling mounted lighting apparatus having at least a pair of articulated swing arms connected to a support post by a swivle assembly. Each of the swing arms supports a plurality of lamps each of which may be independently adjustable with respect to the swing arm. The support posts carrying the swing arms are braced to carry the weight of the articulated arms and the lamps affixed thereto.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to lighting apparatus and more particularly to ceiling mounted lighting apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Lighting apparatus in the form of floor lamps, table lamps, wall mounted lamps and ceiling mounted lamps are well known in the lighting industry. These lighting apparatus take various forms and may include general area lighting, task lighting or a combination of general area and task lighting. It has also been known in the prior art to incorporate one or more swing arms to provide a more versatile positioning of the lighting element. Typically one end of the swing arm is supported by or mounted to a support post, while the other end of the swing arm supports or carries the lighting element of the lighting apparatus. Such swing arm lamps utilize swivel assemblies to mount the swing arm to the support member, thus enabling the swing arm and the lighting elements to be swung about an axis of rotation through the support member. It is also known in floor lamps and table lamps and, in some instances, wall mounted lamps, that a pair of swing arms are connected one to the other by a swivel or swivel assembly to provide even greater versatility for selective positioning of the lighting elements of the lamp in that the swing arms can be selectively positioned with respect to the support post and with respect to each other.
Where a multiplicity of lighting elements disposed upon a ceiling mounted lighting apparatus is desired such has been accomplished by the utilization of track lighting; that is, a track is mounted on the ceiling and the lighting element is then supported within the track and can be positioned laterally along the track to accomplish the desired positioning of the lighting element.
Prior to the present invention, applicant is unaware of any ceiling mounted lighting apparatus which includes a plurality of swing arms which are connected one to the other by a swivel assembly and, in turn, are pivotally connected at one end thereof to a support post extending from a ceiling mount. Attempts in the prior art to provide such a structure have been unsuccessful because the plurality of swing arms and lighting elements connected to each such swing arum was sufficiently heavy to apply a load to the support post causing the support post to bend or the swing arms to droop to such a degree that the structure either became mechanically unsafe or esthetically displeasing.

Ceiling mounted swing arm lighting apparatus


A hydraulic motor system for improved frequency response includes a hydraulic variator having a pump and a motor, wherein the pump includes a variable angle swash plate, and the system further includes an electric actuator for controlling an angle or torque of the swash plate, thereby controlling the motor output characteristics. The electric actuator for controlling the variable angle swash plate may comprise a linear electric motor, ball screw drive or a rotary electric motor. In an example, the rotary electric motor tilts the swash plate by applying a torque to the swash plate at a point away from its tilt axis. In a further example, the rotary electric motor tilts the swash plate via a worm drive or ball screw drive.

Hydrostatic pumps are devices that convert mechanical energy into fluid energy. Such pumps are typically used in combination with hydrostatic motors, with the combination being generally referred to as a variator as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art. Variators are employed in many power transmission or production devices and systems. An example of such a system is a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
This type of system can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,970 to Kuras et al. In particular, this reference discusses the issue of lug or stall prevention. This condition occurs when the power demanded from the engine, e.g., because of a change in load or machine configuration, causes the engine to stall or severely slow down. The '970 patent notes that this condition may occur when the actuation of the hydrostatic elements of the system respond too slowly to effectively accommodate a changing environment. For example, if a bulldozer blade encounters sudden resistance, the power demand of the system will rise suddenly and dramatically, and the system may be unable to reduce the power demand in time to avoid a lug or stall condition.
The solution proposed in the '970 patent is an especially effective control scheme designed to provide a rapid response in the system elements. However, the system response frequency is ultimately still limited by its physical components. Thus, although the '970 solution eliminates much of the delay in the control system itself, the overall frequency response of the transmission will be hindered to some extent by the inertia and responsiveness of the system components such as the hydrostatic pump. In order to have a more accurately controlled transmission system, it is desirable to increase the responsiveness of the transmission and, in particular, the responsiveness of the hydrostatic pump.
Although the resolution of deficiencies of the prior art has been found by the inventors to be desirable, such resolution is not a critical or essential limitation of the disclosed principles. Moreover, this background section is presented as a convenience to the reader who may not be of skill in this art. However, it will be appreciated that this section is too brief to attempt to accurately and completely survey the prior art. The preceding background description is thus a simplified and anecdotal narrative and is not intended to replace printed references in the art. To the extent an inconsistency or omission between the demonstrated state of the printed art and the foregoing narrative exists, the foregoing narrative is not intended to cure such inconsistency or omission. Rather, applicants would defer to the demonstrated state of the printed art.

Electric motor actuation of a hydrostatic pump


G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) generally contain seven transmembrane helices. The present invention provides synthetic peptides derived from these transmembrane helices. The peptides inhibit GPCR function by disrupting GPCR structure. In certain embodiments, charged residues are added at one terminus to promote correct orientation of the peptide in the membrane.

Many physiologically important events are mediated by the binding of guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins) to G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). These events include vasodilation, stimulation or decrease in heart rate, bronchodilation, stimulation of endocrine secretions and enhancement of gut peristalsis, development, mitogenesis, cell proliferation and oncogenesis.
G proteins are a diverse superfamily of guanine nucleotide-binding proteins that play a central role in signal transduction and regulation of cellular metabolism. They are generally comprised of three subunits: a guanyl-nucleotide binding alpha subunit; a beta subunit; and a gamma subunit. (For a review, see Conklin et al. Cell 73, 631–641, (1993)). G proteins commonly cycle between two forms, depending on whether GDP or GTP is bound to the alpha subunit. When GDP is bound, the G protein exists as a heterotrimer, the G alpha-beta-gamma complex. When an alpha-beta-gamma complex operatively associates with a ligand-activated GPCR in a cell membrane, the rate of exchange of GTP for bound GDP is increased and the G alpha subunit dissociates from the G beta-gamma complex. The free G alpha subunit and G beta-gamma complex are capable of transmitting a signal to downstream elements of a variety of signal transduction pathways, for example by binding to and activating adenyl cyclase. This fundamental scheme of events forms the basis for a multiplicity of different cell signaling phenomena.
Recent studies have suggested that all members of the GPCR superfamily have a conserved structure. Comparisons of avian and mammalian beta-adrenergic receptor cDNA's (Yarden et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83: 6795–6799, 1986; Dixon et al., Nature 321:75–79, 1986; and Kobilka et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:46–50, 1987), a bovine rhodopsin cDNA (Nathans and Hogness, Cell 34:807–814, 1983), an alpha 2-adrenergic receptor (Kobilka et al., Science 238:650–656, 1987), an angiotensin receptor cDNA (Young et al., Cell 45:711–719, 1986; Jackson et al., Nature 335:437439, 1988), a bovine substance K receptor (Masu et al., Nature 329:836–838, 1987), and a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor cDNA (Kubo et al., Nature 323:411416, 1986) predict that all GPCR share a highly conserved presence of seven hydrophobic transmembrane domains that are suggested to be transmembrane helices of 20–30 amino acids connected by extracellular or cytoplasmic loops. Kobilka et al., Science 240: 1310 (1988); Maggio et al., FEBS Lett. 319: 195 (1993); Maggio et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 90: 3103 (1993); Ridge et al., Proc. Natl. Sci USA 91, 3204 (1995); Schonenberg et al., J. Biol. Chem. 270: 18000 (1995); Huang et al., J. Biol. Chem. 256: 3802 (1981); Popot et al., J. Mol. Biol. 198: 655 (1987); Kahn and Engelman, Biochemistry 31: 6144 (1992); Schoneberg et al. EMBO J. 15: 1283 (1996); Wong et al., J. Biol. Chem. 265: 6219 (1990); Monnot et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271: 1507 (1996); Gudermann et al., Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 20: 399 (1997); Osuga et al., J. Biol. Chem. 272: 25006 (1997); Lefkowitz et al., J. Biol. Chem. 263:4993–4996, 1988; Panayotou and Waterfield, Curr. Opinion Cell Biol. 1:167–176, 1989. These transmembrane domains of G-protein coupled receptors are designated TM1, TM2, TM3, TM4, TMS, TM6 and TM7. TM4, TM5, TM6 and TM7 are the most highly conserved and are postulated to provide sequences which impart biological activity to GPCRs. TM3 is also implicated in signal transduction.
The coupling of GPCRs to intracellular signaling molecules such as adenylate cyclase (Anand-Srivastava et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271: 19324–19329 (1996)) and G-proteins (Merkouris et al., Mol. Pharmacol. 50: 985–993 (1996)) is reportedly inhibited by peptides corresponding to the intracellular loops of the receptors. Those studies were conducted primarily to provide an understanding of molecular mechanisms of receptor function and could not be applied directly for drug design, because of the difficulties in intracellular delivery of the inhibitors.
WO 94/05695 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,384 set forth sequences of transmembrane regions for 74 GPCRs. The WO 94/05695 patent publication describes and claims polypeptides corresponding to fragments or homologous sequences of GPCRs which can bind a GPCR ligand or which can modulate ligand binding. Both references disclose that a membrane spanning fragment of the third TM domain of the dopamine D2 receptor specifically bound a ligand of the intact receptor in a simple, small unilamellar vesicle model. The fragment used was terminated with a lysine (which is positively charged at physiological pH) at one end and with an aspartic acid (which is negatively charged at physiological pH) at the other. This peptide would not be expected to insert readily into a biological membrane.

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services


A system for the realization of gold-work and/or jewelry articles, out of precious metals designed in intermediate and end sections each provided with corresponding coupling means of different kinds, that permit engagement in sequence of said sections to produce different products, that may be varied according to demand.

Technical Field
The present invention concerns a system for the realization of gold-work and/or jewellery articles, out of precious metals and not, comprising a plurality of modules, designed as intermediate and end annular elements, all provided with coupling means, of the male-female alternate kind, so as to obtain, by the connection in sequence of said elements, compact but different products, that may be varied in time according to the demands.

Segmented transformable jewelry article having variable structural dimensions


There is disclosed a liquid crystal shutter that uses two kinds of spacers having different spherical diameters from each other. The spacers are formed to satisfy the condition:r<R−σR−σr−P

A handy printer for printing an image as sent from a camera phone through ultra red communication has recently been sold in the market. Such a handy printer is provided with a liquid crystal shutter as a print engine to expose a photosensitive material to light from a light source. In the liquid crystal shutter, a liquid crystal layer is enclosed in a spacing between a pair of substrates, and the spacing is formed by spherical spacers. On manufacturing the liquid crystal shutter, the liquid
crystal layer is enclosed in a cell that is formed by sealing the spacing between the pair of substrates with a sealing member. Thereafter, the pair of substrates are pressed together, so as to make the spacing between the substrates have a given uniform value. Because of a difference in heat shrinkage rate between the liquid crystal layer and the sealing material, the cell can distort during the pressing. If the cell distort, the size of the spacing becomes uneven. In order to prevent the thermal distortion, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. Hei 5-11229 suggests applying the pressure while increasing it gradually till the pressure balances out the stress of the spacers.
On the other hand, in order to save manufacturing cost for forming electrode patterns on the substrates, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2003-228054, suggests forming blocking masks, which prevent leakage of light from other areas than liquid crystal pixels, and electrode coating, which constitutes the electrode pattern, by printing organic gold paste merely on necessary parts and baking the printed paste.
Meanwhile, if the liquid crystal shutter as manufactured in the above-mentioned manner is left under such an environment that accelerates deterioration, e.g. in a temperature cycle of 20° C. to 60° C., air bubbles are generated in the liquid crystal layer because of heat expansion or heat shrinkage. The portion containing the air bubbles result in pixel defects. It has also been found that the change or deterioration in properties of the liquid crystal shutter, as caused by the thermal distortion, will be more serious when the spacing between the substrates is reduced for the sake of speeding operation of the liquid crystal shutter. For this reason, using the conventional liquid crystal shutter in the handy printer or the like, which is often used in outdoor, can remarkably lower the reliability of the article.

Liquid crystal shutter and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract: wherein “R” represents a spherical diameter of the first kind spacer, “r” represents a spherical diameter of the second kind spacer, “σR” and “σr” represent standard deviations of these spherical diameters, and “P” represents a permissible amount of dent of a liquid crystal layer. The spacers are dispersed so as to satisfy the condition:[{π·D·(R2/2)+π·d·(r2/2)}/x·y]<1/10c

Abstract: wherein “D” represents a dispersal density of the first kind spacers, “d” represents a dispersal density of the second kind spacers, “x·y” represents a cavity size of a cell, in which the liquid crystal layer is enclosed, and “C” represents a contrast of the liquid crystal shutter required at the opening and closing thereof.


An electronic device includes a first body, a second body, two hinge assemblies, two resilient members, and two latching members. The hinge assemblies hinge the first body on the second body. The resilient members are received in the second body and connect with the second body elastically. Opposite ends of the resilient member resist the second body and the hinge assembly, so that the hinge assembly and the first body move relative to the second body.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to electronic devices, and particularly, to a portable electronic device.
2. Description of Related Art
Collapsible electronic devices, such as notebook computers, are popular for their portability. In the collapsible electronic device, a cover is hinged to a main body via a typical hinge assembly.
The typical hinge assembly often allows the cover to only rotate relative to the main body, but not move relative thereto. An interstice at the joint of the cover and the main body facilitates hinging the cover, so an interstice remains between the cover and the main body when the cover is latched to the main body. The cover may move relative to the main body even when the cover is latched, presenting an unsteady disposition.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


In order to simplify and reduce the production costs of a push-button switch, especially a push switch or a rocker switch, the switch has a time function, which is manually operated and can be reset by an electric pulse. The electromechanical rocker or push-button switch can be combined to form a device block switch with other rocker or push-button switches as usually used in exhauster hoods. As a result, time-controlled intensive and follow-up steps can be carried out.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a switching apparatus for controlling devices having at least one mechanical momentary-contact switch for mechanically switching a functionality of a device. In particular, the present invention relates to a switching apparatus for controlling the intensive stages of an extractor hood.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,093 A1 discloses an extractor hood having an electronic control system. The control device contains a microprocessor that drives the fan motor accordingly. The desired functions are input by a keypad. In addition to a number of pushbutton momentary contacts for various intensive stages, a pushbutton momentary contact is also provided for causing the extractor hood to continuously run. However, the pushbutton momentary contacts only act as pulse generators for the microprocessor. Purely electronic momentary-contact control is therefore provided. The manufacturing costs of electronic momentary-contact control systems of this type are relatively high.
Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 198 02 332 A1 discloses an electrical rocker switch in which a moveable contact part bridges stationary contacts. The moveable contact part is loaded by a spring toward one switched position and, in the other switched position, by a magnet that is in the form of a permanent magnet. The magnetic field of the permanent magnet can be influenced by the magnetic field of an electromagnet such that the moveable contact part, which is held in a prestressed state, is moved into its other switched position when the magnetic field of the electromagnet is built up.

Electromechanical momentary-contact switch having timed supplementary functions


The present invention is a method and system for providing authorization to a customer to access content on a network. A network access provider providing network access to the customer provides verification of the identity of the customer to a content provider. The content provider then determines whether that customer is authorized to access the content and, if so, provides the customer with such access. The invention provides content access based on the identity of the customer, rather than on the identity of a device the customer uses to access the content. In that way, the customer is not restricted to accessing the content through only an authorized device.

Content providers charge users for access to content. In many cases, the user pays a one-time fee to become authorized for unlimited access to the content. This is the case, for example, where physical media containing the content is purchased, or where an open-format content file is downloaded from the content provider. The authorized user can then access the content using any compatible device as often as the authorized user desires. For example, a music company (content provider) may sell a music CD to a user who can then play it as often as he likes in any of a number of home, car, or portable CD players.
Content providers wish to prevent unauthorized users from accessing and duplicating content that has been licensed to an authorized user. In the past, the physical format of the content made it impractical to copy and so possession of the content was tantamount to authorization. For example, possession of music recording in the form of an analog magnetic tape or LP did not enable the possessor to create unlimited copies of quality equal to the original. In contrast, digital recordings are easy to copy and so content providers have been reluctant to provide digital content without a means of preventing its access by unauthorized users. Nearly all current systems for preventing unauthorized access to digital content do so by encrypting the content so that it can be accessed only on a specific device owned by the authorized user and identified at the time the content is purchased. The content can never be used with a different device. Such content is called "device-authorized content" because the content is now associated not with a user, but only with a specific device. That system has a very significant problem in that it greatly limits the authorized user's access to the content by forcing the user to use a single access device even though the user may have multiple devices that could otherwise access the content. For example, a digital music file purchased with authorized access by a single digital music player cannot be played on other players owned by the purchaser. Therefore, if the authorized device is lost, broken, or replaced, the content becomes inaccessible despite the fact that the user purchased unlimited access.
One solution to this problem is for the user to authorize each of the devices owned by the user for the specific content. In that case, however, if the user owns three devices, the user must carry out three transactions to get three instances of the content to work on each of the three devices. When the user acquires a new device, the user must procure new instances of all the user's content (possibly thousands of items) for the new device. Therefore, current systems for preventing unauthorized access to licensed digital content have the undesired effect of actually authorizing only a device, not a user, thereby restricting the authorized user's access to the content and creating unwieldy management challenges.
It is therefore desirable to provide network access to content that is user-authorized, rather than device authorized. A user purchasing access to content under such a system would have access to that content using any compatible device.

Method for providing reliable soft goods license authorization


An optical repeater OFF-state supervisory method includes the steps of: converting an input optical signal into an electrical signal; monitoring a level of the input optical signal from a monitored value when converted into the electrical signal; monitoring whether an input optical signal to an optical repeater is in an OFF state or not; detecting that the input optical signal has been in an OFF state; and changing the monitored value to a predetermined fixed monitored value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an OFF-state supervisory method and device of an optical repeater in which an input optical signal is converted into an electrical signal and at a state of electrical signal, after signal regeneration processing is carried out, the electrical signal is again restored to an optical signal to be output, and particularly, to an OFF-state supervisory method and device of an optical repeater which, based on a monitored value when converted into an electrical signal, a level of input optical signals can be monitored.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an optical signal is attenuated or degraded in an optical transmission line. An optical repeater is utilized to restore the above attenuated/degraded original signal to a pseudo-original waveform to transmit it back to the optical transmission line.
When an optical input is in an OFF state, originating from a noise output of an avalanche photodiode, a monitored value M1 is larger than the minimum value M.sub.min of monitored values when the input optical signal is not in an OFF state.
Once such ambiguous phenomenon occurs, it will not be able to discriminate whether the relevant monitored value M1 is the monitored value when an optical input is not in an OFF state or the one when the optical input is in an OFF state. Therefore, for example, when a line fault occurs, it is not discernible whether the line fault originated from an optical fiber device or from an optical repeater.

Optical repeater off-state supervisory method and device therefor


An inverter control device is equipped with an inverter and a command value calculation unit calculates command values for the alternating current voltage output from the inverter. A phase compensation unit compensates the phase of the command values or the phase of the detected values. An inverter control unit controls the inverter on the basis of the command values or detected values that have been compensated by the phase compensation unit. A motor rotational velocity detector detects the rotational velocity of a motor. The phase compensation unit calculates the phase lead amount on the basis of a phase compensation time that is set for the purpose of obtaining a prescribed phase margin and on the basis of the rotational velocity and, in accordance with the phase lead amount, compensates the phase that is based on the specific characteristics of the motor.

A control device for an electric motor is known (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 06-335277), which includes an electric power converter configured to supply AC power to an AC motor and a rotating coordinate transformation unit configured to transform a two-phase rotating axis into a three-phase axis for the purpose of controlling the electric power converter. A rotating angle of at least the AC motor detected at every predetermined sampling time is used as a coordinate transformation angle. The control device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 06-335277 includes a first rotating angle compensation unit configured to sum up the rotating angle of at least the AC motor detected at every predetermined sampling time and a rotating angle at a time delayed from the sampling time. Hence, the summed rotating angle is set as the coordinate transformation angle.
However, the control device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 06-335277 does not deal with a reduction in phase margin attributed to an inherent characteristic of a motor, and has a problem of having an unstable control system.

Inverter control device and inverter control method


A semiconductor memory device according to the present invention is a dynamic type semiconductor memory device carrying out pipe line processing in page mode, including two column decoders, two address latches, two preamplifiers and two write drivers for one memory cell array. A column address supplied from an address buffer is provided sequentially and alternately to each of the address latches, whereby one of the column decoders, one of the preamplifiers and so on corresponding to the address latch operate alternately.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor memory devices, and more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device that carries out pipe line processing in page mode.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a structure of a conventional dynamic type semiconductor memory device.
Referring to FIG. 11, a dynamic type semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell array 1 having a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, a precharge circuit 2 for holding the potential of the bit line in memory cell array 1 at a predetermined potential at the time of reading, a sense amplifier 3 for amplifying the potential difference appearing on a bit line pair, an I/O control 4 for controlling read/write operation, a column decoder 5 for selecting a desired bit line pair according to column address, a row decoder 6 for selecting a desired word line according to a row address, a preamplifier 7 for amplifying data read out to the bit line pair selected by column decoder 5, a write driver 8 for writing data into a memory cell connected to a desired bit line at the time of writing, an address buffer 9 where address data is entered, an output buffer 10 for providing data read out at the time of reading to an external source, a write buffer 11 for holding data input at the time of writing, a 1/2 Vcc generation circuit 12 for generating a potential that is 1/2 of the power supply potential, a timing signal generation circuit 13 for generating a desired timing signal according to control signals such as RAS and CAS, an address latch 14 for latching the column address applied to address buffer 9, and an output data latch 15 for latching and providing data amplified by preamplifier 7.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a portion of memory cell array 1 and the peripheral circuit thereof in FIG. 11.
Referring to FIG. 12, a plurality of bit line pairs BLa and BLb, and word lines X.sub.0 -X.sub.3 crossing the bit line pairs are arranged in memory cell array 1. A memory cell constituted by one set of a memory cell transistor and a capacitor is provided at each crossing of a bit line pair and a word line. Dummy word lines DX.sub.1 and DX.sub.0 are arranged in a direction crossing the bit line pairs, with a dummy cell constituted by one set of a memory transistor and a capacitor formed at each crossing of a dummy word line and a bit line pair. The word line and the dummy word line are connected to row decoder 6. One end of the bit line is connected to precharge circuit 2. Precharge circuit 2 is applied with an equalize signal EQ and a potential V.sub.BL for holding the potential of the bit line pair at a predetermined potential at the time of reading.
The other end of the bit line is connected to sense amplifier 3 and I/O control 4. In I/O control 4, IO buses IOa and IOb for connection to preamplifier 7 and write driver 8 are connected to one of the bit lines of each bit line pair. Transistors Q.sub.5 and Q.sub.6 are provided between the IO bus and the bit line pair. These transistors have the gates connected to column decoder 5.
The read operation of a memory cell will be explained briefly hereinafter with reference to FIG. 12.
According to the input row address, row decoder 6 selects a desired word line so that the corresponding word line attains a predetermined potential. This allows a memory cell to be selected located at the crossing of the selected word line and the bit line pair, whereby information charge held in that memory cell is read to one of the connected bit line pair. This potential is amplified by sense amplifier 3. Then, according to the input column address information, row decoder 5 selects a desired bit line pair. Transistors Q.sub.5 and Q.sub.6 in I/O control 4 of the selected bit line pair are turned on, so that the potentials appearing on the bit line pairs are transferred to data buses IOa and IOb, respectively, to be transferred to preamplifier 7 and read out.
The write operation will be explained hereinafter briefly.
At the time of writing, row recorder 5 selects a desired bit line pair according to row address information. Transistors Q.sub.5 and Q.sub.6 in I/O control 4 connected to the selected bit line pair are turned on so that data buses IOa and IOb are connected to the desired bit line pair. The data applied to write driver 8 is provided as the potential to each bit line of the desired bit line pair via the data bus. Then, row decoder 6 selects a desired word line according to the input row address so that the potential of the selected word line attains a predetermined potential. Thus, the memory transistor in the memory cell located at the crossing of the selected word line and the selected bit line pair is turned on, whereby the potential on the bit line is held in the capacitor of that memory cell to complete the write operation.
FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the relative circuits at a normal read out cycle after the specification of a row address in association with time. The timing chart below the figure shows the transition of each signal corresponding to the above diagram.
The elapse of time of the operation is plotted along the abscissa, and the operation of each component circuit is plotted along the ordinate. A portion of each signal is described in the block diagram of FIG. 11.
Data reading according to a column address is carried out after the data in the plurality of memory cells connected to the word line corresponding to the selected row address are amplified by sense amplifier 3.
In response to the change of signal AL, a column address signal is supplied to and latched in address buffer 9 (0-5 ns). Then, the decoder portion in column decoder 5 corresponding to the column address operates to turn on the transistor in I/O control 4, whereby the potential difference appearing on the bit line pair is transmitted to preamplifier 7. Preamplifier 7 operates simultaneously with the data selection by column decoder 5 to amplify the data of the selected column which is transferred as the potential difference of the bit line. The amplified data is provided to output latch 15 (5-15 ns).
The data provided from preamplifier 7 is latched in output data latch 15. The read out data latched in output data latch 15 is provided to an outer terminal I/O via output buffer 10 (20-35 ns).
Thus, at the time of normal reading operation, reading operation is carried out according to the next new column address data, after the completion of one cycle from the latch of an column address to the output of the read out data.
FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the operation of each circuit in a normal writing cycle after the specification of a row address in association with time in a semiconductor memory device of FIG. 11.
Referring to FIG. 14, a column address provided to address buffer 9 is latched by address latch 14 (0-5 ns). Simultaneously, data provided from I/O terminal is supplied to write buffer 11 to be latched in data latch 16 in response to data latch signal DL2 attaining an H level (0-5 ns).
Next, a desired column in the column decoder is selected according to the latched column address to turn on the desired transistor in I/O control 4 (5-15 ns). Simultaneously, the latched write data is transmitted to a data bus by write driver 8, whereby information charge is written into a desired memory cell via the selected bit line (5-15 ns).
In normal writing operation, a subsequent column address data is provided to carry out writing operation after the writing operation according to the input of one column address data is completed.
As described above in association with FIGS. 13 and 14, the reading operation and the writing operation are implemented with 1 cycle of the sequential operations of each component circuits. Therefore, pipe line processing can be carried out by providing a latch circuit for connecting the operations of these component circuits. Pipe line processing in a semiconductor memory device is contemplated to divide the processing steps of the read/write operation request into a plurality of small independent operationable steps for processing a plurality of operation requests subsequently. Corresponding to this definition of pipe line processing, a semiconductor memory device not pipe-lined can be considered a semiconductor memory device that establishes a state capable of receiving a subsequent request every time a reading/writing operation is completed as one step.
Therefore, in a semiconductor memory device that is not pipe-lined, the time period starting from the request of a read/write operation to the semiconductor memory device until the termination of that process (referred to as "memory access time" hereinafter) is substantially equal to a time interval allowing a read/write operation to be requested to a memory (referred to as "memory cycle time" hereinafter). On the other hand, in a semiconductor memory device that is pipe-lined, the memory cycle time is shorter than the memory access time, so that the throughput thereof is greater than that of a semiconductor memory device that is not pipe-lined to result in a reading/writing operation of high speed. This pipe line processing is particularly effective in a dynamic type semiconductor memory device carrying out page mode processing to realize high speed operation.
Page mode of a dynamic type semiconductor memory device will be explained hereinafter with reference to the time chart of FIG. 15.
The fall of external row address strobe signal RAS from the H level to the L level triggers a row address to be supplied. Next, the fall of column address strobe signal CAS from the H level to the L level causes a column address data Col-1 to be supplied. The data of the memory cell specified by the supplied row address and the column address is provided as data Dout-1 via I/O terminal. Signal CAS temporarily returns to the H level and then to the L level again to become active. At this time, address information Col-2 entered as the column address information is supplied to be output as data Dout-2 via I/O terminal. Thus by sequentially changing the level of signal CAS, only the column address can be changed while the row address is held to read out data from a desired memory cell. The page mode processing is an operation that subsequently reads out data in memory cells connected to one word line selected by a row address by sequentially changing the column address, i.e. by switching the gate of an I/O control.
If pipe line processing can be carried out under page mode in a dynamic type semiconductor memory device, high speed operation in reading and the like can be expected.
FIG. 16 is a diagram explaining the operation of each circuit of reading operation carried out by pipe line processing in page mode processing, for example, in association with time in a semiconductor memory device of FIG. 11.
The fall of signal CAS triggers external column address A to be provided to address buffer 9 in response to the change of signal AL, and then to be held in latch 14 (0-5 ns). Read out of columns corresponding to the column address latched in latch 14 is carried out by column decoder 5 (5-15 ns). Simultaneously, preamplifier 7 operates (5-15 ns), so that the read out data is latched in output latch 15 (20-25 ns). In pipe line processing, a new column address is provided to address buffer 9 to be latched in latch 14 in response to the change of signal AL as the subsequent read cycle, simultaneously with the latch of the output latch (20-25 ns). The output data already held in output latch 15 is output via output buffer 10. Simultaneously, the operation of the column decoder and the operation of the preamplifier of the next cycle are carried out in parallel (25-35 ns). Thus, memory cycle time Tc can be reduced with respect to memory access time Ta by providing a partial overlapping operation of a preceding reading cycle and a succeeding reading cycle.
FIG. 17 is a diagram describing the operation in association with time of each circuit when pipe line processing is employed in writing operation in a semiconductor memory device of FIG. 11.
Referring to FIG. 17, when an external column address is provided to address buffer 9 at the first cycle, the column address provided to latch circuit 14 is held therein in response to the change of signal AL2 (10-15 ns). At the next cycle, column decoder 5 selects a desired bit line pair according to the column address latched at the preceding cycle (20-30 ns). The write data held in latch 16 from write buffer 11 is written by write driver 8 to a desired memory cell (20-30 ns). At the same time of these operations, an external column address is provided to address buffer 9 in response to the change of signal AL of the writing operation of the next cycle. Thus, memory cycle time Tc of a writing operation can be reduced by carrying out pipe line processing in writing operation.
FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining the operation of each circuit in association with time when pipe line processing of another system is carried out at writing operation in the semiconductor memory device of FIG. 11.
This pipe line processing differs from that of FIG. 17 in that the column address information and write data are held in latches 14 and 16, respectively, in response to the changes of signals AL and DL, respectively. Then at the next cycle, the column decoder operates according to the column address information and the write data held in the preceding cycle, whereby the operation of write driver 8 causes write data to be written into a desired memory cell.
Memory cycle time Tc of a writing operation can also be reduced as described above.
There is particularly no problem in the above described conventional semiconductor memory device carrying out pipe line processing under page mode when the writing operation and the reading operation are respectively continuous. The conventional semiconductor memory device has a disadvantage in operation cycles where the writing operation and the reading operation are alternately switched.
FIG. 19 is a diagram for explaining the operation of each circuit in association with time when the operation cycle changes from the write operation to the read operation in pipe processing in the semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 11.
First, an external column address and an external data are supplied via address buffer 9 and write buffer 11 to be held in latches 14 and 16, respectively (10-15 ns). At the next cycle, the writing operation is carried out according to the latched column address and write data. Because the reading operation of the next cycle is also carried out at this time, preparation operation for the next reading operation is necessary in this cycle. More specifically, column address B for the reading operation must be provided via address buffer 9 to be latched in latch 14, whereby the column decoder and the preamplifier are operated according to this latched column address. However, firstly the column decoder for writing must be operated in this cycle. The operation of the column decoder must be carried out twice during the cycle of 20 ns-50 ns. These decoder operation can not be carried out simultaneously because there is only one column decoder in a conventional semiconductor memory device. It can not be helped that memory cycle time TA2 required for the first reading operation when changing from the writing operation to the reading operation is longer than memory cycle time TA1 or TA3 of a normal pipe line processing. In order to avoid delay of memory cycle time TA2, a step must be taken to cease the reading operation temporarily, i.e. to process the cycle succeeding the writing cycle as a dummy cycle.
It was therefore not possible to reduce the memory cycle time in switching even if pipe line processing is used in case where the writing operation and the reading operation are frequently switched alternately.

Semiconductor memory device having read/write operation improved in pipe line processing


In a machine for making absorbent sanitary articles, such as nappies for babies or incontinence pads for adults, sanitary towels or the like, a plurality of operating stations are equipped with cutting and/or sealing devices for the materials of which the articles consist; all or some of the operating stations each being equipped with at least one laser unit for performing the cutting and/or sealing operation; the laser units all being connected to the same laser source.

As is known, the above-mentioned articles are obtained by superposing a sheet of permeable material (non-woven fabric) on a sheet of impermeable material, and interposing an absorbent pad between them.
Generally, in addition to the above-mentioned basic components, the absorbent articles comprise various other components which make their structure, as well as their production, more or less complex. In particular, in the case of nappies for babies or incontinence pads for adults accessory components are normally used, for example, elastic bands, faecal barriers and lateral wings for fastening the nappies or incontinence pads around the waist of the users.
Prior art machines for making such products therefore comprise many feed means for the materials used to make the above-mentioned basic and accessory components.
More precisely, the sheets of impermeable and permeable materials and the various accessory components are made from continuous webs unwound from respective reels and separated into pieces, at operating stations or units, by suitable cutting devices. The various pieces are then joined to each other at stations in which gluing or sealing devices operate.
The devices for transversal cutting of the webs used in machines of the type considered comprise a blade able to move with a back-and-forth motion and an anvil, or a pair of rollers rotating in opposite directions, substantially at a tangent to each other and respectively equipped with a blade and a counter-blade.
In addition to the transversal cutting devices, there may be further cutting devices for shaping the articles to give them an anatomical shape. In particular, in the case of nappies for babies or incontinence pads for adults, they make two lateral leg openings at the central portion of the nappies for babies or incontinence pads for adults.
As is known, such cutting devices, all of the mechanical type, as well as having considerable dimensions, have the disadvantage of requiring frequent sharpening and regular substitution of the blades.
Moreover, due to the stresses which the reciprocal mechanical action of the blade and the counter-blade apply on the frame of the cutting device, the frame must be suitably sized. For that reasons, the frame is usually made of steel, with consequent negative repercussions in terms of weight, maneuverability during installation and transportation, and cost.
In addition to that, the large number of mechanical cutting units of the above-mentioned type significantly increases the noise emitted by the machine.
Similar considerations apply for the various sealing devices located along the production line. In fact, again, the presence of huge steel frames is a disadvantage in terms of dimensions, weight, maneuverability and cost.

Machine for making absorbent sanitary articles, such as nappies for babies or incontinence pads for adults, sanitary towels or the like


The present invention presents an improved self-sustaining, lightweight honeycomb material made from non-elastomeric, imperforate, air permeable, nonwoven polypropylene or polypropylene/polyethylene blend. The thermoplastic honeycomb material of this invention exhibits anisotropic flexing characteristics providing conformability in three dimensions when flexed. In addition, the honeycomb has improved cushioning, resiliency, squeezability and shape recovery following crush, impact or squeezing. It is energy absorptive, thermally insulative, soft, breathable, compressible, shock absorbent and has low water absorbency making it compatible with moist environments, such as perspiration.

Honeycomb panels have heretofore been provided consisting of an array of hexagonal cells made of strips of flat material glued or otherwise bonded together and nested so that each wall of one cell is shared with walls of adjacent cells to provide a structure which, depending on the type of materials used, can vary from being quite rigid to being flexible. Whereas structures of the former type are suitable for making lightweight panels for use in walls, aircraft structures, boat hull structures and other configurations where rigidity, strength and light weight are important considerations, when crushed, these structures exhibit little if any recovery and are thus permanently degraded. In structures of the latter type wherein the honeycomb material is flexible, a cushioning structure can be provided which is resilient and energy absorbing. However, prior flexible honeycombs have been deficient in one or more of the properties of resiliency, squeezability, shape recovery, softness, breathability, water absorbency, conformability, and the like.
Resilient honeycombs are often made from thermoplastic elastomeric strips that are intermittently bonded together at staggered intervals along the length of the strip. Facings are generally applied across the wall edges of the cells to enclose them and maintain the shape of the honeycomb. The thermoplastic elastomeric materials used provide resiliency so that the honeycomb returns to its original shape following deformation. Resilient honeycombs are used for shock absorption and vibration dampening as well as lightweight insulation.
Examples of resilient honeycombs, methods of making and uses therefor include Landi, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,567, Landi, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,619, Landi U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,653, Landi U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,607, Landi 5,122,405 and Landi, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,642. These prior art honeycombs are made from thermoplastic elastomeric materials, such as polyurethane, which are not porous, using a compression bonding method followed by expansion of the bonded stack. At least one facing sheet is required to maintain the honeycomb structure in the expanded state and to encapsulate air within the cells. In the absence of a desire for air encapsulation, a facing sheet or some other means, such as heat flanging, is required to maintain the expanded structure of the honeycomb. These prior art honeycombs rely substantially on the elastomeric nature of the material and encapsulated air within the cells to provide shock absorbency, vibration dampening and shape recovery and, as a result, are denser and stiffer than otherwise desirable, often requiring that they be cushioned with another material, such as a foam layer. They also tend to have a relatively high compressive strength value which makes them harder to conform to a desired shape. When air flow from cell to cell is desired, it is necessary to perforate the elastomeric materials of these patents, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,619 and 5,203,607.

Lightweight self-sustaining anisotropic honeycomb material


A water managing system includes a pool, and a gas generating system which includes first and second electrode assemblies. A reactant gas is formed in response to establishing a potential difference between the first and second electrode assemblies with automatically adjusting electrodes. A pool pump is in fluid communication with the pool, and a pool filter in fluid communication with the pool and pool pump. The reactant gas flows through a strainer drain of the pool pump and to the pool filter.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system for treating a liquid by using a gas.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many different ways to treat a liquid, such as pool water, and most involve the use of a chemical. For example, most pools include chlorine in the water, wherein the chlorine reduces the amount of algae and bacteria. However, these chemicals affect the taste and odor of the water, which makes it uncomfortable to swim. Some pools include saltwater because algae and bacteria find it difficult to survive in saltwater. However, it is expensive to maintain a saltwater pool. More information regarding water cleaning systems and methods of cleaning water can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,926,802, 3,948,632, 4,098,602, 4,282,104, 5,332,511, 5,373,025, 5,541,150, 6,387,415 and 6,824,794, the contents of all of which are incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein. While these reference may disclose systems suitable for their intended purposes, an improved water cleaning system is desirable.


Techniques are provided for synchronous replication based cutover. An asynchronous replication process is executed to perform asynchronous incremental transfers of data of a storage object from a first computing environment to a replicated storage object at a second computing environment until a cutover criteria is met. A synchronous replication process is executed to synchronously replicate operations, targeting the storage object, to the replicated storage object based upon the cutover criteria being met. A cutover is performed to direct operations from targeting the storage object to targeting the replicated storage object based upon the synchronous replication process reaching a steady state of synchronous replication for sub-objects of the storage object, where operations are committed to both the storage object and the replicated storage object.

Many storage systems may implement data replication and/or other redundancy data access techniques for data loss protection and non-disruptive client access. For example, a first computing device may be configured to provide clients with primary access to data stored within a first storage device and/or other storage devices. A second computing device may be configured as a backup for the first computing device in the event the first computing device fails. Data may be replicated from the first computing device to the second computing device. In this way, the second computing device can provide clients with access to replicated data in the event the first computing device fails.
Storage virtual machines may be used to manage storage (e.g., a plurality of volumes stored across one or more nodes of a cluster) and provide clients with access to such storage. It may be beneficial to migrate a storage virtual machine from one cluster to another cluster, such as for load balancing. Unfortunately, migrating the storage virtual machine is very disruptive to clients. This is because client access to storage hosted by the storage virtual machine is quiesced (blocked), which increases client I/O latency, can result in applications relying on data within the storage to time out or experience errors, etc.

Synchronous replication based cutover engine


A process for 3D printing a material by successively solidifying layers of the material to form a cross section of an object. The process includes providing a layer of the material, preheating the material to a preheating temperature, below the temperature at which the material is solidified, and solidifying a layer of the material by electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation. In the solidification step, during a predetermined period of time starting with the beginning of the solidification step, the heat introduced per unit area is reduced over time and can be described by a function which decreases monotonously depending on the time.

Methods for a layer-wise additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects are for example described in EP 1 486 317 B1. In case a powder is used as starting material for the manufacture, which powder is sintered and melted, respectively, by the introduction of heat energy, the building process usually proceeds such that a CAD model of the object to be manufactured is prepared, which model is dissected into layers, and subsequently the building material is solidified layer-wise corresponding to cross-sections of the CAD model.
For each powder layer the building process proceeds as follows:
After the application of a building material layer in powder form onto an already solidified layer, at first the newly applied powder layer is pre-heated by means of a radiative heating up to a working temperature below the temperature at which it is solidified. Thereupon, radiation (such as a laser beam) is directed onto the pre-heated layer for a selective solidification of the building material. After all layers of the object have been manufactured, the latter is allowed to cool down and the object is removed from the unsolidified powder that surrounds the object.

Process for the accelerated production of objects by means of generative manufacturing


A method is provided for optimizing routing on a substrate such as an integrated circuit or printed circuit board. The method defines a plurality of parallel strips on an initial routing layout of conductors for a layer of an integrated circuit. Each conductor within each strip defines a brick. For each of the plurality of strips, a spacing between bricks and a brick thickness of each brick is adjusted as a function of i) a location of a brick in adjacent strips corresponding to the same conductor; ii) a desired brick thickness; and iii) a desired brick spacing.

Integrated circuits (ICs) are typically composed of several layers of conducting, insulating and other components that are structured in a horizontal dimension by fabrication processes.
Shorts and Opens are two categories of random yield defects that occur during the fabrication process. EMCA (Extra Material Critical Area) is a measure of an integrated circuit layout geometry that defines the susceptibility of the device to defects that unintentionally make an electrically conductive connection between conductive regions of the circuits ("Shorts"). MMCA (Missing Material Critical Area) is a measure of an integrated circuit layout geometry that defines the susceptibility of the device to defects that unintentionally interrupt an electrical connection between conductive regions of the circuit ("Opens"). "Extra material" defects are defects which cause shorts between different conducting regions and "missing material" defects are defects which cause open circuits in a conducting region.
Yield losses may also be caused by insufficient, excessive, or inhomogeneous material density. Fabrication of ICs typically requires that material density—that is, the percentage of conductive material in a conductor layer, averaged across spatial regions of specified size—lies within specified upper and lower limits and does not change rapidly between adjacent such regions. Fabrication processes can typically be simplified, executed in a more robust manner and achieve higher yield if spatial variations in material density can be reduced by appropriate layout.
It is known in the art to modify the routing layout and geometry of conductors, vias, contacts and other components in order to reduce yield defects.

Method and apparatus for automatic routing yield optimization