A mounting bracket for adjustably supporting an object about one or more axes. The bracket may include a support member that is pivotally attached to a mounting member such that the support member may be selectively pivoted about a first pivot axis relative to the mounting member and thereafter releasably locked in that position. Adjustment components may be provided to facilitate controlled pivotal travel of the support member about the first pivot axis and which non-movably retains the support member in a desired position as the locking members are locked. The bracket may further comprise an antenna mast support member that is pivotally attached to the support member for selective pivotal travel about a second pivot axis relative to the support member and thereafter releasably locked in position. Additional adjustment components may be provided to facilitate the controlled pivotal travel of the antenna mast support member about the second pivot axis and which non-movably retains the antenna mast support member in a desired position as it is locked in that position.

Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to mounting brackets and devices and, more particularly, to brackets for adjustably supporting objects including antennas and the like.
2. Description of the Invention Background
The advent of the television can be traced as far back to the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth century. However, it wasn""t until 1923 and 1924, when Vladimir Kosma Zworkykin invented the iconoscope, a device that permitted pictures to be electronically broken down into hundreds of thousands of components for transmission, and the kinescope, a television signal receiver, did the concept of television become a reality. Zworkykin continued to improve those early inventions and television was reportedly first showcased to the world at the 1939 World""s Fair in New York, where regular broadcasting began.
Over the years, many improvements to televisions and devices and methods for transmitting and receiving television signals have been made. In the early days of television, signals were transmitted via terrestrial radio networks and received through the use of antennas. Signal strength and quality, however, were often dependent upon the geography of the land between the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna. Although such transmission methods are still in use today, the use of satellites to transmit television signals is becoming more prevalent. Because satellite transmitted signals are not hampered by hills, trees, mountains, etc., such signals typically offer the viewer more viewing options and improved picture quality. Thus, many companies have found offering satellite television services to be very profitable and, therefore, it is anticipated that more and more satellites will be placed in orbit in the years to come. As additional satellites are added, more precise antenna/satellite alignment methods and apparatuses will be required.
Modem digital satellite communication systems typically employ a ground-based transmitter that beams an uplink signal to a satellite positioned in geosynchronous orbit. The satellite relays the signal back to ground-based receivers. Such systems permit the household or business subscribing to the system to receive audio, data and video signals directly from the satellite by means of a relatively small directional receiver antenna. Such antennas are commonly affixed to the roof or wall of the subscriber""s residence or are mounted to a tree or mast located in the subscriber""s yard. A typical antenna constructed to received satellite signals comprises a dish-shaped reflector that has a support arm protruding outward from the front surface of the reflector. The support arm supports a low noise block amplifier with an integrated feed xe2x80x9cLNBFxe2x80x9d. The reflector collects and focuses the satellite signal onto the LNBF which is connected, via cable, to the subscriber""s television.
To obtain an optimum signal, the antenna must be installed such that the centerline axis of the reflector, also known as the xe2x80x9cbore sitexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cpointing axisxe2x80x9d, is accurately aligned with the satellite. To align an antenna with a particular satellite, the installer must be provided with accurate positioning information for that particular satellite. For example, the installer must know the proper azimuth and elevation settings for the antenna. The azimuth setting is the compass direction that the antenna should be pointed relative to magnetic north. The elevation setting is the angle between the Earth and the satellite above the horizon. Many companies provide installers with alignment information that is specific to the geographical area in which the antenna is to be installed. Also, as the satellite orbits the earth, it may be so oriented such that it sends a signal that is somewhat skewed. To obtain an optimum signal, the antenna must also be adjustable to compensate for a skewed satellite orientation.
The ability to quickly and accurately align the centerline axis of antenna with a satellite is somewhat dependent upon the type of mounting arrangement employed to support the antenna. Prior antenna mounting arrangements typically comprise a mounting bracket that is directly affixed to the rear surface of the reflector. The mounting bracket is then attached to a vertically oriented mast that is buried in the earth, mounted to a tree, or mounted to a portion of the subscriber""s residence or place of business. The mast is installed such that it is plumb (i.e., relatively perpendicular to the horizon). Thereafter, the installer must orient the antenna to the proper azimuth and elevation. These adjustments are typically made at the mounting bracket. Prior mounting brackets commonly employ a collection of bolts that must first be loosened to permit the antenna to be adjusted in one of the desired directions. After the installer initially positions the antenna in the desired position, the locking bolts for that portion of the bracket are tightened and other bolts are loosened to permit the second adjustment to be made. It will be appreciated that the process of tightening the locking bolts can actually cause the antenna to move out of its optimum position which can deteriorate the quality of the signal or, in extreme situations, require the installer to re-loosen the bolts and begin the alignment process over again. Furthermore, such mounting apparatuses cannot accommodate relatively fine adjustments to the antenna. In addition, because such crude bracket arrangements are attached directly to the rear of the reflector, they can detract from the reflector""s aesthetic appearance.
There is a need for a mounting bracket for adjustably supporting an object about one or more axes that can be precisely adjusted in a controlled manner and that can retain the object in the desired orientation.
Yet another need exists for a mounting bracket having the above-mentioned attributes that can support an antenna mounting mast therein without detracting from the aesthetic appearance of the antenna.
In accordance with one form of the present invention, there is provided a mounting bracket for adjustably supporting an object about a first pivot axis. On embodiment of the bracket includes a mounting member and a support member that is pivotally attached to the mounting member for selective pivotal travel about the first pivot axis. The bracket of this embodiment also includes a first adjustment assembly that is attached to the mounting member and the support member for selectively adjusting the position of the support member about the first pivot axis in a controlled and precise manner. The bracket further includes a first lock member for selectively preventing pivotal travel of the support member about the first pivot axis relative to the mounting member. An object support member is also attached to the support member.
In another embodiment, the object support member is pivotally attached to the support member for selective pivotal travel about a second pivot axis. A second lock member for selectively preventing pivotal travel of the object support member about the second pivot axis in a controlled and precise manner. In addition, this embodiment may include a second adjustment assembly that is attached to the support member and the object support member for selectively adjusting the position of the object support member about the second pivot axis relative to the support member. The object support member may be provided with a socket for receiving a portion of an object such as an antenna mast therein.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a mounting bracket that can be attached to a supporting structure, such as a building, tree, vertically extending pole or mast and that can adjustably support an object in desired orientations.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide a mounting bracket that pivotally supports an object about a first axis and that can be readily adjusted to pivot the object about the first axis in a precise and controlled manner and locked in position after the adjustments have been completed.
Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a means for retaining the object in the desired position about the first axis, while the locking means of the mounting bracket is locked to retain the object in that position.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide a mounting bracket that pivotally supports an object about a second axis and that can be readily adjusted to pivot the object about the second axis in a precise and controlled manner and locked in that position after the adjustment had been made.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a means for retaining the object in a desired position about the second axis, while the locking means of the mounting bracket is locked to retain the object in that position.
Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a mounting bracket that can pivotally support an object about at least two axes and permit relatively precise and controlled adjustment of that object about those axes and have means for retaining the object in position about one axis while the object is being pivoted about the other axis.
Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a mounting bracket with one or more of the above-mentioned attributes that is fabricated from corrosion resistant materials.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a mounting bracket having one or more of the above-mentioned attributes that can be readily adjusted with a single conventional hand tool.
Accordingly, the present invention provides solutions to the shortcomings of prior mounting brackets and particularly those mounting brackets used to support antennas, receivers, and the like. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate, however, that these and other details, features and advantages will become further apparent as the following detailed description of the embodiments proceeds.

BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation


The deployment of multiple embedded operating system components provides a designer with flexibility when customizing an embedded operating system for a target computing device. The embedded operating system components provide extra features to expand the functionality of the target computing device. The ease with which the designer may select various embedded operating system components to deploy from an originating computing device to the target computing device simplifies the design process. Configuration data of a core embedded operating system and configuration data of the deployed embedded operating system components are merged and any conflicts between configuration data are automatically resolved without rebooting the target computing device.

An operating system may be customized for a specific computing device such that less than the entire operating system is installed on the device. The installed operating system includes a core operating system and at least one operating system component that is deployed to the device with the core operating system. Once the customized operating system is installed on the computing device, additional operating system components cannot be deployed to reconfigure the device. The device can only be reconfigured by removing the previously installed operating system and installing a different operating system that is customized for a different purpose.

Deployment of multiple embedded operating system components


A process for the skeletal isomerization of n-olefins containing at most 20 carbon atoms, comprising bringing a charge containing olefins into contact with a catalyst based on alumina which is impregnated with a clearly determined amount of TuO.sub.2, and subjected to a s team treatment. The process is carried into effect in the presence of steam.

The reduction of lead alkyls in petrols has caused refiners for many years now to envisage incorporating different compounds and in particular alcohols and esters into petrol, to permit an increase in the octane number. Besides methanol which is one of the most attractive known additives, MTBE (methyl-tertiobutyl ether) has anti-knock properties which permit an improvement in the quality of the petrols and an increase in their octane number, such increase being greater than that which is obtained with methanol. MTBE also has many other advantages such as:
a boiling point corresponding to that of the components of the petrol which have the lowest anti-knock properties, PA0 a vapor pressure which is compatible with the above-mentioned components, PA0 an excellent freezing point, PA0 low solubility in water, PA0 complete miscibility with hydrocarbons, etc.
MTBE is generally produced from isobutene and methanol in accordance with the following reaction: ##STR1##
Isobutene is generally contained in C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 olefinic cuts obtained from the effluents from catalytic cracking, steam cracking, thermal cracking and visbreaking. However the amounts of isobutene provided by those different processes are not sufficient to permit a broad development of the MTBE production process.
It is for that reason that, in order to produce larger amounts of isobutene, it has been proposed that the butenes contained in the effluents from the above-mentioned processes are to be completely or almost completely isomerized to provide isobutenes.
Many processes associated with many catalysts have been proposed in the literature. The catalysts used are generally based on alumina or more particularly aluminas which have been activated or treated with vapor (U.S. Pat. No. 3,558,733), whether involving alumina h or g, halogenated aluminas (U.S. Pat. No 2,417,647) bauxite, aluminas treated with derivatives of boron, silicon (U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,590, U.S. Pat. No 4,038,337 GB 2 129 701 and U.S. Pat. No 4,434,315) or zirconium and various silica-aluminas, etc.
Most of those catalysts exhibit a relatively low level of conversion per pass and a low degree of selectivity due to the parasitic reactions such as cracking and polymerization, which latter also give rise to a rapid drop-off in the levels of performance.

Process for the isomerization of olefins


A magnetic storage element and an electronic apparatus having a reduced writing current while retaining a magnetism retention property of a storage layer. The magnetic storage element includes a spin orbit layer extending in one direction, a writing line that is electrically coupled to the spin orbit layer, and allows a current to flow in an extending direction of the spin orbit layer, a tunnel junction element including a storage layer, an insulator layer, and a magnetization fixed layer that are stacked in order on the spin orbit layer, and a non-magnetic layer having a film thickness of 2 nm or less, and disposed at any stack position between the spin orbit layer and the insulator layer.

With recent improvement in performance of various information apparatuses, storage devices built in the various information apparatuses also present an increase in degree of integration, an increasing speed, and a decrease in power consumption. Accordingly, performance of a storage element using a semiconductor is also improving.
For example, a flash memory is becoming more popular as a large capacity file memory instead of a hard disk drive device. Moreover, various types of storage elements such as FeRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory), PCRAM (Phase-Change Random Access Memory), or MRAM (Magnetic Random Access Memory) are being developed as a code storage or a working memory, instead of a NOR-type flash memory and DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory).
For example, the MRAM that stores information therein on the basis of a magnetization direction of a magnetic body attracts attention as a storage element for the code storage or the working memory. This is because the MRAM allows for a high-speed operation and allows for substantially infinite times of rewriting as well.
Specifically, STT-MRAM (Spin Transfer Torque-Magnetic Random Access Memory) attracts attention as the MRAM. The STT-MRAM causes a magnetization reversal by using a spin-torque magnetization reversal and injecting spin-polarized electrons to an MTJ (Magnetic Tunnel Junction) element.
In fact, however, because amounts of current used for writing and reading of information are close to each other in the STT-MRAM, there has been a possibility of causing a read disturbance in which stored information is rewritten when reading out the information.
To address this, SOT-MRAM (Spin Orbit Torque-Magnetic Random Access Memory) is under consideration. Upon writing information, the SOT-MRAM reverses a magnetization direction of a storage layer using spin orbit torque that is derived from a spin polarization induced when a current is caused to flow to a metal layer disposed in contact with the storage layer.
For example, PTL 1 described below discloses a magnetic memory that reverses the magnetization direction of the storage layer using spin orbit interaction.

Magnetic storage element and electronic apparatus

SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION


A facsimile apparatus includes a first interface configured to connect to a telephone line; a second interface configured to connect to a network, and a controller. The controller is configured to execute: a detection processing in which the controller detects reception of a signal indicating transmission of facsimile data, and an upload processing in which the controller transmits facsimile data, which is received from a transmission source apparatus to an upload destination server, which is an upload destination apparatus. When executing the upload processing, the controller is configured to further execute an obtaining processing in which the controller obtains a reception capability of the upload destination server, a determining processing in which the controller determines capability information on the basis of the reception capability, and a notification processing in which the controller notifies the transmission source apparatus of the capability information determined in the determination processing.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a facsimile (FAX) apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a FAX apparatus having an upload function of uploading received FAX data to another apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A FAX apparatus having a transmission function of transmitting received FAX data to another FAX apparatus has been known. A transmission source as the FAX apparatus has a communication history with of a transmission destination as said another FAX apparatus. When a reception capability of transmission destination is determined based on the communication history. The transmission source as the FAX apparatus responds capability information based on the reception capability.


Object level conflict detection is provided. In an optimistic concurrency embodiment, when an object is to be updated, the database system is checked to determine whether any data related to fields of the object have changed since the object was read. This can be accomplished by storing a copy of the data when the initial object read function is performed and subsequently comparing the initial copy with the database data as it stands when the update is to be performed.

The present invention relates to database systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to conflict detection in an object-relational database system.
In conventional relational databases, all data are stored in named tables. The tables are described by their features. In other words, the rows of each table contain objects of identical type, and the definitions of the columns of the table (i.e., the column names and the data types stored in the column) describe the attributes of each of the instances of the object. By identifying its name, its column names and the data types of the column contents, a table is completely described.
Relational databases offer several advantages. Database queries are based on a comparison of the table contents. Thus, no pointers are required in relational databases, and all relations are treated uniformly. Further, the tables are independent (they are not related by pointers), so it is easier to maintain dynamic data sets. The tables are easily expandable by simply adding new columns. Also, it is relatively easy to create user-specific views from relational databases.
There are, however, a number of disadvantages associated with relational databases as well. For example, access to data by reference to properties or attributes is not optimal in the classical relational data model. This can make such databases cumbersome in many applications.
Another recent technology for database systems is referred to as object oriented database systems. These systems offer more complex data types in order to overcome the restrictions of conventional relational databases. In the context of object oriented database models, an "object" includes both data and the functions (or methods) which can be applied to the object. Each object is a concrete instance of an object class defining the attributes and functions of all its instances. Each instance has its unique identifier by which it can be referred to in the database.
Object oriented databases operate under a number of principles. One such principle is referred to as inheritance. Inheritance means that new object classes can be derived from another class by inheritance. The new classes inherit the attributes and methods of the other class (the super-class) and offer additional attributes and operations. An instance of the derived class is also an instance of the super-class. Therefore, the relation between a derived class and its super-class is referred to as the "isA" relation.
A second principle related to object oriented databases is referred to as "aggregation." Aggregation means that composite objects may be constructed as consisting of a set of elementary objects. A "container object" can communicate with the objects contained therein using methods of the contained objects. The relation between the container object and its components is called a "partOf" relation because a component is a part of the container object.
Yet another principle related to object oriented databases is referred to as encapsulation. According to encapsulation, an application can only communicate with an object through messages. The operations provided by an object define the set of messages which can be understood by the object. No other operations can be applied to the object.
Another principle related to object oriented databases is referred to as polymorphism. Polymorphism means that derived classes may re-define methods of their super-classes.
Objects present a variety of advantages. For example, operations are an important part of objects. Because the implementations of the operations are hidden to an application, objects can be more easily used by application programs. Further, an object class can be provided as an abstract description for a wide variety of actual objects, and new classes can be derived from the base class. Thus, if an application knows the abstract description and using only the methods provided by an object class, the application can still accommodate objects of the derived classes, because the objects in the derived classes inherit these methods. However, object oriented databases are not yet as widely used in commercial products as relational databases.
Yet another database technology attempts to combine the advantages of the wide acceptance of relational databases and the benefits of the object oriented paradigm. This technology is referred to as object-relational database systems. There are generally two variants of O-R systems: one adds the capabilities to the database management system itself; the other is external to the database and addresses the "impedance mismatch" between objects and relational tables. Unless and until objects run in the database, such systems will be necessary. Some of these databases employ a data model that attempts to add object oriented characteristics to tables. All persistent (database) information is still in tables, but some of the tabular entries can have richer data structure. These data structures are referred to as abstract data types (ADTs). An ADT is a data type that is constructed by combining basic alphanumeric data types. The support for abstract data types presents certain advantages. For example, the operations and functions associated with the new data type can be used to index, store, and retrieve records based on the content of the new data type.
In a multi-user environment, there are generally two types of approaches for detecting conflicts when updating data in a database. These are known as pessimistic concurrency and optimistic concurrency.
Pessimistic concurrency involves locking rows at the datasource to prevent users from modifying data in a way that affects other users. In a pessimistic model, when a user performs an action that causes a lock to be applied, other users cannot perform actions that would conflict with the lock until the lock owner releases it. This model is primarily used in environments where there is heavy contention for data, and/or where the cost of protecting data with locks is less than the cost of rolling back transactions if concurrency conflicts occur.
In a pessimistic concurrency model, a user who reads a row with the intention of changing it establishes a lock. Until the user has finished the update and released the lock, no one else can change that row. For this reason, pessimistic concurrency is usually implemented when lock times will be relatively short as in programmatic processing of records.
In contrast, optimistic concurrency does not lock a row when a user is reading it. When a first user wants to update data, the application generally determines whether another user has changed the affected data after the first user read the data, but before the first user attempted to update the row. Optimistic concurrency is generally used in environments with a low contention for data. This improves performance as no locking of records is required, and locking of records acquires additional server resources. Also, in order to maintain record locks, a persistent connection to the database server is generally required. Because this is not the case in an optimistic concurrency model, connections to the server are free to serve a larger number of clients in less amount of time. Another reason for optimistic concurrency in the world of the Internet is that connections cannot be held across a firewall.
Optimistic concurrency is typically effected using one of two common algorithms: row level conflict detection and column (or field level) conflict detection. In row level detection, if a row in a table has changed after the row has been read but before data is written to the row, a conflict is registered. This is normally achieved by checking a time stamp column, or comparing the existing values on the row with the original values in the row when the row was first read, to ensure that none of the values have changed. Column level detection determines if any of the columns, or fields, that were read and modified by a user have been changed (by another user) since they were read by the first user. If this occurs, a conflict is registered. This is achieved by comparing the original values of the changed columns. These known methods of managing conflicts within a multi-user database system do not adequately provide for efficient object-relational database use. The limitations of these approaches are illustrated in the following examples.
Column level detection is not always correct in that, in some cases, a real world conflict does in fact occur and is not detected by column level detection. If two columns are conceptually linked, users can still make independent simultaneous changes to each column without generating a conflict. For example, assume a bank has an account table with two columns: balance_in_savings, and balance_in_checking and an additional policy that if the aggregate of the savings and checking balances is above $10,000.00 that there is no account surcharge for doing transactions. Column level conflict detection would fail to detect conflict in the following case. Assume that Joe Smith has a checking balance of $999.00 and a savings balance of $9,000.00. Users A and B both read the Joe Smith entry containing these two balances. User A adds $2.00 to the savings balance and User B subtracts $2.00 from the checking balance. User B updates first, making the combined balance $9,997.00. However, User A thinks the ending balance is above $10,000.00 and accordingly does not assess a surcharge and updates. This is incorrect.
Row-level detection is always correct, but can reduce concurrency. This is especially problematic in object-relational databases where more than one object can be independently stored on the same row of a table. For example, where one row contains both user reference data (e.g. the customer address) and accumulators (e.g. customer activity over time in number of invoices, dollars, etc), updating reference data and updating accumulators at the same time is reasonable and should not generate a conflict. However, row-level conflict detection will register a conflict and prohibit simultaneous updates of such data.
Another limitation of current conflict detection is that it currently does not recognize changes to different tables as part of the same logical unit of work. For example, a change to an order in a table will not conflict with a change to an order line that is in a different table, order_line, but is part of the same order. Further, when an object includes fields for a class, which fields are mapped to columns of multiple tables, current conflict detection does not register conflicts even though users can be simultaneously modifying data for the same object.
Thus, using current conflict detection strategies with today's object-relational database systems will either not guarantee that conflicts are generated when they should be, or unduly reduce concurrency. Providing a solution to these problems would facilitate the widespread use of object-relational database systems in multi-user environments.

Object-level conflict detection in an object-relational database system


Provides a normalizing apparatus that normalizes input signals to a turbo decoder without significantly increasing a size of a circuit. An input signal buffer (341) obtains a sum S for N pieces of input signal data I(i). An input data averaging part (342) obtains an average A by dividing the sum S by the number of data N. A divider (343) obtains normalized data I(i)/A by dividing the input signals I(i) by the average A. A weighting part (345) multiplies the normalized data I(i)/A with a weighting coefficient α, which is determined based on a ratio of a number of input data and a number of output data in rate matching. As a result, the normalization is made possible. Because a signal receiving quality does not need to be determined, an increase in circuit size is inhibited.

Conventionally, error correction has been made possible by coding information signals and then decoding. Various methods are available for such an error correction. When the error correction is used for reliable wireless communications, a lower limit in a signal to noise ratio (Eb/No, where Eb is power per bit and No is noise power per 1 Hz), at which the error correction would be possible for information signals at a prescribed error rate, is a critical issue.
The lower limit in the signal to noise ratio, at which error correction would be possible, is theoretically determined by the Shannon's Theorem. Turbo coding is a method of error correction that offers a lower limit in the signal to noise ratio that is fairly close to a limit that would be determined by the Shannon's Theorem for error correction. The turbo coding was first introduced in a reference "C. Berrou, A. Glavieux, and G Montorsi; "New Shannon Limit Error Correcting Coding and Decoding: Turbo Codes (1)," Proc. of ICC'93 (Geneva, Switzerland), pp. 1064–1070". The turbo coding has gained a lot of attention because of a significantly high performance.
Input signals for a turbo decoder must be normalized. A reference "C. Berrou, A. Glavieux and member, IEEE: "Near Optimum Error Correcting Coding and Decoding: Turbo-Codes," Proc. of IEEE October, 1996, Vol. 44, No. 10, pp. 1261–1271" mentions a use of log-likelihood space ratios (LLR) for input signals to the turbo decoder. The LLR is defined as follows:
                              Λ                                (                          d              κ                        )                          =                  log                                                                                P                                            (                                                      y                    κ                                    |                  1                                )                                                    P                                            (                                                      y                    κ                                    |                  0                                )                                                                        (        1        )
Specifically, the LLR is defined as follows for an AWGN channel.
                              Λ                                (                          d              κ                        )                          =                  4                                                                                E              s                                      N              o                                                                    y              κ                                                      E                s                                                                        (        2        )
Here, Es is energy per symbol (1 bit after turbo coding); and No is noise power per 1 Hz. As shown in Equation 2, in order to obtain the LLR, No (noise power per 1 Hz) must be obtained. It means that a noise variance being added to a single piece of information must be estimated, and a receiving quality must be measured.
However, a size of a circuit for measuring the receiving quality would not be negligible in comparison to a size of a circuit for an entire decoder. In other words, the size of the circuit for the entire decoder would become larger.
If input signals to the turbo decoder were not to be normalized, then the use of the LLR can be avoided, and an enlargement of the circuit size can be inhibited. However, because trends in levels of the input signal into the turbo decoder could change significantly, it would be difficult to achieve a level of quality of the communications that would be of practical use, if the normalization were not to be performed.
A task of the present invention, therefore, is to provides, for example, a normalizing apparatus for normalizing the input signals to the turbo decoder without increasing the size of the circuit by too much.

Normalizing device and method, program, recording medium on which the program is recorded and communication terminal for normalizing data


A vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus mounted on a vehicle includes a first imaging unit that captures an image of a rear side and a diagonally backward, a distance detection unit that detects a distance from the vehicle to an object present in the rear side and the diagonally backward, based on the image captured by the first imaging unit, a course prediction unit that predicts a course of the object, based on transition of the distance to the object detected by the distance detection unit, and an entry prediction unit that predicts whether the object enters a door opening and closing area, based on the course of the object predicted by the course prediction unit and the door opening and closing area which is set on sides of the vehicle and defines a movable range in which side doors of the vehicle are opened and closed.

Conventionally, a vehicle such as an automobile is provided with an outer mirror such as a door mirror. The outer mirror is used when a driver views a rear side and a diagonally backward of the vehicle, and is provided to protrude outward on a side surface of a vehicle body. Such an outer mirror causes an increase in air resistance when the vehicle travels, and since a shape and size of the mirror are limited, an area to be a blind spot is sometimes generated for the driver.
Patent Document 1 discloses an electric mirror device in which an imaging unit such as a camera instead of an outer mirror is mounted on a vehicle. In the electric mirror device, the rear side and the diagonally backward of the vehicle are imaged by the imaging unit, and the captured image is displayed on the monitor in the cabin.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2016-124391
Thus, the vehicle equipped with the imaging unit has increased, it has been required to effectively utilize the function of the imaging unit.
On the other hand, in a case where the occupant gets off the vehicle, when the occupant opens the door, the occupant needs to be careful about a person, a bicycle, or a car approaching from the rear of the vehicle, and it is for the occupant only to check the safety around the vehicle.


A hard disk drive that includes a head that is coupled to a disk. The disk drive further includes a comparator circuit that is coupled to the head. The comparator circuit receives a synchronization signal and a write clock. The comparator generates a write error signal if a comparison of the synchronization and write clock signals exceeds a threshold. The write error signal can inhibit a write operation or cause a rewrite of data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to detection of head jitter in a hard disk drive.
2. Background Information
Hard disk drives contain a plurality of magnetic heads that are coupled to rotating disks. The heads write and read information by magnetizing and sensing the magnetic fields of the disk surfaces. Each head is attached to a flexure arm to create a subassembly commonly referred to as a head gimbal assembly ("HGA"). The HGA's are suspended from an actuator arm. The actuator arm has a voice coil motor that can move the heads across the surfaces of the disks.
The disks are rotated by a spindle motor of the drive. Rotation of the disks creates an air flow within the disk drive. Each head has an air bearing surface that cooperates with the air flow to create an air bearing between the head and the adjacent disk surface. The air bearing eliminates or minimizes the mechanical wear between the head and the disk. The height of the air bearing is commonly referred to as the flying height of the head.
The magnetic field detected by the head is inversely proportional to the flying height of the head. Likewise, the strength of the magnetic field written onto the disk is also inversely proportional to the fly height. A larger fly height will produce a weaker magnetic field on the disk.
There have been developed disk media that have patterns of magnetic dots. Such disks are commonly referred to as bit patterned media. The dots are constructed from magnetic material and are separated from each other by non-magnetic material. The non-magnetic materials inhibits cross-talk between the dots. The write clock must be very accurate so that the writing of data occurs above a magnetic dot.
It is desirable to create a flying height that is nearly zero. A nearly zero flying height can result in contact between the head and disk. Contact between the head and the disk can cause vibration and associated head movement. Such movement can destroy synchronization between the write clock and the writing of data in a bit pattern media. It is therefore desirable to detect vibration induced movement of the heads.

Synchronous writing with timing error detection in bit patterned media disk drives


Apparatuses and methods for retrieving a downhole tool from a wellbore are provided. The method includes running a retrieval tool into a wellbore on a conveyance. The retrieval tool configured to automatically manipulate into an engagement position with the downhole tool. Engaging the downhole tool with the retrieval tool and removing the downhole tool from the wellbore.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a downhole tool. More particularly, the invention relates to a whipstock retrieval tool. More particularly still, the invention relates to a self aligning retrieval tool configured to automatically engage a whipstock.
2. Description of the Related Art
During a drilling operation of oil and gas wells, a wellbore is formed in the Earth and typically lined with a tubular that is cemented into place to prevent cave in and to facilitate the isolation of certain areas of the wellbore for the collection of hydrocarbons. Once the tubular or casing is cemented into place, the hydrocarbons are typically gathered using a smaller string of tubulars called production tubing. Due to a variety of issues, including depletion of formations adjacent the wellbore and stuck tools and pipe that prevent continued use of the wellbore, it is often desirable to form another wellbore, not from the surface, but from some location along the existing wellbore. This new or lateral wellbore can also be lined with pipe and then hydrocarbons can be collected along its length. It is not uncommon to have more than one lateral or sidetracked wellbore extending from a single central or parent wellbore. Although wellbores are typically cemented with steel pipe or casing, as stated above, a lateral wellbore may also be utilized in an un-cased wellbore.
Initiating a lateral wellbore from a central wellbore requires an opening, hole, or window to be formed in the wall adjacent a location where the lateral wellbore will commence. Forming windows is typically done with the help of a whipstock, which is a wedge-shaped member having a concave face that can "steer" a mill or cutter to a side of the wall where the lateral wellbore will be formed. The whipstock may be run in by itself or, to save a trip, the whipstock might be run in with the mill or cutter temporarily attached to its upper edge. In either case, the whipstock has to be oriented and secured in the wellbore in order to properly direct the milling operation.
There are various means of orienting and securing a whipstock in a wellbore. For example, a retaining device, such as a packer or a seat, and an orientation device, such as a stinger disposed at the bottom of a whipstock, may be used to set the whipstock in a wellbore. Typically, the stinger device includes a splined arrangement that is configured to engage the retaining device previously disposed in the wellbore. Upon engagement of the splined arrangement with a packer or seat, the whipstock is rotated from the surface to a predetermined orientation where the lateral wellbore will commence. In order to rotate the whipstock from the surface, it is necessary to run the whipstock in on a jointed pipe in order to transfer rotation from the surface to the downhole location.
It is often necessary to remove a whipstock from a wellbore. A retrieval tool is used to retrieve a whipstock from a wellbore. The retrieval tool is run into the wellbore on jointed pipe and positioned adjacent the whipstock. A drilling rig is required to assemble the pipe as the tool is run in and to disassemble the pipe as the tool is removed. The retrieval tool is then rotated and manipulated from the surface until it couples with the whipstock. The retrieval tool is then removed from the wellbore along with the whipstock.
The use of jointed pipe is costly and time consuming. Continuous conveyances, such as wireline, are cheaper and less time consuming. However, due to the flexible nature of these conveyances, there is no effective way to transfer, manipulate, and rotate the retrieval tool in order to engage the whipstock.
Therefore, there is a need for a retrieval tool that is self aligning with the whipstock in order to be run into the wellbore on a flexible conveyance. There is a further need for a method and apparatus for setting a whipstock in a wellbore using a flexible conveyance, such as a wireline.

Downhole tool retrieval and setting system


A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to accelerate the estimation of a radio model of an access point within a radio environment, such as an access point that has been newly added to or relocated within the radio environment. In the context of a method, the presence of a first access point in a radio environment is determined and the signal propagation characteristics of one or more existing access points in the radio environment are also determined. The signal propagation characteristics are represented by respective radio models of the one or more existing access points. The method also includes estimating the radio model of the first access point based at least upon the signal propagation characteristics of the one or more existing access points in the radio environment as represented by the respective radio models of the one or more existing access points.

Various positioning systems have been developed for determining the position of a mobile device, such as a smart phone or other types of user equipment. At least some of these positioning systems utilize radio models of wireless access points that, in turn, are based on probe points that have been collected by a plurality of mobile devices. The wireless access points may be part of a cellular system, such as a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) system, a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) system, a time division synchronous code division system multiple access (TD-SCDMA) system, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, a Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A) system, a code division multiple access (CDMA) system, a NarrowBand-Internet of Things (NB-IoT) system, etc. or a non-cellular system, such as a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) system, a BLUETOOTH® (BT) system, a BLUETOOTH® Low Energy (BTLE) system, a ZIGBEE system or a long range (LoRa) system.
In relation to the radio models of wireless access points that are utilized by positioning systems, databases containing information regarding the radio signals received by mobile devices at different locations relative to the access points are created. The databases are typically formed of data provided by the mobile devices in the form of probe points that serve as radio fingerprints. Each probe point includes an estimate of the location of the mobile device at the time at which the radio signals were captured and a measurement of the radio signals that were captured. With respect to cellular signals, the measurement of the cellular signals may include an identification of the access point, that is, the cellular network cell, e.g., base station, that is transmitting the cellular signals that are received by the mobile device, such as a global and/or local identifier (ID) of the cellular network cell. The measurement of the cellular signals may also include a measurement of the signal strength and/or an estimate of the path loss as well as a timing measurement, such as a Timing Advance measurement or a Round-Trip Time measurement. With respect to the measurement of a non-cellular signal, the measurement may include an identification of the access point generating the non-cellular signals that are received by the mobile device, such as the basic service set identifiers (BSSIDs), e.g., a media access control (MAC) address of the air interface of an access point, e.g., a WLAN access point, or the service set identifier (SSID) or network name of the access point, e.g., WLAN access point. The measurement of a non-cellular signal also includes a measure of the signal strength, such as the received signal strength, the Rx level, etc. and/or a path loss estimate. In some embodiments, the measurement of a non-cellular signal also includes a timing measurement, such as the Round-Trip Time measurement.
The data, such as the probe points, collected by the plurality of mobile devices is generally uploaded, such as to a server or the cloud. By reference to the data, the positioning system then generates or updates radio models of the wireless access points that define the signal characteristics of radio signals that are transmitted by the wireless access points and received by mobile devices at different respective locations. The radio model may then be utilized for positioning purposes, that is, to determine the location of a mobile device based upon radio signals received by the mobile device at the respective location. Various radio models may be constructed including radio models based upon the coverage areas of the access points, radio models based upon the positions of the access points, radio propagation models, radio models based upon the Rx fields of the access points or the like. The resulting radio models may be stored by one or more network entities, such as by the positioning system, and/or may be transferred to one or more of the mobile devices.
The radio models may then be utilized to determine the position of a mobile device. For example, while a mobile device is at an unknown location, the mobile device may capture measurements of the cellular or non-cellular signals transmitted by the access points. By reference to the radio models that have been constructed, the measurements of the radio signals may be evaluated and the location of the mobile terminal may be determined, such as based upon the coverage areas of the access points.
At least some radio environments change over time as access points are added, moved, e.g., relocated, or removed. In a non-cellular environment, for example, it may not be uncommon for access points, such as WLAN access points, to be added or removed from the radio environment. These changes in the radio environment brought about by the addition, movement or removal of an access point alter the resulting radio models that are present within the radio environment. For example, the addition of an access point adds a further radio model to the radio environment and the movement of an access point changes an existing radio model within the radio environment. In order to ensure that the radio models can be utilized in an accurate manner, such as to determine the position of a mobile terminal within the radio environment, the radio models must be redefined or updated as access points are added, moved or removed within the radio environment since the radio model database otherwise becomes out of date.
The creation of a new radio model for an access point that is added to a radio environment or the updating of a radio model for an access point that is moved within the radio environment may take some time in order to accumulate sufficient probe points from the respective access points such that the radio model can be accurately defined or updated. During this period of time during which the radio model for the access point that has been added or moved is being defined or updated, the radio models that are utilized to determine the position of a mobile terminal may be outdated, such as in an instance in which an access point has moved or been relocated, or incomplete, such as in an instance in which an access point has been added to the radio environment. In any event, the utilization of the radio models of the access points within the radio environment may not yield results that are as accurate as may be desired in an instance in which a radio model is being newly defined or updated, thereby potentially leading to a reduction in confidence in the resulting positions determinations.

Method and apparatus for accelerating estimation of a radio model of an access point


A computer network system having a plurality of nodes, one of which is adapted as an administrator node, the administrator node for securely receiving code information from a code provider disposed external to the network system and for securely sending the code information to at least one of the nodes.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to information transmission techniques over computer network systems. In particular, the present invention is directed to a method and system for securely transmitting code information, for example, the Basic-Input-Output-System (BIOS) image information, to a processor node arranged in a network configuration from a source disposed externally thereto.
2. Description of Related Art
Massive throughput, low latency and zero down-time are some of the most sought-after design goals for today's high-performance, scalable computer networks. These computer networks are optimized for handling applications that are characterized by huge requirements for processing, storage, or communications bandwidth--for example, multimedia, data warehousing, full-motion video, Internet and intranet, and decision support. Furthermore, in order to enhance reliability in highly scalable systems, multiple or redundant paths for fault protection are typically provided in a parallel architecture, thereby increasing the number of constituent processing units many-fold.
In addition to being continuously available, these highly scalable systems must be free from data corruption. Absolute data integrity must be ensured through full self-checking and fault isolation. Dropping or corruption of a few bits of data may be acceptable for applications that deliver sound and image files, but not for electronic commerce, transaction processing, and code update transmissions. For example, it can be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that when a portion of the Basic-Input-Output-System ("BIOS") code images associated with one or more processor nodes disposed in a network needs to be updated, it is highly efficient and cost-effective to do so by means of software provided over the network if (1) the transmission thereover is tamper-resistant, and (2) the integrity of software can be assured. Clearly, conventional means of physically replacing the Read-Only-Memory ("ROM") -based BIOS image in each of the processor nodes is not only time-consuming but also it significantly adds to overall system down-time.
There have been solutions for updating a BIOS image associated with a processor without having to replace the ROM-BIOS at a provider's site. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,267 discloses a method and apparatus for updating and restoring BIOS functions while maintaining BIOS integrity. There, a computer is provided with a Flash EPROM for the BIOS in addition to a UV-EPROM containing a redundant copy thereof. The redundant BIOS can be overlaid onto the BIOS address space by selection with a physical switch provided with the computer.
Furthermore, it is well-known that in a network environment BIOS code update information may be provided via a storage medium, for example, a flexible disk, that is supplied by a code vendor or manufacturer. However, such solutions typically involve significant manual intervention thereby adding to the costs.
As can be readily appreciated, achieving secure transmission capability over a network and providing a reliable technique for updating code information--for example, BIOS image information associated with a plurality of processor nodes disposed in such a network--without down-time costs or manual intervention, are clearly related. Although the need for securely providing information, including BIOS image information, over a network has tremendously increased due to the advent such highly-scalable systems as described hereinabove, no prior art solution is known to have all the advantages and novel features of the present invention described and claimed hereinbelow.

System and method for secure information transmission over a network


A brake disc assembly includes a hub member, a rotor member and a plurality of air guide plates. The hub member is provided to be connected to a wheel hub. The rotor member includes an annular portion and a plurality of support limbs that protrude radially inward from an inner peripheral face of the annular portion and are joined to a periphery of the hub member by bolts. The air guide plates are disposed in a circumferential direction about a central axis of the hub member. Each of the air guide plates substantially interposed in a gap between adjacent two of the support limbs of the rotor member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a brake disc assembly, and more particularly to a self-cooling brake disc assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicle brake systems often include brake rotors that are subject to frictional forces in order to slow or stop the associated vehicle. During the braking of vehicles, kinetic energy is converted into heat via the braking system. The corresponding heat should be conducted from the point of its formation as efficiently as possible, since an increase in temperature of brake systems lead in most cases to a decrease of the friction coefficient.
One type of brake disc (or rotor) is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Application No. 2012/0000736. In this brake disc, a cooling member, which is disc-shaped and made of a metal material, is attached to a rotor member for heat transfer from the rotor member to the cooling member. In order to allow the heat to be quick dissipated via convection (and radiation) from the cooling member to the surrounding air, the cooling member is generally large and heavy, causing an increase of cost and a decrease of the efficiency for the brake system.


A method for retransmitting selected data elements read from a memory. A first sequence of individually addressable data elements d.sub.1, d.sub.2, . . . , d.sub.n are read from the memory. First and second signals indicate whether each data element was read without or with, respectively, a transmission error. A second sequence of data elements d.sub.i, d.sub.i+1, . . . , d.sub.n, where d.sub.i is the first data element of the first sequence to have a transmission error is then retransmitted.

Microprocessors and input/output (I/O) devices often have different operating capabilities relative to their operating frequency. For example, a microprocessor may be capable of transferring data to or from an I/O device at a much faster rate than the I/O device can receive or transmit data. In order not to slow down the microprocessor, RAMs are frequently used as buffers or interface data storage elements between microprocessors and I/O devices. In this manner data can be transferred between the RAM and the microprocessor at one rate and between the RAM and I/O device at another rate.
A conventional RAM used as an interface is a first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer in which data elements (typically data bytes) are read out in the same order in which they are read into the FIFO. A dual-ported FIFO RAM allows data to be simultaneously read from and written to the buffer. Thus, a fast microprocessor can transfer data into the FIFO at its operating frequency, and a relatively slower I/O device can read the data at its operating frequency. In order to track the location of the next data byte to be written to or read from the FIFO, write and read address pointers are used. The write and read pointers are incremented on each FIFO access, and a byte count for the number of bytes of data in the FIFO is increased or decreased as the amount of data increases or decreases, respectively. The byte count is used by the microprocessor and/or I/O device to indicate when the FIFO should be read and when no more data should be transferred to the FIFO. For example, a fast microprocessor might wait until the FIFO is half full before reading data therefrom.
As with many data transfers, data elements transferred from g FIFO are checked for transmission errors. This may be accomplished by a parity check or other standard error detection technique. When an error is detected, conventional FIFOs retransmit the entire data block which contains the bad data element. Thus, no data elements in a data block may be overwritten in the FIFO until all such data elements have been successfully transferred. This reduces data throughput which may degrade system performance.


An overvoltage protection apparatus for use with a data transmission interface, having at least one data transmission line associated therewith, for protecting the interface from power spikes, transients, and/or the continuous application of an excessive voltage. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes at least one voltage limiting device associated with each data line. Each voltage limiting device being connected at one end to the associated data line, and at a second end to a current sensing and switching structure, which is in turn connected to ground. The current sensing and switching structure monitors the current through the voltage limiting device. In the event an excessive voltage is applied to a pin or data line of the interface, the voltage limiting device briefly absorbs the excess power and generates an increased current. This increased current is sensed by the current sensing and switching structure, which responds by opening a switch which disconnects the interface from ground. The current sensing and switching structure automatically reconnects the switch after a preselected time period. The switching structure continues to monitor the current from the voltage limiting device, and open and close the switch, for an indefinite period of time until the excessive voltage condition is removed.

Data communication interfaces are commonly used to transmit digital data between computers or other types of programmable or control systems. These data communication interfaces typically include a plurality of pins, which are each associated with a data line, and function to transmit a particular signal through the data line or provide a ground connection. A number of different standards exist for standardizing the interfaces and associated data lines across applications, so that a number of different types of equipment can communicate with each other by way of the interfaces. Some of the more common interface standards are the RS-standards, such as, for example, the RS-232 and RS-485 data interface standards. In order to transmit data over the data lines, one or more transmitters and receivers, or "transceivers" are provided in the interface. These transceivers control the transmission of data through the associated data lines in accordance with the selected standard.
The transceivers used in RS-standard interface applications are typically designed to operate within specified voltage and current ranges, and these ranges are typically specified in a manufacturer's catalog or data sheet for the interface. Operation within the voltage range specified for the interface is recommended in order to minimize errors in the transmitted data, as well as protect the interface components. If a voltage which exceeds the recommended level is applied to the interface, or any of the data lines associated with the interface, data transmission may be interrupted, or, in more severe cases, components in the interface may be destroyed.
An example of an application in which an RS-standard interface may be used to transmit signals is a magnetostrictive linear displacement transducer. In a magnetostrictive linear displacement transducer, an excitation pulse transmitted through a conductive wire in a waveguide, interacts with a magnetic field from a magnet adjacent the waveguide, to produce a torsion wave within the waveguide. The torsion wave is detected and converted into an electrical signal by a mode converter, such as a coil, and the time interval between the transmission of the excitation pulse and the detection of the converted signal is used to determine the position of an object which is connected to the magnet. In the transducer, a data interface may be used for receiving and transmitting the interrogation and reply pulse from the signal electronics associated with the waveguide pulse. In the transducer application, as in other situations in which a data interface is utilized, the application of an excessive voltage for more than a brief period of time to any of the data lines associated with the interface can cause adverse effects. In particular, the application of an excessive voltage can cause a reverse current to flow through the data interface which can cause permanent damage of the interface.
A number of circuit arrangements and components have been provided in the past for eliminating the problems associated with an overvoltage condition on one or more data lines associated with an interface. These arrangements have included shunting the data lines of the interface through a zener or transzorb diode to either ground or a positive power supply, to prevent the power in the lines from exceeding the rating of the diode or power supply. This shunting of the data lines to ground through a diode can provide protection against short overvoltage signals, such as power spikes or transients associated with an electrostatic discharge. However, because the ability of either a zener or transzorb diode to absorb power in an overvoltage situation is limited, these arrangements have not been able to provide protection in the event of an overvoltage situation which occurs for more than a brief period of time, such as would result from the inadvertent connection of an excessive power supply to a data line. Therefore, if a data line is mistakenly connected, or otherwise comes into contact with a power supply which exceeds the maximum operating voltage for the interface, for more than a brief period of time, the excess voltage may produce a reverse current through the interface transceiver to ground. This reverse current may cause irreparable damage to the transceiver.
Accordingly, to overcome the above and other problems, it is desirable to have an overvoltage protection apparatus which disables the transmission of power through a data interface upon application of a voltage either to the interface, or any data line associated with the interface, that exceeds the manufacturer's recommended voltage level. Further, it is desirable to have such an overvoltage protection apparatus which continues to protect the interface for as long as the overvoltage condition exists.

Overvoltage protection apparatus for a data interface


A playpen bumper includes an elongated strip of generally soft material having a first surface, a second surface, and ties for releasably fastening the strip of material to a playpen. The strip of material has padding secured between the first and second surfaces. The first surface includes various ways for releasably securing a plurality of toys thereto such as a band or a pocket. The fastening means is attached to the second surface of the strip of material and is used to releasably fasten the bumper to the playpen. The first surface faces the interior or confined space of the playpen formed by a plurality of side walls and a bottom wall. The second surface faces outwardly from the confined space.

The present invention is directed toward a bumper for an infant or child's playpen or the like and more particularly, toward a unique bumper that protects and provides entertainment for a child.
Crib bumpers are well known and are used to protect a child from injury while in the crib. The bumpers are typically soft and may be decorative or include various amusement devices such as toys, music, or mirrors in order to entertain the child while he or she is in the crib. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,600 to Baum discloses a decorative crib bumper. U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,421 to Carroll discloses a crib bumper with a picture display. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,324 to Rist discloses a soft bumper for a crib that includes a pocket stitched to the interior face of the bumper. An audio device may be placed within the pocket so that the child is soothed. However, none of these patents discloses a bumper for a playpen nor do any disclose the concept of securing toys to a bumper for a playpen.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,545 to Howard discloses a crib bumper and a pocket attached to the bumper for holding various items such as toys, baby wipes, and pacifiers. However, the pocket is located outside of the crib so that the child would be unable to reach for any toys held within the pocket while in the playpen.
Therefore, a need exists for a bumper that may be used with a playpen and protects a child but also includes toys that may be easily accessible to a child while in the playpen.


A fuel feed apparatus is provided to a fuel tank. The fuel feed apparatus includes a lid member, a canister, and a fuel pump. The lid member covers a through hole of the fuel tank. The canister connects with the lid member. The canister is accommodated in the fuel tank for removably absorbing fuel vapor in the fuel tank. The canister has a cross section, which is in a substantially semicircle shape. The canister has an outer peripheral wall that partially defines a remaining space on the lateral side of the canister. The fuel pump is received in the remaining space on the lateral side of the canister in the fuel tank for pumping fuel in the fuel tank.

According to JP-A-251165, a canister is mounted in a fuel tank together with a fuel feed apparatus, so that mountability of the fuel feed apparatus is enhanced. The canister is capable of removably absorbing fuel vapor in a fuel tank. In this structure, the canister is mounted to a flange of the fuel feed apparatus. The flange covers a through hole of the fuel tank. The canister is offset with respect to a sub tank receiving a fuel pump of the fuel feed apparatus.
A canister may be heated to enhance removability of fuel vapor. In the above structure of the canister, the fuel pump is surrounded by the sub tank, and being distant from the canister. Accordingly, heat generated in the fuel pump cannot be used for heating the canister. Consequently, the fuel feed apparatus needs an additional heater for heating the canister. In this structure including the additional heater, the fuel feed apparatus is jumboized, and mountability of the fuel feed apparatus is impaired.


A woven industrial fabric, including a plurality of warp yarns interwoven with a plurality of weft yarns. At least a portion of one of the plurality of warp and the plurality of weft yarns includes yarn assemblies. Each yarn assembly is comprised of at least a first and a second yarn. The yarns are structured and arranged in the woven fabric so as to be in generally continuous, contiguous contact with each other substantially throughout the fabric.

The present invention relates to an improved industrial fabric which is particularly suitable for papermaking and related filtration applications to aid in forming, dewatering and conveying a web through a papermaking or like machine. The requirements and desirable characteristics of papermaker's fabrics vary depending on the particular section of the papermaking machine where the fabric is intended to be used, and the paper product being manufactured. The vast majority of these fabrics are of woven construction. Many types are known in the art, including those with single layer, double or triple layer construction. These fabrics are either flat or endlessly woven according to techniques well known in the art and are seamed to facilitate their installation on the papermaking machine.
Papermaker's fabrics must generally satisfy a number of physical requirements simultaneously: they must be dimensionally stable and have a reasonably high tensile strength, so as to resist the stresses to which they are exposed; they must be resistant to high temperatures and compressive loading; and they must be reasonably resistant to the effects of abrasion caused by their movement over bearing surfaces in the machine. Other requirements are known. To satisfy at least some of these requirements, manufacturers of papermaker's fabrics have developed various weave designs and fabric constructions which allow the properties of one or both fabric surfaces to be customized for end use conditions. One method of doing this is to cause the yarns in either, or both, the warp and weft systems to be stacked so that the individual yarns of each system are in vertical alignment with each other.
Woven industrial fabrics comprised of stacked warp and/or weft yarns are known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,066,532 and 5,857,497 to Gaisser, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,167,261, 5,092,373 and 5,230,371 to Lee, U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,478 to Crosby et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,196 to Josef et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,196 to Kositzke. Others are known and used. The known fabrics comprised of stacked warp and/or weft yarns are at least double layer structures, meaning they have at least two systems of either, or both, warp or weft yarns. In these known fabrics, at least a portion of either the warp yarns, or the weft yarns, or both, from one yarn system are arranged in the weave pattern so as to be in a vertically stacked relationship over the corresponding yarns in the second yarn system in the woven fabric structure.
In all of the known fabrics in which each of at least a portion of the component yarns of one system are vertically stacked over a corresponding yarn of a second system to form e.g., a pair, the component yarns of a pair are not in intimate contact over their entire path length through the fabric. There is always at least one intervening yarn located between a stacked pair in the weave repeat. This is because the weave patterns of at least some of these prior art fabrics are designed so as to stabilise the stacked yarns in their vertical orientation so that they are maintained in this position one above the other.
The prior art fabrics wherein the warp and/or weft yarns are vertically stacked provide numerous advantages over other fabrics in which at least a portion of the component yarns are not stacked. For example, the weave paths of stacked yarns can be arranged so that one yarn system forms a portion of only one fabric surface, while the other yarn system forms a portion of the opposite fabric surface. This feature can be utilised to locate temperature resistant, or abrasion resistant, materials on one surface of the fabric so as to increase its operational life. In certain weave constructions, fabrics with stacked yarn systems can also provide improved seam strength and reduced seam marking when compared to fabrics where the yarn systems are not stacked. In addition, it is also possible to obtain relatively high air permeability and open area in a stable fabric structure, increased fabric surface area contact and smoothness when compared to non-stacked designs, and high fabric warp fill. Thus, it is recognised in the art that fabrics having stacked yarn systems can provide numerous advantages, depending on their intended end use, when compared to fabrics in which the component yarns are arranged in a non-stacked relation.
However, it has now been recognised that these known fabrics suffer from several limitations due to the manner in which the component yarns are arranged. First, the number of possible weave designs available which will allow one of the component yarns of one yarn system to be located predominantly on one fabric surface, while causing the component yarns of the second yarn system to be located predominantly on the opposed fabric surface, is somewhat limited. Second, the number of seam designs available for use in these prior art fabric structures to create a high strength, low marking seam to join the opposed fabric ends is also limited. Third, it is not possible in a single layer fabric (one having a single system of warp and weft yarns) to provide differing yarn materials on each of the fabric surfaces without post-treating the fabric (e.g. by applying a coating or an additional layer of material such as a nonwoven batt or film to one surface).
It would therefore be desirable if a woven industrial fabric of any chosen design can be provided wherein the physical characteristics of the two opposed fabric surfaces can be different, the seam has reduced potential to mark the sheet and is of high strength, the seaming loops can be orthogonal to the plane of the fabric, and which also offers improved economy of manufacture.
Accordingly, the present invention seeks to provide an industrial fabric, in particular a papermaker's fabric or filtration fabric, whose construction is intended at least to ameliorate the aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art.
It has now been discovered that it is possible to weave, or assemble, an industrial fabric using a plurality of yarn assemblies. The yarn assemblies may be used as either, or both, the warp and weft systems in the fabric. Each yarn assembly is comprised of at least two yarn members which are arranged so as to be in generally continuous intimate contact over their entire weave path through the industrial fabric with no yarns from another system intervening between any yarn members in the fabric.

Industrial fabric including yarn assemblies


A safety cover, which securably and reliably prevents the readvancement of the tip of a cannula once it has been retracted thereinto, is designed having an elongate body which includes an axial channel having elements which displace and block linear passage of the cannula once it has been retracted. In a first embodiment the displacing elements are inwardly and rearwardly extending bristles which provide for unidirectional motion of the cannula relative to the safety cover, thereby locking the cannula once it has been retracted. In a second embodiment, the displacing element is the axial channel itself which has a curvate bias and distorts into a non-linear path once the cannula is retracted. In a third embodiment, the displacing element is a spring plate which, when compressed permits the cannula to pass through, but once the cannula has been retracted, expands to prevent the tip from being readvanced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to stick prevention apparatus for protecting medical personnel from injury. More particularly, the present invention relates to tip covering elements having internal conformations which prevent a retracted needle from reemerging therethrough.
2. Description of Prior Art
Medical care of individuals in hospitals, clinics, and other health care facilities often includes the taking of blood samples, intravenous supplying of medication, and the introduction or removal of other fluids via cannulae, needles, or syringes. The present medical environment, in which there exist diseases, for example Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, AIDS, for which there are no cures, and which are transmitted via blood to blood contact, has raised concerns relating to the potential for contaminated "needle sticks".
A wide variety of devices have been provided in the prior art for prevention against accidental contaminated "needle sticks". For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,528 to Purdy et al. (hereinafter Purdy) teaches an assembly for introducing a catheter into a blood vessel, wherein there is provided a tip cover which includes an elastically deforming L-shaped. In an initial disposition, the L-shaped member is positioned in a deformed state with the cannula inserted fully through the cover. Once the cannula is retracted, however, the L-shaped member springs into a position to prevent reemergence of the needle. Manual repositioning of the L-shaped member is necessary to permit the cannula reemerge from the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,905 to Lemieux teaches a protection cap, which is similar to the device disclosed by Purdy, as described above. In the Lemieux device an externally mounted rotating L-shaped lever is disposed along the axis of the cover, manual actuation of which by a user once the cannula is retracted prevents the cannula from re-emerging from the cover. Manual retraction of the external L-shaped lever from the path of the cannula permits the cannula to reemerge.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,490 to Byrne et al. (hereinafter Byrne) teaches a safety cover and syringe assembly wherein an external cylindrical sleeve, through which the cannula extends, is slidably mounted to a track on the external surface of the syringe. Sliding the external cylindrical sleeve relative to the cannula and the syringe, such that the cannula is fully retracted into the sleeve, causes a locking mechanism to engage between the syringe and the sleeve so that the cannula may not be advanced out of the sleeve without disengagement of the locking elements by a user.
A device, which is similar to the one disclosed in the Byrne reference, is U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,207 which is also to Lemieux. This reference teaches a safety cover for use with a cannula which has a radial notch along the shaft, near the tip. The internal structure of the cover includes a tab which engages the cannula in the notch once the cannula has been retracted. Rotation of the cannula, or the safety cover locks the cannula in position and prevents its reemergence.
As above, however, the Lemieux prevention means may be compromised by intentional, or random, manipulation of the device. While each device includes functional means for preventing "needle sticks" by interfering with the exposure of a cannula once it is retracted into a cover, it is of considerable concern for users of such devices that, if a means for disengaging the retaining element is provided, random forces may expose the contaminated cannula, thus presenting a danger to medical personnel. This concern is especially applicable to the variety of "needle stick" prevention devices which include externally mounted prevention means.
It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a needle cover which includes an element or elements which prevent exposure of a contaminated cannula.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a needle cover which cannot be compromised, whereby the cannula may reemerge therethrough, by application of random environmental forces, or by unintentional manipulation of the device.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a needle cover which is more reliable in its safety aspects.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully apparent from the ensuing disclosure and appended claims.


An externally ported speaker enclosure includes a primary enclosure having a port or opening. The primary enclosure may continuously vary from a first dimension to a dimension of the port or opening. Alternatively, a duct or tube may extend from, and external to, the primary enclosure. The duct or tube may transition from a first dimension to a dimension of the port or opening. The dimensions of the port, primary enclosure, and transition from primary enclosure to port are configured to reinforce the low frequency response of a speaker mounted to the enclosure. A cylindrical primary enclosure may transition gradually or continuously to a port. The cylindrical primary enclosure can include a closed first end and an open port end. A speaker can be mounted to the cylindrical face of the primary enclosure. Alternatively, the speaker may be mounted parallel to an axis of the cylinder.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to loudspeaker (hereinafter "speaker") enclosures. More particularly, the invention relates to a ported speaker enclosure and a method of extending low frequency response of a speaker.
2. Description of the Related Art
A speaker enclosure greatly enhances the acoustic fidelity of sound produced by a speaker above that produced by a bare speaker driver without a speaker enclosure.
In the nineteenth century, Hermann von Helmholtz, a German physician and acoustic engineering pioneer, discovered a type of acoustic resonator known as the Helmholtz resonator. The Helmholtz resonator is a type of acoustic resonator consisting of a closed volume of air connected to the atmosphere by a short channel or pipe. The natural springiness of the enclosed air reacts with the mass of air in the pipe, which results in a tuned resonating tone that is called the fundamental tone for the pipe.
In the 1930's Jensen Company began to market a product called the "bass reflex speaker". The bass reflex speaker is a speaker enclosure that contains an opening below the speaker driver. The design of the bass reflex opening is more commonly called today as a "vent" opening port.
Two of the audio field's most respected scientists, A. N. Thiele and Richard Small, devoted much research to the analysis of the bass reflex speaker. Thiele and Small discovered that a vented enclosure acts as a resonant box even without the speaker driver mounted into the box. Thiele and Small concluded that the addition of an opening into a box created a resonator similar in theory to the Helmholtz resonator. The research of Thiele and Small also led to the creation of audio industry standards for testing acoustic drivers and speaker enclosures. Specifications commonly referred to as the Thiele or Small parameters are often used to characterize a speaker driver and a speaker system.
By the 1950's, the bass reflex speaker had been modified and a popular method implemented into speaker enclosure designs was the implementation of a duct or port, which is typically an internal tube mounted onto the opening below a speaker driver. The purpose of the duct or tube was to eliminate the resonating frequencies being produced inside the speaker enclosure and channel this information outward towards the listener. Acoustic engineers found that the implementation of the internal duct or tube created a more "boomy" response beyond that of the vent method used by the bass reflex speaker.
The numerous variations of musical styles rely on a fairly consistent choice of instruments. The instruments can include, for example, stringed, wind, and percussion instruments. Percussion instruments, such as the kick drum, create low frequency information. Cymbals and the hi-hat create high frequency information. Such percussion instruments have become standard instrumentation heard and used in contemporary music.
Improvements to the audio fidelity produced by speaker drivers and through speaker enclosures have been sought. It may be advantageous for an audio speaker product to be designed to deliver a full range of audio response. Such a full range speaker system should produce an audible response that includes low, mid and high frequency information.
Additionally, speaker enclosure systems are not limited to theater and audio reproduction environments. Over the course of 50 years, society has seen rapid growths in computers and electronics. Theater, audio, and computer markets share a common objective of creating innovative solutions to improve the quality of reproduced sound and thus keep consumers buying products. Successful companies continually strive to produce high tech innovative designs at a competitive price. For audio engineers, this typically means designing an improved audio solution at a lower cost.
The need to produce cost effective solutions leads to reduced numbers of electronic components. Cost constraints further compound the difficulties audio engineers face when designing an acceptable high fidelity and full range audio solution.
These challenges have acoustic audio engineers reviewing acoustic history in search of methods to create variations of founded theories and to implement these variations into successful audio designs.


Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to benzoxazines having various N-protecting groups. An R1 functional group is at least one selected from the group consisting of H and a halogen, an R2 functional group is at least one selected from the group consisting of H, an amide, or a carbamate, and a Z functional group is at least one selected from the group consisting of a phenyl, substituted phenyl group, methyl, and t-butyl group. The exemplary embodiments provide compounds with benzoxazines having various cleavable protecting groups such as amides and carbamates.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to benzoxazines having various N-protecting groups.
2. Discussion of the Background
Benzoxazine derivatives have been known to exhibit interesting pharmacological properties, and 3,4-dihydro benzoxazine derivatives may be antibacterial agents, and are may be an integral part of URAT inhibitors. 1,4-benzoxazine (ABO) may promote angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro. A benzoxazine derivative, (6-tert-butyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[b][1,4]oxazin-3-yl)-methanol (TBM) may act as a cell growth inhibitor that inhibits the proliferation of p53 wild-type lung adenocarcinoma cells. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT6) receptor messenger RNA (mRNA) may occupy high level of receptors in the brain, which mediates the actions of the neurotransmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). Benzoxazine derivatives may be used for modulating (5-HT) receptors, especially 5-HT, which may be useful for the treatment of several central nervous system disorders such as Parkinson disease, anxiety, depression, epilepsy, Alzheimer disease, sleep disorders, attention deficit disorder (ADD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The direct synthesis of compounds from 1,2-diahalo derivatives may suffer from low yields, and a three step sequence synthesis may be adopted using α-haloesters as an alkylating agent followed by alkylation, ring closing, and finally a reduction step to furnish the required products. Previously, the synthesis of a range of pharmacologically important heterocyclic compounds, from β-amino alcohols and a diphenyl vinyl sulfonium salt, in good yields, has been reported. Although a range of amino substituents may work effectively, including sulfonamides, sulfinamides, aromatic, and heteroaromatic groups, carbonyl based protecting groups such as amides and carbamates have failed under similar conditions.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and, therefore, it may contain information that does not form any part of the prior art nor what the prior art may suggest to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Dihydro 1,4-benzoxazines and method of synthesizing the same using sulfonium salts

COMSATS Institute of Information Technology


Apparatus and method for generating a correct CRT display suitable for photographing without adjustment, regardless of horizontal and vertical timing signals. Sawtooth current waveforms of constant maximum amplitude and "S" bending are generated through the horizontal and vertical windings of the deflection coils for the CRT display in order to produce a scan of constant width, height, and horizontal and vertical linearity.

For image processing and color graphic applications which require an accurate hardcopy reproduction, photographic media represents the best alternative because of its high resolution, wide dynamic range and color sensitivity.
Several methods may be used to obtain a photographic hardcopy. One method is to use a 35 mm camera on a tripod to take pictures directly off the display monitor. Such a method has several disadvantages: first, geometric distortion would result from the curvature of the screen being photographed; second, imperfect registration of the red, green and blue beams hitting the cathode ray tube phosphor results in loss of contrast and sharpness; also, lack of compensation for the non-linear aspects of film saturation relative to exposure time results in shifts in color and gray levels from the original image. For these and other reasons, a film recorder is required if consistent and artifact free reproductions are to be created.
An example of a film recording system of general applicability for the conversion of video data to photographic hardcopy is provided by a system designed by Focus Graphics Corporation of Redwood City, Calif. These systems operate by sequentially generating three different images, one for each color on the photographic medium, on a precision monochrome CRT. For each color image a different color filter matched to the corresponding film color is interposed between the CRT and the film. The image is recorded under control of the microprocessor, which determines the exposure time and light intensity variations during each image scan. These systems will hereafter be referred to as Computer Image Recorders or CIR.
Because of the rapid development pace in the computer graphics and image processing field, new video generating systems are constantly being introduced which are capable of higher and higher resolutions. Different video resolutions translate into different timing signal characteristics. The horizontal sync frequency in particular will change as the video resolution changes. One very desirable feature for a raster scan system is the ability to be compatible with a broad range of horizontal sync frequencies, and therefore to be compatible with a wide range of video sources. This capability is generally known and will hereafter be referred as multiscan capability.
Various workers in the art have resolved this problem with various degrees of success. A number of systems are known for generating color and pseudo-color displays from input video signals presented in raster scan format. Some of these systems such as the NEC multi-sync monitor are capable of handling a wide variety of video signals, in particular a broad range of incoming horizontal frequencies.
A number of factors have precluded the development of multiscan systems able to produce an accurate conversion to photographic records. It need only be noted that width and height of the image will vary with the horizontal and vertical scan frequencies, affecting the size of the photographic record.
Automatic conversion of the information contained in video signals to a photographic image also requires compensation for changes in horizontal and vertical linearity and should desirably be able to convert video signals with different sync polarities or signals including equalizing and serration pulses.
The techniques used heretofore to handle video signals with different timing signals have relied on phase-lock loop circuits to attempt to achieve multiscan capability. While such techniques can be utilized to convert video signals within a narrow range of horizontal frequencies, they have proved inadequate to satisfy current needs. As a consequence, manufacturers of CIR systems offer a family of systems, each optimized for a certain range of timing signals. At most variations of 5 to 10% of horizontal frequencies have been introduced using conventional phase-lock techniques. In addition, even small variations of horizontal and vertical frequency require lengthy and complicated tuning procedures as width, height, horizontal and vertical linearity of the picture will be affected.
More recently manufacturers of video display terminals have introduced multiscan displays able of covering a two to one range in frequencies by breaking down the overall range into three smaller ranges and electronically selecting the range depending on the video signal. Within each smaller range, the unit is then synchronized using traditional phase-locked loop techniques. Such a technique will exhibit focal points in scan frequencies at which the unit synchronizes satisfactorily. Outside of these focal points the units will generally require some manual adjustments in order to provide adequate synchronization. As a consequence such displays fail to provide consistent width and horizontal linearity making them unsuitable for photographic applications.
Another limitation of existing raster scan systems is their limited vertical sync range. While some will synchronize within a relatively broad range, they will fail to maintain consistent vertical linearity.
Prior art approaches can therefore be seen to be unsuitable for handling the full scope of horizontal and vertical sync frequencies current computer systems can generate in a manner suitable for photographic reproduction, without significant manual adjustments. They also have limited capability for handling video signals with varying video levels, sync polarities and other types of video characteristics.

Apparatus for automatically generating a correct CRT display regardless of timing signals