Provided are a method and apparatus for transceiving an asymmetric point-to-point moving signal and securing an uplink channel using a horizontal blanking interval (HBI) in which a video signal transceiving apparatus can combine a plurality of HBIs and a plurality of active lines (ALs) into a single section, and when auxiliary data exists in a corresponding HBI, can change an order of the HBI to the last and transmit map information including arrangement information to a video signal display apparatus, and the video signal display apparatus can receive the map information and analyze the received map information to thereby acquire an uplink channel using HBI excluding auxiliary data and transmit control signal data via the acquired uplink channel.

Generally, an apparatus for transceiving a video signal denotes a data transmission system in an asymmetric point-to-point application. The data transmission system may include a video signal transmission apparatus that can transmit video and auxiliary data and a video signal display apparatus that can receive the video and auxiliary data to display the same on a screen. The video signal transmission apparatus is generally referred to as a source such as a digital video disk (DVD) player, a set-top box, and the like. The video signal display apparatus is referred to as a sink such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) television (TV), a projector, and the like. The video signal display apparatus generally receives the video only to display a video signal on the screen. Therefore, there is no need to transmit control or data to the video signal transmission apparatus to thereby control or manage an operation of the video signal transmission apparatus. However, as can be shown in a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) that is generally used for a wired system and is a representative example of a video signal transceiving system, there is a need to transmit control or data to a video signal transmission apparatus even in the video signal display apparatus. In particular, in the case of an HD video, devices transmitting and receiving the HD video may need to frequently exchange data with each other for authentication in order to protect copyrights.
For this, the video signal transmission apparatus may need to acquire a downlink channel for transmitting video and auxiliary data. Also, the video signal display apparatus may need to acquire an uplink channel for transmitting control or user data. In this instance, various types of schemes may he adopted. For example, when frequency resources are sufficient, there is a scheme that can allocate another channel with a different frequency as an uplink channel to transmit control or user data via the allocated channel using a frequency division duplex (FDD) scheme. However, in this case, there is a need for a separate modulation/demodulation apparatus. Also, the frequency resources may be unnecessarily used. Therefore, a time division duplex (TDD) scheme is currently used. The TDD scheme can perform time division duplex for the same frequency to thereby more effectively use frequency resources and also can transmit data to a single modulation/demodulation apparatus to thereby solve the above problems in an inexpensive manner. The TDD scheme can transmit data in one time and receive data in another time using a single modulation/demodulation apparatus. Therefore, the TDD scheme may need to switch a mode of a radio frequency (RF) switch to a transmission mode or a reception mode. Generally, about 2 us may be required to switch the mode of the RF switch in a wireless transmission system. In order to receive data in a horizontal blanking interval (HBI) and to transmit data in an active line (AL), the video signal transmission apparatus may need to perform two switching procedures, for example, from a transmission mode to a reception mode and then from the reception mode to the transmission mode. Therefore, at least about 4 us may need to be acquired. The following Table 1 shows a screen resolution, a number of frames, and an occupancy time of an HBI according to a color depth. As shown in Table 1, when the screen resolution is 1080p 60f, the occupancy time of the HBI is only about 1.8 us. Therefore, the video signal display apparatus cannot transmit control or user data in this interval. Also, when considering the current tendency that the HD of the video signal transceiving apparatus is becoming more favored, it may be more difficult to transmit control or user data from the video signal display apparatus to the video signal transmission apparatus. For example, when transmitting a 60-frame video or 120-frame video, the occupancy time of the HBI is only about 0.9 us.
In comparison to using an occupancy time of an HBI that is not long enough to change the mode of the RF switch, the video signal display apparatus may transmit control or user data to the video signal transmission apparatus using a vertical blanking interval (VBI). For example, when the screen resolution is 1080p 60f, the occupancy time of the VBI is about 667 us and thus there may be no problem to allocate an uplink channel in this interval. However, since the VBI appears only 60 times per second for 1080p 60f, control or user data may not be immediately transmitted as required and may need to wait until the VBI appears.
TABLE 1FormatV FreqHRESVRESDE_CNTDE_LINRate 24 bitRate 20 bitHBI (sec)VBI (sec)640 × 480608005256404801920 16006.34921E-060.001429 640 × 48072832520640480192016006.16371E-060.001068640 × 48075840500640480192016006.34921E-060.000533800 × 600601056628800600240020006.43376E-060.000743800 × 60072104066680060024002000 4.8125E-060.001376800 × 600751056625800600240020005.17172E-060.0005331024 × 768 6013448061024768307225604.92339E-060.0007861024 × 768 7013288061024768307225604.05735E-060.0006741024 × 768 751312800 1024 768307225603.65854E-060.0005331024 × 768 8513768081024768307225603.72472E-060.0005821280 × 10246017081066 12801024384032003.91785E-060.0006571280 × 10247517081066 12801024384032003.13428E-060.0005251280 × 10248517281072 12801024384032002.84525E-060.000527480i59.941716 262/72048021601800 3.6852E-050.002802/ 2630.002918480p60858525720480216018005.10601E-060.001429720p601650 7501280720384032004.98316E-060.0006671080i302200 562/ 19201080576048003.77104E-060.000652/ 5630.0006811080p3022001125 19201080576048003.77104E-060.0013331080p6022001125 19201080576048001.88552E-06 0.000667In the above Table 1, Format denotes a configuration of the screen resolution, V Freq denotes a vertical frequency, HRES denotes a horizontal resolution, VRES denotes a vertical resolution, DE_CNT denotes a data enable count, Rate 24 bit denotes a data amount of a single horizontal line (604 × 24/8 = 1920 bytes) when a color depth is 24 bits, Rate 20 bit denotes a data amount of a single horizontal line (640 × 20/8 = 1600 bytes) when the color depth is 20 bits, HBI denotes a horizontal blanking interval, and VBI denotes a vertical blanking interval.

Apparatus for transceiving point to point moving signal reception high channel using horizontal blanking interval and method for executing the apparatus

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


The present invention provides a sod plug cutting and replanting device having a body with a sod plug retention cavity formed therein. The device further includes a cutting surface positioned at a lower section of the body such that the cutting surface will cut a plug of sod prior to the plug entering the plug retention cavity. The device also has a connector attached to the body such that the body may be fixed to a device for driving the body into the sod. The invention also provides a method for harvesting a section of sod by inserting into the section of sod a cutting device having a opening formed within the parameter of a cutting edge such that a plug of sod is separated from the section of sod. The method further includes positioning the plug of sod in the ground below a predetermined depth of the section of sod; and cutting the sod section at the predetermined depth such that the plug of sod remains in the ground when the section of sod is removed.

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to devices for harvesting sections of grass laden soil or "sod" that are intended for transplanting to areas where a well-formed grass surface is needed. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device which automatically replants the harvested area by pressing into the ground small portions or "plugs" of the sod prior to harvesting the remaining surface area of sod.
The conventional practice in harvesting sod is to cut the sod from the ground surface in rectangular strips. Traditionally the sod will be cut in sections approximately 16" wide by 24" long. The sod sections are cut in alternating strips in order to leave sufficient areas of undisturbed grass such that the sod field is able to regrow grass on the barren areas from which the sod was removed. The widths of these undisturbed strips of grass typically vary from approximately 1/2 inch to approximately 4 inches depending on the variety of grass. However, the larger the undisturbed strips are, the less efficient the harvest is since a large percentage of the sod remains unharvested. On the other hand, if the undisturbed strips are made narrower, the field will take longer to recover for another harvesting. Furthermore, after the original strips of sod have been removed, the sod tends to regrow in uneven sections leaving a field that is nonuniform and difficult to harvest in the future. These uneven strips of sod may also tend to alter the natural drainage of the field, thereby causing erosion and damage to the soil.
Newer harvesting equipment allows sod to be cut in a continuous section and the sod to be rolled up as the harvesting machine proceeds down the sod field. While it is possible with this equipment to cut wider sections of sod (approximately 30" to 48"), these wider sections make it extremely difficult if impossible for the remaining strips of grass to regrow over a 30" section of barren ground within a reasonable length of time. What is needed in the art is a device and method of harvesting sod that will overcome these disadvantages and allow virtually the entire sod field to be harvested.

Sod replanting tine with a biased slidably positioned plug ejector and method of using


A tool for replacing existing plastic water service pipes that are buried underground. The proposed tool is pulled through an existing pipe by a stranded steel cable. The internal wall of the pipe is scored by a single cutting blade incorporated into the tool. The pipe is split open along the scoring as a result of the outward pressure created by a rearward portion of the conically shaped tool which is larger in diameter than the inside of the existing pipe. A replacement pipe is attached to the end of the tool and simultaneously pulled into place. The short tapered shape of the tool allows it to be pulled through bends encountered in the existing plastic pipe.

This invention relates to a tool for the replacement of underground plastic pipe, such as water service lines and the like, whereas the existing pipe is split and expanded, while a replacement pipe is simultaneously pulled into said pipe.
Many underground plastic pipes, particularly those running from a water main into a residence, have degraded since original installation. As a result of this degradation, these pipes have begun to leak, and require replacement. Typically, a trench is excavated along the full length of the pipe, and a new pipe is installed in the trench, thereby bypassing the original pipe. The excavation can be a long and tedious process, damaging lawns and landscaping. It also risks the possibility of severing cables or other underground utilities.
A number of apparatuses have been developed for the replacement of underground pipe that is made from cast iron, steel, lead, and plastic. In the case of replacement of brittle or fracturable cast iron gas or water mains, a process of bursting the pipe can be used through the application of pressure to the interior walls, as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,302 (Streatfield et al) U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,222 (Schmidt) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,053 (Moriarty). Steel pipes can be split using a cutting wheel, then spread apart to allow a replacement pipe to be pulled into place, as illustrated by U.S Pat. No. 4,903,406 (Schosek et al) U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,101 (Rockower and Marazzo) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,320 (Abrams). Multiple radial blades are proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,731 (Luksch) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,977 (Cravy and McCall) for the splitting of buried steel and plastic pipe respectively.
While experimenting with previous prototypes, the applicant has found that pipe replacement tools with multiple blades greatly increase the amount of pulling force required, particularly while the tool is being pulled through a curved section of pipe. Opposing blades have a tendency to cause the tool to move off center within the pipe. As a result, the tool is forced against one side of the pipe, thereby increasing drag. Multiple cuts also allow greater amounts of grit and debri to accumulate between the split pipe and the replacement pipe. This debri further increases drag.
The apparatus described by U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,546 (Fisk et al) was specifically designed for replacing 4 inch buried steel pipe with plastic pipe. The apparatus includes a cutting wheel, forward of the cutting blade, to initially groove and weaken the pipe along the intended line of cut. In addition to a pulling cable, a pneumatically operated impact ram is described which attaches to the rearward end of the tool. Neither of these attributes are implied in the description of the tool herein proposed.
The apparatus in U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,553 (Hodgson) is also pulled through underground pipe by a cable. It has a single cutting edge for splitting the pipe, and a large cross section at the rear of the tool for the purpose of spreading the pipe, allowing a replacement pipe to be pulled into place simultaneously. Despite its apparent similarities to the proposed patent, the emphasis in U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,553 is placed on the cable used to pull the tool through the underground pipe. This emphasis stems largely from the fact that the particular application of this patent is the replacement of lead pipes carrying water from a main to a residence. The ability to initially thread a pulling cable into a lead pipe is of special concern because a larger cable is needed due to the much greater forces needed to cut lead pipe as compared to plastic pipe. Mineral deposits, which commonly adhere to the walls of older lead pipe, further inhibit ones ability to install a pulling cable.
As can be interpreted from FIG. 6 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,553, which is a plan view showing the typical location where the method of invention would be carried out, the intent of the invention is to replace relatively straight sections of buried pipe. This interpretation is reinforced by FIG. 1 which shows that the tool is relatively long and only very gradually tapered. As a result, the pulling of the tool around curved sections of pipe would be considerably inhibited. Because the type of plastic pipe used to bring water into a residence is commonly taken off a coiled reel, the pipe has a tendency to return to its original shape, thereby resulting in a gentle spiral. In addition, the plastic pipe may be intentionally bent to avoid obstructions, or direct it into a residence, or the settling of the surrounding soil may bend the pipe. Such curves in the buried pipe would significantly restrict the advancement of the tool through the under ground plastic pipe.
Another problem encountered in the development of the tool proposed herein was the susceptibility of the cutting blade becoming caught on objects surrounding the buried pipe such as roots or rocks. This problem is not as much of a concern when replacing lead or steel pipes because huge pulling forces and/or impact ramming is required to split the metal or cut through couplings. Such forces are sufficient enough to push aside extraneous obstacles surrounding the pipe. However, it does become a concern when only the greatly reduced forces are applied when replacing plastic pipe. Even a blade that only slightly protrudes through the wall of the plastic pipe can constrain the motion of the tool.
It is the object of the applicant""s invention to overcome the deficiencies of prior art devices used in the replacement of underground plastic pipe. In particular, the inability of prior art devices to negotiate bends in underground pipe, and their tendency to become caught on objects surrounding the buried pipe.
This invention is a tool that is pulled through an underground plastic pipe, simultaneously cutting it and pulling a replacement pipe into place. A typical application of the tool would be in the replacement of a water line located between a residence or business, and a shutoff valve at the water main. A stranded steel pulling cable is threaded through the buried pipe and then attached to the tool. A section of copper pipe is then attached to the rearward portion of the tool. A force is applied by the cable, thereby pulling it into the underground pipe.
As the tool advances, a cutting blade scores the inside of the pipe. Because the height of the blade is limited, it does not completely penetrate the wall of the plastic pipe, and therefore, the blade does not protrude from the pipe. Consequently, it is much less likely that the blade will become hung up on tree roots or rocks that may surround the buried pipe. The gradual increase in diameter towards the rear of the proposed tool creates pressure on the inside walls of the plastic pipe causing it to split at the point where it was scored by the blade. The splitting and spreading of the buried pipe allows room for the replacement pipe to be pulled into place behind the tool.
The tapered shape of the proposed tool allows it to be pulled around bends in the buried pipe. Any straight edges or excessive tool length, as exemplified in the drawings of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,078,546 and 6,092,553 will cause these tools to become hung up within a bend on the outside wall of that bend.

Tool for replacement of underground plastic pipe


A rotary valve 10 which includes a first sleeve member 24 and a second shaft member 32. The members 24 and 32 cooperatively provide pressure to a cylinder assembly 36, effective to cause the cylinder assembly 36 to move the wheels 20, 22 in a desired direction. The valve 10 provides increased pressure to the low-pressure side of the piston as the amount of torque which is communicated to it is increased or as the velocity of the rack assembly 18 is increased from wheels 20, 22.

The present invention generally relates to a rotary valve and more particularly, to a rotary valve which selectively provides fluid to a cylinder assembly, effective to allow a vehicle or other apparatus to be easily turned and maneuvered.
A rotary valve is used to selectively communicate fluid and pressure to a cylinder assembly in response to the receipt of torque from a steering wheel or shaft, effective to allow for relatively easy steering and/or maneuvering of a vehicle. One type of such a rotary valve is referred to as a xe2x80x9cBishopxe2x80x9d valve which is described, by way of example and without limitation, in the publication entitled Development of the Bishop ATS Rotary Valve which is authored by Mr. Andrew Thomas, which is published by the Society of Automotive Engineers, which may be referenced by Library of Congress Number ISSN0148-7191, and which is fully and completely incorporated herein by reference, word for word and paragraph for paragraph.
Particularly, such a rotary valve a sleeve member which journals on an input shaft member. Each member typically and respectively has axially extending blind ended slots which cooperatively form throttling orifices which deliver fluid and concomitantly created pressure to one of two opposed ends of a cylinder assembly, thereby causing the cylinder assembly to assist in the turning and maneuvering of the vehicle.
While the rotary valve does allow for the selective communication of fluid and pressure to the cylinder assembly, it may suffer from some disadvantages. For example and without limitation, the use of the previously delineated orifices may cause the valve to resonant or xe2x80x9cvibratexe2x80x9d, thereby imparting undesired vibrations to the steering wheel and to the vehicle driver. Moreover, the orifices also cause cavitation and other forms of noise which may be undesirably communicated into the vehicular passenger compartment.
It may therefore be desirable to provide a rotary valve which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior rotary valves and which concomitantly allows a vehicle to be easily steered and maneuvered.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide a rotary valve which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior rotary valves and which, by way of example and without limitation, concomitantly allows a vehicle to be easily steered and maneuvered.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a rotary valve which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior valves and which, by way of example and without limitation, operates in a substantially quiet manner.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide a rotary valve which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior valve assemblies and which, by way of example and without limitation, substantially prevents resonance from occurring and/or reduces the likelihood of resonance from occurring during the operation of the valve.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a rotary valve is provided and includes a first port which receives fluid from a source and a second port which receives the fluid and which communicates the fluid to the source, the second port being substantially identical to the first port.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a rotary valve is provided which receives torque and which provides a certain pressure which increases in accordance with an increase of the supplied torque.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for reducing the likelihood of resonance from occurring in a rotary valve of the type having at least an inlet port through which fluid is communicated and an outlet port through which the fluid exits the valve, the method including the step of constricting the outlet port.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and by reference to the following drawings.


A nozzle for use with a walk-behind blower includes a nozzle restriction due to a sloped upper wall of the nozzle body. The nozzle restriction increases the air velocity in the upper region of the nozzle and forces leaves and debris downward so that airflow through the lower region of the nozzle more effectively laterally displaces them. The configuration of the nozzle body may be adapted to accommodate a variety of engine outputs while utilizing a common design for a blower frame, impeller and shroud.

1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to a blower nozzle adapted to be mounted to a discharge chute of a blower for moving debris, and more specifically to a blower nozzle having variable velocity output.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile blowers for moving leaves and other debris from lawns, driveways or other surfaces are known in the art. Generally, a blast of air is directed from a blower outlet toward or across the surface to be cleared. The blower outlet is usually adapted to be adjacent the ground so that the air blast exits from the bottom of the blower.
Currently available walk behind type blowers are generally one of three configurations: fixed direction output, bi-directional output using a diverting valve, and variable-direction output using means to rotate the blower nozzle.
For the fixed direction blowers, the output from the blower is in one direction relative to the blower housing (shroud) and frame. The velocity profile within the outlet nozzle area is typically unknown and of no concern. In order to re-direct the airflow, the entire blower must be repositioned.
For the bidirectional blowers, the output (all or a portion thereof) can be redirected to a secondary orientation relative to the blower housing by the use of a valve or deflector. These nozzles can provide a split of the airflow whereby 0% to 100% of the airflow can be redirected. This splitting of the airflow could provide for a change in the outlet velocity profile such that higher speed air could be directed differently from the air of lower speed or "normal" velocity. One such blower is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,018 to Gallagher et al.
For the variable directional blowers, the output can be redirected by repositioning the blower nozzle in relation to the shroud.
The above configurations require that many different support frames, blower housings, and impellers be made available to accommodate various output control means, shroud designs, and engine types. The designs also require that the user adjust the control means that has almost infinite settings and this can provide operator confusion, loss of productivity, and reduced blower efficiency.
The present invention provides for nozzle(s) on the outlet section of centrifugal blowers that are configured to optimize blower performance with respect to air velocity.
The present invention provides for reduced upward and longitudinal displacement of leaves and debris while enhancing lateral displacement.
For other tasks such as sidewalk cleaning, drying grass, drying pavement, inflating tents, replenishing air in tunnels, tanks, etc., the nozzle can be repositioned or inverted to optimize performance.

Blower nozzle with variable velocity output


This invention aims at improving the breeding activity of boars, especially at preventing the reduction of fertilization capacity in the hot season. Particularly, this invention provides a method for improving the breeding activity of boars with the use of a feed for breeding boars which contains saccharides mainly composed of oligosaccharides.

With the recent tendency of Japanese eating habits toward the Western style, the demand for meat has been increasing. Therefore, meat manufactures need to develop an effective feeding method. On the other hand, the Japanese livestock industry should further improve productivity to compete on the world market.
Examples of methods for improving productivity in the pig industry include enlargement of the litter size, elevation of the rate of raising infants, and increment of the farrowing frequency. Although the litter size and the rate of raising newborns have improved by progress in livestock breeding and by improvements of feeding management facility and environmental sanitation, these effects are still insufficient.
On the other hand, improvement of the conception rate or prevention of breeding maladies is another important subject for the improvement of productivity. In order to breed pigs, it is necessary to repeat the cycle of estrus, mating, conception and farrowing efficiently. However, the generation of breeding maladies has been increasing in recent years because, for example, of the difficulty in closely observing each pig for feeding management due to the expanding management scale of pig farms, thus causing significant managerial loss.
In the case of pigs, a decrease in their breeding activities in the hot season is a problem which should be resolved. Its boar-side causes include the onset of diseases such as orchitis and the like, a lack and decrease in copulative passion, the deterioration of semen conditions and the like in the hot season. Especially, it is substantially difficult to check the deterioration of semen conditions in the case of natural mating, for example, so that it is mostly past hope when a breeding malady in boars is found. In addition, since semen conditions in the hot season are unstable, preservable days of semen are also reduced by half, hence posing another problem from the viewpoint of artificial fertilization.
In consequence, in order to effect an improvement of the breeding activity or the prevention of breeding maladies, various means have been attempted such as the administration of antibiotics and hormones. However, such means are not always sufficient enough because of additional problems in terms of side effects or safety of the feed. Because of this, great concern has been directed toward the development of a means by which breeding activity can be improved efficiently with less labor and cost, particularly a means which renders possible stable conception and provision of spermatozoa throughout the year by preventing a decrease in the fertilization capacity of boars in the hot season.

Method for improving reproduction activity of boars by using feed


Pin tumbler locks are provided that include features for detecting tampering. Tampering may be detected in a number of different ways. As an example, abnormal movement of one or more of the driver pins in a pin tumbler lock can be an indication of tampering. In addition, one or more sensors can be included at the end of a keyway that detect picking or bumping beyond the length of normal key insertion. An electrical sensor can be used for detection.

Computer equipment, information and services often need protection from unintentional or unauthorized access, change or destruction. Many computer systems include software authorization components and security components. Such components can provide protection against a hacker or other unauthorized individual who is trying to access information on the computer devices.
Hacking is typically not the only concern. Data and computer equipment often need to be protected from tampering, physical access, or theft, such as where a thief steals a computer or components of a computer to later access data on the computer or to sell the hardware components. Hardware-based security can provide a solution to this issue, such as by having secure server racks, data centers, or individual case locks. A physical lock, such as a pin tumbler lock, can be an inexpensive deterrent to theft. Pin tumbler locks are cheap to manufacture and require only a key for access. However, pin tumbler locks can be fairly easy to defeat via picking and/or bumping.

Lock that electronically detects tampering


An alkyl-phenyl bonded a stationary phase for use in reversed-phase liquid chromatography, having five to ten carbon atoms in the alkyl group, is disclosed. The alkyl-phenyl bonded phase has its unique selectivity, and it is chemically stable in both acidic and basic environments as well as having high retention capacity, hence high resolution. A method for preparing the alkyl-phenyl bonded phase and a column inside of which the alkyl-phenyl bonded phase is packed with are also disclosed. Additionally, a method for performing liquid chromatography and a mixed stationary phase which has more than one alkyl-phenyl phases are disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to reversed-phase liquid chromatography. More specifically, the present invention relates to a chemical composition used as a stationary phase in the reversed-phase liquid chromatography, a method for preparing the composition, a column used in the liquid chromatography, and a method for performing the liquid chromatography.
2. Description of Related Art
Reversed-phase liquid chromatography is the most popular separation method in liquid chromatography. More than 50 percent of all the applications in liquid chromatography are performed in reversed-phase mode. This popularity stems from a number of factors such as ease of use, rapid analysis time, and commercial availability of a large number of reversed-phase columns. Besides, the theory of reversed-phase liquid chromatography is also very well developed.
Early, many of the reversed-phase systems were developed using silica gel as the stationary phase matrix. However, conventional silica gel based packing materials have several disadvantages.
One disadvantage relates to the presence of acidic/active silanol groups. The presence of unreacted silanol groups lead to the adsorption of basic chemicals on the column, resulting sometimes in tailing peaks or complete disappearance. To alleviate this, the use of masking agents like alkylamine or the use of low pH mobile phases which would protonate the silanols became common practice.
Another disadvantage relates to pH stability. Conventional silica gel based packing materials have limited range of pH stability (2.5 to 7.5). At low pH, the silica-carbon bonds break down leading to the erosion of the bonded phase. At high pH, on the other hand, the silica gel itself dissolves, resulting in a loss of bonded phases. In both these instances, there is a change in the chromatographic profile. Recently, silica-based allys bonded phases which are stable to extended range of pH have been synthesized. Popular alkyl bonded phases are pentyl, octyl, and octadecyl bonded silica gels (respectively C5, C8, and C18) which are stable in the range of pH 1.5 to 10.0.
The separation power of liquid chromatography, on the other hand, can be attributed to the unlimited selectability of mobile phase conditions. The optimal utilization of the power of liquid chromatography requires development of new stationary phases. In this regard, another popular phase in reversed-phase liquid chromatography which has different and unique selectivities compared to the alkyl (C5, C8, and C18) bonded phases is phenyl phase (C.sub.n Ph). Certain phenyl bonded phases have been developed and their phenyl groups are generally bound with silica gel via zero to four methylene groups; i.e., n=0, 1, 2, 3, or 3 in (C.sub.n Ph) . However, these phases have limited pH stability and show poor retention capacity compared with the octyl (C8) and octadecyl (C18) bonded phases.
As a result, there is a need for a new phenyl bonded phase that has high pH stability at both extremes and improved retention capacity compared with the conventional alkyl bonded phases, hence better resolution.


Approaches for providing a single spacer, double hardmask dual-epi FinFET are disclosed. Specifically, at least one approach for providing the FinFET includes: forming a set of spacers along each sidewall of a plurality of fins of the FinFET device; forming a first ultra-thin hardmask over the plurality of fins; implanting the first ultra-thin hardmask over a first set of fins from the plurality of fins; removing the first ultra-thin hardmask over a second set of fins from the plurality of fins untreated by the implant; forming an epitaxial (epi) layer over the second set of fins; forming a second ultra-thin hardmask over the FinFET device; implanting the second ultra-thin hardmask; removing the second ultra-thin hardmask over the first set of fins; and growing an epi layer over the first set of fins.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to the field of semiconductors, and more particularly, to forming a FinFET using a single spacer, double hardmask dual-epi scheme.
2. Related Art
A typical integrated circuit (IC) chip includes a stack of several levels or sequentially formed layers of shapes. Each layer is stacked or overlaid on a prior layer and patterned to form the shapes that define devices (e.g., field effect transistors (FETs)) and connect the devices into circuits. In a typical state of the art complementary insulated gate FET process, such as what is normally referred to as CMOS, layers are formed on a wafer to form the devices on a surface of the wafer. Further, the surface may be the surface of a silicon layer on a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer. A simple FET is formed by the intersection of two shapes, a gate layer rectangle on a silicon island formed from the silicon surface layer. Each of these layers of shapes, also known as mask levels or layers, may be created or printed optically through well-known photolithographic masking, developing, and level definition, e.g., etching, implanting, depositing, etc.
The FinFET is a transistor design that attempts to overcome the issues of short-channel effect encountered by deep submicron transistors, such as drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL). Such effects make it harder for the voltage on a gate electrode to deplete the channel underneath and stop the flow of carriers through the channel—in other words, to turn the transistor off. By raising the channel above the surface of the wafer instead of creating the channel just below the surface, it is possible to wrap the gate around all but one of its sides, providing much greater electrostatic control over the carriers within it.
For FinFETs, it is desirable to be able to implant halos at the highest angle possible. As such, the gate stack needs to be as short as possible to achieve this. On the other hand, the gate stack is preferably tall so that the spacers protect the dummy gate from unwanted epi growth. However, current approaches using a tall dummy gate hardmask stack and a dual SiN spacer to form dual epi cause a large "bump" in the transition region between a N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) and a P-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS), which complicates the poly removal process prior to forming a replacement metal gate (RMG). As dimensions scale, dual spacers are inherently thicker and leave less room for contact. There is also less area between fins for the parasitic spacers on fin sidewalls to easily etch. Previous approaches use an oxide hardmask with a required thickness greater than 100 Å in order to have the oxide hardmask survive the epi precleans in a dilute hydrofluoric (dHF) process or equivalent oxide etch. For tight-pitch FinFETs (e.g., <60 nm), this thickness is problematic, as two hardmasks fail to leave adequate space between fins.

Fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) device formed using a single spacer, double hardmask scheme


The present invention relates to a method for molding an agglomerated preform of a fiber-reinforced composite material comprising a resin material as a matrix and reinforcing fibers dispersed therein, into a desired shape. In the molding method, the preform is heated from the interior thereof, whereby the temperature of the entire preform can be raised efficiently and uniformly. If an optional number of holes are formed in the agglomerated preform, rod-like heaters for heating or gas nozzles for the release of heated gas can be inserted into the preform easily through such holes, whereby uniform heating can be effected. Further, by incorporating an appropriate amount of a dielectric loss improver into the preform and thereafter subjecting the preform to high-frequency heating or microwave heating, the preform can be heated efficiently and uniformly in a short time.

Composite materials comprising thermosetting or thermoplastic synthetic resins and reinforcing fibers dispersed uniformly therein are superior in physical properties (particularly tensile strength and impact resistance, so are widely used as panel materials, outer plies, container materials, etc.).
In forming any of such composite materials into a desired shape, it is formed beforehand into a sheet-like or agglomerated shape (including a bulky or block-like shape) (hereinafter referred to as "preform"), and the preform is heated before molding. This is a commonly-adopted molding method.
Sheet-like preforms are widely used because they are advantageous in that they can be easily heated uniformly and are superior in press-moldability. However, sheet-like preforms involve the following drawbacks.
1 There has been adopted a method wherein a synthetic resin material is melt-extruded into sheet and impregnation is made while a glass fiber mat or chopped strands are sandwiched in between two such sheets. According to this method, however, there may occur breakage of the reinforcing fibers during the operation, and the manufacturing cost is high. PA0 2 In forming (hereinafter referred to sometimes as "secondary forming") a sheet-like preform into a desired commodity shape, it is necessary to cut the sheet-like preform according to the desired shape, then laminating such cut preforms onto a metal mold according to a desired thickness and press-molding the laminate, so the molding cost is high.
Recently, therefore, the demand for agglomerated preforms have been increasing gradually.
However, it takes considerable time to heat up agglomerated preforms uniformly without a temperature gradient from the exterior surface to the center of the preform, because agglomerated preforms are thick-walled. More particularly, for heating such agglomerated preforms there usually is employed an infrared heater, an electric heater, or hot air, but all of these methods apply heat from the outside of preforms, so a temperature gradient is formed from the outer surface side toward the center in the preforms, and if the heating speed is too high, the outer peripheral portion will assume an overheated state when the temperature of the central portion has reached an appropriate processing temperature.
Consequently, for example in the case of an agglomerated preform using a thermoplastic resin, the outer periphery side may be softened to an excessive degree and fluidized, or in the case of an agglomerated preform using a thermosetting resin, secondary hardening on the outer periphery side will proceed. In both cases, the moldability is deteriorated markedly.
In order to avoid such problems it is required to make the heating rate as low as possible and thereby minimize the foregoing temperature gradient, so a long time is required for raising the temperature up to the molding temperature. As a result, not only the productivity of molded products is deteriorated markedly but also in the case of an agglomerate preform using a thermosetting resin, secondary hardening proceeds and processability deteriorated during such long time.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of such problems, and it is the object thereof to provide a molding method wherein in a heating process performed prior to molding there is included a heating step capable of raising the temperature of an agglomerated preform uniformly and efficiently, and also provide a preform of a fiber-reinforced composite material.

Method for molding fiber-reinforced composite material


An emission control flare stack for minimizing the formation of volatile organic compounds wherein the stack has a controller for operating a gas flow meter; a inlet gas regulator; an oxygen/air flow meter; an oxygen/air regulator; a burner with at least one igniter; a plurality of cooling and heating tubes; and a neutralization solution regulator. The controller receives data from a temperature sensor and an emissions sensor and is in communication with a network. The controller provides controlled burn and neutralization using air intake information and gas concentrations information and can transmit data to an administrative server, cloud computing processor, client devices or combinations thereof for continuous remote viewing of emissions using an executive dashboard.

A need exists for an emission control flare stack for providing reduced toxic emissions.
A further need exists for a device for decreasing the emission of greenhouse gases.
A need exists for an emission control flare stack which can be monitored from a remote location.
The present embodiments meet these needs.
The present embodiments are detailed below with reference to the listed Figures.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Emission control flare stack for reducing volatile organic compounds from gases including well gases


A combustor heat shield assembly comprises a circumferential array of heat shield panels individually mounted to an inner surface of a combustor shell. Each heat shield panel has opposed front and back faces, the back face facing the inner surface of the combustor shell and being spaced therefrom to define an air gap. The front and back faces have a perimeter including opposed lateral edges extending between opposed circumferentially extending edges. The lateral edges of adjacent heat shield panels have complementary non-linear profiles defining an asymmetric heat shield panel interface.

Gas turbine combustors are the subject of continual improvement, to provide better cooling, better mixing, better fuel efficiency, better performance, etc. at a lower cost. For example, heat shields are known to provide better protection to the combustor, but heat shields also require cooling. A plurality of bolt connections is typically used to secure the heat shield panels in place on the inside of the combustor shell. A bolt connection is provided in each corner of the panel to ensure proper sealing between the panel and the inside of the combustor shell. The number and positioning of bolts constitutes an obstacle to the admission of cooling air through the combustor shell to cool down the heat shield. Usually, the interface between the panels is hard to cool since the heat shield sealing rails make cooling difficult, and hot spots may occur.


A stacking conveyor for receiving slices cut from a food loaf or slab includes a frame, an endless belt conveying surface, a carrier, a plurality of pins, and a motive mechanism. The endless belt conveying surface is supported by the frame. The carrier is arranged beneath the top surface of the endless belt conveying surface. The plurality of pins protrude upward from the carrier, each of the pins having a sharp top end. The motive mechanism is configured for raising the carrier to elevate the top ends of the pins above the top surface of the endless belt conveying surface to receive and impale a first slice of a stack. The pins are then retracted beneath the conveying surface.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,649,463 and 5,704,265 describe high speed slicing machines having stacking conveyors that receive slices that are cut from a loaf. In a slicing machine operation, the slices fall onto the stacking conveyor and are formed into a stack, either a straight stack or a shingled stack. This stacking conveyor is sometimes referred to as a jump conveyor. The jump conveyor moves completed stacks from beneath the slicing blade onto a further conveyor to be conveyed eventually to a sorting and/or packaging operation. The jump conveyor can be provided with a vertical lift mechanism which allows the jump conveyor to descend as the stack is forming to ensure a constant drop distance from the loaf onto the preceding slice. The jump conveyor can be provided with a lateral movement means wherein stack corrections can be made or shingled stack patterns can be accumulated or product shuffled stacks can be created such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,750.
The present inventors have recognized that sometimes the first slice that begins an accumulated stack does not land and remain in a desirable orientation or position on the conveyor surface. The first slice can slide or bounce somewhat or can be slightly folded on an edge, on the conveyor surface. The slices that follow the first slice however have the advantage of the propensity of the slices to adhere together and the aforementioned problems are reduced.
The present inventors have recognized that it would be desirable to provide a mechanism for ensuring that the first slice cut from a loaf and received on a stacking conveyor surface landed and was maintained in a flat, properly positioned orientation for receiving the second and subsequent slices thereon.

Retaining pins for stacking conveyor for slicing machine


The invention provides simple and reliable detection of .pi./4 shifted DQPSK modulated digital signals in a single-subscriber-unit, a multiple-subscriber unit (MSU) or a base transceiver station (BTS) of a fixed-wireless system, and is also directly applicable to other digital cellular or personal communication systems which utilizes a binary or M-ary PAM, FSK or PSK digital modulation scheme with differential or coherent encoding and time- and/or frequency-multiplexing. It offers great simplicity while providing soft-decision information for the later stage decoding of information bits encoded with an error correcting code. For each received sample z.sub.k+L and its estimated one z.sub.k+L, a Euclidean distance function is calculated. This Euclidean distance u(z.sub.k+L .vertline.v.sub.k+L, . . . , v.sub.k) is then added to the function derived from the previous iteration g(v.sub.k+L-1, . . . , v.sub.k), to yield a new Euclidean distance function f(v.sub.k+L, . . . , v.sub.k). Then a series of comparisons are carried out to find the minimum Euclidean distance with respect to each symbol within the channel memory span except v.sub.k. These minimum Euclidean distances are then added up to yield M values. The symbol corresponding to the minimum distance is the detected symbol. The same M Euclidean distance values are also used for soft decision derivation for use with an error detecting code. A simple measure of the accuracy of each symbol is calculated from the two shortest Euclidean distances. In particular, by taking the ratio of the difference to the sum of those two distances, the overall implementation of the demodulator becomes especially computationally efficient.

Digitally modulated radio signals may experience degraded signal quality as a result of multipath fading over a terrestrial terrain, co-channel interference, and/or receiver noise corruption. Known probabilistic methods for the detection of such degraded signals include a maximum likelihood sequence estimation ("MLSE") based on the Viterbi algorithm to estimate a sequence of symbols, and use of an a posteriori probability ("MAP") algorithm to estimate an individual symbol.
MLSE is particularly suited for a sequence in which each symbol is contaminated by adjacent symbols in a time-dispersive transmission medium (intersymbol interference or "ISI"). Although the conventional MLSE algorithm provides an optimal estimate of a sequence of symbols, it does not readily provide the detection probability for each individual symbol which is desirable for the later decoding of the user information bits, assuming that a convolutional error correction code was used to generate the original information bits. Although various enhanced MLSE schemes have been proposed for deriving soft decision information in MLSE detection, such enhanced MLSE schemes are very computationally intensive or are otherwise impractical for many applications.
The conventional MAP algorithm does provide detection probability for each individual symbol, and is suited for any kind of received signal, whether or not ISI is present and whether or not the original signal was encoded with an error correction code. However, for a received signal corrupted by thermal noise at the receiver front-end (this noise is normally modeled as additive white Gaussian noise and has an exponential probability density function), estimation of each symbol typically requires a summation of multiple exponential terms, which results in a large dynamic range and is difficult to implement efficiently. In particular, when estimating a symbol from received sample(s) containing additive white Gaussian noise, the classic MAP algorithm calculates conditional probabilities in the form of exponential functions of the Euclidean distance between the received sample and its estimated one. This imposes a large dynamic range requirement for the detection apparatus and difficulties for efficiently implementing such an algorithm, especially if a fixed-point processor is used.
Approximations of the MAP algorithm are known in which processing is exclusively in the logarithmic domain, with the sum of two exponential functions being approximated by the function having the greater exponent. Although the required calculations are considerably simplified, such an approximation introduces an error which may be expressed as a function of the difference of two exponents and for which a suitable correction term may be stored in a pre-computed table.
A basic implementation of MAP symbol detection is shown in FIG. 1. It consists of a delay unit T, a symbol demodulator MAP, and a channel impulse response estimator IRE. Upon receiving a sample sequence {z.sub.k+L }, the MAP demodulator estimates a symbol {v.sub.k } from the estimated channel impulse response and all possibly transmitted symbols on the basis of maximum a posteriori probability. The channel impulse response estimator estimates the channel status by referring the received samples to a known symbol pattern, called the training sequence (such a sequence is normally available as a synchronization sequence in a time-multiplexing transmission scheme), or a prior symbol decision output from the MAP demodulator. Since normally the channel changes with time (for example, the fading typically experienced on a mobile radio channel), an updating algorithm (for example, the least-mean-square (LMS) algorithm, or the more fast convergent recursive-least-square (RLS) algorithm) is used to update the channel impulse response coefficients produced by the original estimation process, with the demodulated symbol decisions being used in the updated channel impulse response estimation. In this case, the decision made at a particularly time instant will lag the received symbol by several symbol periods (due to delay spread and the estimation lag), and a delay unit is used here to correlate the received symbol with the appropriate channel impulse response coefficients.
In some applications, the radio channel changes very little in a time-multiplexed transmission burst. In this case, only the symbols in the training pattern will be used for channel estimation. The channel parameters remain constant in the rest of symbol detection process. In some other applications where multiple synchronizations are employed the channel impulse response can be estimated from all the synchronization patterns and then they are interpolated to obtain channel parameters for data demodulation.
The digitally modulated signal transmitted over a terrestrial radio channel normally suffers from propagation loss, multipath fading, co-channel interference, and noise corruption. For a frequency-selective fading channel, the individual symbols transmitted will be spread out into their respective neighboring intervals and hence cause intersymbol interference (ISI). A demodulator is required in the baseband to recover the transmitted symbol at the possibly lowest detection error probability. For the frequency-selective fading channel where nulls exist in the received signal spectrum, an equalizer is needed to suppress ISI. At the same time, the equalizer shall not enhance noise around the frequency nulls. One commonly known technique for the above purpose is based on MAP (maximum a posteriori probability) and uses a so-called MAP demodulator, which suppresses the impairments and demodulates the transmitted symbols.
For radio applications, normally an error-correction code such as a convolutional code will be used in the system to further protect the symbols against transmission errors. At the receiver end, a decoder which follows the MAP demodulator is required to decode the information bits. For the convolutional code, soft decision decoding is highly preferred to hard-decision decoding because of the performance difference. Hence, the MAP demodulator is required not only to properly demodulate the transmitted symbols, but also provide soft decision reliability data to the decoder.
A classic MAP demodulator is shown in FIG. 2. In this demodulator, a recursive estimation process is employed to estimate each transmitted symbol. Specifically, upon receiving a new sample z.sub.k+L, sample estimator 10 generates estimated samples z.sub.k+L from the channel impulse response c(I) and the ideal symbols v.sub.k+I, where I=0, . . . , L and L represents the channel memory length. For a modulation scheme with a symbol alphabetic size of M, M.sup.L+1 estimates are required. Then an M.sup.L+1 -tuple probability function p(z.sub.k+L .vertline.v.sub.k+L, . . . , v.sub.k) is calculated in block 12. Those skilled in the art will recognize that this probability function is an exponential function of the negative of the Euclidean distance between the received sample and its estimated one, scaled by noise variance .sigma..sup.2. Then this probability function is multiplied (multiplier 14) with the M.sup.L -tuple function g(v.sub.k+L-1, . . . , v.sub.k) to yield a new function f(v.sub.k+L, . . . , v.sub.k). The function g(v.sub.k+L-1, . . . , v.sub.k) is calculated (block 16) by summing f(v.sub.k+L-1, . . . , v.sub.k-1) over v.sub.k-1, the function obtained from the previous iteration. Since the detection process is a recursive one, the calculated f(v.sub.k+L, . . . , v.sub.k) is delayed by one unit in delay 18 and stored for the next iteration.
Sequential additions are then performed over f(v.sub.k+L, . . . , v.sub.k) by adders 20 with respect to all possible symbols v.sub.k+L, . . . , v.sub.k+1, except v.sub.k. The resultant sums yield M probabilities, with each corresponding to one possible symbol. Then a selection is carried out (block 22) to find the maximum probability and the corresponding symbol, which becomes the detected symbol.
The calculated M probability values are also used in block 24 to derive soft decisions for the later stage of decoding. Normally, a bit likelihood ratio can be directly derived from these probability values. In the case of M-ary differential phase modulation, either the related symbol probability is used as the probability of each bit, or a mapping is carried out to calculate the likelihood ratio of each bit from all related symbol probabilities.

Computational simplified detection of digitally modulated radio signals providing a detection of probability for each symbol


The invention provides oil blends, processes for the preparation thereof and their uses.

Cholesterol is a vital compound which serves as essential membrane compound, a cofactor for signaling molecules and precursor for steroid hormones [1]. Human milk is known to be a rich source of cholesterol for the developing infant. The human milk contains substantial cholesterol levels of about 10-20 mg/100 ml at 3 weeks postpartum [2]. This high cholesterol content is correlated with higher plasma cholesterol levels of breastfeeding babies as compared to formula fed babies and may be associated with lower blood cholesterol concentrations in adult life and protection against later development of cardiovascular disease [3].
Cholesterol importance in human milk is evident by the fact that its content is apparently not influenced by dietary manipulation. While maternal dietary and plasma cholesterol levels are closely correlated, breast milk cholesterol levels are not related to those in normal maternal plasma.
Currently marketed infant formulas usually contain blends of vegetable oils and not fats of animal origin, in order to deliver to the infant all required fatty acids. As a result of reducing the use of lipid products from animal sources as ingredients of infant formulas, the formulas usually contain low levels of cholesterol compared to human milk [4].
Due to the importance of cholesterol and its preservation in human milk, attempts have been made to test the effect of its supplementation on formula-fed infants. For example, Decsi et al [5] tested the effect of a formula supplemented with cholesterol on plasma cholesterol levels of full term infants in comparison with a conventional formula. Plasma cholesterol levels on day 5 were significantly higher among the infants who were fed with the cholesterol supplemented infant formula in comparison with infants receiving the conventional formula. In 30 days old infants and thereafter no appreciable effect of diet on plasma cholesterol concentration has been observed.
Plant sterols (PS) or phytosterols such as β-sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol occur naturally and are structurally similar to cholesterol, but possess an additional hydrocarbon chain at carbon number 24. Natural occurrence of phytosterols is reported in oil seed as free sterols, esterified forms with fatty acids and phenolic acids, or conjugated with glycosides. Crude food oils derived from soy, corn, sunflower, rapeseed, palm and other crops may contain significant concentrations of phytosterols. Unlike cholesterol, phytosterol concentrations seem to change markedly in human milk depending on the amount of phytosterol in the maternal diet [6].
An area of intense discussion in plant sterol research is the potential bioactive properties of the plant sterols. There is experimental and epidemiological evidence suggesting that plant sterols can protect against certain types of cancer such as colon, breast and prostate, and positive effects on benign prostatic hyperplasia have been reported [7]. The plant sterols activity as immune modulators and their anti-inflammatory properties has also been described [8]. In addition, phytosterols have demonstrated antioxidative capacity [9].

Oil blends, processes for the preparation thereof and their use in formulas


An electric charging apparatus and a failure determination method therefor are provided. In the electric charging apparatus, a relay allows a current to flow inside the electric charging apparatus by switching of a switch. An acceleration sensor detects a vibration of the relay and generating an acceleration sensing signal. A control unit receives the acceleration sensing signal from the acceleration sensor and detects failure of the electric charging apparatus.

The present disclosure relates to an electric charging apparatus and a failure determination method therefor, and more particularly, to an electric charging apparatus for a vehicle which detects a vibration of a relay to generate an acceleration sensing signal and receives the acceleration sensing signal to detect a failure in the electric charging apparatus, and a failure determination method therefor.
As global environmental pollution is worsening, use of non-polluting energy is getting more important. Especially, air pollution problems in a metropolitan area are worsening day by day, and an exhaust gas is one of the main causes of them. Under such a situation, recently researches are being actively performed on commercializing a so-called electric vehicle using the electricity, which is nonpolluting energy, as a power source. The electric vehicle receives electric energy from the outside and charges a battery with it, and then uses a voltage charged in the battery to obtain power, which is mechanical energy, through a motor combined with wheels. That is, since the motor is driven by the voltage charged in the battery, the electric vehicle uses a large capacity rechargeable battery and includes an electric charging apparatus for charging the large capacity rechargeable battery.
An electric charging apparatus is divided into a rapid charger and a slow charger. The rapid charger is installed at a place for rapidly charging a battery during driving like a gas station. Charging time thereof takes about 20 min. On the contrary, the slow charger is installed at a place, such as a parking lot or a shopping mall, where long time parking is expected. Charging time thereof takes about 5 hours.
Such an electric charging apparatus includes a relay, and failures may occur in the relay such that the relay may be fused due to overcurrent or other causes during charging a charging target device.
However, it is difficult that a typical electric charging apparatus may detect such failures.

Electric charging apparatus and failure determination method therefor


A plural zone plant form converting a carbon source to synthesis gas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen is disclosed. The carbon source which can consist of coal, automobile tires, or hazardous organic wastes, such as chlorinated biphenyls, polyhaloginated organics, organometallics, organic polymers, and the like is dissolved in a molten bath which can comprise iron in an oxygen deficient zone at one pressure and reacted with water, an oxygen source, or mixtures thereof in at least one other zone at higher temperatures and pressures from that present in the first zone. In one particularly advantageous embodiment, two zones, the first and the second, are at different vertical heights and circulation from one zone to the other occurs as a result of differences in density between the molten bath in the lower zone compared to that in the upper zone.

The present invention relates to gasification of any carbon containing liquid and/or solid to produce a synthesis gas for both chemical and/or power applications. More particularly the invention relates to the gasification of either coal or an organic waste by means of a molten-metal bath and a source of oxygen. Disposal of used tires or hazardous organic waste without significant emissions and sulfur free synthesis gas from sulfur containing coal are made possible by this invention.


In one aspect, there is disclosed a cell stack which can include cell modules connected in series to generate a stack operating voltage. The cell modules can include a battery cell in series with a series switch and include a shunt switch connected in parallel to the battery cell and the series switch. A stack monitor circuit can have a series control coupled to the series switch, a shunt control coupled to the shunt switch, and a battery cell monitor coupled to the battery cell for measuring a cell parameter from each cell module. Based on the measured cell parameter, the stack monitor circuit can select at least one cell module either to contribute to the stack operating voltage by closing the series switch and opening the shunt switch or to bypass the stack operating voltage by the opening the series switch and closing the shunt switch.

Battery packs can include one or more cell stacks configured in parallel and series combinations to achieve a desired operating voltage and a current capacity generally measured in amp-hours. Unfortunately, when one battery cell in the cell stack is failing, the stack operating voltage can drop below a minimum stack voltage for powering a load of the battery pack. Also, an increase in loading on the battery pack comprising healthy battery cells can drop the stack operating voltage below the minimum stack voltage due to the internal resistance of each battery cell. Additionally, a failure in one battery cell can lead to a runaway temperature increase that can cascade to cause a catastrophic failure in the entire cell stack.
One solution to individual cell failure is to monitor the temperature and/or voltage of the entire cell stack and send an indication of the condition of the battery pack to the user. However, the cell failure requires that the entire stack be replaced, causing a service interruption and a replacement cost. One solution to heavy loading of the battery pack is to boost the stack operating voltage so that it remains above the minimum stack voltage during heavy loads. However, biasing the stack operating voltage upwards can excessively increase the voltage during light loading and thereby cause a high voltage variance of the cell stack over all loading conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,599,655 discloses a method of conditioning an individual battery cell in a cell stack one at a time by isolating the battery cell and powering the load from the remaining battery cells. However, there is no means provided to maintain a low voltage variance during conditioning and under varying load conditions.

Battery pack with reduced voltage variance


Methods for contention-based transmission with contention-free feedback for reduced latency in LTE Advanced networks and an enhanced PUCCH are generally disclosed herein. User equipment (UE) may transmit a contention sequence on a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) to an enhanced-Node B (eNB) and may concurrently transmit data requesting uplink resources on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) to the eNB. The contention sequence is transmitted on the PUCCH in accordance with a format that is assigned by the eNB. The contention sequence is either randomly selected by the UE or assigned by the eNB. When the contention sequence and data are not successfully received by the eNB, the UE may fall back to a more conventional random access channel (RACH) procedure for uplink resource allocation.

One issue with communicating data over a wireless network, such as a 3GPP LTE network, is latency associated with uplink access. When User Equipment (UE) has data to send, the UE may request an allocation of a resource (i.e., bandwidth) on an uplink channel for transmitting the data to an enhanced-Node B (eNB) (i.e., an LTE base station). Contention and collisions on the random access channel (RACH) as well as the overhead associated with use of the conventional RACH procedure result in lengthy delays for the UE.
Thus, there are general needs for methods of reducing latency associated with conventional uplink resource allocation requests in LTE networks. There are also general needs for an enhanced uplink control channel.

User equipment and method for contention-based communications over allocated PUSCH resources


A computer can transmit information about a print job to one or more printers. The computer can transmit the information to the one or more printers prior to transmitting the print job to the printer. The information can be used to indicate to the one or more printers various aspects of the print job.

As computer technology has advanced so too has the technology of peripheral devices used in conjunction with computers, resulting in such devices becoming increasingly popular. One such type of peripheral device is the printer, which is typically used to generate a hard copy of data stored electronically (e.g., on paper or other medium). Many current printers are designed to be connected directly to a network, such as a local area network (LAN). By using such "networked" printers, users of multiple different computers are able to share the same printer.
One problem experienced with printers, however, is that typically printers print the print jobs they receive in the order they receive the print jobs. This reduces the user-friendliness of the printer as it restricts the ability of the user to make any changes to the printing of his or her print job after the print job has been sent to the printer.
Thus, it would be beneficial to provide a way to alleviate this problem and improve the user friendliness of printers.

Modifying printing based on print job clues

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Technologies are disclosed for determining validity of data obtained from an A/B experiment, where the experiment evaluates the desirability of a potential change at a website. The experiment is run for a period of time and based upon an expected allocation of users into the A group (control group) and the B group (e.g., treatment group), along with an actual number of users directed into the two groups, it is determined if a minimal detectable error of allocation has been exceeded and, if it has, the data is deemed to be invalid. If not, the data is deemed to be valid.

Network accessible sites offer users a variety of experiences. For example, users may access such sites over a network such as, for example, websites accessed over the Internet, in order to view media, play games, purchase goods and/or services, access information, provide information, etc. Operators of such websites may wish to know the effect various changes to the website may have on user behavior. For example, operators of network accessible sites may wish to know what effect moving a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on the site has on user behavior.
In order to predict what effect changes at a network accessible site may have on user behavior, operators may run experiments. For example, an experiment might be to move a GUI at a website. In order to determine the effect such a change may have, the experiment may be run as what is referred to as an A/B experiment where two groups are randomly established. A first group may be a control group, where the location of the GUI remains unchanged. A second group may be a treatment group, where the location of the GUI at the website is changed, for example, moved up on a page at the site. The operator of the site running the experiment may wish to know if the change in location of the GUI affects how much users interact with the GUI at the website.
Thus, the operator runs the experiment and at the end of the experiment compares the results from the two groups. However, in order to determine a length of time for running the experiment, historical data is generally used to determine the length of time, thereby delaying the start of the experiment. Additionally, in order to obtain enough data for there to be a statistically significant difference between the two groups, the length of time for running the experiment, based upon historical data, may be determined to be three months, six months or even a year, thereby requiring large amounts of processor cycles, computing resources, power.
Finally, in order for data collected by experiments such as those described above to be meaningful, "false negatives" with respect to usability of data obtained from experiments must be avoided, especially if the random assignment of users to the control group and the treatment group is handled as desired. Such false negatives cause an experiment to be needlessly run again, thereby delaying obtaining results of the experiment and requiring additional processor cycles, computing resources, power. These potential problems can create a burden for the operator of the website who may wish to know the effect of the potential change much sooner in order to implement the change in a timely manner and/or who may run an experiment that is believed to have unusable data, when the data is in fact usable.
The disclosure made herein is presented with respect to these and other considerations.

Determining the validity of data collected by experiments performed at a network accessible site


A multi-polar shielded connector (15) includes a housing (24) having a plurality of accommodating portions (23) where end portions (17) of a plurality of shielded wires (16) together with terminals 18 are accommodated, respectively, a shielding member (25) provided in the housing (24), for covering the plurality of accommodating portions (23) in a lump to shield the end portions (17) of the shielded wires (16) and the terminals (18) connected to the end portions (17), a plurality of shield contact members (26) conductively contacting with respective braid wires (21) of the shielded wires 16, respectively, and a conductive block (27) assembled in the housing (24), for conductively connecting with the shielding member (25) and conductively connecting with the shielding member (25) to conductively connect the shielding member (25) and the shield contact members (26) to each other. Accordingly, in a multi-polar shielded connector, the number of component parts can be reduced, the structure can be simplified, a size reduction can be made possible, and manufacturing costs can be decreased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-polar shielded connector in which a plurality of shielded wires are accommodated.
2. Description of Relevant Art
There has been disclosed shielded connectors in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication Nos. 8-138798, 8-153555, 8-250219, 8-264238, and 8-3300226 (which have previously been filed by the present applicant).
Such a shielded connector is provided with an inner housing having an accommodating portion in which a terminal connected to an end portion of a shielded wire together with the end portion is accommodated, an outer housing formed integrally with the inner housing inside thereof, a cylindrical metallic shell (shielding member) disposed between the inner housing and the outer housing so as to cover the accommodating portion, and a shield contactor for conductively connecting a braid wire of the shielded wire and the metallic shell. The connecter has a rubber plug for water-proofing between the inner wall of the outer housing and the shielded wire, and a retainer for preventing the rubber plug from falling off from the outer housing.
In such a shielded connector, the end portion of the shielded wire and the terminal connected to the end portion are electromagnetically shielded from each other by the metallic shell conductively connected to the braid wire of the shielded wire via the shield contactor. Also, the metallic shell is connected to a metallic shell of a mating connector fitted thereto to be grounded to an equipment and the like.
In a case of a structure having an end portion of one shielded wire and a terminal connected to the end portion, as the above shielded connector structure, it is easy to effect electromagnetic shield by covering the whole of one accommodation portion with a metallic shell. However, in a case of a shielded connector (multi-polar connector) having a plurality of accommodating portions each accommodating one of end portions of many shielded wires and a terminal connected to the one, covering the accommodating portions with respective metallic shells requires an increased number of component parts and an unnecessarily large sized shielded connector having a space for arranging the metallic shells covering the respective accommodating portions.
Also, the structures of the inner housing and the outer housing become complicated due to the arrangement of the plurality of metallic shells.
Further, in addition to connecting portions for connecting the plurality of metallic shells and braid wires of the respective shielded wires, connecting structure for connecting the respective metallic shells among them and connecting structure for connecting the respective metallic shells to metallic shells of a mating connector are also required, which results in a complicated structure.

Multi-polar shielded connector and mating shielded connector


A directional microphone system comprises two membranes that, on the one hand, are respectively acoustically connected via an air volume with one of two spatially separate sound entrance ports, and on the other hand are acoustically coupled with one another via a third air volume, as well as an output generator configured to generate at least one output signal of the directional microphone from the vibration of one of the two membranes.

The invention concerns a directional microphone.
Modern hearing devices resort to directional microphone arrangements that, via their direction-dependent microphone sensitivity, enable an exclusion of unwanted signals coming from lateral and backwards directions. This spatial effect improves the wanted-signal-to-background-noise ratio, such that, for example, an increased speech comprehension of the wanted signal exists. The conventional directional microphone arrangements are based on an evaluation of the phase (delay) differences that result given a spreading sound wave between at least two spatially separate sound acquisition locations.
In hearing devices, until now, gradient microphones or, respectively, directional microphone arrangements of a first and higher order, comprising a plurality of omnidirectional acoustic pressure sensors, have been used for this. While the first determines the difference (stemming from the mechanical assembly) of the sound signals originating from two sound entrance ports, a good static or even adaptively variable directional effect can be achieved via suitable signal processing, given a combination of a plurality of acoustic pressure sensors.
However, all known methods evaluate the differences of the sound signals present at the sound entrance ports in the same manner. Since the distances between the sound entrance ports in hearing device applications are very small (conditional upon the type), this leads to the fact that, given deeper frequencies at which the sound wavelength is much larger than the separation of the microphone entrance ports, the differences to be determined between the audio signals, and thus also the directional effect to be achieved, are very small. Typically, all directional microphone arrangements possess a clearly reduced directional effect at lower frequencies; moreover, arrangements made up of a plurality of pressure sensors place very high demands on the amplitude and phase compensation of the microphones.
A differential pressure transducer is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,117 that capacitively couples two membranes, where the pressure difference is measured between the pressure in the volume between the membranes and the pressure in the volume that surrounds both membranes.
In imitation of the acoustic organ of the "Ormia" fly, which achieves a unique directional effect with the aid of a mechanical coupling of two auditory membranes, various approaches to use mechanically coupled auditory membranes in hearing aid devices have been pursued. For example, in a microphone system based on silicon micromechanics, the vibration-capable membrane of two independent microphones arranged adjacent to one another are negatively coupled with one another via a web (see "Mechanically Coupled Ears for Directional Hearing in the Parasitoid Fly Ormia Ochracea", R. N. Miles, D. Robert, R. R. Hoy, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 98 (1995), pg. 3059).


A sputtering deposit apparatus capable of depositing a thin film having uniform sheet resistance value is provided. The sputtering deposit apparatus is arranged with at least two magnetron sputtering units within a film deposit chamber. On the upstream side in the substrate transfer direction 43 of the target shield 55 provided on the magnetron sputtering unit disposed on the most upstream side in the substrate transfer direction, of at least the two magnetron sputtering units, there is disposed the first cathode shield 62 which is electrically insulated.

As a substrate transfer type of successive film deposit apparatus having a plurality of magnetron sputtering units, there has been known an apparatus that performs sputtering by swinging a magnet of the magnetron sputtering unit, such as disclosed in Patent Document 1. A successive sputtering deposit apparatus such as disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured so that a magnet (magnetic circuit) of respective magnetron sputtering units independently performs movement by reciprocating movement. This is because why a traveling speed of the magnet in a substrate transfer direction is sufficiently high relative to the substrate transfer speed and therefore film thickness distribution on a thin film deposited by each of the magnetron sputtering units is sufficiently uniform in the substrate transfer direction.
However, for high mechanical durability of the magnet movement unit or reduction in nodule generated on a target surface as disclosed in Patent Document 1, magnet movement speed requires to be lower than before. When the movement speed of the magnet in the substrate transfer direction is almost the same as the transfer speed of a substrate, the uniformity of a thin film deposited on the substrate in the substrate transfer direction becomes remarkably worse.
As disclosed in Patent Document 2 and 3, there has been proposed a method for adjusting phases of magnet movement of a plurality of magnetron sputtering units and shifting the positions of films on an uneven substrate for overlapping. Such a method has improved the evenness of a thin film in the substrate transfer direction of the thin film deposited on the substrate.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-345335
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-246969
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-146528

Sputtering apparatus of forming thin film


The present invention relates to a control method and device for an optical filter, and a primary object of the present invention is to achieve accurate tracking control of the optical filter. Disclosed herein is a control method for an optical filter including first and second optical filter units cascaded, each having an input and first and second outputs. The first output of the first optical filter unit is connected to the input of the second optical filter unit. First light output from the second output of the first optical filter unit is converted into a first electrical signal having a level corresponding to the power of the first light, and second light output from the second output of the second optical filter unit is converted into a second electrical signal having a level corresponding to the power of the second light. A control signal is generated according to the first and second electrical signals. Then, the first and second optical filter units are controlled according to the control signal. According to this method, accurate tracking control of the optical filter can be achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control method and device for an optical filter.
2. Description of the Related Art
With an explosive increase in demand for data communication centered on the Internet traffic, high-capacity transmission and ultra long-haul transmission are desired in a backbone network. Further, since a variety of different services are offered to users, a highly reliable, flexible, and economical network is desired.
The high-capacity transmission and the ultra long-haul transmission are rapidly proceeding owing to the wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technique and the optical amplifying technique, thereby allowing a reduction in transmission line cost. However, high-speed transmission and high-capacity transmission of signals increase the amount of information to be processed at network nodes, causing an increase in node cost and scale. Under such circumstances, the development of an optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) and an optical cross-connect (OXC) is being pursued at a high pace, so as to reduce the cost and scale of the network nodes in such a manner that optical components are substituted for electronic circuits to perform a variety of processing on the basis of an optical path in the wavelength domain.
The OADM and the OXC employ many optical functional devices such as an optical switch having a function of switching on/off light, attenuating light, or switching between one input and n outputs, and an optical wavelength filter (optical filter) for selecting an optical signal according to wavelength. Of these optical functional devices, the optical filter is one of the key devices used for wavelength switching in the OXC and the OADM, wavelength separation at a receiving section, ASE (amplified spontaneous emission) noise cutting, etc.
In the OADM and the OXC, optical path switching is performed according to wavelength, so that the optical filter is required to have a wavelength tuning function of selecting a desired wavelength. With this wavelength tuning function, the transmission center wavelength of the optical filter can be tuned to coincide with a desired wavelength, thereby allowing the selection and separation on wavelength. In general, the wavelength of a transmitted light source has fluctuations, and the transmission center wavelength of the optical filter itself is also fluctuated by aged deterioration, environmental change, control error, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to perform tracking control for making the transmission center wavelength always coincide with a signal wavelength. For example, since even a slight deviation between the wavelength of transmitted light through the optical filter and the transmission center wavelength of the optical filter has a large effect on transmission characteristics or the like, a high-precision tracking technique is required. In the case of a notch filter, for example, the tracking control is performed by using an error signal obtained by extracting light having a desired wavelength and then monitoring the power of the light.
Further, an optical filter, e.g., a notch filter, for use in extracting an optical signal having a desired wavelength from a plurality of densely wavelength division multiplexed optical signals is required to have a filtering shape such that the adjacent channels with respect to the desired wavelength channel are not affected and that a sufficient rejection level can be obtained. In this case, the optical filter is generally configured by cascading a plurality of optical filter units for the purposes of improvement in rejection level and narrowing of a filtering band.
A generally considered tracking method for an optical filter, e.g., a notch filter, configured by cascading a plurality of optical filter units includes the steps of detecting monitor light from the optical filter unit on the first stage and controlling all the optical filter units by using the detected monitor light. However, the plural optical filter units cascaded have minute individual differences or the like, so that even when the same control signal is input to each optical filter unit, the transmission center wavelengths of all the optical filter units do not always completely coincide with each other in many cases. Accordingly, the filtering shape of the optical filter as a whole becomes different from that in the case where the transmission center wavelengths of all the optical filter units coincide with each other. If the tracking control is performed by using the monitor light obtained from the first-stage optical filter unit in this condition, the transmission center wavelength of the optical filter as a whole is deviated from the wavelength of an optical signal to be passed through the optical filter, because the transmission center wavelength of the first-stage optical filter unit is different from the transmission center wavelength of the optical filter.
The deviation of the transmission center wavelength of the optical filter from the wavelength of the optical signal causes a large deterioration in rejection characteristic. In the worst case due to this deviation, there is a possibility that an optical signal of another wavelength channel may be undesirably selected to cause a large transmission deterioration.

Control method and device for optical filter