The disclosure relates to a plant for extracting hydrocarbons contained in an underground formation including:                hydrocarbon tapping;        at least one generator;        at least one electromagnetic heating well in the underground formation, including an electromagnetic heating device connected to the generator;        wherein the electromagnetic heating device includes a radiating coaxial line. The disclosure also relates to a method for extracting hydrocarbons from an underground formation able to be implemented using the plant.

The substantial viscosity of the hydrocarbons present in certain deposits (heavy oils) poses considerable extraction problems. In such cases, it is generally necessary to decrease the viscosity of (fluidify) heavy oils so as to make them more mobile and therefore be able to extract them. This is particularly important for the exploitation of bituminous sands or shales. Many techniques have already been proposed to that end, in particular "SAGD" (steam-assisted gravity drainage), which consists of injecting steam into the deposit, heating it by heat conduction (for example using electric resistances) or in-situ combustion, which consists of injecting an oxidizing agent, generally air, through injection wells and initiating a combustion within the deposit, so as to develop combustion fronts from air injection wells and towards the production wells.
Another technique that has been proposed consists of proceeding with in situ electromagnetic heating of the reservoir. A first category of in situ electromagnetic heating of the reservoir is that of heating by electromagnetic radiation (i.e. radiofrequency or microwave) using an antenna arranged in the reservoir. Document WO 2007/147053 describes an example of such a system: a radiofrequency generator is placed on the surface; the energy produced is irradiated via a radiofrequency antenna positioned in a specific horizontal or vertical well. The production well, part of which is horizontal, is situated under the radiofrequency antenna.
A second category of in situ electromagnetic heating of the reservoir is that of induction heating. For example, document WO 2008/098850 describes, in one particular embodiment, an injection well geometry passing through the reservoir and imposing a circulation of electric current caused in the reservoir. The injection well also has a steam injection function. A high-frequency generator provides the electrical power necessary for the induction. The two terminals of the generator are connected to the two ends of the injection well, which thus heats the reservoir by induction. The injection well therefore goes up to the surface, the two ends of the injection well then necessarily being connected to the generator. The well then has a particular geometry, of the U-well type. In other cases, the electric circuit is formed by the injection well on one hand (connected to a terminal of the generator), and an electrode installed in a pocket of saltwater on the other hand (connected to the other terminal of the generator). In still another case, the heating for the reservoir is of the resistive type, an electric circuit being established between two remote wells, situated on either side of a deposit to be heated.
The drilling geometry necessary to implement induction heating for these two types of architecture would be extremely complex to produce. Moreover, in these two architectures, the injection tube heats the reservoir by induction over the entire length thereof, therefore including in its vertical portion. Substantial energy losses occur at the edges of the conductors, in the overburden.
Document WO 2009/027273 describes a method for injecting water in the reservoir, the water being vaporized by electric heating in the reservoir. For example, the water injection well and the production well can serve as electrodes. Document WO 2009/027262 describes the use of at least one additional pipe electrically connected to the injection well in order to inductively heat the zone situated between the additional pipe and the injection well.
Document WO 2009/027305 describes a plant for heating a hydrocarbon reservoir comprising an outside alternator providing the electrical power serving to power a driving circuit. The magnetic field causes currents in the reservoir, and brings about the heating thereof. One particular conductor, of the Litz cable type, is used in order to proceed with in situ inductive heating. This Litz cable comprises several conductors aligned to facilitate the passage of the current. The strong impedance thus generated at a high frequency is offset by the introduction of serial capacitances, in order to avoid overvoltages. The cable forms a loop in the reservoir, its two ends being connected to a surface generator. This system has the drawback of only working for a single determined electrical frequency, which poses a problem since the frequency must ideally adapt to the nature of the reservoir and the evolution thereof. In other words, this system is not very efficient at the beginning and end of production and involves slow preheating and very good knowledge of the reservoir from the outset.
Moreover, in the main embodiment, the conductors are placed at the same depth in the reservoir, next to each other, at a given distance. Thus, the magnetic radiation given off by one conductor is cancelled by the other conductor. Although such a geometry makes it possible to avoid energy losses in the overburden, it does however require that the conductors be spaced away from each other at the reservoir, to allow the emission of electromagnetic energy and to ensure in fine the heating of the reservoir. This drilling geometry is extremely complex to implement. All of the systems described above have the drawback of being oftentimes heavy and complex to implement. Moreover, these systems are only suited to a very particular type of electromagnetic heating, whether by radiation (at the highest frequencies) or induction (at the lowest frequencies), or are even only suited to a very specific frequency.
There is therefore a need for a system for the electromagnetic heating of an underground formation that is easier to implement and more flexible. In particular, there is a need for a system for electromagnetic heating of an underground formation that can operate by radiation as well as by induction of capacitive currents, in a wide range of frequencies, that can adapt easily to all types of underground formation.

Method for extracting hydrocarbons by in-situ electromagnetic heating of an underground formation


A pair of hoses connects directly from the feed pumps to the extruder without utilizing a PCV (pressure compensating valve). Each feed unit has automatic air pressure relief through a solenoid valve on top of the feed unit so that the unit does not stall at full static line pressure. When the dispense valve at the extruder is shut off, air pressure to the air motor is dumped. A pair of electric eyes is utilized—the first signals the pump (by providing pressurized air) to provide pressure while the second actually opens the extruder when the article to be coated comes into position. The first valve is located only a short distance ahead of the second valve so that the line pressure does not have a chance to exceed the dynamic pressure before the extruder opens.

The use of various types of pumps to supply extruders for dispensing warm and hot melt adhesives is of course well known. In no flow conditions, the static pressure in the line is the same at all points. During flow, there is a natural pressure drop from the outlet of the pump to the dispense head. Prior art systems have required the use of pressure compensators in order to ensure that pressure remains consistent (along with the resulting bead size extruded) in passing from static to dynamic pressure conditions.


A removable horseshoe clip for temporarily placement on a horseshoe during the fitment process to secure the horseshoe against slipping or rotational movement during nailing, and method of use. The removable horseshoe clip includes an inner retaining clip sized to engage the inner peripheral edge of a horseshoe, a broad base for seating against the bottom surface of the horseshoe, and an outer retaining clip adapted to abut the outer peripheral edge of a horseshoe and the outer surface of a hoof wall.

The present application is related generally to the attachment of horseshoes to an equine hoof, and in particular, to a clip which may be temporarily secured to a horseshoe during the shoeing procedure to facilitate proper placement and alignment of the horseshoe relative to the equine hoof, and which may be subsequently removed from the horseshoe after attachment of the horseshoe to the equine hoof.
Horseshoes have traditionally been utilized to provide traction and protection to the hooves of equines. A standard horse shoe, such as shown in FIG. 1A is formed from metal, typically a soft steel or aluminum, but may be of other materials as well. The front or leading edge of the horseshoe is known as the toe, while the trailing arms or portions are known as the heels. When attached to a hoof, the heel portion closest to horse's body centerline is referred to as the inside (medial) heel, while the opposite heel portion is referred to as the outside (lateral) heel.
Equine hoof structure and shape may vary from animal to animal, as well as from hoof to hoof on a single horse, and hence, it is common practice for a farrier to adjust the shape of each individual horseshoe to fit the particular hoof prior to nailing. Adjustment may be done by cold forming, i.e., hammering alone, or in combination with heating. Once a horseshoe is sized and fitted to a hoof, nails, such as shown in FIG. 2, are driven through the nail holes in the horseshoe and into the tough outer hoof wall of the equine hoof. Generally, the nails are of sufficient length such that the tip of the nail will protrude through the outer surface of the hoof wall above the horseshoe, allowing the tip to be cut off and bent over to form a clinch which retains the nail in the hoof wall. The sequence in which the nails are driven through the horseshoe and into the hoof wall during attachment is important to ensure the proper placement of the horseshoe relative to the equine hoof structures. The shape of the nail is configured to ensure that the nails will penetrate the hoof wall at an outward incline, ensuring that they are not directed inward towards the sensitive internal structures of the equine hoof.
On a plain horseshoe, such as shown in FIG. 1A, the initial nails are driven into the hoof wall through the nail holes which are closest to the heel on each side to prevent the horseshoe from sliding backwards relative to the hoof during the driving of the nails. However, when one nail is driven in on one side of the horseshoe, the nail may act as a pivot, and the horseshoe may shift or torque about that location, requiring the farrier to hammer on the side of the horseshoe to return it to the desired position before continuing. Hammering on the side of the horseshoe risks a bruising injury to the equine hoof in the event the hammer misses or slips from the horseshoe upon impact, and potentially weakens the hold of the nails which are already driven into place by twisting them within the hoof wall and widening the passage in which they rest.
Some horseshoes, such as shown in FIG. 1B, are formed with one or more permanent clips raised from the upper peripheral edges of the horseshoe. Upon proper fitment of the horseshoe to an equine hoof, the raised clips align along the outer surface of the hoof wall, and serve to prevent the shoe from sliding backwards relative to the hoof during application and use. However, permanent clips increase the cost of production for the horseshoes, and/or require additional time for the farrier to make the clips and properly align them with the hoof surfaces. Permanent clips pose a potential for injury to the hoof structures in the event the horseshoe slips or loosens during use, allowing the raised clip to rotate inward towards the center of the hoof and posing a risk of penetrating puncture injuries.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a method and means for attaching a horseshoe to an equine hoof which prevents slipping and rotating of the horseshoe during nailing, which does not increase the cost of producing the horseshoe, the time required for preparation of the horseshoe, or pose a potential for injury to the hoof structures after attachment of the horseshoe to an equine hoof.


Cases for portable electronic devices, including cases that provide support as well as protection. Cases may be configured to contain a video-capable electronic device (601) and may both protect the device and allow it to maintain a hands-free viewing position. Embodiments include a first panel (110) having an upper portion (111) and a lower portion (112) separated from each other by a hinge line (113), a second panel (120) spaced apart from and coupled to the upper portion of the first panel by a first sidewall (160) and a second sidewall (170), and a third panel (130) spaced apart from and coupled to the lower portion of the first panel by a third sidewall (180) and a fourth sidewall (190). The first panel is capable of being folded along the hinge line into a flexed position.

Advancing technology has made portable electronic devices increasingly popular and has given such devices an ever increasing array of capabilities. Some portable electronic devices, such as cell phones, MP3 players, and the like, are capable of displaying video images. While it is possible to view the video images while holding such video-capable devices in one's hand, it would often be more convenient and more comfortable to set such devices down and have them maintain a position in which the video images can be easily seen. Accordingly, there exists a need for a case for a portable electronic device, especially a video-capable electronic device, that both protects the device and allows it to maintain a hands-free viewing position.


The system provides a method and apparatus for providing controlled access to events, premises, transportation, and the like. In one embodiment, the system provides a ticket that is tied to a user and/or a device. The ticket in one embodiment comprises a dynamic link whose privileges and permissions can be controlled by a system controller so that use, re-use, and re-sale of the ticket can be controlled by the issuer and not by a purchaser or user. The system in one embodiment uses a reader/scanner associated with a controlled entrance that can receive tickets via scanning or some other form of electronic communication. In one embodiment, the system uses radio signals, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC (Near Field Communication) from a mobile device to determine if access should be granted.

There are many physical locations where it is desired to limit or control access. Typically this is accomplished by providing keys and/or pass codes to authorized visitors. For example, a homeowner and related family members may all have keys to the doors of their home. Sometimes a non-resident might have a key for emergency purposes. In a commercial space, the tenants or occupants may have some combination of keys, pass cards, access codes, and the like to permit entry onto the premises. Such entry may be at all times or may be restricted to certain time periods.
Whether residential or commercial, there are many instances where visitors, vendors, support personnel, repair people, delivery people, emergency personnel, first responders, medical professionals, military, government, and the like will need access to the premises. In the prior art, access is controlled a number of ways.
At the home, access may require that a family member be home to receive a visitor or vendor, so that desired services can be provided. This can create many disadvantages, particularly where the visitor cannot commit to a specific time of day. (e.g. cable companies may schedule a delivery time from 8 in the morning till 4 in the afternoon, with no commitment as to when within that time period they will appear). There may be trusted visitors who may be permitted in the home even without the presence of family members, but providing access either requires a family member to be present, or to somehow hide a key outside the home for retrieval by the visitor. In other instances, a visitor may be arriving late at night, and the family members may desire to provide access without waking up. There is no current process that provides a useful solution to these dilemmas.
In a commercial space, there may be a security station that allows visitors to be signed in, checked against a list of authorized visitors, and provided escorted access to the premises. Such a system requires full time security personnel to be available during the times of expected access, an expensive proposition. In addition, a tenant may forget to inform the security desk that the visitor is authorized, requiring last minute communication to resolve such problems.
In other instances, it may be desirable to limit and control the accessibility of events, such as concerts, movies, plays, and the like, to valid entrants. In the prior art, this has been accomplished through the use of tickets or passes. The ticket represents a right of entry to a location or event. The user of tickets immediately gave rise to the use of counterfeit or fraudulent tickets. To combat this, printers have adopted techniques used in currency control, particularly to make counterfeiting more difficult and expensive, and to increase the ease with which counterfeit tickets can be detected.
Another problem with physical tickets is the possibility of multiple use of the tickets for the same event. A user might enter the venue of the event, and then somehow pass the ticket back to the outside so that another user can enter the premises. A typical way of combating such misuse is to remove, mark, pierce or otherwise alter the physical ticket so subsequent uses can be easily detected and prevented. In other cases, tickets are marked with a readable code so that, via a scanner, a real-time inventory of use can be created and second uses can be detected and denied. Such codes can be bar codes, QR codes or other two dimensional codes, and the like.
Another disadvantage of current ticket schemes is the prevalence of so called "scalping" or resale of the ticket by the original purchaser, such that the issuer of the ticket does not benefit from the subsequent resale of the ticket. There have been many approaches to prevent the purchase of tickets by those who do not actually desire to use the tickets, or to prevent the resale of the tickets by the original purchasers. Because present tickets are a bearer type of document, it has not been possible to provide systems to prevent resale.
The use of tickets or entrance rights is not limited to events. Tickets or other credentials are typically used for mass transit of many types, including buses, subways, trams, taxis, trains, light rail, air travel, sea travel, and the like. Each of these carriers has developed methods for confirming and providing the right to travel on a conveyance at a certain time, for a certain distance, in a certain direction. However, many of these methods have the same problem as described above. Further, the purchase of tickets, tokens, boarding passes, and the like often result in crowds and delays at the point of embarkation, causing frustration and inefficiency.

Method and apparatus for network controlled ticket access


Described herein is a framework to monitor mobile application usage. In accordance with one aspect of the framework, sensor data from one or more sensors in a mobile computing device is received. Usage of one or more mobile applications implemented on the mobile computing device may be monitored based on such sensor data to generate monitoring results. A report may be generated based on the monitoring results.

Mobile applications software (or "apps") designed to operate on smartphones, tablet computers and other mobile devices have become increasingly popular. Mobile applications are offered to not only enhance general productivity and retrieve information (e.g., email, calendar, contact information, stock market, weather information, traffic information, location, news, magazines, etc.), they can also be used for entertainment (e.g., mobile games, songs and video players, etc.), banking, purchasing goods and services (e.g., concert tickets), communication (e.g., social networking, messaging, etc.) and many other areas.
With the explosion in the number and variety of mobile applications, people are spending more time using mobile applications on their mobile devices. According to a report released by Flurry Analytics that tracked app usage of a pool of 300,000 apps on over a billion active mobile devices, people spend an average of 158 minutes each day on their smartphones and tablets. Excessive use of mobile apps may create numerous health hazards, including eye strain, neck pain, headaches, sleeplessness, lack of sleep, rest and/or exercise, lack of prolonged attention, increased level of procrastination, and other associated problems.
Frequent and abundant updates from social media applications are particularly notorious in distracting people from engaging in work, study or otherwise productive activities. Concerns over screen addiction have attracted attention from various health authorities and researchers. The Menthal project from the University of Bonn, for example, is an ongoing effort to promote more sustainable digital lifestyle.


A game cartridge is inserted into a game device, and a controller is operated to display and perform a game stored in the game cartridge on a display monitor. The game cartridge has a ROM for storing a game program and a RAM for storing data of a play character having unique abilities. The controller is operated to instruct a play character to repeat various patterns of speech and action to increase the number of "remaining experience credits". Obtained "remaining experience credits" are assigned to abilities of the play characters to achieve desired ability values for thereby growing the play character until it develops unique abilities.

The present invention relates to a video game apparatus, which can be played by a video game player, for controlling a play character displayed on a video screen to perform role playing for the video game player to develop a certain ability, which may be a personality, a method of controlling the growth of such a play character, and a medium which stores a game program of such a role playing game.
There are known various role playing games which can be played by a video game player to control a play character displayed on a video screen to perform role playing for the video game player. One of the known role playing games is a battle game in which a displayed play character grows while repeating battles against an opponent character in various scenes. According to another role playing game, a plurality of abilities available from a list of ability settings are selectively assigned to a play character to give the play character a certain personality.
In the above battle game, as the play character experiences more and more fights against the opponent character, the play character develops an increased combat ability. However, the combat ability of the play character increases or decreases with the game playing ability of the video game player, and the factor which governs the growth of the combat ability depends solely on how the play character fights with the opponent character. Consequently, the game ends up with similar results at all times, and fails to interest the game player sufficiently. In the other role playing game, the personality of the play character is established just as instructed by the game player. Therefore, the game player may soon lose interest in this role playing game for lack of variations in selecting play character personalities.

Video game apparatus, method of controlling the growth of play character in video game, and video game medium therefor


The present invention discloses the isolation and characterization of cells isolated either from adult skeletal muscle or from adult cardiac muscle. These cells are used for the treatment of muscular disorders including muscular dystrophy and cardiopathics, respectively.

Stem Cells of Skeletal Muscle
The quest for a cell able to restore muscle structure and function in dystrophic patients started in 1961 with the identification of satellite cells (1). Although satellite cells remain the cell type that by and large retain the main myogenic activity in adult muscle (2, 3), some of their biological features limit their potential use for the treatment of primary myopathies. In fact satellite cells lack the ability to cross the muscle endothelium when delivered systemically and must be injected intramuscularly every 2 mm3 of all, or at least of life essential, muscles of the patients, since this is the maximal distance they apparently can migrate from the site of injection (4). This feature alone makes their use in cell therapy protocols extremely difficult, at least with current technology, also considering that the large majority of injected cells are lost within the first day (5). A second problem is represented by the reduced proliferation potency of satellite cells from dystrophic patients and also by the recent observation that in vitro expansion reduces their in vivo differentiation potency (6).
The demonstration that other cell types, resident in the bone marrow or in the vascular niche of other tissues, can differentiate into skeletal muscle in vitro or in vivo created an alternative possibility for the cell therapy of muscular dystrophy (7). The ideal cell population should be i) easily obtainable from accessible anatomical sites, ii) expandable in vitro to the large number of cells required for systemic treatment (109 or more), iii) easily transducible with viral vectors, vi) able to reach skeletal muscle through a systemic route and, finally v) able to differentiate into skeletal muscle cells in vivo while maintaining a self-renewal ability. Of the many types of recently identified and characterized mesoderm stem cells, many show one or more of these features. However, in general their characteristics have not been investigated systematically. By contrast, embryonic mouse mesoangioblasts have been shown to restore muscle morphology and function in a mouse model of muscular dystrophy (8). Human and mouse cells dramatically differ in the ability to extensively proliferate in vitro and it is therefore essential to test whether human cells corresponding to embryonic mouse mesoangioblasts exist in fetal or post-natal human tissues and, if so, whether they show features that may allow to predict a successful use in cell therapy protocols for muscular dystrophy.
In the present study, the cells originating from normal and dystrophic adult human skeletal muscle are named periangioblasts, and can be expanded in vitro for about 20 population doublings before undergoing senescence as diploid non tumorigenic cells; they can be transduced with viral vectors expressing mini dystrophin or other therapeutic genes and then induced to differentiate into skeletal muscle.
When transplanted into dystrophic immune-incompetent mice they give rise to large numbers of new fibers expressing human dystrophin. The cells of the present invention, differ from any other mesoderm stem/progenitor cells because of a) their source (blood vessels), b) their method of isolation (explant rather than proteolytic digestion) and c) their myogenic differentiation potency which is strikingly higher than any other cell in the body, beside resident satellite cells.
Periangioblasts express some of the proteins that leukocytes use to adhere to and cross the endothelium and thus can diffuse into the interstitium of skeletal muscle when delivered intra-arterially. This is a distinct advantage over resident satellite cells that cannot do the same.
Therefore catheter mediated delivery to the succlavia, the diaphragmatic and the iliac arteries should allow periangioblasts from skeletal muscle to reach and colonize muscles that are essential for motility and breathing.
More importantly, when induce to differentiate in vitro, periangioblasts spontaneously differentiate up to 40% of the population, an efficiency far superior to any other non myogenic cell tested so far and second only to resident satellite cells which however cannot be delivered through the circulation. Although not yet tested in a systematic comparative way, the number of dystrophin positive muscle fibers produced in vivo by periangioblasts is far higher than what reported previously by other authors.
Thus, the human cell periangioblast population of the present invention fulfils all the criteria for a successfully cell therapy protocol in muscular disorders such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Periangioblasts can be easily isolated from the biopsy that is used for diagnosis. A needle biopsy is a tolerable surgery that can be repeated every few years to further the protocol therapy.
Stem Cells of Cardiac Muscle
The post-infarction ventricular remodeling is characterized by progressive expansion of the initial infarct area and of the left ventricular lumen, with cardiomyocyte replacement by fibrous tissue deposition in the ventricular wall. One approach proposed to reverse myocardial remodeling is regeneration of cardiac myocytes using stem cells (35). Different groups have already reported the isolation of cardiac stem-like cells based on distinct cell surface markers such as Sca-1 or c-Kit (36, 37); these cells are able to restore cardiac function after ischemic injury although with variable efficacy. However their spontaneous cardiac differentiation is low and they also differentiate into other tissue types of the heart (36-39) suggesting that they represent the in vitro expansion of a pluripotent progenitor, that still requires specific signals to undergo terminal cardiac differentiation. On the other hand, Isl-1 expressing progenitors appear to be committed to cardiac differentiation only but still require interactions with other. cells for both proliferation and differentiation (38). The emerging scenario reveals an unforeseen complexity where different types of progenitors may be identified and eventually isolated at different stages of their differentiation process. It is also becoming clear that a significant part of the beneficial effect that most of these cells exert on the infarcted heart is due to the secretion of factors that increase survival of residual myocardium and/or favor angiogenesis (40). This was for example the case of embryonic mesoangioblasts whose transplantation resulted in a 50% recovery of cardiac function but whose differentiation into new cardiomyocytes was rare (41).
In the present invention, adult mouse and human cardiac muscle biopsies were performed allowing, through mechanical and not enzymatic dissociation method, the isolation of cells denominated adult cardiac mesoangioblasts. It was assumed based on previous studies on cells from skeletal muscle, that a local commitment of adult cells may result in more efficient cardiac differentiation than that previously observed with embryonic mesoangioblasts. Indeed, mouse cardiac mesoangioblasts show spontaneous (without chemical adjuvants) and high differentiation rate into beating cardiomyocytes while displaying only a low differentiation rate into smooth muscle cells. As for human cardiac mesoangioblasts, they show high differentiation into beating cardiomyocytes rate in the presence of 5-azatydine or when co-cultured with rat neonatal cardiomyocytes and only low differentiation rate into smooth muscle cells.
In the case of mouse cardiac mesoangioblasts, the efficiency of spontaneous cardiac differentiation is amazingly high and superior to already described cardiac stem cells (Anversa group, patent application WO 02/09650), Isl-1 positive cardioblasts (Chien group), Tert/Sca1+ progenitors (Schneider group, patent application WO 04/019767) and not even comparable to other types of stem cells whose cardiac differentiation ability is only anecdotic. Concerning their phenotype, mouse cardiac mesoangioblasts differ from all the other cardiac stem cells: a) they express CD34 and CD31 which is different from cardiac stem cells and Isl-2 cardioblasts; b) they express c-Kit and Nkx 2.5 which is different from Tert/Sca1 progenitors.
Human cardiac mesoangioblasts expressed similar markers and genes as mouse cardiac mesoangioblasts but these cells are only able to differentiate into cardiomyocytes in presence of 5-azatydine or in co-culture with rat neonatal cardiomyocytes.
Patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,486,359 and 6,184,035 describe human mesenchymal stem cells and methods for isolation and activation thereof, and control of differentiation from skeletal muscle stem or progenitor cells. The cells described in these patents are very different from the one of the present invention, in particular regarding the presence or absence of specific markers.

Skeletal muscle periangioblasts and cardiac mesangioblasts, method for isolation and uses thereof

Fondazione Centro San Raffaele Del Monte Tabor


A vehicle door, which can be attached with hinges to a motor vehicle, wherein the vehicle door (1; 33) has an inside wall (8), an outside wall and window channel profiles (2; 18; 28) and wherein a triangular mirror bracket (3; 13; 25; 34) is provided above the outside wall for mounting the outside mirror (4). In order that the triangular mirror bracket (3; 13; 25; 34) can be installed quickly and easily in the vehicle door (1) and can be replaced easily during subsequent repairs, the triangular mirror bracket (3; 13; 25; 34) is provided on its underside (5; 16) with a pin (6; 17; 26), which is inserted into a recess (7; 21; 27) of a bearing structural component (22; 28) of the door (1) to mount the triangular mirror bracket (3; 13; 25; 34) to the vehicle door (1; 33).

The invention relates to a vehicle door with a triangular mirror bracket for mounting an outside mirror. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vehicle door, which can be attached with hinges to a motor vehicle, wherein the door has an inside wall, an outside wall, and window channel profiles for a window, and wherein a triangular mirror bracket with an outside mirror is disposed above the outside wall for mounting the outside mirror to the door.
On vehicles currently in use, the respective outside mirror installed on vehicle doors is fastened to a triangular mirror bracket, which is generally located in the frontal section of the door, above the outside or inside door wall. In conventional punch-pressed doors, the respective sheet-metal portion of the door provides a bearing surface for mounting the triangular mirror bracket to the door.
One disadvantage of such vehicle doors is, above all, that a fastening of the triangular mirror bracket, e.g., during the initial assembly, or a replacement of the triangular mirror bracket during repairs, for example, is relatively time-consuming. Also, a relatively high amount of punchings accumulate during the punch-pressing of the corresponding sheet metal doors because of the unfavorable contours of the door.
It is the object of the invention to provide a vehicle door of the particular type for which the triangular mirror bracket can be installed quickly and easily in the door. In addition, the triangular mirror bracket must be adaptable to a wide variety of design specifications and easy to replace during later repairs.

Vehicle door with a triangular mirror bracket for mounting an outside mirror


Devices, methods, and systems for monitoring access to a location are described herein. One or more method embodiments include determining data associated with an access event associated with a location, determining whether the access event is an anomalous access event using the data associated with the access event and a statistical model of data associated with a number of non-anomalous access events associated with the location, and assessing, if the access event is determined to be an anomalous access event, the anomalous access event. In various embodiments, assessing the anomalous access event includes at least one of determining an anomaly type associated with the anomalous access event, determining an anomaly classification confidence associated with the anomalous access event, determining an anomaly severity associated with the anomalous access event, and determining a reliability associated with the statistical model.

Access to a location, such as, for example, a secured building or facility (e.g., a room in the building or facility) may be controlled (e.g., limited and/or restricted) and/or monitored by an access control system. For example, an individual attempting to enter such a location may need to present a valid identification token, such as, for instance, a key card, magnetic badge, wireless identification tag, etc., to the access control system (e.g., to a reader at the entrance of the location) in order to enter the location. The access control system may monitor (e.g., track and/or record) who is accessing the location, when the access occurs, and/or how long the access lasts.
Based on such access control and/or monitoring, the access control system may provide an indication (e.g., to an operator of the access control system) that the location may be being accessed in an anomalous (e.g., abnormal, unusual, and/or unexpected) manner. However, previous access control systems may not assess the anomalous access, or may provide an assessment of the anomalous access that includes complex access pattern models (e.g., statistical models trained by observed data) that can be difficult for the operator to understand. For example, the operator may need a deep knowledge and/or understanding of statistics and/or pattern recognition to understand the assessment provided by previous access control systems. Accordingly, the operator may not be able to determine whether the anomalous access represents a significant gap in the security of the location and/or threat to the security of the location, and, if so, what can be done in response to the anomalous access (e.g., how the security gap and/or threat can be corrected).


A new Osteospermum plant particularly distinguished by having a creamy purple inflorescence color, vigorous growth habit, and an earliness to flower, is disclosed.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum, botanically known as Osteospermum hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'SAKOST022'. 'SAKOST022' originated as a naturally occuring whole plant mutation from parent 'Pa4Or-33'. 'Pa4Or-33' resulted from a hybridization of proprietary hybrid Osteospermum female breeding line 'Pa4' and proprietary hybrid Osteospermum male line 'SO-1' in Kakegawa, Japan.
In 2002, the two Osteospermum lines were crossed and 127 ovules were removed from flowers on the female parent and cultured by standard ovule culture techniques. A total of thirty-three plantlets were developed. The thirty-three F1 hybrid plantlets were transplanted to soilless media for greenhouse culture and acclimatization. The plants were evaluated in pots. Out of the thirty-three Fl lines, line 'Pa4Or-33' was selected which had vigorous performance and had an early flowering habit.
In 2004, line 'Pa4Or-33' was vegetatively propagated via cuttings and evaluated for performance in a greenhouse. A plant was selected which had a creamy purple flower color and a more compact habit than 'Pa4Or-33'. In the same year, the new plant selection was propagated via vegetative cuttings in an open field and in a greenhouse in Kakegawa, Japan and it was confirmed the plant's characteristics were fixed.
In 2005, the new plant selection was propagated again via vegetative cuttings in an open field and in a greenhouse and confirmed the stability of the distinct characteristics of this variety. The selection subsequently was named 'SAKOST022' and found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.


A light emission device includes: an insulating substrate; a light emitting section including a plurality of LED chips mounted on the insulating substrate; and land electrodes for supplying power to the LED chips. At least a surface of each of the land electrodes is made of a conductive material which is harder than Au and Ag and which has sulfurization resistance to such an extent that secures conduction of each land electrode when a current in a working current range is applied on the land electrode.

Recently, there have been prevailing illumination devices whose light sources are semiconductor light emitting elements which have longer lives and which consume a smaller amount of power, such as LEDs. Such illumination devices include an illumination device using a light emission device in which a plurality of LED chips are mounted on an insulating substrate with a high heat-radiating property, such as a ceramic substrate.
Such a light emission device includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode each for supplying power to LED chips. Normally, these electrodes are provided on a substrate so as to be near a light emitting section where LED chips are mounted, in order to allow electric connection with the outside. Conventional examples of materials for such electrodes include Au and AgPt. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a light emission device in which such electrodes made of Au are formed on a substrate by plating.
Formation of electrodes by plating requires high costs since it requires a large facility and a large number of steps. In contrast, formation of electrodes by printing is easy to introduce since it requires a smaller facility and a smaller number of steps compared to the formation of electrodes by plating. For this reason, the formation of electrodes by printing is now substituting for the formation of electrodes by plating.
Conventionally, connection between electrodes of a light emission device and external wirings has been made normally by soldering. On the other hand, recently, use of connectors etc. for connection allows easily making electric connection between electrodes of a light emission device and external wirings. A main body of such a connector has a structure which exposes a light emitting section and covers a part of a substrate which part surrounds the light emitting section. The main body has plate-spring like terminals which touch electrodes of the light emission device.

Light emission device and illumination device


A method and apparatus for practicing the method by which a reciprocating saw may be utilized to cut within the edges of a panel of material without the necessity of providing a pilot hole or the like for the saw blade, wherein the saw blade is configured in such manner as to taper at the end not attached to the saw motor in order to come to a point and wherein a knife edge is supplied along the edges of said tapered portion of said saw blade, wherein the saw blade at its pointed and tapered end is allowed to cut through the panel of material being sawed with the sawing action commencing immediately after full penetration of the blade through the material.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the general field of sawing;
The invention is more particularly in the field of sawing with reciprocating blade saws, such as saber saws, Jig saws, and the like;
The invention is even more particularly directed to a method and apparatus by which such reciprocating blade saws may be utilized to cut designs or the like in the center, or within the borders of, a panel of material being sawed without the necessity of drilling a pilot hole or the like in which the saw commences the sawing action.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is no prior art known to me by which a reciprocating blade saw, such as a saber saw or the like can be utilized to cut a design within a panel of material and without the necessity of drilling a pilot hole or the like for the saw blade to commence sawing.

Slot starting sawing method and apparatus


Embodiments related to the conversion of DC power to AC power are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a power conversion system, comprising a plurality of direct current (DC) power sources, a plurality of power output circuits connected to one another in a parallel arrangement, each power output circuit being connected to a corresponding DC power source to receive power from the corresponding DC power source and to selectively discharge power received from the corresponding DC power source, a power combiner configured to combine power received from the plurality of power output circuits to form a combined power signal, an output stage configured to convert the combined power signal into an AC signal or a DC signal, and a controller in electrical communication with each power outlet circuit and the power combiner to control the output of power by the power converter.

Typical appliances and loads in residences, commercial use and industries are run on alternating current (AC) power due to the efficiencies of usage, generation and distribution of AC power. As such, the use of power conversion devices is widely accepted for commercial or grid power from independent direct current (DC) sources, such as batteries and solar cells used to generate electrical power AND/or store it for later use.
Many known power conversion devices utilize a DC source connected to a commutating or power conversion device bridge, which creates a square, stepped or sinusoidal voltage wave by using several switching devices. The DC power source is insulated from the AC output using layers of components such as switches and transformers. The generated voltage is filtered and modified to match the grid requirements by the way of number of feedback mechanisms such as pulse width modulation techniques and filters.
FIG. 11 shows one example of a known power conversion device in the form of a power conversion bridge circuit 1100. Bridge circuit 1100 allows DC power to be converted into AC power via manipulation of switches S1, S2, S3 and S4 to produce a desired AC output waveform. Table 1 illustrates how the switching states of switches S1-S4 affect an output voltage Vx of bridge circuit 1100.
TABLE 1Switch S1Switch S2Switch S3Switch S4VXCommentONOFFOFFON+VDCPositive waveOFFONONOFF−VDCNegative waveONOFFONOFF0Net zeroOFFONOFFON0Net zero
With bridge circuit 1100, the use of appropriate switching sequence and timing allows the creation of a desired waveform, and also allows the control of harmonic content in the output waveform. Further, ripple and harmonics in the output signal may be filtered by using resonant loads, tank circuits, or external filters with band pass characteristics to limit the presence of noise in output.
In some distributed DC networks, plural DC sources may be interconnected in a series-parallel combination. The series combination of DC sources gives higher DC voltages and may be used to bring operational voltages to desired levels. On the other hand, the overall power is increased by combining multiple legs of sources in parallel.
However, one issue with a DC network of series-parallel combination is that any individual source mismatch may lead to significant loss of power in the network. Specifically, any defect in one source throttles the output from all series-connected sources. Likewise, parallel legs having sources with lower voltages may sink the power from other legs instead of sourcing, and thus may reduce the overall output. This may happen in case of solar cells arrayed together, where the output from a cell will be degraded or reduced due to shading of the cells. Even a single cell which is shaded will reduce its own output, as well as the output of the module in which the cell is located. Likewise, a shaded module will reduce the output from a string of series-connected modules. In many solar installations, multiple strings of series-connected modules are paralleled together to achieve desired output power levels. Thus, the impact of a loss of power from a cell can be severe and result in significant power loss for an entire solar cell array when connected in this manner. Further, in some environments, even during normal operation, there may be a statistical variation between the power output from individual DC sources as high as ten percent.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Power conversion for distributed DC source array


Aqueous solutions comprising: one or more polymeric components selected from the group consisting of homopolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone, copolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone, and mixtures thereof; and hydrogen peroxide; wherein the hydrogen peroxide is present in an amount of 100 to 5000 ppm; and methods of stabilizing aqueous solutions containing one or more polymeric components selected from the group consisting of homopolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone, copolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone, and mixtures thereof.

The present invention relates to an improved physical stabilization of aqueous solutions of homopolymers and copolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone with hydrogen peroxide, and to a method of producing such solutions.
Homopolymers and copolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone are used for a large number of applications in the form of their aqueous solutions. Such solutions are generally stored by the user for a certain time. This requires stabilization with regard to the physical properties of the solutions, i.e. with regard to odor, color, opacity. Stabilization with regard to the viscosity is also important for the application properties of such solutions. An important aspect of the stabilization here is also stabilization against short-term thermal stresses. Thermal stresses can, for example, lead to the color being impaired, which is evident from an increase in the iodine color number. In addition, even after further working the polymer solutions to give aqueous systems such as, for example, gels, the physical stability of the polymers should be ensured without resulting in the properties of the secondary products being adversely affected. At the same time, such solutions must, however, also be protected against bacterial attack.
The use of hydrogen peroxide with N-vinylpyrrolidone homopolymers or copolymers in aqueous solutions for producing complexes for disinfectants is known per se. For this, firstly solutions of the polymers with H2O2 are prepared, which are then converted to the pulverulent complexes. Such products comprise complex-bound hydrogen peroxide in the percentage range. Such complexes are described, for example, in DE-A 43 44 131.
However, it was feared that the use of hydrogen peroxide in solutions of corresponding polymers could lead to the crosslinking of these polymers since hydrogen peroxide is also used for producing crosslinked PVP. Thus, it is known, for example, from WO 98/58990 that polyvinylpyrrolidone can be crosslinked with hydrogen peroxide.
Furthermore, it is known that aqueous solutions of such polymers can be stabilized with alkyl parabens. Although such parabens are approved for applications such as, for example, cosmetics, they also have applications-related disadvantages. Particularly with low molecular weight VP polymers, compatibility is low. Furthermore, turbidity has been observed, meaning that products stabilized in this way do not appear to be suitable for applications such as, for example, hair gels. Added to this is the fact that such compositions often have to be used for effective stabilization in amounts in the percentage range and furthermore are present in the end product in unchanged amounts. Allergic reactions to such compositions can also not be ruled out.

Stabilisation of aqueous solutions of homopolymers and copolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidones


A new and unique cultivar of hyssop, Agastache plant named ‘Queen Nectarine’ with medium-sized, dense, rounded, well-branched habit. The flowers cover the top two-thirds of the plant, are large, soft-peach colored, with mauve-colored calyxes in densely branched panicles over an extended period beginning in early summer. The new plant is useful in the landscape and as a cut flower.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct hyssop plant or anise hyssop from the genus Agastache and given the cultivar name 'Queen Nectarine'. The new plant was the result of a single seedling selection from a cross on Jul. 15, 2015, by the inventor between the proprietary, unreleased, hybrid, clone Agastache 11-28-1 (not patented) as the female or seed parent and the proprietary, unreleased, hybrid, clone Agastache HK10-18-50 (not patented) as the male or pollen parent. The seeds from the pollination were collected in the late summer of 2015. The individually selected seedling was eventually given the breeder code 15-5-21 after being first isolated from trials at a nursery in Zeeland, Mich. during the summer of 2017. It was selected for the final introduction in the summer of 2019.
Agastache 'Queen Nectarine' has been asexually propagated at the same nursery in Zeeland, Mich. originally by basal shoot cuttings followed by traditional shoot tip and stem cutting procedures and found to reproduce plants that are identical and exhibit all the characteristics of the original plant in successive generations of asexual propagation.
The new plant, Agastache 'Queen Nectarine', has not been observed under all possible environments. The phenotype may vary slightly with different environmental conditions, such as temperature, light, fertility, moisture and maturity levels, but without any change in the genotype.
In comparison to the new plant, the seed parent is slightly shorter and more open in habit range. The male parent has a different flower color and is more compact in habit.
The nearest comparison varieties known to the inventor are: 'Peachie Keen' U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,886, 'Mango Tango' U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,747, 'Kudos Coral' U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,613, 'Kudos Mandarin' U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,381 and 'Summer Sunset' U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,623.
'Peachie Keen' has a smaller habit in both height and width, and with less heavily-branched panicles. 'Mango Tango' has a significantly shorter and more compact habit, and the flowers are vibrant mango-orange colored. 'Kudos Mandarin' has deeper orange-colored flowers with a significantly smaller habit. 'Kudos Coral' has a narrower and smaller habit in both height and width, and the flower is more reddish-colored. 'Summer Sunset' is less winter-hardy, smaller and narrower in habit, and the flower color contains more orangish coloration. Both 'Kudos Mandarin' and 'Kudos Coral' have not overwintered under similar conditions where the new plant has survived the winter.
The new plant Agastache 'Queen Nectarine' is distinct from the parents and all other anise hyssop known to the inventor in the following combined traits:                1. Medium-sized, dense, well-branched, rounded, full, habit;        2. Large flowers of soft-peach coloration in densely branched panicles;        3. Long bloom time with effectiveness extended by persistent, mauve-colored calyxes;        4. Foliage is dark green;        5. Flowers covering the upper two-thirds of the plant beginning in early summer to fall.


A gaming system includes a first gaming device, a second gaming device and an outcome display shared by the first and second gaming devices. The outcome display includes multiple symbols, the symbols in combination with an available amount defining mathematically a portion of the available amount to be provided to a player playing one of the gaming devices.

Gaming device manufacturers strive to make gaming devices that provide as much enjoyment and excitement as possible. Providing a secondary or bonus game in which a player has an opportunity to win potentially large awards or credits in addition to the awards associated with the primary or base game of the gaming device is one way to enhance player enjoyment and excitement.
Gaming devices having bonus games generally employ a triggering event that occurs during the base game operation of the gaming device. The triggering event temporarily stalls or halts the base game play and enables a player to enter a second, different game, which is the bonus game. The player plays the bonus game, likely receives an award, and returns to the base game.
To increase player enjoyment and excitement, it is desirable to provide new games including new bonus games.

Gaming device system having partial progressive payout


To provide a wheel support bearing assembly in which the frictional resistance can be effectively reduced while effects of minimizing leakage of the filled lubricant and ingress of dust and muddy water from outside of the bearing assembly are secured, the wheel support bearing assembly includes an outer member 1, an inner member 2 positioned inside the outer member 1 with an annular working space defined between it and the outer member 1, and rows of rolling elements 3 accommodated within the annular working space and rollingly received in part within outer raceways 4 in the outer member 1 and in part within inner raceways 5 in the inner member 2. Opposite open ends of the annular working space are sealed by respective sealing members 7 and 8 which are secured to one of the outer and inner members 1 and 2. Each of those sealing members 7 an 8 has a plurality of elastic sealing lips 10a to 10c or 12a to 12c having their free ends oriented towards associated sealing surfaces 2c defined on the other of the outer and inner members 1 and 2, or 15aa and 15ba defined on a sealing contact member 15 secured to the other of the outer and inner members 1 and 2. Of those elastic sealing lips, the axially innermost sealing lips 10a and 12a function as a non-contact sealing lip that defines a respective gap of a size δ1 and δ2 sufficient to provide a non-contact sealing effect. The remaining sealing lips 10b, 10c, 12b and 12c function as a contact sealing lip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a wheel support bearing assembly for use in the field of automotive vehicles and, more particularly, to the sealing structure in the wheel support bearing assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, wheel support bearing assemblies used in, for example, automotive vehicles are used or operated under harsh environments as they are often exposed to rugged and/or wet road surfaces. Therefore, the wheel support bearing assemblies are required to have a relatively high effect of avoiding an undesirable intrusion of dust and muddy water from outside of an automotive vehicle and, also, a relatively high capability of avoiding an undesirable leakage of a grease used as a lubricant.
In view of the foregoing, such a sealing structure as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13A and 13B, for example, has been employed. The wheel support bearing assembly utilizing the sealing structure shown in FIGS. 12 and 13A and 13B includes a generally cylindrical inner member 32, a generally cylindrical outer member 31 positioned radially outwardly of the inner member 32 with an annular working space or a bearing space defined between it and the inner member 32, and a plurality of, for example, two, circumferentially extending rows of rolling elements 33 operatively accommodated within the annular working space and rollingly engaged in part in inner raceways 35 defined in an outer peripheral surface of the inner member 32 and in part in outer raceways 34 defined in an inner peripheral surface of the outer member 31. The annular working space delimited between the inner and outer members 32 and 31 has its opposite, outboard and inboard open ends sealed respectively by outboard and inboard sealing members 37 and 38 each having one or more elastic sealing lips.
An outboard portion of the wheel support bearing assembly, which is encompassed by the circle E in FIG. 12, is shown in FIG. 13A on an enlarged scale. The outboard sealing member 37 is of a structure including an elastic member 40 fitted to a core meal 39. This elastic member 40 is made up of three elastic sealing lips 40a, 40b and 40c slidably engageable with a seal contact surface 32c defined in an outboard portion of the outer peripheral surface of the inner member 32. Of those elastic sealing lips, the elastic sealing lip 40a is utilized to prevent a grease, filled in the annular working space, from leaking and is so tailored as to extend generally axially inwardly of the annular working space in a direction towards the inboard side. The remaining elastic sealing lips 40b and 40c are utilized to avoid an undesirable ingress of dust and muddy water from outside of the annular working space.
Similarly, an inboard portion of the wheel support bearing assembly, which is encompassed by the circle F in FIG. 12, is shown in FIG. 13B on an enlarged scale. The inboard sealing member 38 is of a structure including an elastic member 42 fitted to a core metal 41. The elastic member 42 has three elastic sealing lips 42a, 42b and 42c slidingly engageable with a seal contact member 45 fixedly mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the inner member 32. Of those elastic sealing lips, the elastic sealing lip 42a is utilized to prevent the grease, filled in the annular working space, from leaking and is so tailored as to extend generally axially inwardly of the annular working. The remaining elastic sealing lips 42b and 42c are utilized to avoid an undesirable ingress of dust and muddy water from outside of the annular working space. It is to be noted that the seal contact member 45 referred to above serves as a slinger.
The wheel support bearing assembly utilizing the sealing structure shown in and described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13A and 13B makes use of the outer board and inboard sealing members 37 and 38 each including the slidably contacting elastic sealing lips 40a to 40c and 42a to 42c. Accordingly, the sealing structure is effective to provide a satisfactory sealing performance.
Since however, the outboard and inboard sealing members 37 and 38 are a contact seal in which the elastic sealing lips 40a to 40c and 42a to 42c slidingly contact the outboard portion of the outer peripheral surface of the inner member 32 and the seal contact member 45, respectively, a high frictional resistance is involved in the seal contact regions. Also, the sealing members 37 and 38 tend to cause a phenomenon that when air confined within the annular working space expands thermally as a result of generation of heat during the operation of the wheel support bearing assembly, that is, during rotation of one of the outer and inner members 31 and 32 relative to the other of the outer and inner members 31 and 32, the elastic sealing lips 40a and 42a that are positioned axially inwardly of the annular working space are forced to contact the respective sliding surfaces, that is, the outboard portion of the outer peripheral surface of the inner member 32 and the seal contact member 45. Once this phenomenon occurs, respective contact pressures between the elastic sealing lips 40a and 42a and the associated sliding surfaces increase, which in turn result in increase of frictional resistance.
When it comes to automotive vehicles, a demand for realization of a high mileage is increasing and, for this reason, various attempts have hitherto been endorsed. For example, so far as the wheel support bearing assembly is concerned, weight saving of the bearing assembly itself and reduction in frictional resistance occurring in moving components are called for. One of major causes of the increased frictional resistance in the bearing assembly includes preload and seal torque, and the torque brought about by the contact seal discussed above largely affects the frictional resistance occurring in the wheel support bearing assembly.


A worktable of a workpiece finishing machine comprises a first worktable and a second worktable. The first worktable has a first joining portion. The second worktable has a second joining portion which is joined with the first joining portion to enable the second worktable to slide back and forth along a predetermined direction provided by the first joining portion, thereby resulting in a change in the area formed between the first worktable and the second worktable for placing a workpiece to be finished by the workpiece finishing machine. The worktable further comprises a locating device formed of an arresting member with a first friction portion, and an actuating mechanism which is mounted on the second worktable and is connected with the arresting member. The arresting member is actuated to move back and forth between a first position and a second position, so as to enable the arresting member to press against the first worktable to attain the effect of locating the second worktable.

The present invention relates generally to a workpiece processing machine, and more particularly to a worktable of the workpiece processing machine.
The ordinary workpiece processing machine, such as a circular saw or woodworking machine, has a worktable serving as a platform for placing a workpiece to be processed and for acting as a basis for moving the workpiece. In theory, a worktable with a greater area for placing the workpiece is good for the workpiece to be processed in various fashions. However, an excessively large worktable is sure to give an added volume and an additional weight to the workpiece processing machine, thereby resulting in an increase in cost of transportation of the workpiece processing machine.
The German Utility Pat. No. 2980112711 discloses a circular saw comprising a main worktable, and two auxiliary worktables which are provided in two sides thereof with a round rod that is received in one of two long through holes of the main worktable, thereby enabling each auxiliary worktable to be pulled to slide along the axial direction of the round rod so as to adjust the size of the workpiece placing area which is formed together by the main worktable and the two auxiliary worktables. The volume of the entire worktable can be made smaller by joining the auxiliary worktables with the sides of the main worktable. The space that is taken up by the circular saw can be thus minimized. In addition, the circular saw can be shipped with a relative ease.
The locating effect of the auxiliary worktables is attained by a plurality of wing bolts, which are fastened with the main worktable such that they can be pressed against the round rods of the auxiliary worktables. These bolts are apt to become unfastened by the vibrational motion of the circular saw in operation, thereby undermining the locating effect of the auxiliary worktables. The workpiece can not be therefore stabilized on the main worktable and the auxiliary worktables. In addition, it is inconvenient and time-consuming for a machine operator to fasten or unfasten the wing bolts in an effort to locate the two auxiliary worktables.
It is therefore the primary objective of the present invention to provide a workpiece finishing machine with a worktable which is designed to hold workpieces of various sizes.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a workpiece finishing machine with a worktable which is easy to use.
In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objectives of the present invention are attained by a worktable comprising a first worktable, a second worktable, and a locating device. The first worktable has a first joining portion. The second worktable has a second joining portion which is slidably joined with the first joining portion such that the second joining portion slides in a reciprocating manner along a predetermined direction, thereby enabling the second worktable to move toward or away from the first worktable. The locating device comprises an arresting member having a first friction portion, and an actuating mechanism which is mounted on the second worktable and is connected with the arresting member. The arresting member is actuated to move back and forth between a first position and a second position such that the arresting member is located at the second position. The second worktable has an urging portion, which urges the actuating member to move aside at the time when the arresting member moves from the first position to the second position, thereby enabling the first friction portion to attach to the second friction portion. As the arresting member arrives at the second position, the second friction portion presses against the first friction portion. As a result, the second worktable can not be continuously moved and is thus located.

Worktable of workpiece processing machine


The present invention relates to a current sensing amplifier and a method thereof. The current sensing amplifier comprises a first current path, a second current path, a first capacitor, a second capacitor and a latch circuit. When a first current and a second current flow in the first current path and the second current path respectively, the first and second capacitor may be charged by the first current and the second current. The first capacitor and the second capacitor may couple the charged voltage to the transistors in the first current path and the second current path when the first and second current path are cut off so as to cancel the effect of offset voltage of the transistors generated during the manufacturing process.

1. Field of the Invention
The exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention relates to a current sensing amplifier and method thereof. More specifically, the exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention relates to a current sensing amplifier and method thereof capable of canceling the offset voltage effect.
2. Description of Related Art
In the technical field of non-volatile memory, the data stored in the memory is read by applying current source or voltage source to the specific memory unit to generate a sensing current by transistors and to determine the logic state of such date stored in the memory by reading the sensing current.
With the evolution of semi-conductor manufacturing technology, the high-volume memory is provided by increasing the memory unit numbers on unit area. However, the offset effect due to transistor threshold voltage(Vth) may cause the result of logic state error reading owing to the random doping in the semi-conductor manufacturing process and the reducing manufacturing scale.
For the purpose of canceling the threshold voltage offset voltage, a high speed comparator with offset cancellation is disclosed by Edward Wai in US patent with U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,744. In the patent, two capacitors are used to block all DC voltage during a reset phase and a differential amplifier is driven into saturation during a regeneration phase so as to cancel the offset effect. However, the logic data determination speed may be decreased because of the charging and discharging time of the two capacitors are required.
Sensing amplifier with offset cancellation and charge-share limited swing drivers is disclosed by Esin Terzioglu due to the same purpose in US patent with U.S. Pat. No. 6,781,421. In the patent, different threshold voltage offset of different transistors are stored in a capacitor. When the data logic state is determined, the stored threshold voltage offset is added to correct the determining result. The capacitor also need to go through the charging and discharging state.

Current sensing amplifier and method thereof


A data storage device includes a nonvolatile memory and a controller having a decoder. The nonvolatile memory is operatively coupled to the controller. The nonvolatile memory is configured to store a set of bits. The decoder is configured to receive the set of bits from the memory. The decoder is further configured to perform a decoding operation using the set of bits based on a parity check matrix. The parity check matrix includes a block row. The block row has a first non-zero sub-matrix and a second non-zero sub-matrix that is separated from the first non-zero sub-matrix within the block row by at least a threshold number of null sub-matrices of the block row.

Nonvolatile data storage devices, such as embedded memory devices and removable memory devices, enable portability of data and software applications. In certain flash memory devices, multi-level cell (MLC) storage elements may each store a threshold voltage representing multiple bits of data, enhancing data storage density as compared to single-level cell (SLC) flash memory devices. The enhanced storage density may be associated with increased data errors, such as bit corruption.
To correct data errors, a flash memory device may utilize an error correcting code (ECC) technique. For example, the flash memory device may encode user data using an ECC technique to generate encoded data, such as an ECC codeword. The encoded data may be stored at the flash memory device and may be decoded by a decoder of the flash memory device, such as in response to a request for read access to the data from a host device that accesses the flash memory device.
The flash memory device may use a low-density parity check (LDPC) decoding technique to decode the data. The LDPC decoding technique may use a parity check matrix to decode an ECC codeword, such as by multiplying the parity check matrix and the ECC codeword to generate "decoded" data. Because the ECC codeword includes parity bits that satisfy a set of parity equations specified by the parity check matrix, one or more bit errors in the ECC codeword can be corrected using the LDPC decoding technique.
An LDPC decoding operation may be performed (or represented) using variable nodes and check nodes. The variable nodes may represent bit values of the ECC codeword, and the check nodes may represent the parity equations of the parity check matrix. Each variable node may be connected to one or more of the check nodes. The connections (or "constraints") may represent the set of parity equations specified by the parity check matrix. If bit values of the decoded data satisfy the set of parity equations, then the decoded data is "correct" (e.g., has been successfully decoded).
If one or more bit values of the decoded data do not satisfy the set of parity equations, then one or more bit errors may be present in the ECC codeword. To illustrate, if a threshold voltage representing a particular bit of the ECC codeword is unreliable (e.g., has a value that is at or near a border between a state indicating a "0" value and a state indicating a "1" value), the correct value of the bit may be determined by verifying whether assigning a "0" value or a "1" value for the bit satisfies the set of parity equations.
If the ECC codeword includes multiple unreliable bits, decoding the ECC codeword may include "checking" each of the unreliable bits to see if a value can be determined for each unreliable bit. As an example, if a first check node is connected to multiple variable nodes associated with unreliable bits, then the parity equations corresponding to the first check node may be underdetermined. To decode the ECC codeword, a second check node may be identified connecting to a variable node associated with one of the unreliable bits. The parity equations corresponding to the second check node may be used to assign a value to the unreliable bit. After determining the value for the unreliable bit, the first check node may re-checked to determine whether the parity check equations corresponding to the first check node are no longer underdetermined or whether another check node should be identified connecting to a variable node associated with another one of the unreliable bits. Decoding the ECC codeword may include multiple such iterations to generate error-corrected data. Further, although the foregoing example uses binary values ("0" values and "1" values) for purposes of illustration, other types of values may be used in LDPC decoding. For example, a check node may pass to a variable node a log-likelihood ratio (LLR) (instead of a "0" value or a "1" value). An LLR may indicate a likelihood that a particular bit has a "0" value or a "1" value. In a two-phase message passing (TPMP) (or "belief propagation") LDPC decoding scheme, messages may be passed between variable nodes and check nodes indicating bit reliability based on currently available information (e.g., based on information determined during a previous iteration of the decoding operation). Because of the complexity of LDPC computations, numerous techniques for decoding LDPC-encoded ECC codewords have been developed.

Data storage device decoder and method of operation


A switched voltage regulator provides improved regulation at a lower clock rate/sampling frequency (e.g. several orders of magnitude lower than would be required for comparable regulation) while using a low resolution digital pulse width modulator such that limit cycle oscillations occur (and thus of low cost and complexity and small size) by limiting the amplitude of limit cycle oscillations which therefore need not be avoided by more complex arrangements which are not commercially feasible. Limiting of amplitude of limit cycle oscillations is achieved by adding essentially a digitized ripple voltage signal corresponding to the difference between the output of the voltage regulator and an average output of the voltage regulator as an input to the digital pulse width modulator. Performance of this arrangement may be enhanced by adding a ramp signal to the digitized ripple voltage signal and even further enhanced by limiting the ramp signal to a range which corresponds to steady state operation but not transients.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to control of power supplies and voltage regulators/power converters and, more particularly, to high-resolution control of voltage regulation with digital pulse width modulation arrangements of reduced resolution and consequent reduced complexity and cost.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many types of electrical and electronic devices require power at a substantially constant voltage, although the tolerance for voltage variation of the power supply can vary widely. However, in general, voltage regulation within a relatively small tolerance over a wide range of current loads is highly desirable even though the current load can cause variation in the voltage supplied. Efficiency of the power supply and voltage regulation arrangement is also of high importance, along with cost and complexity of the voltage regulation arrangement.
For these reasons, switching power supplies are commonly the basic design of choice over analog voltage regulators which often rely upon a significant voltage drop across the regulator at significant currents and thus generally consume significant power, whereas switching voltage regulators control the output voltage over a wide range of current loads by variation of the duty cycle during which input power is connected to the regulator circuit. Analog pulse width modulators have provided good performance but are generally more expensive, subject to noise and often require designs to be specific to particular applications. More recently, digital control has been employed in switching voltage regulators which overcome many of the drawbacks of analog controls and provide more functions more conveniently and at generally reduced cost to improve overall system performance, such as passive component reduction, noise immunity, re-programmability, communication and the like.
However, an analog power stage (e.g. a switching regulator having analog components) with a digital control loop makes system control more complicated since two quantizers, a digital pulse width modulator (DPWM) 10 and an analog to digital (A/D) converter 20 are introduced into the control loop as shown in FIG. 1. Further, the duty cycle established by the DPWM can only assume discrete values which may or may not coincide with a desired output voltage at a particular load while the resolution of the discrete duty cycle values (ΔD) ultimately determines the resolution of the regulated output voltage (ΔVo, depicted by the difference/space between dotted lines in FIGS. 2 and 3). That is, if the resolution of the DPWM is not sufficiently high for the desired output voltage to fall within a "zero error" value of A/D converter of resolution ΔVADC, depicted as a difference between solid lines, limit cycle oscillations will occur as shown in FIG. 2, as contrasted with a high resolution DPWM; the response of which is shown in FIG. 3. Such limit cycle oscillations and their amplitude and waveform, in particular, are difficult to predict but are significantly more likely to occur using a low resolution DPWM than when using a high resolution DPWM. If limit cycle oscillations occur, the amplitude of the limit cycle oscillations will exceed the resolution of the A/D converter. Thus it is clearly seen that there is a significant trade-off between cost of the A/D converter and DPWM to obtain a given degree of duty cycle resolution and the ability to reliably regulate voltage within a given voltage tolerance.
As a result of such a trade-off, many DPWM arrangements have been proposed to obtain high duty cycle resolution. For example, in a counter based DPWM, the duty cycle resolution (ΔD) is given byΔD=fsw/fclock  (1)where fsw is the switching frequency of the power stage (e.g. Q1 and Q2 of FIG. 1) and fclock is the controller system clock. Taking the buck converter arrangement of FIG. 1 as an example, the output voltage resolution (ΔV0) is given byΔVo=VIN·ΔD  (2)where VIN is the input voltage. Accordingly, it is seen from FIG. 4 that the system clock (fclock) requirement to achieve a 3 mV output voltage resolution (notwithstanding limit cycle oscillations as shown in FIG. 5) under different switching frequency (fsw) conditions generally exceed 1 GHz for common or increased fsw which is not feasible for practical implementations.

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.


A coating insert used within a coating assembly for defining at least one edge of coating fluid as it is applied to a substrate moving past the coating assembly is disclosed. The coating assembly includes a trough having first and second transverse ends. At least one coating insert is inserted within the trough to define an edge of coated fluid on a substrate. The coating insert, having one or two edge-defining surfaces, is positioned within the trough. The first end of the edge-defining surface is closer to the adjacent transverse end of the trough than the second end of the edge-defining surface. The top face of the coating insert may also include a second edge-defining surface having first and second ends that may define another edge of coated fluid on a substrate.

Coating is the process of applying a layer of fluid, typically referred to as a coating material or coating solution, to a substrate. The substrate may be provided in many forms, but is often provided in the form of a long continuous sheet of material wound into a roll, commonly referred to as a web. Typical substrate materials include plastic film, woven or non-woven fabric, or paper. One method of coating the substrate involves unwinding the web from the supply roll, applying a liquid layer of coating material to the web, solidifying the liquid layer on the web, and rewinding the coated web into a roll.
After the coating material is applied, it can remain a liquid such as in the application of lubricating oil to metal in metal coil processing or the application of chemical reactant to activate or chemically transform a substrate surface. Alternatively, the coating material can be solidified by drying if it contains a volatile liquid, or can be cured by heat, ultraviolet radiation, or the like, or treated in some other way to leave behind a solid coated layer. Examples of typical coating materials include paints, varnishes, adhesives, photochemicals, and magnetic recording media. Methods of applying coatings to webs are discussed in Cohen, E. D. and Gutoff, E. B., Modern Coating and Drying Technology, VCH Publishers, New York 1992 and Satas, D., Web Processing and Converting Technology and Equipment, Van Vortstrand Reinhold Publishing Co., New York 1984, and include knife coaters.
Knife coating involves passing the coating material between a stationary solid member, a knife, and the web so that the clearance between the knife and the web is less than twice the thickness of the applied coating material. The coating material is sheared between the web and the knife, and the thickness of the applied coating material depends to a great extent on the height of the clearance. Alternatively, knife coaters can apply a coating directly to a roller, which can subsequently transfer the coating to a web.
One feature which distinguishes various knife coaters is how the coating material is supplied to the clearance between the knife and the web. Some different types of knife coaters include die-fed knife coaters and trough-fed knife coaters such as a cross flow knife coater. With each of these types of coaters, the coating material may be applied across the entire transverse width of the web, or may be applied in stripes or zones across the width of the web.
Die-fed knife coaters, as illustrated in FIG. 1, receive coating material from a narrow slot which, in conjunction with an upstream manifold, distributes evenly across the web the flow of coating material feeding the knifing passage. The die includes two plates sandwiched together with a shim or a depression in one plate forming the slot passage. In order to apply the coating material in stripes or zones with a die-fed knife coater, the slot passage is typically blocked at specific areas so that the coating material cannot exit the slot passage in those areas. The coating material can only exit the slot passage at the unblocked areas, thereby providing the desired pattern of coated and uncoated zones on the web. The slot passage may be blocked either by inserting shims into the slot passage or by covering specific parts of the slot passage, such as with a piece of tape or other covering material.
Trough-fed knife coaters, shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, receive coating material from a wide slot, or trough, which is fed by a narrow slot and manifold to provide even flow distribution across the web. In order to apply the coating material in stripes or zones with a trough-fed knife coater, the trough is typically blocked at specific areas so that the coating material cannot exit the trough in those areas. The coating material can only exit the trough at the unblocked areas, thereby providing the desired pattern of coated and uncoated zones on the web. The trough may be blocked by covering specific parts of the trough, such as with a piece of tape or other covering material. However, because the web may contact with this tape as it moves past the trough during the coating process, undesirable scratching and damage of the web may occur.
Alternatively, the trough may be blocked by inserting dams into the trough, where each dam is the same width as the area to remain uncoated on the web. The sides of the dams correspond to the edges between coated and uncoated areas on the web and are parallel to the machine direction. When dams of this type are used, it is common for an edge bead of coating material to form at the sides of the dams, which then tends to flow onto the upper surface of the dam that is in contact with the web. Any coating material that has flowed onto the upper surface of the dam may then transfer to areas of the web that were to remain free of coating material. When this happens, the web product often will not meet the necessary manufacturing specifications and must be discarded.
Cross flow knife coaters, shown in FIG. 3, receive coating material from a wide slot, or trough, which is fed at one transverse end of the trough and flows across the width of the trough to the opposite transverse end of the trough to provide even flow distribution across the web. Any coating material that is not coated onto the web surface exits the end of the trough opposite the supply end. In order to apply coating material in stripes or zones with a cross flow knife coater, the trough is typically blocked at specific areas with tape or dams in the same manner as the trough-fed knife coater so that the coating material cannot exit the trough in those areas. As with the trough-fed knife coater, it is difficult to apply coating material in stripes or zones with a cross flow knife coater using the current methods of stripe coating.


A prosthetic component is described for use in a human lower limb prosthesis. The component can consist of an integrated pylon-keel or foot component. The preferred methods of manufacture are thermoforming or injection molding. The use of a single piece of plastic allows for improved energy storing and release characteristics while heightening the wearer's sense of weight reduction.

The most common artificial leg for below knee amputees is of a rigid nature. A solid shank will connect the socket, which mounts the artificial leg to the residual limb of the amputee, and the artificial foot. The shank is often made out of a rigid alloy, such as one containing titanium or from shaped wood. The energy storing system can take the shape of a C-shaped plastic spring running from the ankle through the arch terminating towards the ball of the foot. In the case of the metal shank artificial leg, a system of this type can weigh in the range of 21/2 to 4 pounds. In the case of the wood shank, the artificial leg can weigh on the order of 3 pounds.
The Flexfoot.RTM. artificial leg produced by Flexfoot, Inc., Irvine, Calif. is an example of a currently available artificial leg which exhibits a more natural dynamic action by using a flexible energy storing pylon and keel, the flexible pylon and keel being formed from a strip of laminated reinforced composite which is mechanically attached to the socket descending down to form the pylon and continuing on to form the keel of the artificial leg. Applying pressure to the Flexfoot.RTM. artificial leg (e.g. walking on it) causes flexation of the pylon and foot which acts as a spring to store energy which is also released during walking or running movement. While the Flexfoot.RTM. artificial leg allows for more natural feeling movement due to its energy storing and returning action than prior rigid artificial legs, and although the Flexfoot weighs the same as other prior artificial legs made of titanium and/or wood, its weight can be of concern to geriatric patients. The Flexfoot is also not recommended for patients with low to moderate activity levels, because of the weight and cost.
Advances in the art have also included a continuous one piece prosthesis, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,360. That prosthesis offers the advantages of lightweight and improved energy storage and release characteristics. That one piece prosthesis can, however, require multiple trips to the prosthetist for fitting. In certain cases the patient may have to be fitted with another prosthesis which will be adjusted for height, pylon length, inversion, eversion, etc. Once the prosthesis is adjusted, the measurements from the adjusted prosthesis are then used to form the one piece prosthesis. This may require more than one trip to the prosthetist. Further, once the prosthesis is manufactured, adjustments may require reheating and reforming material.


The disclosure describes techniques for measuring the average output current of a power converter circuit by determining peaks valleys in the output current. A current monitoring circuit may include an averaging unit, which may sample the output current during a current peak as well as during a current valley. During a hold phase the averaging unit may output a signal proportional to the average output current based on the sampled peak current and sampled valley current. In some examples, the averaging unit may include three functional units. A first unit may be configured to determine the output current, a second block may be configured to hold the previously determined peak current and a third block may be configured to hold the previously determined valley current. In this manner the averaging unit may continuously output a signal proportional to the average output current of the power converter.

It is often desirable to determine the average current delivered by a power converter. Some techniques may be inaccurate or require detailed information about the properties of components of the power converter. In the example of power converters implemented using integrated circuits, techniques for determining the average current of the power converter may require additional external components, which may be undesirable.

Current sensing for monitoring load current in a buck power converter