An apparatus and method is provided for detaching a semiconductor chip from an adhesive tape on which it is mounted. The apparatus comprises a platform adapted to contact the adhesive tape at a position of the chip and a retaining force generator coupled to the platform for drawing the adhesive tape in a direction away from the chip. An elevation device is projectable from the platform that is movable both laterally across a surface of the platform and vertically with respect to the platform for elevating the chip. By moving the elevation device across a width of the chip while lifting the chip, controlled lifting of the chip and propagation of delamination between the chip and the adhesive tape may be achieved.

Various apparatus have been used in the semiconductor packaging industry for detaching a semiconductor chip from an adhesive tape carrier in chip bonding or flip chip bonding processes. This detachment is usually necessary where a slice of wafer comprising a plurality of said semiconductor chips has been mounted onto an adhesive tape (such as Mylar film) for dicing, and each diced chip has to be removed from the adhesive tape and placed at a bonding location. The most commonly-used technique is implemented by using push-up pin(s) or multiple sets of push-up pin(s) together with a vacuum platform, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,815 entitled "Pick-up Apparatus for Semiconductor Chips" and U.S. Pat. No. 6,555,418 entitled "Method for Separating a Semiconductor Element in a Semiconductor Element Picking-up Device".
The first step of the detachment process generally comprises a delamination or peeling action between the semiconductor chip and the adhesive tape, which is induced by an upward force exerted by the push-up pin(s) underneath the chip and adhesive tape, reinforced by suction force from a vacuum platform holding down the adhesive tape. A disadvantage of this technique is that a strong bending moment will be induced on the semiconductor chip if the peeling action is not strong enough to overcome the interfacial adhesion. The chip will experience high compressive stress at the location(s) directly above the push-up pin(s). The chip will be susceptible to crack failure if the strain induced by this bending moment exceeds its critical strain. For very thin semiconductor chips (especially with a thickness of less than 150 microns), that can lead to a major failure of the chip detachment process.
In addition, as the size of the semiconductor chip increases, the ejector pin(s) need to move further upwards in order to allow delamination between the chip and the adhesive tape to propagate inwards into an inner portion of the chip. However, increasing the elevation height of the ejector pin(s) will increase the susceptibility of the chip to chip-crack failure. Another technique relies on the vacuum suction provided by a supporting platform, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,292 ("Apparatus for Removing a Carrier Film from a Semiconductor Die"), U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,395 ("Apparatus and Method for Removing Carrier Tape from a Singulated Die") and U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,718 ("Method for Removing Carrier Film from a Singulated Die"). A strong vacuum suction via a suitably-structured platform tends to pull the adhesive tape away from the semiconductor chip. The chip will then be supported by the highest points of the structure and be ready for pickup. A disadvantage of this technique is that the geometry and form factor of the structure, as well as the strength of the vacuum suction provided, tend to limit the highest interfacial adhesive strength that can be overcome by this design.
Some other techniques introduce objects with various geometries such as a cylinder or bar, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,800 ("Method and Apparatus for Handling Element on an Adhesive Film"), U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,310 ("Apparatus and Method for Removing Parts from an Adhesive Film") and U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,805 ("System and Method for Using a Pick and Place Apparatus"). In other examples, a curved surface bar is used in U.S. Pat. No. 6,629,553 ("Method and System for Mounting semiconductor Device, Semiconductor Device Separating System, and Method for Fabricating IC Card") and a stepped flat plate underneath the semiconductor wafer or the chip(s) is used in U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,743 ("Pellet Picking Method and Pellet Picking Apparatus"). The lateral motion of these objects or tools (as opposed to the vertical motion of tools in traditional methods) on a vacuum platform will create a peeling action to detach the chip(s) from the adhesive tape. In some designs, instead of moving the objects, the objects are stationary but the wafer comprising semiconductor chips are moved laterally across these objects.
Generally speaking, customized tooling is needed for most of these techniques such that careful optimization of their geometries is necessary to ensure successful detachment and to avoid crack failure. The risk of crack failure will become pronounced if the thickness of the chip is reduced to below 150 microns (6 mils). Three major factors affecting the ability of the detachment process to successfully delaminate a chip are: (i) thickness of the semiconductor chip, (ii) the size of the semiconductor chip, and (iii) the adhesion strength of the adhesive tape. Therefore, the process window for successful detachment depends very much on the geometries of the toolings and limits the flexibility, efficiency and reliability of these techniques.
In another prior art method, the adhesion strength between the semiconductor chip and the adhesive tape may be reduced by UV light when a UV dicing tape is used. The adhesion strength of this tape can be reduced by more than two orders after exposure to UV light. After UV exposure the adhesive strength of this tape can be as small as approximately 10-30 gf/20 mm. One of the major concerns for all existing semiconductor chip detachment mechanisms is the small process window for a given tooling if a wafer is very thin (such as having a thickness of less than 150 microns) and/or large (such as having a width larger than 8 mm) and/or the wafer is mounted onto a adhesive tape of high adhesive strength (approximately 50 gf/20 mm). With this small process window, the process throughput and yield may not be easy to optimize, particularly in some cases where the adhesive strength of the tape is not uniform across the whole wafer. For example, it has been found that the peripheral chips around the wafer on a UV tape usually experience higher adhesivity to the UV tape than chips at the center of the wafer. Difficulty may thus be encountered when using the aforesaid prior art techniques in optimizing the process parameters to maximize throughput and yield.

Apparatus for semiconductor chip detachment


A needle hub (10) includes a core mounting structure (27), a first panel (28) and a second panel (29) connected to the core mounting structure (27) with an opening formed between the first panel (28) and the second panel (29), an introducer needle (72) fixedly attached to the core mounting structure (27) for insertion into a patient, and an actuation lever (16, 18) cantilevered longitudinally at a central portion thereof from the core mounting structure (27) and having an actuation button (12, 14) disposed at a proximal free end and a latch (24, 26) disposed at a distal free end.

One mode of insulin infusion treatment for diabetes includes infusion pump therapy via a catheter, needle or other type of cannula. Infusion pumps offer the advantages of continuous infusion of insulin, precision dosing, and programmable delivery schedules. Together, these advantages result in more accurate blood glucose control. In this mode of insulin infusion treatment, the infusion pump remains attached to the user and required doses of insulin are delivered to the user via the pump.
One type of cannula is a catheter, which generally is a tube that can be inserted into the body to permit the administration of fluids. In infusion pump therapy, the types and sizes of the catheter may vary, but generally, the catheter is a thin, flexible tube. In some uses, however, it may be larger and/or rigid.
One type of conventional infusion set is sold as the Quick-Set® infusion set by Medtronic. In such devices, the infusion pump includes a catheter assembly connected to a pump via a tubing set, and a separate insertion device inserts and/or attaches the catheter assembly into to a user via an introducer needle provided as part of the infusion set. The infusion set and insertion device can also be combined, as in the Mio® infusion set sold by Medtronic, which is an "all-in-one" design that combines the infusion set and insertion device into one unit.
A conventional infusion device can include a fluid connector hub, which may be releasably attached to a base that can be secured to a user's skin. An infusion pump supplies fluid to a catheter via the fluid connector hub/base engagement.
With conventional infusion devices, however, there are concerns that before and during insertion of the catheter, the introducer needle and catheter may move relative to one another. There is an axial relationship between the tip of the needle and the catheter, which is commonly known as the lie distance. The lie distance is ideally maintained within a suitable range during insertion of the catheter into a user when using the tip of the needle to puncture the skin, and is also ideally maintained within a suitable range as the shank of the needle carries the catheter into the subcutaneous region.
A suitable lie distance, however, sometimes cannot be maintained because of relative movement between the introducer needle and the catheter. If the lie distance is not suitable, the piercing resistance increases and can cause significant pain for a patient.
As such, it may be appreciated that there is a continuing need for a new and improved needle hub for an introducer needle that addresses the problems noted above and is simple and low-cost to manufacture. Embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill this need.

Needle hub for subcutaneous infusion set


A snap-in, whole-body radio frequency coil (38) for increasing the diameter of a bore (12) of a toroidal magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a plurality of longitudinally extending coil elements (42) having element ends (44). The longitudinally extending coil elements are disposed on a flat, flexible, non-conductive plastic sheet (40) which is capable of being rolled and disposed concentricly in an interior diameter of the bore to form a thin-walled, bird-cage type radio frequency coil. Adjacent element ends are connected with a first capacitance C.sub.0 to resonate the coil at a certain frequency. To permit mechanically switching the resonant frequency of the coil, protruding metal contacts (60) are electrically connected to the element ends. An adjustment end ring includes separated metal pads (66) disposed on a non-conducting ring substrate (64). Adjacent metal pads are connected with second capacitances C.sub.1. The diameter of the adjustment end ring is preselected to permit resilient contact with the metal contacts. The adjustment end ring is rotatable to bring the metal pads and thus second capacitances C.sub.1 in electrical contact with the element ends which increases the total capacitance between element ends and adjusts the RF coil to resonate at a lower frequency.

The present invention relates to the magnetic resonance arts. It finds particular application to human magnetic resonance imaging in which a radio frequency magnetic resonance imaging coil is tuned to the resonance frequencies of phosphorous and hydrogen (or other dipoles of interest) and will be described with particular reference thereto. The coil may be used in transmit and receive modes, in transmit only modes, in receive only modes and may be used in conjunction with local gradients for high resolution imaging as well as spectroscopy. It is to be appreciated, however, that the invention will also find application in animal studies, non-human studies, high resolution in-vitro cell culture and profusion studies, industrial applications, security inspections and the like, as well as in other types of magnetic resonance imaging systems, magnetic resonance spectroscopy systems, and the like.
In magnetic resonance imaging applications, radio-frequency (RF) coils are used both to transmit RF pulses into and receive induced nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals from a bore of a magnetic resonance imager. Typically, magnetic resonance imagers also include a series of annular resistive or superconducting magnets. Vacuum dewars in superconducting magnets and housing structures of resistive magnets define a central, longitudinal bore within which the subject is received. Commonly, a series of gradient magnetic field coils are mounted to a cylindrical dielectric former(s) for mounting in the magnet bore, reducing the patient receiving diameter. A whole body RF coil is mounted on another dielectric former for mounting in the interior bore of the gradient coil dielectric former. The gradient and RF coils, RF shield, and the formers are potted into a unitary structure, further reducing the patient receiving diameter.
Maintaining a large bore or patient aperture is advantageous. A large patient receiving bore not only accommodates large patients and provides a less claustrophobic environment, but it also allows imaging of portions of the subject further from the center of the bore. For example, shoulder imaging requires the patient's shoulders to be displaced radially inward from the RF coil.
The diameter reductions in the bore become more critical when self-shielded gradient coils are used. With self-shielded gradient coils, there are two sets of gradient coils disposed in a spaced relationship. The pair of gradient coil sets produce magnetic fields which (1) sum within the bore to create the desired magnetic field gradients and (2) subtract outside the bore. The subtraction zeroes or minimizes the external field to inhibit magnetic field gradient pulses from inducing eddy currents in the main magnet and associated structures. To achieve this shielding effect efficiently, a significant minimum spacing between the primary and secondary gradient coils is required. Analogously, an RF shield is advantageously disposed between the RF coil and the gradient coils to prevent the RF pulses from inducing eddy currents in the gradient coils. Again, a significant, minimum spacing between the RF coils and the RF shield is required.
Typically, a whole-body RF coil consists of a copper pattern etched on a circuit board with an FR-4 dielectric or other dielectric form. One or more of these circuit boards are wrapped around and fastened to the outer diameter of a filament wound tube or other cylindrical or elliptical dielectric form. Electrical components, such as capacitors, inductors, and diodes are soldered on to the circuit board to resonate the coil at the desired frequency. The tube has a diameter of 55 to 60 cm or about 20 mm or more less than the interior diameter of the gradient coil in which it is inserted, depending on the size of the patient. A tube of 55 to 60 cm is large enough to allow patients of up to approximately 180 kg to fit inside. This tube is inserted inside the gradient coil assembly and within the RF shield of the coil assembly. Feet, skid bars, or other support structures are used to position the coil concentric with the gradient tube and, thus, the RF shield.
The use of the filament wound tube has significant disadvantages. Importantly, it decreases the amount of radial space available to the patient. Further, an appropriately constructed and machined tube adds significantly to the cost of the body coil. In addition, when a filament wound tube is used, the construction and assembly of additional parts, such as feet and skid bars, further increase the total cost. Further, when a filament wound tube is used with an integral RF shield, it is difficult to ensure concentricity of the RF coil with the RF shield. A departure from concentricity adversely affects the performance of the RF coil by decreasing the coil's quadrature isolation (and thus signal-to-noise ratio) and uniformity. This becomes even more critical when the RF coil is brought closer to the RF shield.
The frequency at which the coil needs to operate is dependent on the main magnet's field strength B.sub.0 and the gyromagnetic ratio .gamma. of the dipole(s) of interest. In a 1.5 Tesla magnetic field, hydrogen dipoles .sup.1 H have a resonance frequency of about 64 MHz. There are typically other dipoles in the examination region with markedly different resonance frequencies, e.g., phosphorous .sup.31 P with a resonance frequency about 24 Mhz, or flourine .sup.19 F with a resonance frequency of 60 MHz. The radio frequency coil is commonly tuned to the magnetic resonance frequency of the selected dipole of interest.
When performing magnetic resonance spectroscopy upon a subject, it is desirable to switch quickly between proton imaging and spectroscopy imaging. Coils which can operate at more than one resonant frequency have traditionally been of the following types: doubly-tuned; electrically-switched; and, inserted-sleeve.
A doubly-tuned RF coil is simultaneously resonant at two separate frequencies. The coil uses both a high pass and a low pass circuit. At the lower frequency, the low pass circuit resonates, while at the higher frequency, the high pass circuit resonates. Alternatively, doubly-tuned RF coils are constructed by placing a tank circuit in series with resonant capacitors. The extra capacitance is switched in at one frequency. At the second resonant frequency, the tank circuit blocks current from flowing in these extra capacitors. Although some nuclei, such as phosphorous, lend themselves well to doubly-tuned coils of either type, others, such as fluorine, do not. This is because the imaging frequency of fluorine is very close to the imaging frequency of hydrogen. With such close frequencies, i.e., separated by less than an octave, the coil has difficulty resonating separately at both frequencies. One of the two resonant frequencies operates in a non-optimum mode, thus sacrificing the performance of the coil at that frequency. In addition, it is difficult if not impossible to tune a birdcage coil to more than two separate frequencies.
Although other methods for double-tuning a birdcage coil have been described, such as Peter Joseph et al., "A Technique for Double Resonant Operation of Birdcage Imaging Coils," IEEE Trans. Medical Imaging, vol. 8, No. 3, September 1989, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,450 by Murphy-Boesch et al., each method has its distinct disadvantages. The method of Joseph introduces field inhomogeneities while the method of Murphy-Boesch et al. increases the complexity of the design and construction by requiring four rings. In general, doubly-tuned methods do not allow for quadrature imaging. An exception is the four ring design of Murphy-Boesch et al.
Electrically-switched RF coils employ PIN diodes to switch between two sets of capacitors in order to adjust the tuning. Such coils have the disadvantage of working only for receive coils and thus are not applicable for whole body coils. Further, the high voltage and currents generated during transmit pulses can short circuit the diodes and render the coil ineffective.
Inserted-sleeve coils use a dielectric tube inside the RF coil to create an additional separate resonance frequency. See U.K. Patent Application No. 89-25919.6 by Schnur. On its outer diameter, the dielectric tube has metallic strips which add capacitance in parallel to the existing coil capacitors. Another type of inserted-sleeve coil uses two separate RF shields. See D. Lu and P. M. Joseph, "A Technique of Double Resonant Operation of F-19 and H-1 Quadrature Birdcage Coils," 1990 SMRM Book of Abstracts, p. 531. The two shields have such diameter that each one causes the RF coil to resonate at the desired frequency. These RF coils have two disadvantages. First, it is difficult to insert a sleeve without repositioning the patient. Second and more importantly, these methods only work when the two desired resonances are very close in frequency. It should also be noted that RF coils using dielectric tubes inside the coils have been found to be inherently unstable over extended periods of time (i.e., the resonant frequency of the coil tends to vary with time and temperature).
The present invention contemplates a new and improved method and apparatus for positioning a whole-body RF coil and mechanically switching its resonant frequencies within a bore of an MRI apparatus which overcomes the above-mentioned problems and others.

Low-cost, snap-in whole-body RF coil with mechanically switchable resonant frequencies


The present teachings provide for a fashion accessory, a kit comprising components of the fashion accessory, and method for constructing the fashion accessory utilizing adhesive decorations for the imaginative configuration of wearable articles. The adhesive decorations are combined to form charms, which are capable of being affixed to wearable articles. The fashion accessory includes one or more first adhesive decorations and one or more second adhesive decorations, which provide for one or more charms, which affix to wearable articles.

Jewelry making is an activity enjoyed by children as an outlet to express creativity and produce a final product that can be worn, displayed, and enjoyed over time. Charms have been used to enhance jewelry and customize the jewelry's appearance while maintaining the option to remove or replace charms with ease.
Conventional charms are provided as single pieces, which lack individual customizability. Furthermore, the selection of the wearable article (e.g., necklace) upon which the charm is configured to attach may be limited. Conventional charms are also constructed from expensive materials and as a result, providing for a large quantity of charms in a single kit is cost prohibitive.
It would be desirable to provide a fashion accessory comprising charms, wherein the charms are customizable. It would be desirable to provide a fashion accessory whereby the wearable article and the charms are constructed from materials that provide for a wide variety of choices in constructing the fashion accessory without being cost-prohibitive. It would be desirable to provide a fashion accessory where charms may be connected to a variety of wearable articles.


A method of controlling a dual fuel engine system includes adjusting a phasing control parameter such as air-fuel ratio (AFR), based on a phasing signal to limit an error in a phasing of combustion of gaseous fuel. The cylinder is switched to a dual fuel liquid pilot-ignited mode by commanding direct injection of an early pilot shot of liquid fuel, based on the adjustment to the phasing control parameter, and production of a spark to ignite gaseous fuel in the cylinder. Switching the cylinder to the dual fuel liquid pilot-ignited mode is completed by commanding direct injection of an early pilot shot and a second pilot shot of liquid fuel to ignite gaseous fuel in response to combustion of the early and second pilot shots in the cylinder.

Internal combustion engines are used in virtually innumerable applications throughout the world for vehicle propulsion, electric power generation, handling of liquids and gases, and for various industrial purposes. In a typical operating scheme, fuel and air is combusted within an engine cylinder to produce a rapid rise in pressure and thus drive a piston to rotate a crankshaft. Spark-ignited engines typically employ a liquid petroleum distillate fuel such as gasoline, or various gaseous fuels including natural gas, methane, propane, various mixtures of these, and still others. Compression-ignition engines conventionally utilize fuels such as diesel distillate fuel, biodiesel, and still others. Combustion science research in recent years has paid great attention to engine systems and operating strategies that are flexible with regard to fuel utilization, notably gaseous fuels. Fuel prices can be fairly dynamic, and flexibility with regard to a type of fuel used in an engine can provide economic advantages. Various gaseous fuels also have desirable combustion or emissions properties which can be advantageously exploited.
Engines that allow for operation with different fuel types combining both a liquid fuel such as diesel distillate and natural gas are in increasing use throughout the world. Diesel and similar fuels are relatively easy to compression ignite, but can produce undesirable emissions. Natural gas and other gaseous fuels, when used in a compression-ignition engine, can fail to ignite, knock, or have problems with combustion stability. Such challenges can be especially acute in so-called lean burn applications where gaseous fuel and air are burned or attempted to be burned at a stoichiometrically lean equivalence ratio. Gaseous fuels can also have a range of quality depending upon the nature of the constituents. Gaseous fuels that have relatively high proportions of methane tend to compression ignite relatively less easily than other fuels containing longer chain hydrocarbons. Consequently, different fuels and fuel blends can have varying ignition and combustion properties.
Dual fuel engines are known which utilize an early shot of injected liquid fuel in relatively small quantities that is vaporized to produce a premixed charge of fuel and air to ignite a larger main charge of gaseous fuel. Such engines can address some of the foregoing problems. Controlling combustion timing or other parameters using a premixed charge that is relatively homogenous throughout the cylinder continues to provide challenges, however. In certain of these engines multiple different operating modes are possible, ranging from liquid-only compression ignition modes, where the engine operates solely on fuel that is injected in a liquid form, to gaseous fuel-only spark-ignition modes where only a gaseous fuel is used, with factors such as engine speed and load monitored for transitioning amongst the modes. Numerous obstacles remain respecting combustion control and other operating targets in engines having more than one mode of available operation. One example dual fuel engine employing a diesel pilot injection to ignite natural gas is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,617 to Willi, et al.

Combustion control system and method for switching between spark and pilot-ignited operating modes in dual fuel engine


Data is transferred between a first mobile computer and a second computer over a first communications channel through a gateway. If the gateway determines that the data transfer has been impeded, then a second communications channel is established. During the time that the data transfer was impeded, the data is stored until the data transfer is resumed.

1. Field of the Invention
The apparatus and methods consistent with the present invention relates to portable computers, such as bar code reader computer terminals connected to wireless networks, and more particularly to the network architecture, gateway, operating system APIs, configuration software, and inter-network messaging and communications protocols needed to support multiple communication channels between application programs being executed in fixed and mobile units operated in such networks, and from network to network.
2. Background of the Invention
Wireless local area networks use infrared or radio frequency communications channels to communicate between portable or mobile computer terminals and stationary access points or base stations. These access points are in turn connected by a wired (or possibly wireless) communication channel to a network infrastructure which connects groups of access points together to form a local area network, including, optionally, one or more servers or host computer systems.
One increasingly important type of mobile computer are those which are coupled to or incorporates a bar code symbol reader, and are now in very common use for portable data collection applications. Typically, a bar code symbol comprises one or more rows of light and dark regions, typically in the form of rectangle. The relative widths of the dark regions, the bars and/or the widths of the light regions, the spaces, encode data or information in the symbol. A bar code symbol reader illuminates the symbol and senses light reflected from the regions of differing light reflectivity to detect the relative widths and spacings of the regions and derive the encoded information. Bar code reading data collection application software, executing on such mobile computers, improve the efficiency and accuracy of data input for a wide variety of applications. The ease of data input in such systems facilitates more frequent and detailed data input, for example, to provide efficient taking of inventories, tracking of work in progress, and make use of applications programs that may communicate to and interoperate with other applications programs operating on a remote host or server which the mobile computer communicates with through a wireless network.
Wireless and radio frequency (RF) protocols are known which support the logical interconnection of mobile computers and roaming terminals having a variety of types of communication capabilities to host computers. The logical interconnections are based upon an infrastructure in which at least some each of the remote terminals are capable of communicating with at least two of the access points when located within a predetermined range therefrom, each terminal unit being normally associated with and in communication with a single one of such access points. Based on the overall spatial layout, response time, and loading requirements of the network, different networking schemes and communication protocols have been designed so as to most efficiently regulate the communications between a given terminal and the network through the selected access point. One such protocol is set forth in the ISO/IEC 8802-11, or ANSI/IEEE Std 802.11 entitled "Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications" (1999 edition) available from the IEEE Standards Department, Piscataway, N.J. (hereinafter the "IEEE 802.11 Standard").
There are a variety of currently deployed and emerging wireless communications standards for cellular voice and data communications, often referred to as "wide area networks" (WANs) to distinguish them from local area networks. First generation wireless systems (1G) utilized analog technology. Second generation (2G) systems, using digital technology, were introduced in the mid 1990s including GSM, or the "global system for mobile communications", and CDPD or "cellular digital packet data". GSM utilizes time division multiplying over a 200 kHz channel. CDPC transmits data over dedicated 30 kHz cellular channels at speeds up to 19.2 kbps. Systems referred to a 2.5G offer mobile data services at rates from 56 kbps to 144 kbps, while 3G systems will operate at data rates from 144 kbps to 2 Mbps.
One of the most important technologies for wireless communications is CDMA. In a spread spectrum system, one can multiplex users by assigning them different spreading keys, which is called a code division multiple access (CDMA) system. The CDMA modulation technique is one of several techniques for facilitating communications in which a large number of system users are present in the coverage area of a base station. The use of narrowband CDMA in a digital cellular spread spectrum communications system was adopted by the Telecommunication Industry Association in 1993 as TIA/EIA standard IS-95.
Currently deployed 800, 900 MHz band systems include AMPS, TDMA/IS-136, CDMA/IS-95, iDEN, GSM, and I-mode. Other emerging network standards include cdmaOne, CDMA 1X, and 1XEV DV (in which voice and data share a 1.25 MHz channel). There are several technologies that fall under terminology of 2.5G. For example, 1XRTT is the technology for upgrading CDMA networks. Another widely discussed 2.5G technology is GPRS (the General Packet Radio Service), intended for upgrading GSM networks. GPRS was initially deployed in 2000 and operates using multiple time slots that can each carry data at 1 s4.4 kbps.
Other multiple access communication system techniques, such as time divisional multiple access (TDMA), frequency divisional multiple access (FDMA) and AM modulation schemes such as amplitude commanded single sideband (ACSSB) are known in the art. The use of CDMA techniques in a multiple access communication system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307. The framing and transmission of data using the Internet Protocol (IP) over a CDMA wireless network is described in TLA/EIA/IS-707-A, entitled "Data Service Options for Spread Spectrum Systems", referred to as IS-707.
The International Telecommunications Union recently made a call for proposals for methods of providing high rate data and high quality services over wireless communications channels. A first of these proposals was prepared by the Telecommunication Industry Association, entitled "The cdma2000 ITU-R RTT Candidate Submission", often referred to as cdma2000. A second of these proposals was issued by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), entitled "The ETSI UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) ITU-R RTT Candidate Submission", also known as wideband CDMA or W-CDMA. A third proposal was submitted by U.S. TG 8/1 entitled "The UWC-136 Candidate Submission", and is referred to as EDGE.
EDGE is an acronym for "Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution". EDGE is an enhanced modulation technique that is backward compatible with GSM networks, and provides throughput three times that of GPRS. The contents of these submissions are public record and are known in the art.
One important future network is UMTS/IMT2000. The UMTS Forum is a non-profit organization established in 1996 to increase awareness of the UMTS/IMT-2000 third-generation mobile communications systems. In establishing the forum, members intended to create a standard for 3G applications and services that would be globally interoperable and can be accessed by any mobile device from anywhere in the world. Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is a service based on the global system for mobile (GSM) communications standard.
The general concept of seamless roaming among multiple networks is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,091,951 describes a plurality of networks (LANs and WANs) wherein the mobile terminal is registered to at least one access point in one of the networks. The mobile terminal is assigned a first network address, and when the mobile terminal is registered to at least one access point in another of the plurality of LANs, the mobile terminal is assigned a second network address being different form the first network address. The system includes a gateway controller, coupled to the LANs, for serving as an intermediary for communications between the mobile terminal and the system backbone so order that in the event the mobile terminal is assigned a different network address by virtue of registering with an access point in another of the LANs, the device is able to maintain communications with the mobile terminal without requiring knowledge of a change in the network address of the mobile terminal.
More particularly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,091,951 patent describes a seamless communications transition involving a first mobile terminal and device, and a second mobile terminal and the device. A first mobile terminal may suspend a previously established session between the first mobile terminal and a device. The first mobile terminal notifies the gateway through which the session is established that the mobile terminal wishes to suspend the session. Rather than terminating the session, the gateway is configured to maintain the session in its tables and begin buffers in memory any information received via the network intended for the first mobile terminal. In the event a second mobile terminal wishes to resume the session at a point at which the first mobile terminal suspended the session, the second mobile terminal then notifies the gateway. The second mobile terminal then notifies the gateway that it wishes to resume the session suspended by the first mobile terminal. The gateway is configured to begin in turn to forward communications between the device and the second mobile terminal in place of the first mobile terminal.
Any information which has been buffered by the gateway is sent to the second mobile terminal together with state information regarding the state of the connection between the first mobile terminal and the gateway at the time of the suspension. As a result, the second mobile terminal can pick up where the first mobile terminal left off without completely terminating an initial session and restarting a new session.
Prior to the present invention, there has not been a simple, automatic technique which would allow a user of a mobile computer to maintain connectivity and continuing data exchange operations of applications programs with a remote computer utilizing the switched telephone network telephone when communications over a wireless local area network between the computers, and synchronization between the applications executing therein, become impeded or interrupted.

Software method utilizing gateways for maintaining connectivity during communications over distinct wireless networks by mobile computer terminals


A system and method of displaying a conformal-capable head-up display image is provided. A pre-distorted right-eye image and a pre-distorted left-eye image are separately generated and projected toward a windscreen. The pre-distorted right-eye image is reflected off of the windscreen to supply a reflected right eye image to a right eyebox, and the pre-distorted left-eye image is reflected off of the windscreen to supply a reflected left eye image to a left eyebox. The reflected right-eye image and the reflected left-eye image are each non-distorted images.

Head-up displays (HUDs) are becoming increasingly popular in the aerospace industry. Known HUDs typically include at least a projector, a combiner, and an image generator. The projector receives images supplied from the image generator, and the HUD will typically include an optical collimator, such as a convex lens or concave mirror, to produce an image that is perceived to be at infinity.
The combiner reflects the image projected by the projector in such a way as to see the field of view and the projected infinity image at the same time. The combiner is typically a very precisely designed and controlled optical element and may be flat or curved. Some combiners may also have special coatings that reflect certain wavelengths of light projected onto it from the projector while allowing all other wavelengths of light to pass through.
Traditional prior art HUDs typically rely on sophisticated optics to meet the performance requirements for avionic use. These performance requirements include precise angular control and uniformity over an exit pupil or head box that is large enough to encompass both eyes of a pilot or other user. As an example, the size, weight and cost of a bulky overhead unit (OHU) may be driven to a large extent by the required performance levels.
Hence, there is a need for a HUD that does not rely upon sophisticated optics to meet the performance requirements needed for use in avionics environments. The present invention addresses at least this need.


The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for providing very fast message synchronization of synchronous serial data streams by reducing system reliance on complex and highly computational synchronization schemes. The benefits of the instant invention are realized by performing most of the computational effort during message design, rather than during real-time detection. The synchronization pattern preceding the data stream is constructed in accordance with predetermined rules and compared using multiple bit segment compares rather than performing comparisons bit-by-bit. The synchronization pattern is further provided with an index that is used to access a lookup table that contains information for providing true alignment of the data stream once synchronization has been detected.

Digital message synchronization is a process whereby expected data is aligned with received data, thereby allowing synchronization of the received digital data at a data receiver. Conventional methods for determining byte or message alignment within a digital stream of data generally require very high levels of computation power, even for relatively low bit rate data streams. Known systems provide a synchronization detector that is generally realized using discrete hardware, or achieved using a high-speed processor having specialized features, such as, for example a digital signal processor (DSP) or dedicated circuitry in an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or the like.
Using current methods for aligning data can add significant cost and complexity to microprocessor based systems. For example, in known systems, the microprocessor typically consumes large amounts of its computation ability and resources performing, or attempting to perform, rapid real-time shifts and real-time comparisons of the data stream to find a framing pattern or unique word in the received bit stream. The framing pattern is generally contained in the data stream and does not have any known byte boundaries.
General purpose microprocessors are not well suited to performing shifting and masking of relatively long bit streams which are generally required for the detection of sync patterns, i.e., unique words in serial data streams. These problems are further exacerbated when control messages or sync patterns are embedded into a data stream in a relatively asynchronous manner. Conventional methods require the synchronization detector to compare the incoming bit stream to the sync pattern on a bit-by-bit basis, and requires the capability to remember and reexamine the received bits even when only a partial match, generally referred to as a false start, is found. Accordingly, conventional message synchronization systems are inherently inefficient and require a great deal of memory and processing power.

Method and apparatus for performing very fast message synchronization


A positioning apparatus for positioning and retaining an edge protector at an edge of a package to be looped with a strapping comprising an edge protector magazine for retaining stacked, nested edge protectors including a magazine delivery station for systematically dispensing individual edge protectors to be dispensed, a saddle shuttle assembly for transporting each individual edge protector from the magazine delivery station to the edge of the package, the saddle shuttle assembly including at least one forwardly extending clip orienting and retaining each individual edge protector on the saddle shuttle assembly while it is being transported to the package edge, a pusher for selectively driving an edge protector from the magazine delivery station onto the saddle shuttle assembly, the pusher including a pushing surface normal to the longitudinal axis of the edge protector and a device to reciprocate the pusher between the magazine delivery station and the saddle shuttle assembly and a retainer bar for applying a substantially normal force to a package non-contacting surface of the edge protector, the retainer bar retaining the edge protector immediately adjacent the package edge and an edge protector package contacting surface in conforming relation to the edge while the package is looped with a strapping.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus for strapping of packages, bundles and other articles with encircling straps or bands, and more particularly to a system and apparatus for positioning edge protector pads at the edges of a package, article or bundle and maintaining the pads in place during the strapping operation.
2. Background Art
Large and bulky objects often require strapping together a number of similarly shaped items to provide an easily manipulated package for shipping. A traditional method of strapping used metal bands or straps disposed around the bulky items placed together in an ordered relationship. For most hard objects, such as bricks, a metal band does not present a considerable problem when it is tightened around the objects. However, for more pliable or crushable items, i.e. stacks of corrugated cardboard, wood products, such as veneers, plywoods, hardboards, and other products, the metal bands cut into the surface of the outermost items in a stack and often damage those outermost items to such a degree as to make them unusable for their intended purpose. Even plastic bands which have come into more general use are liable to damage easily crushable items, such as stacks of corrugated cardboard.
More recently, it has become general practice to interpose edge protector pads, also called simply edge protectors, between the edges of a package and the encircling strap to protect the package edges from damage.
Automation of the strapping process has necessitated development of an automated mechanism to position the edge protectors onto the edge of a package bundle or stack of items and to retain the edge protectors thereon while the straps are being tightened. As in many manufacturing or industrial processes, a significant goal is to achieve the most cost-effective solution to a particular problem. As applied to edge protector positioning, the goal has been to design a system and apparatus which is effective in maintaining the edge protector position during strapping or banding and capturing the strap or band over a central portion of the edge protector in all instances. Another goal has been a reduction in the cost of the positioning apparatus and also a reduction in the cost of the individual edge protector pads.
An inexpensive material used for edge protector pads is cardboard or laminated paper which has been folded to approximately a 90.degree. angle to fit over an edge of a stack or bundle of items. A continuous edge protector along all the edges of a bundle or stack alleviates the need for precise positioning of the edge protector during the banding process. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,398,675 and 4,513,864 each disclose a continuous edge protector for protecting the complete edge of a stack, band or coil of materials. However, providing continuous edge protectors for each of four or eight corners of can become an expensive proposition.
Shorter length edge protector pads have been used to reduce the expense involved in packaging bundles or stacks of items, see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,630,214, 3,271,925, and 3,995,409. Precise positioning of the shorter length edge protector is a major consideration, because the strap must securely grip the edge protector pad without slipping off when the strap is tightened. If the strap is tightened when the edge protector pad is not centered beneath the strap, tightening of the strap lifts an opposite side of the edge protector which increases the probability that the strap will slip from the edge protector and onto the bundle or stack of items which are being strapped. Strapping over an edge protector which is not properly centered creates uneven pressure of the edge protector on the package edge, and can cause damage thereto.
Various methods for positioning edge protectors have been proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,424,077 proposes a labor intensive manual positioning method which is not easily adaptable to automated equipment and which would also be overly expensive in requiring two operators, one for the strapping operation and the other for positioning the pads.
Automated mechanisms for positioning edge protector pads are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,241,287 and 4,587,791. These patents describe edge protector delivery and positioning apparatus. The apparatus described by both of these patents require the magazine in which the edge protectors are stacked to be movable adjacent the package just prior to the strapping process.
Because the edge protector magazine, the delivery and positioning apparatus and the strap delivery apparatus all take up considerable space around the package, the number of straps which can be looped around most packages is limited to two if the strapping is to be performed simultaneously for each package. In many strapping machines, the strapping apparatus, called a strapping head, is disposed in series along a conveyor for delivering the package to be strapped. The limitation in space further limits the number of strapping heads per package edge to two under normal condition because otherwise the edge protector off delivery apparatus interferes with the delivery of the straps. Simultaneous strapping is normally desirable to produce consistently uniform packages and to speed up the packaging process.
Devices made according to the teaching of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,241,287 and 4,587,791 also require the tolerances of the edge protectors themselves to be exact in the relative lengths and angular spread of the edge protector walls and in the shape of the edge protectors. Thus, to obtain the close tolerance on the edge protectors, the edge protectors provided are injection molded to and are essentially identical in their dimensions.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,735,955 and 4,877,673 also provide for injection molded edge protectors. Various modifications of injection molded edge protectors are often necessary to provide a capability of centering the strap relative to the edge protector during the strapping process including, for example, a depressed section on the outer edge of an edge protector having angled sides. As the strap is tightened around a package, the angled edge sides of the edge protector guide the strap toward the center of the edge protector. Because the stress on the edge protector is great during the tightening of the strap, the required structural integrity of the edge protector mandates that it be manufactured by an injection molding process.
Injection molding becomes expensive when considering that each strap for a package must loop around four edges, requiring four edge protectors per strap. Many packages require two or more parallel straps and possibly at least one other additional strap in a transverse direction.
A less expensive alternative to injection molded edge protectors are edge protectors comprising short pieces of laminated paper products, such as pieces of cardboard discussed above, that have been bent along a central line transverse to the longer dimension of approximately a right angle. Edge protectors having acceptable characteristics are presently available. However, the tolerances of laminated cardboard edge protectors are not subject to efficient control.
Inexpensive laminated cardboard edge protectors are now available for use, but their use in an automated positioning apparatus has heretofore been limited by the large variability dimensions of the edge protectors. Dimensions of the different lengths of each of the flanged sides of the edge protector typically range from about 13/4" to about 21/4". The nominal length of each leg is 2 inches, i.e. a flat laminated cardboard strip 4 inches long is folded over at its approximate center. That folding process is not precise, however, and 1/4 inch variability in each leg is common. The angle between the two sides may have a typical value from 80.degree. to about 105.degree..
A great range in dimensional variability of the edge protectors is not desirable from the standpoint of automated edge protector delivery and retention apparatus. Mechanisms to transfer edge protectors from an edge protector magazine to the edge of a package for strapping should be capable of accepting the high degree of variability in the available laminated cardboard edge protectors and dispose them under the strap during the strap tightening step with both reliability and efficiency.
Thus, what is necessary is a reliable and accurate edge protector delivery, positioning and retention apparatus which can accept a high degree of variability in the individual edge protectors dispensed from a magazine to continue operation of a strapping device. Another desirable characteristic is the capability of retrofitting the positioning apparatus in existing strapping machines without necessitating the excessive reconfiguration of any existing strapping machine structure. Yet another desirable characteristic which is needed is a compact positioning apparatus for delivery positioning and retention of edge protectors during strapping of a package, which apparatus is narrow enough to permit disposition of at least three of these apparatus in side by side relationship per edge of each package, for retrofitting a strapping machine having at least three strapping heads.

Edge protector delivery and positioning apparatus and method


An optical system (10) for correcting wavefront aberrations of an optical beam (12). The beam (12) is received by an entrance pupil (14), where a portion of the beam (12) at the entrance pupil (14) is coupled off of the main beam (12) to be used as a reference beam (22). The reference beam (22) is taken from a small enough portion of the main beam (12) so that the temporal coherence of the reference beam wavefront is substantially in phase. The reference beam (22) is amplified by a coherent reference amplifier (24), expanded and collimated. The main beam (12) and the collimated beam (28) are applied to a beam splitter (16) that splits the main beam (12) and the reference beam (22) into two separate beam paths, where the main beam (12) and the reference beam (22) traveling along a common path are coupled together. One optical path from the beam splitter (16) is applied to a detector array (32) and the other optical path from the beam splitter (16) is applied to a light valve (40). Those portions of the main beam (12) that are more than 90xc2x0 out of phase with the reference beam (22) destructively interfere at the detector array (32). The outputs of the detectors in the array (32) are measured by threshold electronics (36). The threshold electronics (36) cause the light valve (40) to attenuate the portions of the beam on the other path that are the destructively interfering portions of the main beam (12) and the reference beam (22) so those portions do not pass through the light valve (40). Therefore, only those portions of the main beam (12) that are substantially in phase with the reference beam (22) continue on through the receiver optics.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an optical system for correcting wavefront phase aberrations of a light beam and, more particularly, to an optical system for correcting wavefront phase aberrations of a light beam that employs a process of interfering a reference beam with the main beam to identify destructively interfering locations in the wavefront of the main beam that are then removed from the beam using a light valve.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Certain types of optical transmission systems, such as optical communications systems, imaging systems, etc., transmit a coherent light beam carrying information through a medium, such as air. Because the light beam is coherent, the phase of the beam is substantially constant across the beam wavefront when it is generated. However, the medium typically corrupts the beam by introducing distortions to the beam that causes portions of the wavefront to have a different phase than other portions of the wavefront at any given instant in time. If this wavefront phase aberration was not corrected at the receiver, the light beam could not be effectively focused onto receiving optics, such as a fiber optic cable, and thus a significant intensity of the beam would be lost. Therefore, it is known in the art to correct wavefront aberrations at the receiver of an optical system of this type.
Different systems are known in the art to correct wavefront aberrations in an optical system of the type being described herein. Typically, these types of systems employ a wavefront sensor, such as a Schack-Hartman sensor, that measures the tilt of individual portions of the beam wavefront. A reconstructor is used to generate a surface representative of the phase relationship of the beam wavefront, and a deformable mirror is used to generate a compliment of the surface generated by the reconstructor to provide a corrected beam. The deformable mirror typically includes a plurality of actuators positioned behind the mirror that act to deform the mirror at the desired locations to provide the compliment of the sensed wavefront to correct the phase. This process is performed many times a second depending on the particular application.
In one known system, a wavefront sensor measures the tilt of wavelets within the main optical beam at a plurality of locations across the beam wavefront to determine the tilt or slope of the beam wavefront. The article Fried, David L., xe2x80x9cLeast-square fitting a wave-front distortion estimate to an array of phase-difference measurements,xe2x80x9d J. Opt. Soc. Am., Vol. 67, No. 3, March, 1977, pgs. 370-375, discusses one of the first known techniques for providing tilt measurements of a beam wavefront. In one design, the light is directed through an array of lenslets that focus individual portions of the wavefront in the direction determined by their slope. Algorithms are then employed in a wavefront reconstructor that reconstruct the phase of the wavefront to correct the phase by minimizing the least squares error between the observed phase gradient (tilt) and its computed value.
Another other known technique for providing beam wavefront sensing includes determining intensity measurements of the wavefront using curvature sensors. The article Roddier, Francois, xe2x80x9cCurvature Sensing and Compensation: A New Concept in Adaptive Optics,xe2x80x9d Applied Optics, Vol. 27, No. 7, Apr. 1, 1988, pgs. 1223-1225 provides one of the original discussions on determining curvature measurements of a beam wavefront. To determine the curvature intensity measurements, algorithms are employed to derive the curvature (Laplacian) of the phase of the wavefront directly by differences in ratios of the measured intensities of the wavefront. The phase is then recovered by solving Laplace""s equation with the right hand side equal to the measured curvature.
The various optical systems used to reconstruct a beam wavefront to reduce or eliminate aberrations suffer from a number of drawbacks. For example, the wavefront sensor, beam reconstructor and deformable mirror used in these systems are typically very expensive devices that add significant cost to the overall optical system. Further, because the various actuator devices used to adjust the deformable mirror are limited in size, systems having larger optics typically cannot be accommodated by these wavefront reconstruction systems because of resolution limitations.
What is needed is a beam wavefront reconstruction system for correcting the phase of a beam wavefront that is less expensive than the known systems in the art, and can provide greater resolution. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide such an optical system.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, an optical system for correcting wavefront aberrations of an optical beam is disclosed. In one embodiment, the beam is received by an entrance pupil, where a portion of the beam at the entrance pupil is coupled off of the main beam to be used as a reference beam. The reference beam is taken from a small enough portion of the main beam so that the temporal coherence of the reference beam wavefront is substantially in phase. The reference beam is amplified by a coherent optical amplifier, expanded and collimated. The main beam and the collimated reference beam are applied to a beam splitter that splits the main beam and the collimated reference beam into two separate beam paths, where the main beam and the reference beam traveling along a common path are coupled together. One optical path from the beam splitter is received by a detector array and the other optical path from the beam splitter is sent through a light valve. Those portions of the main beam and the reference beam that are more than 90 degrees out of phase with each other destructively interfere at the detector array. The outputs of the detectors in the array are measured by threshold electronics. The threshold electronics cause the light valve to attenuate the portions of the beam on the other path that represent the destructively interfering portions of the main beam and the reference beam, so those portions do not pass through the light valve. Therefore, only those portions of the main beam that are within 90xc2x0 in phase with the reference beam continue on through the receiver optics.
In an alternate embodiment, the output beam is used as the reference beam in a closed loop manner. Further, in yet another embodiment of the present invention, the coherent optical amplifier is eliminated, and the beam splitter is an unbalanced beam splitter so that the magnitude of the main beam and the reference beam at the detector array is substantially equal.
Additional objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Adaptive optics system using wavefront selection


A digital navigation map is updated by floating car data, wherein vehicles transmit their own position to a traffic control center, the traffic control center and/or at least one vehicle identifies a hazard situation, and an update for the digital navigation maps of the vehicles in the surroundings is initiated and performed.

The rapid increase in vehicle traffic on the roads and the associated queues and travel time extensions are resulting in increased efforts worldwide to identify traffic states and to take them into account for the route selection or for route calculation in navigation systems.
If the geographical coordinates measured using a position-finding method are mapped directly to the coordinate system of a digital map, the true position of the object in the map may differ from the mapped position of the object in the map. The reason is firstly measurement errors in the position-finding method and secondly inaccuracies in the map. Since a navigation system needs to know the true position in the map, the map matching method aligns the measured position with the map information about the position and geometry of objects in the map, so that the most probable position of the object in the map is ascertained.
In vehicle navigation systems, the position of the vehicle is usually measured with the assistance of the satellite position-finding system GPS. The correctness of the measured and actual positions is specified at approximately 15 m in the case of GPS. Similarly, the digital map may have tolerances in the region of meters. For the navigation appliance, it is then necessary to ascertain the position of the vehicle in the digital map so that, by way of example, it is possible to determine a meaningful route calculation from the current location to the destination of travel. Without alignment of the measured position with the map information, the vehicle could find itself outside of the digitalized roads or on the wrong road in the map. Since the position of the vehicle in the digital map is critical for the navigation appliance, the measured position is aligned with the map information such that the most probable location of the vehicle in the map is ascertained for the navigation. In this regard, map matching involves utilizing the knowledge about the movements of the vehicle.
Vehicles are known which send what are known as floating car data (FCD). The system used for this comprises a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver and a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) module. Both modules are already present in many vehicles even without FCD functionality. The GPS receiver measures the position, and the FCD methods use a large amount of these position data to ascertain travel times for the vehicle. The GSM network is used to transmit these travel times as a string of pearls to the traffic data control center. The latter can draw conclusions about the traffic situation from these travel times. In this way, traffic state data are collected for traffic information services.
There are already warnings about queues, for example through TMC, but these are usually not up-to-date enough and there is no information about the position of the end of the queue.
Ends of queues on highways are a major accident blackspot. If, additionally, the end of the queue is difficult to identify or can only be identified very late, the risk of a serious accident is very high. There is therefore a recurrent search for methods of warning the driver about these ends of queues at an early stage.

Personalized updating of digital navigation maps


Since an MIB file present in a network device and having the structure of MIB data is expressed in the ASN1 format, the MIB file is not flexibly modified by a user.

There are systems which totally manage a number of devices (which are referred to as network devices here, and include personal computers, printers, and the like) connected to a network.
If the network device to be managed is a personal computer (abbreviated as PC), data to be managed may include a diversity of data relating to the PC such as data the PC acquired from the network. If the network device to be managed is a printer, the data to be managed is data relating to the printer such as the amount of ink remaining in the printer. Each network device includes a management-information database that stores data to be managed.
The side managing the network device (hereinafter referred to as a management device) accesses the management-information database (an MIB database) on the network device side using network device management software or an MIB (Management Information Base) browser which is one of tools of the software. The management device thus monitors data (MIB data) to be managed and sets data.
A user who manages the network device using the network device management system acquires a management-information database structure definition file (MIB file) described in a standard format called ASN1 from each device manufacturer to know the structure of the management-information database (MIB database), and converts the file into a format unique to the network device management system to use the file.
The MIB database has a tree structure as shown in FIG. 7. The end of the tree stores data unique to the network device, and the location is designated using an address called an object ID. The above-mentioned MIB file expresses the structure of the MIB database.
The specifications of a network device may be modified, resulting in a change in the structure of the MIB data. The device manufacturer managing the MIB data produces a new MIB file, and supplies a user with the new MIB file. Upon obtaining the new MIB file, the user converts it into a format unique to the network device management system to use the MIB file.
In the conventional network device management system, the MIB file described in the ASN1 format is converted into each manufacturer's own format. No compatibility is allowed between the files of different manufacturers. For this reason, a software program, called MIB browser, dedicated for each manufacturer is required to view the MIB database of the network device.
Each time the specifications of the network device is modified, or the MIB data is updated, the user needs to obtain the latest version of the MIB file, and to convert the obtained MIB file into a format unique to the network device management system.
When the latest MIB file is not available, the user needs to edit the MIB file to make an MIB file responsive to the modification.
When the MIB file is edited, a pre-conversion MIB file (the MIB file prior to the conversion into a format unique to the network device management system) or a post-conversion MIB file (the MIB file subsequent to the conversion into the format unique to the network device management system) may be used for editing. The pre-conversion MIB file complies with the ASN1 which is the world's standard. However, the ASN1 format is too complex to briefly edit. The post-conversion MIB file is a file having a manufacturer's own format into which the ASN1 formatted MIB file is converted, and the structure of the converted file is not known and cannot be edited easily, either.
It is an object of the present invention to permit the MIB file to be flexibly modified through the conversion of a management-information database structure definition file (an MIB file) into data in an ordinary format, and to permit a widely available software program to work as a network device management software program using the MIB file.

Network device management method, network device management system, and process program for managing network device

Abstract: A management-information database-structure definition file converter unit 22 converts MIB files 21a, 21b . . . having the MIB data structures of MIB databases 12a, 12b, . . . mounted on the network devices 10a, 10b, . . . into files in a tag-structured format. Specifically, the management-information database-structure definition file converter unit 22 converts MIB files 21a, 21b, . . . into MIB files 23a, 23b . . . in a tag-structured format (XML format). Using the MIB files 23a, 23b, . . . in the XML format, a network device management tool 24 manages the MIB databases 12a, 12b . . . of the respective network devices 10, 10b . . .


A collectible card (10) includes a base (12), an insert (14) and a cover layer (16) that is secured to the base (12). The base (12) includes a base recess (243) that receives the insert (14). The cover layer (16) includes a cover layer aperture (234) through which at least a portion of the insert (14) is exposed. The base recess (243) has a first configuration and the cover layer aperture (234) has a second configuration that is different than the first configuration. In one embodiment, the cover layer aperture (234) has an area that is less than the area of the base recess (243). Further, the insert (14) can be substantially non-planar and can form an insert cavity (246) positioned directly between a portion of the insert (14) and a portion of the base (12).

Sports memorabilia such as collectible trading cards have become increasingly popular in recent years. Unfortunately, these types of trading cards are typically formed from relatively thin, fragile cardstock that is susceptible to damage from a number of factors. As a result of moisture, sun, handling and friction, these cards can become flimsy, bent, torn, smeared or faded. Consequently, the monetary value of these cards often decreases over time, and the inherent value is also impacted due to the degraded appearance of the cards.


A tripod type constant velocity universal joint comprises a tripod member (4) having three radially protruding trunnions (5), each of which rotatably carries a roller (7) with cylindrical rolling elements (6) therebetween. The outer circumferential surface of the trunnion (5) assumes a true spherical surface (m) having its center on the axis of the trunnion (5) or is defined with a combination of true spherical surfaces (m.sub.1) lying at both axial end portions of the trunnion (5) and having its center on the axis of the trunnion and an intermediate curved surface (m.sub.2, m.sub.3) standing between the true spherical surfaces (m.sub.1) and having a radius of curvature larger than those of the true spherical surfaces.

In front-wheel drive vehicles, as a constant velocity universal joint for transmitting torque from a drive shaft to front wheels at a constant velocity, there has been taken a joint of a tripod type as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. In this tripod type, a tripod member 4 has three radially protruding trunnions 11, which carry rollers 13 respectively rotatably fitted through rolling elements 12 over cylindrical outer circumferential surfaces of the trunnions 11, is inserted into an outer member 1 having three cylindrical track grooves 2 formed in an inner surface of and extending axially of the outer member 1. Each of the rollers 13 is accommodated in the corresponding track groove 2 so that it may travel along the track groove 2 rotating about an axis of the trunnion with an outer circumferential surface in engagement with one of a pair of side walls of the track groove 2, which walls provide roller guide surfaces 3 opposing circumferentially of the outer member 1.
In cases where as shown in FIG. 9 the transmission of torque is made in a state that the outer member 1 and the tripod member 4 make a working or operating angle .theta. with respect to each other, each of the rollers 13 and one of the roller guide surfaces 3 of the corresponding track groove 2 come into an obliquely intersecting relation to each other as shown in FIG. 10. In this case, although the roller 13 tends to roll and move in a direction indicated by an arrow a in FIG. 9, because the track groove 2 has a cylindrical configuration parallel to the axial direction of the outer member 1, the roller 13 results in moving while undergoing restriction. Accordingly, the roller 13 slips in relation to the roller guide surface 3 so that the evolution of heat occurs and an axial induced thrust takes place. This induced thrust causes the occurrence of vibration of a vehicle body and the generation of noises, and hence the more reduced induced thrust is desirable.
For a tripod type constant velocity universal joint which is capable of reducing the aforesaid induced thrust to a certain extent, there has been known a two-story construction type comprising a combination of an inner ring and an outer ring as a roller (U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,270). For instance, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, in this type of joint, an inner ring 18 is rotatably fitted through rolling elements 12 over a cylindrical outer circumferential surface of a trunnion 11 of a tripod member 4 while an outer ring 19 is rotatably fitted over an outer circumferential surface of the inner ring 18, thus producing a two-story construction. The inner ring 18 has a true-spherical outer circumferential surface 18a with its center on the axis of the trunnion 11, and a cylindrical inner circumferential surface 19a of the outer ring 19 is rotatably fitted over the true-spherical outer circumferential surface 18a. The outer ring 19 is accommodated in the track groove 2 of the outer member 1 so that it may travel in the axial direction of the outer member 1 rolling on a roller guide surface 3 of the track groove 2. In the case that the transmission of torque is made in a state where the outer member 1 and the tripod member 4 make a working angle as shown in FIG. 12, the inner ring 18 is inclined with respect to the outer ring 19, where the inner ring 18 relatively shifts downwardly in FIG. 12 in relation to the cylindrical inner circumferential surface 19a of the outer ring 19. Owing to the occurrence of the relative movement between the inner and outer rings 18, 19, the outer ring 19 is guided along roller guide surfaces 3 of the outer member 1 while maintaining a position parallel to the axial direction of the outer member 1, with the result that it correctly rolls on the roller guide surface 3 with less sliding friction. Thus, the sliding resistance is reducible to suppress the generation of the induced thrust.
In addition, as another tripod type constant velocity universal joint which can reduce, though to a certain extent only, the aforesaid induced thrust, there has been known a type in which a roller is pivotably supported with an outer circumferential surface of a trunnion of a tripod member (U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,706). As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, this joint features that an outer circumferential surface 22 of a trunnion 21 of a tripod member 4 assumes a curved surface with a gentle curvature. In this case, a cylindrical inner circumferential surface of a roller 24 is pivotably fitted through rolling elements 23 over the outer circumferential surface 22 of the trunnion 21 having the gentle curvature. The roller 24 is accommodated in a track groove 2 of an outer member 1 so that it may travel along the track groove 2. Also in the joint as shown in FIG. 13, when the transmission of torque is made in a state where the outer member 1 and the tripod member 4 make a working angle .theta. as shown in FIG. 14, the cylindrical inner circumferential surface of the roller 24 gets into inclination to the outer circumferential surface 22 of the trunnion 21 and the roller 24 more or less pivots relative to the trunnion 21, which allows the roller 24 to be guided by roller guide surfaces on both sides of the track groove 2 of the outer member 1 to be somewhat in parallel to the axis of the outer member 1. Thus, the roller 24 rolls on the roller guide surface 3 in the axial direction of the outer member 1 so that the sliding resistance of the roller 24 is reducible to lessen the induced thrust.
In the joint with a two-story roller construction as shown in FIG. 11, there has been known the fact that it is possible to stably produce the induced thrust reduction effect when operating in a state with making the working angle. However, this is disadvantageous in that, because the roller is constructed with a combination of an inner ring and an outer ring, in addition to the number of parts for the roller section the number of assembling steps increases to cause the rise of its manufacturing cost. In the case of the FIG. 13 joint, the roller has a simple (one-story) construction as well as the basic structure shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, so that the rise of the manufacturing cost is avoidable. On the other hand, in this joint, even if the outer member 1 and the tripod member 4 make the working angle .theta. as shown in FIG. 14, it is necessary that, to permit the roller 24 to always maintain the position parallel to the track groove 2, a desirable radial gap g (not shown in the illustration) be defined between the outer circumferential surface 22 of the trunnion 21 and the rolling elements 23. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 15A the radius of curvature (approximate value) in the central portion of the gentle curvature outer circumferential surface 22 of the trunnion 21 is taken to be R and its outer diameter is taken as 2r. When the trunnion 21 is inclined by a working angle .theta. as shown in FIG. 15B, the outer circumferential surface 22 comes into contact with the rolling elements 23 at the portions C, C' where it meets with a chain line b and a chain line c. Since these two portions C, C' stand on the radius [R-(R--r)cos .theta.] larger than the radius r of the central portion, in order to permit the trunnion 21 to smoothly tilt with respect to the roller 24, it is required that as the angle allowing for the tilting therebetween the radial gap g be set to a given value to satisfy g=2{[R-(R-r)cos .theta.]-r}=2(R-r) (1-cos .theta.). In this case, since the radial gap g is proportional to the looseness of the universal joint in its circumferential direction, it is desirable to decrease it to the utmost. Accordingly, in the FIG. 13 joint, difficulty is experienced to maintain the roller 24 to take a position parallel to the track groove 2 at all the required values of working angle .theta. unless the looseness is allowed to increase.

Tripod type constant velocity universal joint


Oscillator devices and methods of operating such oscillator devices are disclosed. The oscillator devices include a current source, and an oscillation module to provide a clock signal. The frequency of the clock signal depends on the relationship between a threshold voltage of a transistor at the oscillation module and the current level provided by the current source. The transistor at the oscillation module is matched to a transistor at the current source so that the frequency of the clock signal is relatively insensitive to changes in device temperature.

Semiconductor devices are known to use oscillators to generate clock signals to control operation of these devices. In order for device using oscillator circuits to function properly, it is generally desirable that the frequency of the oscillator circuit's clock signal remain within specified tolerances over extended temperature changes. However, the ability to compensate for expected temperature changes is more difficult at low voltages such as voltages desirable during various low power modes of operation. Accordingly, an improved oscillator and methods of operating at low voltages would be advantageous.


A support has a post. The post has a circular cross sectional configuration. The post extends upwardly from the support. An arm has a collar. The collar is rotatably received on the post. The collar is pivotably coupled to the collar with a finger. The finger has a vertical aperture there through. A wheel assembly has a drive wheel centrally and a cutting wheel. The cutting wheel is outboardly and has a diameter greater than the diameter of the drive wheel. The wheel assembly has a clevis. The clevis is inboardly and has vertical aperture and a pin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle mounted edging wheel system and more particularly pertains to edging grass and soil adjacent to roadways and curbs in a safe and convenient manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of lawn edgers of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, lawn edgers of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of edging grass through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,200 issued Sep. 6, 1977 to Mullet relates to a lawn edger attachment. U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,267 issued Mar. 9, 1982 to Green relates to a grass edging device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,598 issued Oct. 16, 1990 to Woodhiser relates to apparatus for mounting implements on vehicles. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,580 issued Jun. 5, 1990 to Fuss relates to a vehicle mounted lawn edger.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe vehicle mounted edging wheel system that allows edging grass and soil adjacent to roadways and curbs in a safe and convenient manner.
In this respect, the vehicle mounted edging wheel system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of edging grass and soil adjacent to roadways and curbs in a safe and convenient manner.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved vehicle mounted edging wheel system which can be used for edging grass and soil adjacent to roadways and curbs in a safe and convenient manner. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A fundus camera includes a light source for observation, and an illiminating optical system having a predetermined illiminating optical axis. The light source for observation illiminates a fundus of an eye via the illiminating optical system. The camera further includes an observation optical system disposed so as to be able to observe the fundus illiminated by the light source for observation, a photographing light source for illiminating the fundus during a photographing operation and disposed on the illiminating optical axis of the illiminating optical system, a photographing system for photographing the fundus illuminated by the photographing light source, and a reflecting member disposed between the light source for observation and the photographing light source on the illuminating optical axis so as to reflect light from the photographing light source in the direction of the fundus during illumination by the photographing light source. The reflecting member is retractable from the illuminating optical axis.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fundus camera which includes an illuminating means comprising a reflecting member.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional fundus camera in which a light source for observation and a photographing light source are disposed on the same optical axis, an observation operation or a photographing operation is performed by illuminating the pupil of an eye whose area is restricted with illuminating light, and separating light reflected by the fundus of the eye.
In the above-described conventional approach, however, in order to obtain sufficiently-intense light reflected by the fundus, the incident light must have a high intensity. Therefore, it is necessary to use a high-power power supply for increasing the brightness of a light source, and a light source which can withstand high brightness. Hence, the size of the power supply increases, and the production cost also increases. In addition, a particular expensive material must be used for a light source which can be lit at high brightness, and the life of the light source is shortened.


A computerized perimeter is utilized to examine the field of vision of a subject's eye while the eye is located at or at least close to a predetermined position in which the optical axis of the eye is maintained in or at least close to a predetermined orientation. The eye is presented with a sequence of stimuli which issue from a radiation source and are transmitted, as a rule only once, to each of a plurality of computer-selected locations in the area of the optical of the eye at the predetermined position. The value (the intensity and/or the size) of each stimulus is increased until the eye discerns the presented stimulus and the subject reacts as a result of discernment of the presented stimulus. Subjective and/or objective signals are generated by the subject in response to detection of stimuli, i.e., each such signal can be said to denote that value of a stimulus which is sufficiently high to ensure discernment of the stimulus by the eye. Such signals are transmitted to the computer and the computer utilizes the signals to terminate the presentation of a stimulus in response to reception of the corresponding signal.

The invention relates to improvements in methods of and apparatus for testing visual functions of human eyes, and more particularly to improvements in methods of and apparatus which employ perimeters.
Perimetric examination of a subject's eye involves the determination of sharpness of visual perception on the retina. To this end, and as disclosed in the patent to Billeter et al., the eye to be examined is maintained in a predetermined position and the permeter presents to the eye a plurality of stimuli at a plurality of selected locations in the area of the optical axis of the eye to be examined. The various locations can constitute a raster in a plane which is normal to the optical axis of the eye. The perimeter presents to the eye stimuli of predetermined value (intensity), and the patient acknowledges the detection or discernment of a stimulus by actuating a knob or a like device. The test is thereupon repeated with a sequence of stimuli having different values; such stimuli can be presented to the eye at each of the predetermined locations which were selected for the first test or at a selected number of such predetermined locations. The second test is followed by a third test which presents to the eye stimuli having a third value, and so forth. The testing operation is terminated when the perimeter or the person in charge ascertains (either empirically or by calculation) a series of threshold values of stimuli which are discerned by the eye of the subject at the selected locations in the aforementioned plane that crosses the optical axis of the eye.
A drawback of the aforedescribed conventional methods and apparatus is that the completion of each test takes up a substantial amount of time. Moreover, the examination is tiresome to the subject because the subject must cause the initiation of each and every signal to indicate whether or not a stimulus of a particular value has been perceived by the eye under test. The reliability of a subject's reaction decreases as the testing operation proceeds so that the final results of the examination are often misleading.
In order to shorten successive tests or stages of a complete examination and to thus enhance the accuracy of the examination, it is already known to correct previously gathered and stored information pertaining to the perception of stimuli at some or all of the aforediscussed locations in the area of the optical axis of the eye which is being tested. The correction involves modifying the previously obtained threshold values in dependency on the more recently ascertained threshold values and storing the thus modified threshold values of stimuli for utilization in the course of a later examination of the same eye. Such examination at a later time can include presenting to the eye stimuli of a value corresponding to the previously ascertained and stored threshold values for some or all of the locations. It has been found that such improved method also exhibits a number of drawbacks, particularly as concerns the duration of an examination. Thus, it is still necessary to present a plurality of stimuli having different values at least to a plurality of different locations in the area of the optical axis of the eye which is being tested. The new threshold value for each test location must be ascertained by bracketing in a number of successive stages comprising visible and invisible stimuli which prolongs the examination and is tiresome to the subject in addition to adversely influencing the accuracy of the tests. The just outlined method involves applying to each of several different portions of the retina a plurality of stimuli in order to ascertain a stimulus just below the limit of perception and a stimulus just above such limit. These stimuli are thereupon averaged to ascertain the median value or another mathematical function of the two stimuli. Such procedure is called bracketing the sought-after average value of stimuli for a particular part of the retina, i.e., bracketing renders is possible to ascertain, in accordance with heretofore known methods, a series of stimuli--each for a different part of the retina--each of which is somewhere between a still imperceptible stimulus and a barely perceptible stimulus.

Method of and apparatus for testing visual functions of human eyes