A retrieval device is connected to a racquet and is structured to allow a user to pick a ball up off of the ground without having to bend down to do the same. The retrieval device includes an elongated retrieval member having a stationary section connected to the racquet via an attachment assembly, and a movable section which is disposed in cooperative engagement with a guide assembly, at least a portion of the guide assembly also being connected to the racquet via the attachment assembly. The movable section of the elongated retrieval member is disposable between a storage configuration and a retrieval configuration. More in particular, the storage configuration is at least partially defined by the movable section substantially conforming to a corresponding portion of the head of the racquet, and the retrieval configuration is at least partially defined by the movable section being disposed in a retrieving relation to the ball.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is direct towards a retrieval device structured to be mounted to an extension apparatus to permit a user to pick up an object with little or no bending. In one embodiment, the retrieval device is mounted to the head of a tennis racquet, and is utilized to allow a player to retrieve a tennis ball from the ground without bending down to do the same. Additionally, the retrieval device of the present invention allows a player to pick up a tennis ball and to release the ball for service with one hand.
2. Description of the Related Art
As people live longer, many find they have more time for leisure and turn to athletic activities that may, at times, be somewhat difficult due to advancing age. Among these activities are various sports including some type of ball and a racquet, such as tennis, racquetball, squash, just to name a few. A common element of these sports is the fact that when a player misses an intended shot, the ball ends up on the ground and must be picked up to be placed back into play. Throughout the course of a match, or even a single game, the repeated bending to retrieve the ball may create such additional physical stress on the player that their enjoyment of the sport is significantly diminished, perhaps to the point where the player abandons the sport altogether. This repetitive bending may also be prohibitive to person's having physical limitations for other reasons, such as loss of a limb or limited mobility, that otherwise may be able to enjoy these athletic activities.
To address this problem, several devices have been developed in attempts to assist a player in picking up a ball without bending. One such device utilizes a used tennis ball, which has a lower quadrant removed and a plurality of vertical slits from the open end to above the midline to form a plurality of gripping fingers. The used tennis ball is attached to the end of the handle of a tennis racquet via a mounting unit which is threadedly connected to the handle. The device is placed overtop of a tennis ball which is on the ground, and as pressure is applied, the gripping fingers expand over the tennis ball and are supposed to retain the tennis ball in place so that it may be picked up off of the ground.
While this device may allow a user to pick up a tennis ball from the ground, it has several inherent disadvantages. To begin, the handle of a modern tennis racquet typically comprises a hollow configuration having the open end covered by a thin plastic cap or endpiece. As such, it is questionable whether the above device can be securely attached to the handle in the proposed manner, and even if the device can be secured, the racquet, at least the cap or endpiece, will be irreparably damaged in the process. In addition, the above device is bulky and impacts the weight and balance of the racquet, which are precise design elements of a modern tennis racquet, thereby affecting the performance of the racquet. Also, this device is positioned on the racquet such that it physically interferes with the player during use, and is aesthetically unappealing. Furthermore, such a device will need to be removed to store the racquet in a standard case, however, repeated removal and reinstallation of such a device will only serve to exacerbate the problem with regard to securing the device and damage to the racquet. Another disadvantage of such a handle mounted device is that the player must release their grip of the racquet, grasp it by the head portion, pick up the ball, and then readjust their grip on the racquet to resume play.
Another device, also structured to be attached to the handle of a racquet, comprises a plurality of flexible petals positioned around a ball receiving recess. The petals include nap catching pins which project into the recess. When this device is forced over a tennis ball, the petals expand outwardly allowing the ball into the recess, and the nap catching pins are elastically forced into the nap of the ball to hold it in the recess so it may be lifted off the ground. Aside from the problems of a handle mounted device, as noted above, the nap catching pins add the further disadvantage of damaging the tennis ball by repeatedly picking up the ball by the nap.
Several other devices have been developed which encompass various arrangements of flexible arms or pins to pick up a tennis ball, all of which suffer the disadvantages of such handle mounted devices, as noted above. Several other devices have been developed which comprise some variation of a hook and loop type of fastener attached to the handle of a racquet to grip the ball to be picked up, some of these device being structured to be lightweight and unobtrusive so as to overcome at least some of the foregoing disadvantages of such handle mounted devices, however, each of these devices still result in damage to the ball by repeatedly lifting the ball by the nap.
Thus, it would be beneficial to provide an improved retrieval device to be mounted to a racquet having negligible impact on the weight and balance of the racquet, thereby maintaining its design performance characteristics. Additionally, it would be helpful for such an improved retrieval device to be structured to be mounted to a racquet in a physically and aesthetically unobtrusive manner. A further advantage may be realized from such an improved retrieval device by providing a device which may be attached and detached to a racquet without damage thereto. Also, it would be preferable for such an improved retrieval device to permit a ball to be picked up without damaging the ball in the process. Any such improved retrieval device should further be structured so as to permit a racquet to be stored in a standard storage case without detaching the device from the racquet. Another beneficial feature for such an improved retrieval device would be to permit the device to be operated by a player without requiring the player to release their grip on the handle of the racquet.


A projectile dispenser apparatus used as a novelty device to aim and rapidly dispense multiple pieces of materials such as currency at a target under the exclusive actuation and control of the user.

Apparatus for dispensing materials from rolls in controlled fashion are known. For example, desktop adhesive tape dispensers provide a means for extending a piece of tape from a roll to the desired length and then severing the piece of tape so removed. Automatic teller machines (ATM) and similar apparatus have been developed to measure and dispense currency of particular denominations. The customer seeking to withdraw from an ATM controls the amount of currency to be dispensed based on their selection of a specific withdrawal amount, but this type of dispensing action is not within the user's control. These technologies do not contemplate or address the need for a hand-held dispensing apparatus for dispersing stacked currency bills or similarly shaped planar materials in a rapid-dispensing process which can be accomplished by pointing the apparatus at a desired target and actuating a dispensing mechanism.


Disclosed is a method for establishing a communication session. The method includes: establishing a chat session between a first terminal device and a second terminal device, determining if both the first terminal device and the second terminal device support a specific communication technology, forwarding an invitation to initiate communication over the specific communication technology, in response to a detection that the invitation is accepted requesting from a communication server an initiation of a communication channel implemented with the specific communication technology, and in response to an establishment of the communication channel implemented with the specific communication technology establishing the communication session for communicating at least over the specific communication technology. Also disclosed is a chat server, a computer program product and a system.

Today there exists a wide range of communication solutions suitable for different purposes. Commonly known ways of communicating are messaging, chatting, voice communication and video conference just to name few. There also exist solutions which are suitable for combining a plurality of the above listed ways of communicating. For example, an application may provide a way to establish a video conference session where live video and voice are carried, but which also enables chatting concurrently to the video conference session.
Further, a trend of digitalization has taken many services provided by companies, as well as their introduction, to Internet. This means that a person may access the information through a web page of the company or the service in question. Many times the persons accessing the web page may need a real-time service even so that they remain unknown to the service provider, i.e. the company. For this kind of communication many web pages today offer a possibility to communicate with a company representative with a chat application. The web page in question may pop-up a chat window in response to the access to the web page or the person accessing the web page may activate a chat session by indicating it through e.g. an icon on the web page. The chat application offers a possibility to communicate in writing with the company representative without revealing an identity of the person.
However, a drawback of the chat applications is that some matters may be difficult to handle with the messaging through the chat session, and more sophisticated communication, such as a voice call or a video conferencing session may be needed. On the other hand, the persons requesting service through the chat session may be willing to remain unknown to the company also in a situation when the more sophisticated service session is to be established.


A pet washing assembly for includes a housing having a bottom wall, a top wall, a first lateral wall, a second lateral wall, a back wall and a front wall. The front wall has a door therein for selectively positioning a dog into an interior of the housing. The door has an aperture extending therethrough that adapted for receiving a head of the dog. A water inlet tube extends through the back wall. A plurality of supply tubes is positioned within the housing and each is fluidly coupled to the inlet tube. A plurality of nozzles is mounted with the housing. Each of the nozzles is fluidly coupled to one of the supply tubes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pet washing devices and more particularly pertains to a new pet washing device for containing a pet so that it may be sprayed with water and cleaned.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of pet washing devices is known in the prior art. While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a device that includes elongated nozzles for ensuring that the pet is substantially covered with water as well as openings which may be used to reach into the device so that shampoo and the like may be easily applied to the pet.


A toy vehicle playset includes a trackway having a vehicle launcher coupled to a looped track portion and a dual tank unit positioned within the travel path of the toy vehicle through the trackway. The trackway further includes an exit ramp on the opposite side of the dual tank unit from the track loop which is coupled to a toy vehicle catcher and a display area. The dual tank unit includes a pair of tank portions separated by an intervening wall. The dual tank unit is supported within the trackway travel path such that either tank portion is alternatively positionable within the travel path of the toy vehicle. The playset further includes a multiply articulated robot arm supporting one or more thermally conductive tools or stamps which are immersible within the proximate one of the dual water tanks and appliable to the surface of the toy vehicle when resting in the toy vehicle catcher. The toy vehicle when launched down the trackway traverses the track loop and passes through the aligned one of the tank portions of the dual tank unit to receive a hot or cold water bath. The toy vehicle is at least partially covered with a thermochromic paint or coating and undergoes a thermochromic appearance change in the bath. Ideally, each of the tank portions is filled with a different temperature water supply.

Toy vehicle playsets have proven to ben an extremely enduring and popular category of toys for a great many years. Not surprisingly, this long lasting and extensive popularity has given rise to a virtually endless variety of toy vehicle playsets. Thus, such playsets have been provided which use simple track structures and equally simple hand-rolled toy vehicles as well as more complex track structures utilizing toy vehicles which are powered or launched through the track playset. For example, a variety of toy vehicle playsets utilize a track having an elevated launching portion employing gravity and its effect upon the toy vehicle to provide a launching energy to traverse the track set. Other toy vehicle playsets have used spring-loaded or spring-powered launchers to provide the initial energy required to drive the toy vehicle through the track set. Still other toy vehicle playsets have utilized vehicles which themselves are powered using devices such as inertial drive motors, spring-driven wind-up motors, or electrical motors having battery or other electrical power sources. The variation has included a substantial divergence of the track structures themselves. The simpler track structures utilize a simple oval racetrack while others employ more complex apparatus such as inverting loop segments or jump and landing ramp segments which hurtle the toy vehicles through the air across an intervening gap.
Just as the track playsets have been subject to variation, the toy vehicles themselves have been similarly varied and diverse. Such toy vehicles are often realistic, bright colored and finely detailed. Others are less detailed, more fanciful and cartoon-like in character. Still other toy vehicles used in such playsets are configurable in alternative element arrangements to vary their appearance. One of the more interesting toy vehicle variations produced through the years employs so-called thermochromic material which forms paint or coating upon the toy vehicles and which provides a change in color in response to temperature changes. Such toy vehicles often referred to "color-change" toy vehicles have provided an interesting and amusing variation for toy designers to utilize in their endless task of providing amusing and entertaining as well as novel toy playsets.
Thus, practitioners continue to respond to the popularity of such toy vehicle playsets to improve the amusement, entertainment and novelty thereof.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,716 issued to Hippely, et al. sets forth a TOY APPARATUS INCLUDING ROBOTIC ARM in which a robotic arm for handling toy vehicles advanced along a path past a plurality of stations including a pickup station, an immersion station and an exit station is provided. The robotic arm module has gripper members actuatable for picking up the toy vehicle at the pickup station then dipping the toy vehicle into a liquid and thereafter depositing the toy vehicle at an exit station.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,403 issued to Flatau sets forth a COUNTERBALANCE ROBOT ARM having a main arm formed of two parallel sections, the ends of which are pivotally connected to the forearm and drive arm to maintain a parallel relationship therebetween. A medial portion of one main arm section is pivotally mounted on a turnable pedestal. A drive motor and drive system mounted on the drive arm are connected to the other main section for moving the drive arm relative to the main arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,363 issued to Udagawa sets forth a TRACK TOY having a spiral track member mounted with respect to a larger toy robot. Gears mounted on the larger toy robot are driven by a battery powered motor within the robot. Several smaller robots placed in the lower end of the track are periodically conveyed to the upper end of the track using the gears.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,061 issued to Sano sets forth a TOY CRANE having a base supporting an upwardly extending tower and a boom mounted on the top portion of the tower in a rotatable attachment. A carriage mounted on the boom is movable to raise and lower a grappling member.
U.S. Pat. Des. 204,770 issued to Pfister sets forth a TOY CRANE having a generally cylindrical base member supporting a horizontally extending telescopic boom having a cable extending downwardly therefrom supporting a crane hook.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,624 issued to Ogawa sets forth a CONTROL TOWER AND TRACK TOY ASSEMBLY having individual track segments coupled to a three-part control tower. The control tower base incorporates a power transmission assembly capable of deriving power from a vehicle when it is restrained on the base member. An endless conveyor belt may be driven by the power transmission assembly in either a vertical or horizontal mode of operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,576 issued to Matsumoto, et al. sets forth a SPIN TOWER STATION FOR USE WITH TOY VEHICLE AND TRACKWAY having a track network connecting a plurality of stations each having its own amusement function. The spin tower receives a vehicle at a station entry port and simultaneously moves it translationally and rotationally to a station exit port positioned below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,149 issued to Iwao sets forth a TRANSFER MECHANISM UTILIZING A PIVOTABLE HOLDING MEMBER having a toy trackway supporting a plurality of track segments and having a movable crane member replicating a giraffe which receives and moves various toy elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,955 issued to Chuan sets forth a TOY HAVING SLIDING RAIL having a tower member supporting a curved sliding rail. A center tower is coupled to a gear train and drive shaft within the tower base and includes a rotatable boom supporting a toy helicopter which rotates about the tower under the gear drive train movement.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have provided improvement in the art and in some instances enjoyed commerical success, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for evermore improved interesting and amusing toy vehicle playset accessories and products.

Thermochromic toy vehicle playset having robot arm detailer


The present invention relates to stable pharmaceutical protein formulations that are stabilized using peptide stabilizers selected from the group consisting of Gly-Gly, Gly-Gly-Gly, Gly-Tyr, Gly-Phe, Gly-His, Gly-Asp, Gly-Ala, Ala-Gly, Ala-Ala, derivatives thereof and mixtures thereof. Furthermore, the present invention relates to stable pharmaceutical formulations comprising erythropoietin and peptide stabilizers selected from dipeptides, tripeptides, tetrapeptides, pentapeptides, and mixtures thereof. In addition to peptide stabilizers, the formulations may contain surfactants.

With the development of genetic recombination technology, a number of proteins have become available for therapeutic use. By way of example, proteins that are currently used to treat diseases include erythropoietin, Factor VIII, Factor IX, hemoglobin, insulin, interferons alpha, beta, and gamma, vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin 2, and many others. However, proteins can lose biological activity as a result of physical instabilities (e.g., denaturation, formation of aggregates, etc.) and chemical instabilities, such as hydrolysis, oxidation, and deamidation. Stability of proteins is further influenced by factors such as pH, temperature, tonicity, and number of freeze-thaw cycles.
To ensure stability, therapeutic protein formulations are generally supplied either as a lyophilized protein to be dissolved just before use in a separately packaged water-soluble diluent, or as a protein solution containing additives for improving stability. For example, additives such as free amino acids (e.g., leucine, tryptophan, serine, arginine and histidine) useful in formulating protein solutions have been proposed in patents such as, e.g., AU 722300; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,691,312; 6,120,761. Some protein formulations currently available on the market contain a protein as a stabilizer. For example, human serum albumin or purified gelatin are used to suppress chemical and physical changes in protein solutions. However, the addition of these proteins involves a complicated process for removing viral contamination. Lyophilization is another method used to ensure stability; however, this process increases manufacturing costs, and involves an increased risk of improper administration, as the lyophilized protein needs to be dissolved just prior to the use. U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,482 discloses a pharmaceutical solution of a human growth hormone (hGH) that is stabilized with the peptide Leu-His-Leu.
One of the proteins widely used as a therapeutic agent is erythropoietin. Erythropoietin is a 34–39 kDa glycoprotein hormone that stimulates the formation of red blood cells. It is produced in the kidney, and once produced, it circulates to the bone marrow where it stimulates the conversion of primitive precursor cells into proerythroblasts which subsequently mature into red blood cells. In the normal healthy state, erythropoietin is present in very low concentrations in plasma, i.e., about 0.01 to 0.03 U/ml, but when hypoxia occurs, i.e., the level of oxygen in transport is reduced, the kidney produces more erythropoietin. Hypoxia can be the result of e.g., the loss of large amounts of blood, destruction of red blood cells by radiation, or exposure to high altitudes. In addition, various forms of anemia cause hypoxia since red blood cells are responsible for oxygen transport in the body. In the normal state, an increased level of erythropoietin stimulates the production of new red blood cells thereby raising the level of oxygen and reducing or eliminating the hypoxic condition.
In contrast to this correction of hypoxia which occurs normally, patients with chronic renal failure ("CRF") have limited or no production of erythropoietin, and consequently, do not produce sufficient red blood cells. As the normal life span for red blood cells is about 120 days, such patients become increasing anemic with time. Prior to the development of recombinant erythropoietin, patients with chronic renal failure often had to undergo regular blood transfusions to maintain a minimum level of red blood cells.
There are several forms of erythropoietin currently used to treat patients—erythropoietin alpha, beta, omega, and delta. Erythropoietin omega is a recombinant protein expressed from the Apal fragment of human genomic erythropoietin DNA transformed into baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells. Erythropoietin omega and its expression are described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,679. Furthermore, the structure and composition of carbohydrate residues in EPO omega has been described, e.g., in Nimtz et al., (Eur. J. Biochem., 213:39, 1993) and Tsuda et al., (Eur. J. Biochem., 188:405, 1990). EPO omega has an average molecular weight of about 35 kDa and is comprised of multiple isoforms (e.g., by isoelectric focusing, about 6–8 isoforms in broad cut fractions and 6 isoforms in peak fractions)), which is indicative of differing types and amounts of glycosylation, and in particular, different amounts of sialylation. EPO omega has an O-linked oligosaccharide content of less than 1 mole per mole of glycoprotein and has three N-glycosylation sites at amino acid residues Asn-24, Asn-38, and Asn-83 and an O-glycosylation site at amino acid residue Ser-126. Furthermore, unlike urinary human erythropoietin or erythropoietin alpha or beta, EPO omega retains substantially all of its in vivo biological activity even after being subjected to conditions that lead to substantial, if not complete N-deglycosylation, as reported in Sytkowski et al. (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 176(2):698–704, 1991).
Although commercially available EPO formulations are generally well tolerated and stable, under extreme conditions, such formulations may be unstable and undergo activity losses. These activity losses can be attributed to a destruction of the EPO by catalytic effects of the surface of the ampule used for storage due to traces of heavy metals, atmospheric oxygen and the like, and also, to a deposition of EPO molecules on the vessel wall, a partial denaturing thereof possibly also taking place. Considering the fact that only a few micrograms are present in each dosage unit, the losses due to adsorption can be considerable, even after a short storage time. Furthermore, activity losses may be accelerated by external factors such as heat and light, or in formulations that are free of human blood products such as albumin, or in multi-dose formulations which contain preservatives such as benzyl alcohol.
Accordingly, pharmaceutical protein formulations, which exhibit improved stability without the need to lyophilize a desired protein or use human proteins as stabilizers are desirable.

Stabilization of pharmaceutical protein formulations with small peptides


A system and method is disclosed for dynamically allocating bandwidth among devices connected to a short-range radio communication link, wherein the link possesses a maximum allowable bandwidth (Max) for all connection. As devices request connection to the link, each device transmits a CoD device class, and a bandwidth requirement for each device, wherein a weighted value is derived therefrom. The invention proceeds according to protocol by comparing the bandwidth of a requesting device to the Max value of the link. If the bandwidth requirement<Max, then the connection is allowed. As additional devices request connection, the bandwidth requirement values are added together and are compared to the Max value. If the sum<Max, then each device is allocated it's a specific value of bandwidth, along with additional bandwidth that is derived from et weighted value. If the sum>Max, the requesting connection is denied.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention disclosed broadly relates to ubiquitous computing and more particularly relates to improvements in short range RF technology.
2. Background Art
Bluetooth is a short-range radio network, originally intended as a cable replacement. It can be used to create ad hoc networks of up to eight devices operating together. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group, Specification Of The Bluetooth System, Volumes 1 and 2, Core and Profiles: Version 1.1, Feb. 22, 2001, describes the principles of Bluetooth device operation and communication protocols. The devices operate in the 2.4 GHz radio band reserved for general use by Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) applications. Bluetooth devices are designed to find other Bluetooth devices within their ten-meter radio communications range and to discover what services they offer.
A connection between two Bluetooth devices is initiated by an inquiring device sending out an inquiry message searching for other devices or access points in its vicinity. Any other Bluetooth device or access point that is listening by means of conducting an inquiry scan, will recognize the inquiry message and respond. The inquiry response is a frequency hop synchronization (FHS) packet containing all of the information required by the inquiring device to address the responding device. This information includes clock value of the sender (i.e., the responding device), the sender's correct device access code, and the class-of-device (CoD) field. The access code includes the lower address part (LAP) and the upper address part (UAP) of the sender's Bluetooth Device Address (BD_ADDR), a unique, 48-bit IEEE address that is electronically engraved into each Bluetooth device.
The class-of-device (CoD) field of the FHS packet indicates which device class the sender belongs to, such as printer access point, network access point, PDA, cellular telephone, and the like. The class-of-device (CoD) field is a 24 bit field divided into three subfields and a two-bit format field. The high order eleven bit subfield is reserved for indicating general service classes such as information, telephony, audio, object transfer, capturing, rendering, networking, and positioning. The middle five bit subfield comprises the major device class, which can indicate up to 32 different device types. The low order six bit subfield consists is the minor device class, which can indicate up to 64 different variations of each device type. The lowest order two bits are the format field for identifying the format type of the CoD field.
The inquiring device will become the master and the responding device will become the slave in the eventual piconet, if a connection is established. To establish a connection, the inquiring device must enter the page state. The inquiring/paging device uses the information provided in the inquiry response packet, to prepare and send a paging message to the responding device. The inquiring/paging device uses the estimated clock CLK and access code of the responding device (i.e., the eventual slave device) to temporarily synchronize with it. Since the inquiring/paging device intends to be the master, it includes an assignment of an active member address (AM_ADDR) in the paging message. The paging message sent by the inquiring/paging device is also a frequency hop synchronization (FHS) packet containing all of the information required by the responding device to directly reply to the inquiring/paging device. This information includes clock value of the sender (i.e., the inquiring/paging device) and the inquiring/paging device's correct device access code. The responding device must be in the page scan state to allow the inquiring/paging device to connect with it. Once in the page scan state, the responding device will receive the paging packet that provides the clock timing and access code of the inquiring/paging device. The responding device responds with a page acknowledgment packet. This enables the two devices to form a connection and both devices transition into the connection state. The inquiring/paging device that has initiated the connection assumes the role of a master device and the responding device assumes the role of a slave device in a new ad hoc network piconet, using the CLK clock timing and access code of the master device.
Each piconet has one master device and up to seven active slave devices. All communication is directed between the master device and each respective slave device. The master initiates an exchange of data and the slave responds to the master. When two slave devices are to communicate with each other, they must do so through the master device. The master device maintains the piconet's network clock and controls when each slave device can communicate with the master device. Members of the ad hoc network piconet join and leave as they move into and out of the range of the master device. Piconets support distributed activities, such as multi-user gateways to the Internet or to a content server, wherein one device serves as the access point and is connected to an infrastructure network or content server. A user's device that joins a multi-user gateway piconet, does so to enable its user to access the infrastructure network or content server.
Bluetooth access points can deliver approximately 1 Mbps of bandwidth per each Bluetooth module to its client devices. In order to guarantee at least some portion of the bandwidth for each client, some intelligent bandwidth allocation method is required to allow each client device to reserve usable amounts of bandwidth. By preventing connection stalling, bandwidth "exhaustion" is avoided, and more efficient bandwidth allocation is provided.

Dynamic bandwidth allocation for bluetooth access point connections


A collapsible enclosure is appended to a vehicle, such as a cargo type trailer, for example, for the purpose of providing living space in association with the vehicle. The vehicle includes a ramp that offers ingress to and egress from the interior of the vehicle through an access opening in the body of the vehicle for loading and unloading the vehicle, and the collapsible enclosure is appended to the vehicle at the access door opening and the ramp. Access to the interior of the collapsible enclosure can be had from the interior of the vehicle through the access opening. The size of the collapsible enclosure is adjustable so that the enclosure may be used with vehicles having ramps and access openings of different sizes. The ramp, which can be supported in a position substantially parallel to the surface on which the vehicle rests, serves as the floor of the additional living space that is created within the collapsible enclosure.

This invention generally concerns collapsible enclosures that can be appended to vehicles to provide additional living space and, in particular, the invention relates to collapsible enclosures that can be appended to a vehicle and that use, as a floor, a ramp that is adapted to provides egress from and ingress to the interior of the vehicle.
Vehicles of various types can be constructed so that living space can be created in association with the vehicle when the vehicle is at rest. In some cases the living space is created by expanding the living space that is already available in the vehicle. The living space can be created in a number of ways. In certain instances, for example, the living space is created by raising a collapsible structure that is appended to the vehicle.
Additionally, certain over-the-road vehicles are provided with ramps for the loading and unloading of equipment and the like and other smaller vehicles, such as motor bikes and off-road vehicles. Whether these over-the-road vehicles comprise recreational vehicles, for example, or vehicles designed specifically to carry cargo of one type or another, an area within the vehicle is provided where the equipment and the like, and the other smaller vehicles, can be stored. An access door or opening is provided in the body of the over-the-road vehicle through which the equipment or other smaller vehicles can be removed from and returned to the vehicle. In order to facilitate the loading and unloading of the equipment and smaller vehicles, a ramp can be provided between the access door or opening in the body of the vehicle and the surface on which the vehicle rests. Typically, the access door is located at the rear of the vehicle, although in some instances the access door can be located at the sides or front of the vehicle.


A saddle-type vehicle that securely supports a fuel tank with sufficient strength when load in a vertical direction is applied. A pair of frame members extend in a front-and-rear direction of the vehicle and support a fuel tank. The fuel tank has a pair of flanges contacting the outer sides of the frame members. The flanges are attached to the frame members by attachment members inserted from outside in a vehicle width direction.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a saddle-type vehicle including left and right frame members extending in a front-and-rear direction of the vehicle and a fuel tank supported by the frame members.
2. Description of Related Art
A typical saddle-type vehicle, such as a motorcycle, has left and right frame members extending from a head pipe toward the rear of the vehicle, a fuel tank placed on the frame members, and a saddle-type seat disposed behind the fuel tank.
A typical structure for attaching the fuel tank in a motorcycle of this type is disclosed in JP-A-6-234382. According to this structure, substantially U-shaped brackets (19) which are open to the front are fixed to the left and right side walls of the fuel tank. The left and right brackets (19) engage with positioning members (21) fixed to left and right frame members (20). Under this condition, the rear end of the fuel tank is secured to the frame members by bolts.
In the motorcycle of JP-A-6-234382, each of the positioning members (21) of the left and right frame members is sandwiched between an upper side (19a) and a lower side (19b) of the corresponding bracket (19) of the fuel tank. Thus, load in a vertical direction generated from a road surface expands the distance between the upper side (19a) and the lower side (19b). In extreme cases, the load causes deformation of the brackets. To overcome this drawback, a reinforcing material such as a patch can be added to the structure. In this case, however, the number of components increases and the cost rises.


An apparatus and method for performing an insert-extract operation on packed data using computer-implemented steps is described. In one embodiment, a first data operand having a data element is accessed. A second packed data operand having at least two data elements is then accessed. The data element in the first data operand is inserted into any destination field of a destination register, or alternatively, a data element is extracted from any field of the source register.

To improve the efficiency of multimedia applications, as well as other applications with similar characteristics, a Single Instruction, Multiple Data (SIMD) architecture has been implemented in computer systems to enable one instruction to operate on several operands simultaneously, rather than on a single operand. In particular, SIMD architectures take advantage of packing many data elements within one register or memory location. With parallel hardware execution, multiple operations can be performed with one instruction, resulting in significant performance improvement.
Although many applications currently in use can take advantage of such vertical operations, there are a number of important applications which would require the rearrangement of the data elements before vertical operations can be implemented so as to provide realization of the application. Examples of such important applications include the dot product and matrix multiplication operations, which are commonly used in 3-D graphics and signal processing applications.
Therefore, there is a need for providing an apparatus and method for efficiently performing vertical SIMD computations.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for performing an insert-extract instruction


A coupling device vertically couples one shaft which is substantially axially aligned to a second shaft. The device includes a flexible coupling unit attached to an end of one shaft, with a coaxial flange thereupon. The end of the second shaft has a concentric locating bore and a diameter. A split coupling is provided to the second shaft and includes two half flanges. Each half flange has a depending half cylindrical member attached thereto. A bolt extends through a diametrical through bolt hole provided in the end of the second shaft, and through a pair of bolt holes in the depending half cylindrical members, positioned such that the upper faces of the half flanges of the split coupling are substantially aligned with the upper end of the second shaft. Pilot flange is provided between the coaxial flange and the half flanges. The pilot flange has a center cylinder which is sized to match and to be received in the concentric locating bore of the second shaft. The flange portion of the pilot flange has tapped holes therein. Appropriately sized shoulder bolts are engaged in the tapped holes, and join the half flanges of the split coupling and the coaxial flange of the flexible coupling unit to the pilot flange. Pins are fitted into matching bores in the pilot flange.

The present invention relates to pumps and, in particular, to pumps for pumping molten metal.
A number of submersible molten metal pumps are known in the art, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,948,524 to Sweeney et al. Such pumps have been provided for pumping molten metal for various purposes. Great difficulties have been encountered due to the extremely hostile environment of a molten metal bath. The parts exposed to contact with the molten metal must resist this environment. At the metal surface in a molten metal bath of aluminum, for example, the molten metal itself is corrosive, abrasive drosses are present, and the atmosphere immediately above the metal surface is oxidizing. Additionally, splashes and splatters from the bath can cause difficulties and problems on the surfaces of the pump above the molten metal surface. Consequently, materials selection and design are extremely important for a submersible molten metal pump.
In the field of working with molten metals such as aluminum, three basic different types of centrifugal pumps are utilized. First of these is a circulation pump. Circulation pumps are used to equalize temperature and alloy mix throughout a metal bath and circulate a hot metal around the bath. Most often, they are used in conjunction with a reverbatory furnace having an external well. The well is usually an extension of the charging well where scrap metal is charged. A bridge-wall is installed to isolate and protect the pump in the external well from damage by direct contact with the charged material. The circulation pump circulates the hot metal around the cold charged scrap dispersing the heat transfer insulating film surrounding the cold scrap thus improving the melt rate of scrap. The circulation also promotes homogeneity in the alloy composition in the bath. With the circulation by such a pump, the surface temperature of the bath is reduced thereby increasing the temperature differential for radiant heat transfer in the furnace thus reducing fuel consumption in the furnace and ultimately increasing production.
A second type of pump is a transfer pump in which the molten metal is taken from the external well of the furnace and transferred to a different location such as a ladle or another furnace.
A third type of molten metal pump is known as a gas-injection pump. Gas-injection pumps circulate the molten metal while adding a gas at the exit of the pump in order to de-mag the molten metal or degas the material. In the purification of molten metals, particularly aluminum, it is frequently desired to remove dissolved gases such as hydrogen, or dissolved metals, such as magnesium. The removing of dissolved gas is known as "degassing" while the removal of magnesium is known as "demagging". Demagging uses chlorine to form magnesium chloride MgCl.sub.2. Degassing can use argon (best) or nitrogen (less expensive) to attract the hydrogen in the metal. Both processes require a gas (chlorine, argon, or nitrogen) to be introduced into the molten metal. Generally, the gas is introduced through a gas tube or pipe directly into the base or casing of the pump. If the pump flow rate (metal velocity) is insufficient during demagging, the resultant magnesium chloride is not carried away fast enough and clogs the pump. There can also be a problem if the gas flow rate of chlorine is too high wherein the chlorine will blow a hole through the bottom of the base. In the prior art such as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,052,199, 4,169,584, 4,351,514, the gas is introduced into the metal as it is entering or exiting the molten metal pump.
As an example of circulation pumps, reference should be made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,984,234, 3,759,635.
As examples of transfer pumps, reference should be made to the above-noted Sweeney et al patent together with U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,048,384 to Sweeney et al, 3,092,030 to Wunder, 3,255,702 to Gehrm, 3,836,280 to Koch, and 4,786,230 to Thut.
In the area of centrifugal pumps, the pump generally includes a casing having a pump chamber and an impeller in the chamber. As is well known in the art, the pump can be designed to be a single suction pump in which case the material to be pumped enters through a single inlet generally in parallel with the pump shaft or can be a double suction pump in which two inlets are provided generally both in line with the pump shaft. The pump chamber in the casing generally defines a volute which is defined for the purpose of this application and as known in the art as a spiral casing for a centrifugal pump with an increasing cross sectional area viewed circumferentially as the outlet of the pump is approached. With the exception of U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,030 to Wunder and U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,234 to Claxon et al, all of these centrifugal pumps noted in the patents above are volute pumps.
In addition to the hostile environment at the interface between the molten metal and atmosphere, even the molten metal bath itself is not homogeneous. That is, certain suspended solids can be present including unmelted chunks of scrap metal, chunks of alloying metals, and contaminants such as refractory brick spalled from the wall of the furnace, chunks of cement, insoluble metal oxide accretions and the like. If such suspended solids of sufficient size enter the inlet of the pump, and are not immediately expelled out of the discharge, they can be caught at the lip of the volute and jam the pump. This leads to breakage of the shaft and/or destruction of the volute. Sometimes the impeller is also destroyed.
In attempts to eliminate or minimize such problems in the past, simple strainers and filters have been applied to the inlet of the pump. Recently, filters have been cemented to the bottom of the base of bottom-feed pumps. It is readily apparent that the same are unsuitable since they rapidly can clog thereby requiring cleaning. A so called "deflector disk" has been mounted for rotation such that its periphery cooperates with the inlet opening of the pump body to define an entrance passageway of suitable dimensions for restriction of admission of solid or semi-solid materials. Such construction adds one more piece to the assembly of the pump.
Additionally, it should be noted that all of the immersed impellers of the pumps of the above-noted patents are either a cup shaped centrifugal impeller having plural radial or angularly directed radial passages with a hollow center portion receiving the molten metal from the inlet and, by centrifugal action, directing the molten metal out the angular radial passages or a vaned impeller having a generally disk shaped web with flat surfaced or curved outwardly radially extending vanes.
Generally, for molten aluminum pumps,.the pump casing and the impeller are made of graphite. Metal pump parts are unsatisfactory since relatively high temperature melting metal, such as iron are dissolved when in contact with molten aluminum, in spite of the fact that molten aluminum may be at a temperature of approximately one-half of that at which iron melts. In such a situation, iron is introduced into the molten aluminum and is considered to be a contaminant.
Generally, in the prior art, the pump casing is connected to a superstructure which is positioned above the interface between the molten metal and atmosphere. Generally, one or more support posts are attached to the casing and extend upwardly therefrom and are connected to the superstructure. Generally, the support posts are slip fitted into blind bores into the pump casing and are secured there by a coating of a refractory cement or adhesive. The support post may be threadingly engaged with the casing with the addition of the cement. During the initial assembly and subsequent rebuilds, the pump must be built on a close tolerance steel alignment fixture. Cement must be manually applied (usually actually using fingers) and is often in uneven amounts under the posts creating different post heights.
At the upper ends, the support posts are generally provided with a coaxial threaded bore. The support post is slipped into a support post sleeve extending downwardly from the superstructure which is packed with a suitable ceramic cement or furnace cement and a bolt is threaded downwardly through the superstructure into the threaded bore at the top of the support post. Problems are encountered due to such structures when it is desired to replace these support post. If the interconnection between the support post and the pump casing is by threading or by conventional blind hole (typically not threaded), the post has to be cut off at the top of the casing and very careful, difficult, labor-intensive manual hammer and chisel work is required to remove the parts of the old post. At the upper end of the post and superstructure connection, the post has to be cut off just below the sleeve and careful, labor-intensive manual hammer and chisel work is required to remove all of the old post from the sleeve. Because the sleeve depends downwardly from the superstructure cutting off the connection of the support post with the sleeve is subject to any splashing of the molten metal which further complicates the replacement of the support post.
A motor is mounted on top of the superstructure and generally is an air driven pneumatic motor requiring a specific air line and air control valve. In the past, an air motor is preferable because of the extremely harsh environment. Air motors are known to be inefficient and expensive. Additionally, the use of an air motor necessarily requires an air compressor which further adds to maintenance costs and requirements. While the use of a hydraulic motor is certainly possible, considerable danger is present due to the inflammability of hydraulic fluids if there should be a leak. Hydraulic motors are also inherent inefficient and they require a separate hydraulic pump to supply the energy to run them. Further, connection and disconnection of the motor (required when mounting and demounting the pump) would inevitably result in some spillage of hydraulic fluid. It has been thought that conventional electric motors are unsuitable for the environment due to the metal dust, oxidizing atmosphere, extreme heat, and other hostile factors. Specially built electric motors have been used successfully but greatly increase the expense and cost of the pump.
Various possible mechanisms have been provided in the prior art for coupling the shaft of the motor to the shaft of the pump. These include a bayonet connection fixed to a universal joint, a straight pair of coaxial threaded joints with a universal joint therebetween, and the like. At the opposite end of the pump shaft, generally the connection between pump shaft and impeller has been by male threading on the shaft engaging female threading in the impeller with a distinct shoulder at the junction. Potential problems upon attempted replacement of the shaft or the impeller are encountered similar to the replacement problems with respect to the support post. That is, careful, difficult, labor-intensive manual hammer and chisel work is required to remove all of the old pieces.


A vehicle occupant restraint method, system, and apparatus. The system includes a seat belt associated with a seat of a vehicle and a shoulder belt portion of the seat belt comprising a shoulder stabilizing zone and a thorax belt portion, wherein the shoulder stabilizing zone includes a larger width dimension than the thorax belt portion. The system also includes a pretensioning device associated with the shoulder belt portion of the seat belt. The pretensioning device is configured to cinch and lock the shoulder stabilizing zone around a shoulder region of the occupant, thereby preventing forward rotation of the shoulder region, in response to a side impact collision.

Seat belts have been standard in vehicles for over fifty years as a safety measure to hold vehicle occupants in place during a quick deceleration or vehicle collision. In that time, additional innovations have been made in seat belt technology, such as the inclusion of locking retractors and pretensioning devices, to further enhance their safety benefits. For example, in the event of a vehicle collision, a pretensioning device will tighten the seat belt almost instantly to reduce motion of the occupant and to help stabilize the occupant in an optimum position within the seat.
Another innovation in seat belt technology includes the use of inflatable seat belts, for example to help distribute collision impact loads in frontal collision events. More specifically, in the event of a collision, a bladder within the seat belt webbing will inflate to increase a surface area that contacts the occupant, thereby spreading the forces pushing against the occupant. Inflation of the bladder also shortens the amount of seat belt tensioning necessary to tighten the belt around the occupant, thus providing a faster reaction time and further reducing unwanted motion of the occupant. Generally, these inflatable bladders are located within the seat belt to be positioned over the occupant's lap or across the occupant's chest.
The above innovations are very beneficial in frontal collision events, where they prevent forward movement and stabilize the occupant's torso against the seatback. However, these and other innovations do little to help stabilize the occupant's shoulders during a side or lateral collision. During a side impact, the most effective load paths through the occupant's body are through the shoulder and the pelvis. However, in the event of a such a side impact, the occupant's shoulder may rotate forward and away from the impact, shifting the impact load path from the shoulder to the more exposed thorax and abdominal areas. Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus for stabilizing the occupant's shoulder by restraining the shoulder so that it maintains its load carrying capability during side impact and provides for reduced risk of injury to an occupant's thorax and abdomen during a side collision.

Method, system and apparatus for stabilizing vehicle occupant's shoulder during side collision impact


A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a transparent oxide layer disposed on one surface side of the substrate, a gate disposed apart from the transparent oxide layer, and a gate insulating layer disposed between the transparent oxide layer and the gate. The transparent oxide layer includes a source, a drain, and a channel formed integrally between the source and the drain, and is made of a transparent oxide material as the main material. The gate provides an electric field to the channel. The gate insulating layer insulates the source and the drain from the gate. The average thickness of the channel is smaller than the average thickness of the source and the drain so that the source and the drain function as conductors and the channel functions as a semiconductor.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, a method for manufacturing the same, an electro-optical device and an electronic apparatus.
2. Related Art
Semiconductor devices such as transistors are broadly used for electronic apparatuses such as televisions.
Many semiconductor materials for use in semiconductor devices have been known.
For example, JP-A-2000-277537 discloses a semiconductor film made of inorganic materials such as a zinc oxide.
These materials are semiconductors, and therefore cannot be used as electrodes that are required to be conductive.
Accordingly, in a semiconductor device such as a transistor, a metal material is generally used for an electrode and the foregoing material is used as a semiconductor material.
However, if the material used for a semiconductor differs from that used for an electrode, there are problems in that the matching of both materials needs to be considered, and that a large number of manufacturing processes is required.

Semiconductor device, method for manufacturing the same, electro-optical device and electronic apparatus

Shinshu University, National University Corporation


Improved paging for wireless networks is disclosed. A wireless terminal clock is synchronized to a server clock. A paging window and a dormant window are set for communicating between the server and the wireless terminal using the synchronized time. The paging window and the dormant window are set using a set of instructions. During the paging window, a control channel for a cellular network is found by the wireless terminal, and a page is received from the server at the wireless terminal.

The cellular system was primarily designed to deliver voice and data services to the users. Users require real-time responses—that is, when a far end user calls a Wireless Terminal, they expect the Wireless Terminal to ring right away. The cellular system is designed to meet this need by having the Wireless Terminal look for pages frequently (once every second or so). Cellular networks send pages for specific Wireless Terminals in specific frames, and Wireless Terminals may be configured to wake-up only during that specific frame to look for this page and may sleep rest of the time. (A page is an indication from the cellular network to the Wireless Terminal that someone wants to communicate with it; a page is typically followed by the establishment of a communication session). The cellular network requires the Wireless Terminal to wakeup frequently, every second or so, in order to meet the responsiveness requirements of the user. This consumes substantial battery power at the Wireless Terminal. In today's cellular network, a typical Wireless Terminal in standby mode (that is when merely listening for pages and not having any data or voice communication sessions) depletes the battery within a few days to a few weeks depending on the particulars of the Wireless Terminal.
However, there are also a number of applications that can use wireless networks that do not require a real-time response; it is acceptable for the far end to reach the Wireless Terminal(s) within a few seconds, minutes, or hours rather than right away (referred to hereafter as non-real-time communication). For example, a machine manufacturer may want to download new data into a machine in the field occasionally, where it is sufficient for this new data to reach the machine within an hour. Or as another example, a courier may want to periodically track the location of a piece of cargo which has a GPS location device and Wireless Terminal, etc. There is significant value in increasing the battery life of Wireless Terminals for such applications by leveraging the fact that this type of communication does not require instantaneous response. But, requiring substantial changes to existing cellular network paging methods only for these non-real-time applications is very expensive and impractical. It would be useful if paging methods could be devised which can substantially increase the battery life of Wireless Terminals without imposing substantial changes on the existing cellular network.

Paging windows for power conservation in wireless networks


There is provided a coding apparatus which comprises a coding section for variable-length coding an input signal on a predetermined unit basis, an output section for outputting the data which was variable-length coded by the coding section on the predetermined unit basis, and an error correction adding section for adding an error correction code to the coded data outputted from the output section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data transmitting apparatus and, more particularly, to a transmitting apparatus which transmits variable-length code data.
2. Related Background Art
In a digital data transmitting apparatus, an error detection correction code, a sync block (SYNC), and identification data (ID) are added to data to be transmitted, the resultant data is divided into error correction blocks (or sync blocks) containing a predetermined data amount and is transmitted to a transmitting medium.
There is also a case where data to be transmitted is previously compressed and coded and is subsequently divided into sync blocks.
For example, in a conventional apparatus of a digital video tape recorder (VTR), image data to be recorded is compressed by a fixed-length coding method by a subsampling and/or a DPCM (Differential PCM) coding or the like, error detection correction codes C.sub.1 and C.sub.2 by product codes are added to the image data of one image plane, and the image data is divided into error correction blocks and recorded onto a magnetic tape.
FIG. 1 shows a fundamental structure of the error correction block. According to the fixed-length coding method, a compression ratio of 1/2 to 1/4 is obtained.
As compared with the fixed-length coding method, according to a variable-length coding method using a run length code or a Huffman code, a high compression ratio of about 1/10 to 1/50 is obtained, so that much attention has been paid to the variable-length coding method for use in transmission of a moving image.
There is, however, a possibility such that when variable-length coding data is sequentially inserted into the data portion of the error correction block, the integrated variable-length coding data will lie in two error correction blocks.
And in the variable-length coding method, there is a case where if the preceding variable-length code cannot correctly be decoded, errors are propagated. In such a case, an image quality is extremely deteriorated.


A numerical controller includes a control section for controlling operation of a machine, an application section which is separated from the control section and adapted to input data into the control section and to monitor a control status, and a communication network for connecting the control section and the application section. This structure makes it possible to reduce the overall size of the numerical controller. A program for a new function or an abnormality diagnosis program is also transmitted from the application section to the control section when required.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a numerical controller which is compact and capable of providing a variety of functions.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In a conventional numerical controller, a control section and an application section are integrated as a single unit. The control section is used for controlling a machine. The application section is used for inputting data into the control section, as well as for displaying a control status and other items. Such a conventional numerical controller allows a machine operator or a maintenance person to perform switching among a plurality of screens in order to perform various kinds of work. Also, on its control panel, the numerical controller has a keyboard for inputting data into the control section and a large display for displaying a detailed control status.
The numerical controller stores therein an NC program suitable for a machine to be controlled, as well as a system program required for execution of the NC program. Through replacement of the NC program, the numerical controller can control the machine in accordance with the shape of a workpiece.
The numerical controller also stores an abnormality diagnosis program. When an abnormality occurs during operation, the abnormality diagnosis program is executed in order to diagnose the abnormality, and the result of the diagnosis is displayed on the large display.
As described above, since the operation panel of the conventional numerical controller is provided with the keyboard and the large display, which the machine operator does not use in the course of ordinary operations, the size of the numerical controller cannot be reduced. In addition, when a plurality of machine tools are to be controlled, a plurality of numerical controllers must be used, inevitably resulting in an increase in the number of keyboards and displays that are not used in the course of ordinary operations.
Moreover, when after the installation of a machining system with a numerical controller, another machining system with a numerical controller having a new function is added, there occurs a problem that the new function can be used in one numerical controller but cannot be used in the other numerical controller. In order to allow the numerical controller not supporting the new function to execute an NC program which requires the numerical controller to have a system program for the new function, the system program for the new function must be installed to the numerical controller. However, since the system program is usually stored in a ROM, the operation for installing the system program for the new function into the ROM is complex. Especially, when there are a plurality of numerical controllers, the system program for the new function must be installed to each of the numerical controllers, so that the installation operation becomes troublesome.
Moreover, in the case where an abnormality diagnosis program is stored in the numerical controller, a memory having a large capacity must be used for storing the diagnosis program, because the diagnosis program is composed of many diagnosis subprograms corresponding to various kinds of conditions. When a plurality of numerical controllers are used, a memory having a large capacity must be provided in each numerical controller.


Aspects of the disclosure provide an integrated circuit (IC) chip that includes a heating element and a heating control circuit. The heating element is configured to be controllable to generate heat. The heating control circuit is configured to be operable when an IC chip temperature is below a threshold. The heating control circuit is configured to receive a signal indicative of a sensed temperature and control the heating element to generate heat to raise the IC chip temperature when the sensed temperature is below the threshold.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Generally, integrated circuit (IC) chips are required to be operational when chip temperature is within a temperature range, such as [0° C., 125° C.] for a commercial class product. The temperature range can be referred to as a commercial temperature range. Sometimes, the chip temperature is affected by an ambient temperature that can be out of the commercial temperature range, such as below 0° C. Supporting this extended temperature range requires additional significant IC design/verification/testing efforts to prevent circuit malfunctions, logical errors and such.

Method and apparatus for heating up integrated circuits


The present invention discloses a unitized precast grillage foundation for supporting a structure comprising: a plurality of anchoring elements defining a grid for resting on an underlying surface; a base connected on the grid, the base comprising at least a first footing and a second footing spaced apart and at least one connecting member between and connected to the at least first footing and the second footing; and a beam-column projecting upwardly from the base, and a method of making same.

Typically, grillage foundations used, support various structures, for example, electrical transmission lines that are normally designed to transfer and distribute heavy concentrated loads on soil having low bearing capacity. These grillage foundations resist uplift and thrust forces that result from the self-weight of the tower and the lateral and longitudinal transmission wire loads in normal and/or broken wire conditions. In addition to such forces, the foundation also resists wind and ice loads on the tower body, the insulators, and the conductors.
The grillage foundations of the prior art consist of one or more layers of galvanized steel beams perpendicular to each other and assembled on site.
Currently, the electrical transmission industry is experiencing an increasing corrosion challenge in the galvanized steel members typically near to the ground level and underground. The fact that the grillage foundations are underground and not easily accessible for maintenance inspections, increase the risk of sudden tower failures which may cause to electrical outages. For these reasons, the existing steel grillage foundation is a less reliable solution for the electrical transmission line industry.
Moreover, the galvanized steel material used in the grillage foundations has delivery lead times of six months or longer. It is important to note that in some jurisdictions the construction window for electrical transmission lines is only four months. For this reason, ordering material with long lead times does not allow engineering to match design with real soil requirements that can only be obtained through construction season. Moreover, since the grillage foundation is a framework of galvanized steel with wide flange beams and channels, the material is shipped as separate pieces needed to be assembled on site. For this reason, labour costs become the cost factor for such steel grillage foundations.

Unitized precast grillage foundation and method for manufacturing the same


A magnesium alloy sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention includes greater than 3 wt % and less than or equal to 5 wt % of Al, 0.5 wt % to 1.5 wt % of Zn, 0.1 wt % to 0.5 wt % of Mn, 0.001 wt % to 0.01 wt % of B, 0.1 wt % to 0.5 wt % of Y, a balance amount of magnesium, and other inevitable impurities on the basis of a total of 100 wt %.

A magnesium alloy is the lightest among structural metal materials and increasingly becomes important as a light weight material for transportation equipment as well as electronics and IT industries due to its excellent specific strength, specific rigidity, and vibration absorption capability. However, magnesium is an electrochemically active metal and has a disadvantage that corrosion rapidly proceeds when exposed to a corrosive environment, and thus is limitedly applied to materialization. Accordingly, in order to expand the application field of the magnesium alloy, it is necessary to develop a new highly corrosion-resistant magnesium material applicable to a harsh corrosive environment.
Pure magnesium is a very electrochemically active metal having a standard hydrogen electrode potential of −2.38 V or so, and when exposed to a corrosive environment, corrosion rapidly proceeds. Since a MgO film is formed on the surface in the atmosphere, the magnesium exhibits equivalent corrosion resistance to that of medium carbon steel or a general aluminum alloy, but since the surface film becomes unstable under the presence of moisture or in an acidic or neutral solution and thus forms no passivation, the corrosion rapidly proceeds. As a result of analyzing a Mg corrosion product, when exposed to an indoor and outdoor atmosphere, the Mg corrosion product is mainly composed of hydroxide, carbonate, moisture, and the like of magnesium. In general, corrosion of a metal material indicates a phenomenon that the metal material is destroyed through an electrochemical reaction with a surrounding environment and thus functionally declines or is structurally damaged or destroyed. Since the corrosion, which is an important phenomenon directly related to performance or life-span of metal products, causes damage to the products or structures, various methods for suppressing this corrosion are applied in most usage environments.
However, the corrosion phenomenon of a metal may be reversely used to differentiate functionality of products like biomaterials. A high corrosion-resistant magnesium material has various corrosion factors such as impurities, microstructures, surface states, corrosion environments, and the like and thus is designed and manufactured to have appropriate corrosion characteristics according to the usage environment by controlling types and contents of the impurities that are inevitably mixed during the alloy manufacture, types and contents of alloy elements that are artificially added to improve the characteristics, material-manufacturing methods and process conditions, and the like.

Magnesium alloy sheet and manufacturing method thereof


A method of making a semiconductor device is disclosed. A mask if formed over a first and a second region of a semiconductor body, and a vertical diffusion barrier is formed in a region between the first and second regions. A mask is then formed over the second region and the first region is left unmasked. The semiconductor body is exposed to a dopant, so that the first region is doped and the second region is blocked from the dopant by the mask and by the vertical diffusion barrier.

Semiconductor devices are used in a large number of electronic devices, such as computers, cell phones and others. One of the goals of the semiconductor industry is to continue shrinking the size and increasing the speed of individual devices. As devices shrink in size, the distance between devices also shrinks. One challenge is in processing adjacent devices so that process steps, such as doping, affects a target device, but not an adjacent device.
The shrinking of the critical dimension in semiconductor processes creates a tough challenge in the creation of a gate stack for complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistors. In the creation of CMOS circuits, especially CMOS logic and memory circuits, it is common to have both n-channel MOS (NMOS) devices and p-channel MOS (PMOS) devices in close proximity to each other. Such a close proximity becomes especially challenging with respect to semiconductor processing.
In order to improve the performance of MOS devices, the gates of MOS devices are often implanted with a dopant to adjust the threshold, Vt. In a particular small geometry CMOS process, for example a 45 nm or a 65 nm process, the gates of NMOS devices can be doped prior to patterning, while the gates of PMOS devices remain undoped. A typical process implementation will mask the PMOS gate regions with a layer of resist prior to exposing the entire gate layer to an n+ ion implant. In small geometry processes, however, masking the PMOS regions is not entirely effective in preventing the ion implant from any doping of the PMOS gate regions. Because of the close proximity of NMOS gate regions to PMOS gate regions, n+ dopants can enter the PMOS gate region along the edge of the resist layer. Unintentional doping of the PMOS gate regions is disadvantageous because it can cause substantial Vt variation in PMOS devices. Such a Vt variation can cause performance problems including non-optimal circuit performance and device failures.
In the field of small, densely packed applications using small geometry transistors, what is needed is a method and structure that can selectively and precisely prevent regions of the semiconductor body from being doped during a semiconductor doping process.

Method for fabricating a semiconductor gate structure


Included are embodiments for multi-pass analytics. At least one embodiment of a method includes receiving data associated with a communication, performing first tier analytics on the received data, and performing second tier analytics on the received data, where the second tier analytics determines different characteristics of the received data than the first tier analytics.

As communication technologies have improved, businesses and individuals have desired greater functionality in their communication networks. As a nonlimiting example, many businesses have created call center infrastructures in which a customer or other user can call to receive information related to the business. As customers call into the call center, the customer may be connected with a customer service representative to provide the desired information. Depending on the time of call, the subject matter of the call, and/or other data, the customer may be connected with different customer service representatives. As such, depending on these and/or other factors, the customer may be provided with varying levels of customer service with respect to the interaction with the customer service representative. Because most businesses desire to provide the highest possible quality of customer service, many businesses have turned to recording the communication between the customer and the customer service representative. While recording this data has proven beneficial in many cases, many businesses receive call volumes that inhibit the business from reviewing all of the call data received.
As such, many businesses have turned to speech recognition technology to capture the recorded communication data and thereby provide a textual document for review of the communication. While textual documentation of a communication has also proven beneficial, similar issues may exist in that the sheer amount of data may be such that review of the data is impractical.
To combat this problem, a number of businesses have also implemented analytics technologies to analyze the speech-recognized communications. One such technology that has emerged includes large vocabulary continuous speech recognition (LVCSR). LVCSR technologies often convert received audio from the communications into an English translation of the communication in a textual document. From the textual document, analytics may be provided to determine various data related to the communication. Additionally, phonetic speech recognition may be utilized for capturing the communication data.
While these and technologies may provide a mechanism for capturing communication data, oftentimes, the shear amount of data for processing may consume extensive hardware resources. As such, a solution to increase speed and/or reduce resource consumption is desired.


To effectively suppress radiation and mixture of noise superimposed on a power line into a connection detection line. A power conversion device includes a connector having a wiring line which transmits DC power; and a housing in which the connector is arranged. The connector has a connection detection wiring line which detects whether the connector is connected with an external circuit. An opening part which connects with the connector is formed in the housing. An annular core formed of a magnetic substance is inserted through the opening part. The annular core is an annular member formed with a through-hole. The wiring line and the connection detection wiring line are introduced into an inside of the housing through the through-hole of the annular core.

An automobile which obtains driving power from an electric motor (a so-called electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle) includes a high voltage storage battery for driving the electric motor used as the power and a low voltage storage battery for operating auxiliary machinery, such as a light or a radio of the vehicle. A power conversion device which performs power conversion from the high voltage storage battery to the low voltage storage battery or power conversion from the low voltage storage battery to the high voltage storage battery (a DC-DC converter device) is mounted on such a vehicle. It should be noted that the DC-DC converter device is either a device stored in an independent housing or a device stored in the same housing as another device necessary for the vehicle (e.g., an inverter device for driving the electric motor).
Generally, the DC-DC converter device has a circuit which converts from a DC high voltage power supply supplied from a vehicle side to a DC low voltage power supply (or converts from the DC low voltage power supply supplied from the vehicle side to the DC high voltage power supply) (PTL 1). In such a DC-DC converter, the DC high voltage power supply supplied from the vehicle side passes through a power transmission line and is supplied to the DC-DC converter device via a high voltage dedicated connector. Generally, mainly for safety reasons, this high voltage dedicated connector is provided with a connection detection line capable of detecting whether the connector is reliably engaged in terms of a circuit.


It is an object to obtain from a mixture of a specific diene compound (1) and a compound (2) with the same molecular weight and molecular formula hard to separate by distillation, the diene compound (1) in high purity without using any special reagent or complicated technique.

In production of an olefin compound, a rearrangement reaction of a double bond can occur during a production process or after production to yield a structural isomer which has the same molecular formula but an unsaturated bond at a different position. If the structural isomer has the reactivity comparable to that of the intended olefin compound, there will arise such a problem that it changes the properties of the olefin compound. On the other hand, if the reactivity of the structural isomer is low, there will arise another problem that it interferes with the reaction of the intended olefin.
There is still another problem that the structural isomer has a boiling point too close to that of the intended olefin to separate it by distillation. Furthermore, there was still another problem that even if an attempt to separate them was made by means of azeotropic distillation, extractive distillation or chromatography available for separation of compounds having boiling points close to each other, the properties of the structural isomer (e.g., polarity and the like) were so similar to those of the intended olefin that it was difficult to separate them from each other.
Under these circumstances, the following methods have been proposed to produce only the intended olefin, while producing a structural isomer as little as possible.
(a) A method wherein a compound represented by the following formula (A1-2) is obtained by vapor-phase pyrolysis of a compound represented by the following formula (A1-1), and then a dechlorination reaction is conducted in the presence of zinc to form a 3-butenyl group, thereby obtaining 3-butenyl vinyl ether represented by the following formula (A) (JP-A-1-143843).FC(O)CF(CF3)OCF2CF2CFClCF2Cl  (A1-1)CF2═CFOCF2CF2CFClCF2Cl  (A1-2)CF2═CFOCF2CF2CF═CF2  (A)
(b) A method wherein a compound represented by the following formula (A2-2a) is produced by pyrolysis of a compound represented by the following formula (A2-1) as a starting material, and then a dechlorination reaction of the compound is conducted, thereby obtaining 3-butenyl vinyl ether represented by the following formula (A) (JP-A-2-311438).CF2ClCFClOCF2CF2CF2CF2COF  (A2-1)CF2ClCFClOCF2CF2CF═CF2  (A2-2a)CF2═CFOCF2CF2CF═CF2  (A)CF2ClCFClOCF2CF═CFCF3  (A2-2b)CF2═CFOCF2CF═CFCF3  (A-3)
However, multiple steps were required for synthesis of the compound represented by the formula (A1-1) used in the method (a). Furthermore, there was a problem that the production of the compound needed to use reagents difficult to handle, such as fuming sulfuric acid, iodine monochloride, and so on.
Furthermore, the method (b) was proved to have a problem that a rearrangement reaction of a double bond took place in a 3-butenyl group having a fluorine atom at the 1-position, in the compound represented by the formula (A2-2a), thereby producing a thermodynamically stabler compound represented by the formula (A2-2b). If the dechlorination is conducted in the presence of the compound of the formula (A2-2b), there will arise a problem that a compound represented by the formula (A-3) is mixed into the final product.
Here, the compound represented by the formula (A2-2a) has much the same properties, including the boiling point and others, as the compound represented by the formula (A2-2b), and the compound represented by the formula (A) also has much the same properties, including the boiling point and others, as the compound represented by the formula (A-3). Therefore, there was a problem that it was difficult to separate these compounds and it was infeasible to obtain the compound represented by the formula (A) in high purity.
The compound represented by the formula (A), produced by these methods, is useful as a raw-monomer for a fluorocarbon resin. However, in a case where the compound represented by the formula (A) was polymerized in the presence of the compound represented by the formula (A-3), there was a problem that the polymerization was significantly hindered, so as to result in failure in production of a fluorocarbon polymer having a high molecular weight.
On the other hand, the Claisen rearrangement reaction itself is a known reaction. As examples of the Claisen rearrangement reaction in a fluorine-containing compound, there have been reported examples in compounds such as CF2═CFOCH2CH═CH2, CF3 (CF3) C═CFOCH2CH═CH2, Cl2C═CFOCH2CH═CH2, ClFC═CFOCH2CH═CH2 and H(CF3)C═CH(CF3)═CH2CH═CH2 (J. Fluorine Chemistry, 1992, 56, 165), examples of CH2═CH(CF3)OCH2CH═CH2 and CH2═CHOCH(CF3)CH═CH2 (J. Org. Chem., 1990, 55, 1813), an example of the Claisen rearrangement reaction from CF2═CFCF2OCF═CF2 to CF2═CFCF2CF2CF═O (JP-A-2-42038), and so on.
However, none of these documents reported about the Claisen rearrangement in a compound having a 2-butenyl skeleton with a fluorine atom bonded at the 4-position. A document describing such an example is one wherein CH2═CHOCH2CH═CHCF2PO(OCH2CH3)2 with a group containing a phosphorus atom at the 4-position is converted to CH2═CHCH(CF2PO(OCH2CH3)2)CH2CH═O by heating at 140° C. (Chem. Commun., 2000, 1691). However, the reaction was conducted under the same conditions with the compound represented by the formula (2) of the present invention, which contained no phosphorus atom, and found that the Claisen rearrangement reaction did not proceed at all.

Abstract: Namely, the present invention provides a method of inducing the Claisen rearrangement reaction of the compound (2) in a mixture containing CR1R2═CR3CFR4CR5R6OCR7═CR8R9 (1) and CFR1R2CR3═CR4CR5R6OCR7═CR8R9 (2), and separating the diene compound (1) from a Claisen rearrangement reaction product; or converting the Claisen rearrangement reaction product into a derivative and then separating the diene compound (1) from the derivative of the Claisen rearrangement reaction product. Wherein, R1 to R9 each represent a fluorine atom or the like.


A holding device (1) for assembling a medical device with a receiving vessel (2) and a holder (3) for a cannula (11), directed towards an open front end (6) of the receiving vessel (2). A flow-through bore of the cannula (11) is connected by a connecting passage (22) between the holder (3) and a front wall (8) of the receiving vessel (2), incorporating a flow passage (21) of a holding part (20) arranged eccentrically with respect to a longitudinal axis (5) of a receiving chamber (9) of the receiving vessel (2). Disposed between the connecting passage (22) and the receiving chamber (9) is an openable hose valve (15). Disposed on the jacket portion (4) of the receiving vessel (2) is a first connecting part (23), whilst a second connecting part (24) is disposed on a support part (14) of the holder (3). A continuous circumferential gas-tight and liquid-proof joint is provided between the holder (3) and the receiving vessel (2).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a holding device for assembling a medical device, of the type used to take samples of bodily fluids, such as blood, urine, etc., and also for removing samples from containers needed for administering serum, plasma or medical substances.
2. The Prior Art
A holding device for a blood sample tube of a blood sample device is well known from patent specification U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,508 A, for example, which has a receiving vessel for a front end of the blood sample tube, sealed by a closure device, incorporating a needle holder. A cannula is mounted in the needle holder, directed towards the open front end of the receiving vessel, and projects in the direction thereof. A through-flow opening communicates via a connecting passage disposed between the needle holder and an end wall of the receiving vessel, with a sample needle of a needle assembly, disposed eccentrically with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the receiving chamber. Disposed between the connecting passage and a receiving chamber of the receiving vessel is a valve arrangement which can be opened as and when necessary. This valve arrangement incorporates a hose valve or flap valve disposed between the cannula and the receiving chamber and/or connecting passage. The cannula is preferably disposed concentrically with the receiving vessel. A through-flow passage opens between the cannula and an outer wall of the receiving vessel into the connecting passage. The disc-shaped support part has a periphery with an annular collar projecting out therefrom towards the end wall of the receiving vessel and the collar has an end surface connected to a peripheral bearing surface of the front wall of the receiving vessel in a gas-tight and liquid-proof manner by means of a continuous weld seam.
Other holding devices for blood sample tubes of a blood sample device are known from patent specification WO 89/10723 A1, for example, which has a receiving vessel for a front end of the blood sample tube. The blood sample tube is closed at its front end by a closure device. The receiving vessel is provided with a needle holder for a cannula and projects in the direction of an open front end of the receiving vessel, the through-opening of which is connected to a sample needle of a needle assembly via a connecting passage disposed between the needle holder and the end wall of the receiving vessel. This sample needle is disposed eccentrically with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the receiving chamber. Between the connecting passage and a receiving chamber of the receiving vessel, a valve arrangement is provided which can be opened as and when required. This valve arrangement comprises the cannula and the needle holder. The cannula is mounted so as to be adjustable in the lengthways direction of the central longitudinal axis of the receiving vessel in a bore of the needle holder. To restrict the adjusting movement, the cannula has a stop projecting out in a radial direction from the outer periphery at its end disposed in the connecting passage. This being the case, the cannula is squeezed together at its end facing the connecting passage and is bent around through 90 degrees and has an opening in the side wall through which the through-flow opening establishes a flow communication with the connecting passage. A disadvantage of this arrangement is the fact that the cannula is displaceably mounted in the needle holder, which makes it difficult to achieve a gas-tight seal between the sample needle and the blood sample tube, and in addition to permeability, which to a certain extent also leads to some leakage of blood, the vacuum of the blood sample tube can not be deployed for taking the blood sample in many cases.
Other blood sample devices are known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,659 A, European applications 0 478 459 A1, 0 286 087 A2 and 0 364 777 A1, in which the cannula in each case is of a continuous design and is mounted in a needle holder or in a guide sleeve. This being the case, the cannula simultaneously constitutes the sample needle at one end and the needle used to puncture the closure plug of the blood sample tube at the other end. In addition, at the end facing the blood sample tube, the cannula is surrounded by a valve arrangement in the form of a hose valve, which can be opened as and when required. In these embodiments of the sample device, it is not possible to separate the holding device from the needle assembly, for example in order to be able to administer an infusion to the patient, without having to remove the needle. Furthermore, an increased safety risk exists for the user because the sample needle is already fixed and injuries can already occur during preparation of the holding device. Another disadvantage is the fact that the sample needle, which is of a continuous design, is disposed centrally with respect to the holding device, as a result of which the entire sample device has to be inclined to a greater degree when piercing the vein, thereby increasing the risk of injury.


An autonomous radio controlling method and a system thereof are disclosed herein, in which the autonomous radio controlling method includes: antenna combinations of an antenna matrix are switched. Signal-to-interference ratios (SIRs) and received signal strength indicator (RSSI) values of the antenna combinations are respectively through a first computing process to generate first computed SIRs and first computed RSSI values. The SIRs are through a second computing process to generate second computed SIRs. A relation between a minimum of the second computed SIRs and a first threshold is determined, and further a relation between a minimum of the first computed SIRs and a first range, or a relation between a minimum of the first computed RSSI value and a second range is determined to control an autonomous radio system to operate in a first mode or a second mode.

Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a control technology. More particularly, the present invention relates to an autonomous radio controlling method and a system thereof.
Description of Related Art
Recently, developed technology of multi-input multi-output (MIMO) system mostly utilizes a structure of dumb antenna system or structure of an adaptive antenna system. In the dumb antenna system, there is a fixed corresponding relation between the number of antennas and the number of transceivers, which can only meet general MIMO requirements. More antennas can be included in the adaptive antenna system, and thus a better signal can be selected to send to transceivers through a beam processing network. However, lots of antennas in the aforementioned two antenna systems are needed to be arranged in a fixed rule, such as staggered arrangement, a stacked arrangement or a staggered-stacked arrangement, which results in some limitations in hardware arrangement or range of application. Moreover, the antennas must have known properties (e.g., working frequency band, normal function or malfunction, directions of polarization, etc). Therefore, if an unknown antenna appears in the antenna system, or a malfunction occurs in an antenna of the antenna system, normal functions of the antenna system would be affected.

Autonomous radio controlling method and system thereof


A social networking system allows its users to perform a structured search that returns objects (e.g., other users and pages) in the social networking system. A searching user may remove or add objects to the search by interacting with the returned objects. Adding or removing an object generates a claim stored by the social networking system that an object has or does not have, respectively, characteristics based on the search query. Additionally, the searching user may also request presentation of the search query to other users, which may be selected by the social networking system based on their predicted expertise. A dialog between the searching user and a selected other user may be provided to allow the searching user to provide the search query to the selected other user and to receive a response.

The present invention relates generally to online systems and more particularly to claims-based querying in an online system.
In recent years, online systems, particularly social networking systems, have made it easier for users to share their interests and preferences in real-world concepts, such as their favorite movies, musicians, celebrities, soft drinks, hobbies, sports teams, and activities. These interests may be declared by users in user profiles and may also be inferred by social networking systems. Users may also interact with these real-world concepts through multiple communication channels on social networking systems. For example, users interact with pages on the social networking system, share interesting articles about causes and issues with other users on the social networking system, and comment on actions generated by other users on objects external to the social networking system. Additionally, a social networking system notifies users of actions performed on objects external to the social networking system by other users. Social networking system users also frequently search for various phrases in the social networking system, such as their favorite celebrities, restaurants, karaoke bars, or other content.
A search engine provided by a social networking system may return search results of content posted to the social networking system relevant to the search queries. For example, the search engine provides a user with content item posts, users, entities, pages, groups, events, and applications in the social networking system, that are relevant to received search queries. Simple search engines only return results based on keywords included in the content on the social networking system. However, social networking systems may also record user behavior and interests in addition to posted content, which are not identified by conventional search engines.
Specifically, information available on social networking systems about users' interactions with the social networking system is not accessible to other users as search criteria. Because users may perform thousands of searches on objects within and external to the social networking system on a daily basis, this inaccessibility of user behaviors and interests in online systems limits the information accessible to users searching via the social networking system. These limited search results may reduce user interaction with social networking systems.

Claims-based querying in an online system