A wheel and brake assembly comprising an axle, a bearing supported on the axle, a wheel rotatably mounted on the axle by the bearing and a torque tube located in a fixed position about the axle. The torque tube includes a torque tube foot extending radially inward from the torque tube to the axle for support by the axle. At least one stator disc is connected with the torque tube and one rotor disc is connected with the wheel for conjoint rotation therewith. An actuator is provided for axially moving the rotor and stator discs into frictional engagement with one another for braking the wheel. A clamp is located at one end of the axle for axially clamping the bearing, torque tube, brake housing and axle. A vibration dampener operatively engages the torque tube and is arranged to attenuate vibrations in the torque tube and inhibit their transmission to the axle.

This invention relates to wheel and brake assemblies and, more particularly, to a wheel and brake assembly which provides vibration dampening between a torque tube and axle of the assembly.
A typical brake assembly, particularly though not exclusively for use in aircraft, includes a wheel rotatably mounted on an axle, a brake stack comprising rotor and stator discs and a brake actuating mechanism for applying pressure to the brake stack to brake the wheel. The rotor discs are connected to the wheel for conjoint rotation with the wheel and the stator discs are connected to a torque tube which is mounted in a rotationally fixed position. The torque tube of a brake assembly, which is pin mounted to the axle for quick change capability, typically includes a foot extending radially inward to the axle for support by the axle.
During braking operations, the torque tube may experience torsional and axial vibratory movement relative to the axle initiated by the braking torque applied to the torque tube by the brake stack. The vibration of the torque tube may be transmitted throughout the brake assembly, creating not only an excessive amount of noise, but also reducing the life of the brake and potentially causing structural fatigue and failure of aircraft landing gear components, thereby impacting aircraft serviceability, reliability, and maintenance costs.
Previously, attempts have been made to suppress brake vibration through hydraulic dampening, structural modifications such as turnbuckles to load the brake against the landing gear, stiffening of brake and landing gear components, or modification of the brake material. These design changes typically result in increased weight of the aircraft, increased manufacturing costs, and a reduction in reliability. Moreover, the structural devices which provide additional loading between the brake and landing gear require tight manufacturing tolerances for proper installation and operation. Structural variations in the landing gear and brake assembly due to wear or vibration will also reduce the effectiveness of these devices over time.
Prior art brake assemblies also include flange mounted brakes having a dampening plate located between a flange of the axle and the torque tube which are clamped to one another. These dampening devices cannot be used on quick-change pin mounted brakes since the torque tube is not clamped directly to the axle. Instead, an indirect load path must be provided between the torque tube and axle to create a clamping force therebetween to isolate the torque tube from the axle and prevent vibration.


An electronic device modifies a first media content item by superimposing a first set of data over a first accented musical event. The first accented musical event has a first audio profile. The first set of data has a second audio profile configured to be masked by the first audio profile during playback of the first media content item. The electronic device transmits, to a second electronic device, the modified first media content item.

Access to electronic media, such as music and video content, has expanded dramatically over time. As a departure from physical media, media content providers stream media to electronic devices across wireless networks, improving the convenience with which users can digest and experience such content.
Communicating data from a first device to a second device typically requires a wired or wireless communication connection to be established between the devices. For example, a user may need to configure communication hardware for a wired communication connection, or access a user interface to initiate and/or authorize a wireless communication connection. In some cases, a user must determine identifying information for one or more devices in order to establish a communication connection between the devices.

Systems and methods for embedding data in media content


A temperature detector circuit using a MOS transistor capable of reducing manufacture variation of a mobility and realizing stable output characteristics which are not affected by temperature dependency may be offered. In one example, the temperature detector circuit includes a pair of depression type transistors to output a voltage which is proportional to temperature from a connecting point of a source of a first transistor and a drain of a second transistor. The transistors are the same conducted type of current and are formed in different channel size, which are connected between power supplies in series, and have a configuration in which first transistor's gate and source are connected each other and a first transistor's drain is connected with a second power supply and second transistor's gate and drain are connected each other and a second transistor's source is connected with a first power supply.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a temperature detector circuit and an oscillation frequency compensation device using it, and more particularly to a MOS-transistor-based temperature detector circuit which has stable output characteristics and an oscillation frequency compensation device including such temperature detector circuit.
2. Discussion of the Background
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a background temperature detector circuit using a bipolar transistor with commonly connected base and collector. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a background temperature detector circuit using a Darlington connection of bipolar transistors.
The background temperature detector circuit of FIG. 1 drives the bipolar transistor by a constant current to use a temperature dependency of forward direction voltage for temperature detection. This is of the same kind as a method of using a temperature dependency of forward direction voltage in a so-called PN junction diode. Further, a series connection of two or more of this circuit in FIG. 1 is also known.
In FIG. 2, this circuit has a configuration of Darlington connection with two or more bipolar transistors in order to raise its output sensitivity. This circuit realizes a high sensitivity temperature sensor having two or more Darlington connections and a constant current power supply to the sensor. This kind of circuit may be formed on a single substrate by using a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) manufacture process.
FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a background temperature detector circuit having MOS (metal oxide semiconductor) transistors with commonly connected gate and drain in a state of diode connection. The background temperature detector circuit of FIG. 3 uses a temperature dependency of a MOS-transistor threshold for temperature detection. The background temperature detection circuit drives the MOS transistors by a constant current and uses a voltage between the gate and a source for temperature detection.
The temperature dependency of voltage between a gate and a source of a MOS transistor having diode connection is known to change with values of the driving constant current. Specifically, the temperature dependency of threshold is dominantly effective in a minute current domain, resulting in a negative temperature inclination of voltage between the gate and the source. However, the temperature dependency of electron mobility is dominantly effective in a domain above a certain current, resulting in a positive temperature inclination of the voltage.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the background temperature detection circuit includes a temperature detection section 81, a constant voltage generating section 82, a constant current circuit 832, and a P-type MOS transistor 831. In the temperature detection section 81, a MOS transistor 811 has the diode connection and is driven in a minute current domain to make the temperature dependency of threshold dominantly effective. To increase output sensitivity, the temperature detection section 81 is provided with a plurality of series-connected MOS transistors 8121-812m which have diode connection.
FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a background semiconductor integrated circuit for temperature detection. This circuit includes a first circuit block 97 and a second circuit block 98. The first circuit block 97 generates a reference voltage without temperature dependency. The second circuit block 98 generates an output voltage which has a temperature dependency with a similar configuration to the first circuit block 97. An output Vs1 of the first circuit block 97 and an output Vs2 of the second circuit block 98 may be compared in this circuit. In the first circuit block 97, MOS transistors 912 and 914 having different thresholds form a current mirror circuit which outputs a voltage determined based on a difference between the thresholds of these MOS transistors 912 and 914. In the first circuit block 97, a channel conductance of the MOS transistor 912 and a MOS transistor 913 is made equivalent to a channel conductance of the transistor 914 and a MOS transistor 915. On the other hand, in the second circuit block 98, a channel conductance of MOS transistors 916 and 917 is intentionally made different from a channel conductance of MOS transistors 918 and 919.
Since the output Vs2 of the second circuit block 98 may be a reference voltage with temperature dependency, it can be used as a temperature sensing element. This reference voltage Vs2 is divided so that it can be detected at a predetermined temperature by using resistances 920 and 921 and an operational amplifier 99 that outputs an output voltage Vs3. A comparator 910 compares Vs1 and Vs3 to detect a predetermined temperature, and an output buffer 911 outputs a resultant signal.

Temperature detector circuit and oscillation frequency compensation device using the same


The invention provides a method for determining vibration-related information by projecting an aerial image at an image position in a projection plane, mapping an intensity of the aerial image into an image map, the image map arranged for comprising values of coordinates of sampling locations and of the intensity sampled at each sampling location, and measuring intensity of the aerial image received through a slot pattern. The method further includes determining from the image map a detection position of a slope portion of the image map, at the detection position of the slope portion, measuring of a temporal intensity of the aerial image and measuring of relative positions of the slot pattern and the image position, the relative positions of the slot being measured as position-related data of the slot pattern and determining from the temporal intensity of the aerial image vibration-related information for said aerial image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for vibration detection and vibration analysis, a lithographic apparatus comprising such an apparatus, a device manufacturing method comprising such a method, and a computer program product comprising such a method.
2. Description of Related Art
A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a target portion of a substrate. Lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that circumstance, a patterning device, such as a mask, may be used to generate a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of the IC, and this pattern can be imaged onto a target portion (e.g. comprising part of, one or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer) that has a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively exposed. Known lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion in one go, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through the projection beam in a given direction (the "scanning"-direction), while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction.
During exposure of a die, the image of the desired pattern is typically disturbed by a number of sources, for example, vibrations of the projection lens, temperature fluctuations of the ambient along the optical path, vibrations of the framework which encompasses the metrology devices, vibrations of other components and by measurement errors of interferometers for positioning a stage holding the substrate.
Due to the vibration of the image during exposure, a loss of contrast in the image may occur. The loss of contrast will result in reduced accuracy of alignment and of dimensions of (portions of) the imaged pattern. Since the accuracy of alignment is within a few tens of nanometers, the possible occurrence of vibrations with an amplitude of a same order of magnitude may have a strong impact on the image quality. Clearly, vibrations should be minimal.

Method and apparatus for vibration detection and vibration analysis, and lithographic apparatus equipped with such an apparatus


The power stage at the output of a high-frequency generates operates in class D and comprises a voltage supply and a common earth, a first and a second switch linked to the common earth and periodically switched on at a high frequency F; these switches are linked to two common-mode inductors connected in a Guanella balun. Each common-mode inductor comprises two inductive lines with strong mutual coupling. The first switch is linked to the input of the first inductive line but not to the second, third and fourth lines and the second switch is linked to the input of the fourth inductive line but not to the first, second and third lines, the output of the first inductive line is linked to an output of the generator, the output of the fourth inductive line is linked to an internal resistor, the inputs of the second and third inductive lines are linked to the supply voltage source, the output of the third inductive line is linked to the output of the first inductive line and the output of the second inductive line is linked to the output of the fourth inductive line.

To produce the output stage of the high-frequency generator, it has already been proposed to use circuits inspired by amplifiers operating in class D. These amplifiers indeed make it possible to attain much higher efficiencies than linear amplifiers operating in class A or less linear amplifiers operating in class B, AB or C. A class D amplifier operates using active components (transistors) controlled in an "all-or-nothing" manner between an "on" state and an "off" state at a frequency known as a switching frequency; in the "on" state, a current flows towards an output load, in the "off" state it is interrupted. The level of amplification is determined by the duty cycle of the conduction time at each period of the switching frequency. The input signal of the power stage is therefore a modulated signal in terms of pulse width at the switching frequency. A low-pass filtering (able to be part of the output load) eliminates the switching frequency at the output so as to conserve only the amplified input signal.
For a high-frequency generator output stage, it is possible to operate on the principle of a class D amplifier but without eliminating the switching frequency at the output, so that the output of the stage is only a power signal (modulated or not) at the switching frequency.
High-frequency generator output stages comprising two switches have therefore already been proposed, the switches being transistors operating in an "all-or-nothing" manner, activated at the desired high frequency so as to be successively and non-simultaneously conducting, linked to a power supply by inductive windings which receive currents of periodically reversed direction. These windings are coupled to other windings connected to an output load. The load receives a high-frequency alternating current.
Among the design constraints on these output stages, there is the fact that it is preferentially desirable to use transistors of the same type, rather than transistors of complementary types, as switches, for example two NPN transistors or two NMOS transistors but not an NPN transistor and a PNP transistor, or a NMOS transistor and a PMOS transistor. The reason for this is that it is desirable that the transistors have the same characteristics; now, it is difficult to obtain very similar characteristics, in terms of impedance or recovery time at the moment of switching, if the transistors are not of the same type. Additionally, the circuit diagrams are more complex if transistors of different types are used, especially for the control functions of the latter, above all if a variable supply voltage must be used, which is sometimes necessary to ensure a variable output power.
High-frequency generator output stages using transistors of the same type controlled in an "all-or-nothing" manner at the desired high frequency have already been proposed. They can use a double-wound transformer as is the case in the patent publication US2003/0179044. However, a double-wound transformer is expensive as its characteristics must imperatively be adapted to a given application and thus such a component is not readily commercially available.
Other propositions have been made based on these principles, for example in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,867, U.S. Pat. No. 5,726,603, U.S. Pat. No. 3,714,597, with relatively complex structures.
The technical literature also describes various high-frequency class D amplification circuits, and notably:    M. Seo, J. Jeon, I. Jung, Y. Yang "A 13.56 MHz high-efficiency current mode class-D amplifier using a transmission line transformer and harmonic filter". Proceedings of the Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference 2011;    F. H. Raab Switching transients in class-D RF power amplifiers, in HF radio systems and techniques, 7-10 Jul. 1997, conference publication No 411, IEEE, 1997;    Hermann Schreiber, 350 schémas HF de 10 kHz à 1 GHz [350 HF diagrams from 10 kHz to 1 GHz], page 267, Editions Radio 1990.
All of these diagrams use inductors known as common-mode inductors composed of two windings coiled around one and the same magnetic core. Some of the diagrams use two common-mode inductors associated in a Guanella balun (this association method will be clarified further on). They have drawbacks and notably the fact that a DC component of high value can flow in each common-mode inductor, risking the saturation of the magnetic cores. Additionally, these diagrams do not make it possible to adjust an internal impedance value of the output stage of the generator, whereas it is sometimes desirable to be able to choose the internal impedance value so as to match it to the load located downstream of the generator.

COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES


A method of characterizing a signal path includes (i) generating a reference spread-spectrum signal; (ii) coupling the reference spread-spectrum signal into the signal path while the signal path is carrying an operational signal; (iii) receiving a reflected spread-spectrum signal from the signal path generated in response to the reference spread-spectrum signal; and (iv) correlating the reflected spread-spectrum signal with the reference spread-spectrum signal to produce a correlation result corresponding to a characteristic of the signal path.

The inventive concepts disclosed within relate generally to the testing of signal paths. More specifically, the invention relates to determining a characteristic of an electronic signal path.
The benefits of being able to test signal paths are many. Some reasons are obvious. The modern world uses electronic devices that must operate reliably. Cables (or synonymously, wires) are used as signal paths in many pieces of equipment that can have catastrophic results if the equipment fails. A good example of this is an airliner. However, the consequences of non-performance do not have to be so dire in order to see that benefits are still to be gained. infrastructure of buildings and homes, where they are difficult to reach.
Testing of wires in electronic systems can be difficult, however, as the wires are often inaccessible, hidden behind panels, wrapped in protective jackets, or otherwise difficult to access. Removal of wires for testing or inspection can cause harm, and even if the wires are functioning properly upon testing or inspection, reinsertion of the wires into the system can result in damage.
Furthermore, among the most difficult wiring problems to resolve are those involving intermittent faults. For example, vibration can cause a wire with a breach in the insulation to occasionally contact other wires or surrounding items, a so-called "dry arc fault." "Wet arc faults" occur when moisture seeps into cracked insulation, creating a conducting path for current. Because of their intermittent nature, such faults are difficult to detect. Intermittent faults can result in circuit breaker trips, particular for new smart circuit breaker technology, yet finding the source of the failure can be very difficult. Visual inspection, when possible, can fail when arc faults are too small to be detected visually.
A new type of circuit breaker, know as an arc fault circuit breaker, may actually exacerbate the challenges of detecting intermittent faults. Arc fault circuit breakers are designed to open the circuit if an arc fault is detected. Unlike conventional circuit breakers, an arc fault circuit breaker will trip even if the arc fault draws less current than the circuit breaker's maximum current rating. The goal in installing these circuit breakers is to open the circuit before damage is done to surrounding wires. But, because the circuit breaker will open before damage becomes significant, the damage can be hidden making it more difficult to detect. Also troublesome is that arc fault circuit breakers are a new technology, and may not work reliable, forcing wasted test time chasing problems that don't actually exist.
The intermittent nature of faults can be further exacerbated by differences between the typically benign environment of a service shop and the harsh realities of the operational environment. For example, in the case of an aircraft, the arc fault may only occur in the atmospheric conditions present when an aircraft is at altitude.
Finding these intermittent faults can be time consuming or even impossible using present techniques. The duration of an arc fault can be as short at 5 to 20 ms, making it virtually impossible to find using conventional testing techniques. Productive time is lost when systems must be taken out of service, yet the failures cannot be duplicated.

Method and apparatus for characterizing a signal path carrying an operational signal


Disclosed is an alphabetic character input device which includes a key input section composed of a first key group having input keys mapped with first half patterns of certain alphabetic characters which are divided into a pair of half patterns and a second key group having input keys mapped with second half patterns of said certain alphabetic characters, the other undivided alphabetic characters being mapped on the input keys of either the first key group or the second key group; a memory for storing a table that maps the input keys of the first and second key groups with the first and second half patterns of said certain alphabetic characters and said other alphabetic characters; and a control section that recognizes a key mapped with the alphabetic character is pressed and combines a first half pattern with a second half pattern when keys mapped with first second half patterns are pressed in sequence, thereby recognizing the combined patterns as a single alphabetic character. An alphabetic character can be inputted by one or two keystrokes. Certain alphabetic character are each divided into a pair of half patterns, i.e., a first half pattern and a second half pattern, which are intuitively associated with a complete alphabetic character. Thus, the character input device enables the user to easily and rapidly input alphabetic characters with fewer keystrokes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an alphabetic character inputting device and a method for recognizing inputted alphabetic characters, and more particularly to a device for inputting a single alphabetic character by a combination of two half patterns and a method for recognizing an inputted alphabetic character.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a communication terminal, such as a telephone or a facsimile, includes a program for recognizing characters input via number keys which are also assigned with alphabetic characters.
For example, a mobile communication terminal will assign, or map, three alphabetic characters to a single number key. As shown in FIG. 1, a mobile communication terminal has a key input section with ten number keys. As shown, each of the keys numbered 1 to 9 is mapped with a plurality of alphabetic characters. FIG. 2 is a table showing specific characters mapped on each key and the input order for recognition of input of each alphabetic character.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, number key 2 is mapped with alphabetic characters A, B and C. Number key 3 is mapped with alphabetic characters E, F and G. Number keys 4 to 9 are similarly each mapped with three alphabetic characters. As shown in FIG. 2, a user can input alphabetic character (i.e. letter) "A" by pressing the number key 2 once. In order to input "B" or "C," the user must press the same number key 2 twice or three times, respectively. Similar to the need for the user to press the number key three times to input the letter "C", in order to input "F," "I," "L," "O," "S," "V" or "Y," the user must press the corresponding number key three times.
In a conventional mobile communication terminal that maps a plurality of alphabetic characters on a single key, the user can input an alphabetic character by pressing the corresponding key from one to three times, typically according to the order in which the character is imprinted on each key. In order to consecutively input two characters which are both mapped on the same key, the user has to wait a predetermined period of time, e.g. one second, after completing the input of the first character before the user can start to input the next character.
In order to solve the problems with the conventional mobile terminal, a character input device has been conceived to extract basic patterns from the shape of each alphabetic character from A to Z and to form an alphabetic character by combining a pair of basic patterns thereof. Such conventional devices, however, are limited in that they provide a key input section having only basic patterns imprinted thereon, to allow a user to input any alphabetic character with less keystrokes.
However, these conventional character input devices use basic patterns which are not extracted exactly from the shape of each alphabetic character and are merely similar in shape to each alphabetic character. Therefore, it is difficult for users to intuitively associate basic patterns with corresponding alphabetic characters. In addition, such conventional methods always require a two-keystroke sequence to input a single alphabetic character by a combination of two basic patterns.

Alphabetic character inputting device and method for recognizing inputted characters


Disclosed is a cooking appliance including: a main body; a container detachably installed to an upper portion of the main body, and comprising a reservoir for accommodating an object to be processed and a handle portion protruding laterally from the reservoir; and an enclosure detachably installed to the upper portion of the main body to surround the reservoir, wherein the enclosure is formed in a dome shape having an opened lower end and has a handle through hole extending from the opened lower end and formed in a part of a side surface of the enclosure, so that at least a part of the handle penetrates the handle through hole and is exposed to an outside in a state where the enclosure is installed to the main body with the container.

There are various types of cooking appliances such as blenders, juice extractors, kneading machines, etc. Most of the cooking appliances utilize motors to process food by rotating processing members (blades, screws, etc.).
Thus, noise is caused not just by a motor, but also by collision of a processing member, a container for accommodating food, and the food. In particular, a blander for rapidly blending food with high power makes huge noise.
Recently, in order to shield noise generating in a cooking appliance, a product having an enclosure surrounding a blander has been used.
However, as for a cooking appliance having an enclosure, the enclosure is divided into an upper part and a lower part, so food can be introduced into a container by opening the upper part of the enclosure or by separating the container from a main body, and, while the cooling appliance is in operation, the upper part of the enclosure is closed. In addition, since the enclosure is in a structure surrounding the entire of the container, the cooking appliance having the enclosure occupies a horizontal area greater than a cooking appliance having no enclosure.

Container and cooking appliance including the same


The cable according to one embodiment of the invention comprises: one or a plurality of core members, each having a conductor and an insulation cover material covering the conductor; and a sheath layer covering the one or the plurality of core members. The sheath layer comprises an inner sheath layer, and an outer sheath layer covering the inner sheath layer. The inner sheath layer comprises a crosslinked very low density polyethylene. The main component of the outer sheath layer is polyurethane. Relative to 100 parts by mass of resin component in the inner sheath layer, the very low density polyethylene content is between 20 parts by mass and 100 parts by mass inclusive. The elastic modulus of the inner sheath layer at 25° C. is between 5 MPa and 30 MPa inclusive.

Cables such as electromechanical parking brake cables and wheel speed sensor cables include cables in which a plurality of electric wires covered with an insulating coating layer, such as polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride, are bundled around a conductor, and the outer periphery thereof is covered with a sheath layer. Because such cables are subject to heat radiation from engines, brake disks and the like, the cables are required to have heat resistance in addition to toughness and flexibility.
In response to this heat resistance requirement, a cable has been proposed in which a sheath layer is formed by coating an electric wire with a heat-resistant polyurethane elastomer composition containing a polyurethane elastomer, a halogenated flame retardant other than a polydiphenyl ether, and a carbodiimide compound, and irradiating the heat-resistant polyurethane elastomer composition with an electron beam (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 6-212073). In the conventional cable described above, the electron beam irradiation improves the heat resistance by crosslinking the polyurethane in the sheath layer.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention pertains generally to immobilizing particulate matter contained in a "packed" bed reactor so as to prevent powder migration, compaction, coalescence, or the like. More specifically, this invention relates to a technique for immobilizing particulate materials using a microporous foam-like polymer such that a) the particulate retains its essential chemical nature, b) the local movement of the particulate particles is not unduly restricted, c) bulk powder migration and is prevented, d) physical and chemical access to the particulate is unchanged over time, and e) very high particulate densities are achieved. The immobilized bed of the present invention comprises a vessel for holding particulate matter, inlet and an outlet ports or fittings, a loosely packed bed of particulate material contained within the vessel, and a three dimensional porous matrix for surrounding and confining the particles thereby fixing the movement of individual particle to a limited local position. The established matrix is composed of a series of cells or chambers comprising walls surrounding void space, each wall forming the wall of an adjacent cell; each wall containing many holes penetrating through the wall yielding an overall porous structure and allowing useful levels of gas transport.

The present invention pertains generally to immobilizing particulate matter contained in a "packed" bed reactor so as to prevent powder migration, compaction, coalescence, or the like. More specifically, this invention relates to a technique for immobilizing particulate materials using a microporous foam-like polymer such that a) the particulate retains its essential chemical nature, h) the local movement of the particulate particles is not unduly restricted, c) bulk powder migration and is prevented, d) physical and chemical access to the particulate is unchanged over time, and e) very high particulate densities are achieved.
The utility of many materials used in industrial applications, particularly catalysts, is often limited by the surface area of the material available for reaction at any particular time. High surface forms of these materials, typically finely divided powders, are used extensively but efficiently using them in commercial processes remains of primary concern due to the need for bringing reactants together and constantly replenishing reagents as reactions proceed.
Increasing the reaction surface of a material is, therefore, only a first step. In order to use a material in reaction, it must be brought into contact, or at least very close proximity, with other active agents in order for a reaction to proceed. Unfortunately, finely divided powders are often difficult to handle in a manner which easily admits to intimate mixing. Various methods to address this problems have been implemented over the years. Some of the more familiar techniques include fluidized beds, and packed "fixed," beds wherein the reactive agent is supported by a secondary material or loosely contained in a closed retorts., and packed "moving" beds wherein reagents are mechanically passed through a reaction.
One very important class of materials used in packed beds are materials which form stable compounds with various gaseous species, i.e., getters, scrubbers, filters, converters (as in combustion exhaust converters), and the like. In particular, the class of materials known as hydrogen occulders, materials which form reversible "hydride" compounds when exposed to ambient hydrogen gas, are materials seen as the key to a hydrogen based economy. The ability to safely store very large quantities of this gas and quickly retrieve it for use would be a first step in replacing gasoline with hydrogen as the primary energy source for automobile transportation.
Such materials are known to include transition metal alloys having the formula A.sub.x B.sub.y C.sub.z where A is Fe, Mg, La, or Zr, where B is Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, or Ti and where C is Al. The parameter x in these alloys may vary from about 0.1 to about 2, y may vary between about 0.1 to about 5 and z may vary from about 0 to about 3. In particular, alloys such as those based on Fe--Ti and La--Ni--Al are often used in these systems. The lattice of these materials, however, are known to undergo significant volumetric deformation when the hydride reaction take place. The alloy lattice "swells," with the introduction of hydrogen, which fractures alloy particles breaking them up into still smaller particles. This size reduction promotes settling of the particles which eventually results in significant compaction and consolidation in the bed. As these particulate settle their local movement becomes increasingly restricted until the local swelling of many individual particles sums to create macroscopic swelling in the bed itself. In extreme, but not unusual, cases swelling of this sort will eventually split the containment vessel. Controlling the movement of the powder "fines" generated by these systems, therefore, is of primary concern.
Hybride reaction containers are often designed with elaborate internal baffling and channeling structures to prevent such powder migration. These techniques have worked well but they are expensive, costing not only money due to the complexity of the vessel fabrication, but decreased efficiency due to a lower packing density. A method for "fixing" hybride particles, immobilizing them in such a way as to prevent their compaction, would provide significant relief in reactor design.
While hydride materials have been emphasized for illustrative purposes similar problems occur in other types of packed beds whether or not particle comminution takes place during gas cycling: it is well known that the movement of pressure pulses or "waves" propagating through a bed can and does perturb the particulate contained therein sufficiently to tightly pack it the point where it blocks further gas transport. While this compaction may not lead to vessel failure (no swelling) it none-the less destroys integrity and effectiveness of the bed by restricting flow of a reacting fluid, be it a gas or a liquid.
Finally, catalytic reactors, such as petroleum "crackers", NO.sub.x converters, as well as hybride reactors, can be highly exothermic. Controlling the release of this waste heat in order to prevent it from damaging both the bed and surrounding equipment can be difficult. By selectively introducing an immobilizing medium whose thermal properties are complimentary with those of the bed, in use, the excess heat generated by the bed reaction can be exactly moderated by a phase transition heat of reaction, such as a glass transition, in the immobilizing media. As the bed reaction heats the media, the media passively uses that heat to initiate a reversible phase transition, and acts to "sink" the heat of reaction in the bed and thereby eliminating "hot spots."

Method for immobilizing particulate materials in a packed bed


A gateway is provided for interfacing packet-based phone services with controllers of emergency call centers. For each type of electronic medium to be interfaced, the gateway comprises a specific I/O interface and a specific module such as a protocol stack. The gateway also comprises an auxiliary information gateway application that integrates the I/O interfaces and modules into a logical framework that enables inter-working therebetween. A controller that includes the functionality of the gateway device is also provided. Methods for enabling emergency calls, and more generally for enabling a multi-media session, are also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of electronic communications, more particularly to inter-working electronic media that operate under disparate protocols, and most particularly to improving access to emergency call centers from phone services that employ networks, such as the Internet, for packet-based data transmission.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many parts of the world, a three-digit emergency telephone number, such as 911 in the United States and Canada, can be dialed to access emergency services from any telephone connected to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). FIG. 1 illustrates a common system arrangement for a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) 100 for receiving emergency calls and dispatching emergency services. The PSAP 100 includes a controller 102 and a terminal 104. The controller 102, which is a phone system much like a standard Private Branch Exchange (PBX) system, is connected to both a network of selective routers 106 that direct in-coming calls to the PSAP 100, and to a database 108 that stores information associated with telephone numbers.
In operation, when a caller dials an emergency telephone number, the call is routed to the network of selective routers 106 that determines the appropriate PSAP 100 for the call. In some instances, the call may be routed between several selective routers 106 in the network before being connected to the appropriate PSAP 100. Such further routing can occur, for example, when the first selective router 106 is too busy to handle the call. The call is then routed to the controller 102 of the PSAP 100 over a voice trunk according to a telephony protocol such as Centralized Automatic Message Accounting (CAMA) or Basic Rate Interface (BRI). The controller 102 then directs the call to an available terminal 104 to be answered by a call taker.
It should be noted that each time a phone number is transmitted from one selective router 106 to another, or from a selective router 106 to the controller 102, each digit is sent in series and each digit can take upwards of 100 milliseconds in the case of a voice trunk using a CAMA protocol. Accordingly, the caller may experience a delay on the order of 15 seconds before being connected to the PSAP 100. This delay is usually accompanied by complete silence on the line, and accordingly, callers sometimes abandon their calls believing that the system is not functioning.
The controller 102 is also connected to a database 108, typically by a serial interface such as an RS-232 type of link. The database 108, which can be a location database such as an Automatic Location Identification (ALI) database, associates telephone numbers with information, such as street addresses and jurisdictional districts for police, medical, and fire response authorities. Upon receiving a call, the controller 102 queries the database 108 for any records associated with the phone number from which the call is being made. The controller 102 then forwards the records to the terminal 104 where the records are displayed to the call taker. Querying the database 108 and transmitting the record to the terminal 104 can also incur a delay of 10 to 15 seconds.
The database 108 is based on an assumption that phone numbers are associated with telephones at fixed locations. Recently, the emergence of mobile phone systems has complicated the process of directing emergency calls to the correct PSAP 100 and providing accurate records to call takers. For mobile phones, triangulation from multiple cell phone towers can often provide at least location information necessary to direct an emergency call to the correct PSAP 100. However, phone services through networks, such as the Internet, that employ packet-based data transmission present a further dilemma. A user of such a phone system may be anywhere in the world where a network connection is available. Accordingly, few network phone service providers offer an emergency telephone number service.
FIG. 1 further illustrates how some network phone service providers presently offer an emergency telephone number service. When a user dials the emergency telephone number the service provider recognizes the emergency telephone number and accesses a look-up table that correlates the user's phone number with a phone number for an administrative line into a PSAP 100. The call is then directed across a packet-based network 120 to that administrative phone number through a gateway 122 to a PSTN 124. The gateway 122 provides a conversion from a packet-based network protocol to an analog telephony protocol appropriate for the PSTN 124. The PSTN 124 then directs the call to a phone system 126 associated with the phone number of the administrative line. The phone system 126 can be, for example, a PBX system. The phone system 126 rings a phone 128 in the PSAP 100. In this way the user is connected to a phone 128 at the PSAP 100. Unfortunately, since the phone 128 is outside of the established system for receiving emergency calls, there is no assurance that the call will be answered, or if answered, will be answered by a trained emergency call taker or appropriately prioritized. Also, no facility exists to query the database 108 since the call did not come through the controller 102, and generally a callback number cannot be displayed.
Therefore, what is needed is a way to route emergency calls made through phone services that employ packet-based data transmission networks to the existing infrastructure of emergency call centers.

Apparatus and method for interfacing packet-based phone services with emergency call centers


An interferometer system and method may be used to measure substrate thickness or shape. The system may include two spaced apart reference flats having that form an optical cavity between two parallel reference surfaces. A substrate holder may be configured to place the substrate in the cavity with first and second substrate surfaces substantially parallel with corresponding first and second reference surfaces such that a space between the first or second substrate surface is three millimeters or less from a corresponding one of the reference surfaces or a damping surface. Interferometer devices may be located on diametrically opposite sides of the cavity and optically coupled thereto. The interferometers can map variations in spacing between the substrate surfaces and the reference surfaces, respectively, through interference of light optically coupled to and from to the cavity via the interferometer devices.

Interferometry is an optical technique for measuring a phase shift due to variations in optical path. Typically a probe beam is split into to parts that are sent through two different paths, one part, called the probe beam travels through a path that includes a sample of interest. The other part, sometimes called a reference beam travels through a path that does not include the sample. The two beams are recombined after the probe beam has interacted with the sample and the reference beam has not. Interference of the two beams due to different optical path lengths can be detected with a photosensitive detector.
Interferometry has many applications for measurement of relatively small changes in distance, e.g., distance changes of the order of the wavelength of light used by the interferometer. Interferometry may be implemented by reflecting the probe beam off the sample. Such reflection may be done at normal incidence or at grazing incidence. Normal incidence interferometry requires a high reflectance surface. This may be impractical for certain types of samples. Grazing incidence interferometry, by contrast, can be done on a very rough surface, e.g., as rough as a business card. Grazing incidence interferometry may therefore be utilized with a greater variety of samples than normal incidence interferometry.
One example of normal incidence interferometry for measurement of the surface height and thickness variation on both sides of a wafer rapidly and accurately is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,847,458 B2, January 2005, and also in SPIE, Advanced Characterization Techniques for Optics, Semiconductors, and Nanotechnologies III, No. 6672-1, San Diego, USA, August 2007, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The technique described therein combines two phase-shifting Fizeau interferometers to simultaneously obtain two single-sided distance map between each side of a wafer and corresponding reference flats, and compute thickness variation and shape of the wafer from these data and calibrated distance map between two reference flats. This technique does not place the reference plate(s) very close to the wafer so that the system is sensitive to wafer vibration and does not allow the use of light sources with short temporal coherence length.
Unfortunately, grazing incidence interferometry requires a long beam path. Light sources used in grazing incidence interferometry typically have a coherence length of a few millimeters, e.g., about three millimeters. Consequently, grazing incidence interferometry is sensitive to vibration and thermal variation in the beam path. Thermal variation can be addressed by various temperature stabilizing techniques. Vibration is particularly difficult to address at low frequencies, e.g., 100 Hz or less. In addition, the apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,847,458 requires optical components such as reference flats and collimators to be larger than the wafer in diameter. As a result of this requirement, the system is expensive, particularly for large diameter wafers (e.g., 450 millimeter diameter wafers).
Another interferometry technique described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,009,696 B2, Mar. 7, 2006, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,057,741 B2, Mar. 7, 2006, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, is able to measure the surface height on both sides and thickness variation of a wafer. This technique combines two grazing incidence interferometers, simultaneously obtaining front- and backside topography data, and computes thickness variation and shape of the wafer from these data. Multiple measurements of portions of the wafer are stitched together to obtain full wafer topography data maps. A flat bar in close proximity to portions of one side of the wafer provides a damping arrangement reducing unwanted wafer vibrations during measurement.
Unfortunately, this technique has a long, non-common optical path length between the object being measured and the reference which makes it susceptible to air temperature gradients (and resulting air turbulence). The damping arrangement does not cover the entire surface area of the wafer and is applied only on one side of the wafer. Consequently, the damping is generally regarded as less effective. Furthermore, this technique uses a grazing incidence optical arrangement, which results in relatively low accuracy and precision measurements. In addition, system to system matching is difficult with such an optical arrangement.
It is within this context that embodiments of the present invention arise.

Method and apparatus for measuring shape or thickness information of a substrate


An example device for detecting one or more parameters of a cardiac signal is disclosed herein. The device includes one or more electrodes and sensing circuitry configured to sense a cardiac signal via the one or more electrodes. The device further includes processing circuitry configured to determine an R-wave of the cardiac signal and determine a previous RR interval of the cardiac signal and a current RR interval of the cardiac signal based on the determined R-wave. The processing circuitry is further configured to determine a search window based on one or more of the current RR interval or the previous RR interval, determine a T-wave of the cardiac signal in the search window, and determine a QT interval based on the determined T-wave and the determined R-wave.

Cardiac signal analysis may be performed by a variety of devices, such as implantable medical devices (IMDs), insertable cardiac monitors (ICMs) and external devices (e.g., smart watches, fitness monitors, mobile devices, Holter monitors, wearable defibrillators, or the like). For example, devices may be configured to process cardiac signals (e.g., cardiac electrograms (EGMs) and electrocardiograms (ECGs)) sensed by one or more electrodes. Features of cardiac signals may include the P-wave, Q-wave, R-wave, S-wave, QRS-complex, and T-wave. A QT interval is the time from the beginning of the QRS complex to the end of the T-wave. A QTc interval is a QT interval that has been normalized or corrected with respect to a heart rate using a formula. Accurate detection and delineation of features in cardiac signals, such as QT intervals or QTc intervals, may be of importance for monitoring patient health, such as risk of sudden cardiac death.


A wrist tether for use in conjunction with a pacifier comprises a wristband having hook and loop fasteners arranged such that the wristband may be wrapped about an infant""s wrist and removably secured thereto. A thumb support is attached to an end of the wristband and defines an aperture for receiving a thumb of a user so as to position the wristband at a desired position. The thumb support further defines a buttonhole spaced from the aperture for receiving a retaining member within a cavity therein. Therefore, the pacifier wrist tether removably positions and holds a pacifier at a desired position adjacent an infant""s thumb.

This invention relates generally to pacifier devices for infants and, more particularly, to a pacifier wrist tether for removably positioning and holding a pacifier at a desired position adjacent an infant""s thumb.
Most infants and many toddlers desire to suck on a pacifier. Frequently, however, these children often substitute one of their thumbs for a pacifier, especially when a pacifier is not available. Eventually, this thumb-sucking becomes a habitual practice that is undesirable to many parents for a variety of reasons. A particular problem with pacifiers is that they become lost or dirty when they fall from the infant""s mouth. A related problem is when parents attempt to retrieve a fallen pacifier while driving.
Various devices have been proposed in the art for positioning a pacifier upon an infant""s wrist using a strap. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, these devices do not provide means for maintaining a pacifier at a particular position adjacent an infant""s thumb or to removably hold a pacifier.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a pacifier wrist tether which may be wrapped about an infant""s wrist and held in a desired position with a thumb support. Further, it is desirable to have a pacifier wrist tether from which a pacifier may be selectively removed.
A pacifier wrist tether according to the present invention includes a wristband having hook and loop fasteners disposed adjacent opposed ends and on opposed sides thereof such that the wristband may be wrapped about an infant""s wrist and removably held thereon by engagement of the fasteners. A thumb support is attached to one end of the wristband and defines an aperture for receiving an infant""s thumb therethrough. The thumb support aperture allows the wristband to be maintained at a consistent and desired position. One side of the thumb support also defines a buttonhole in communication with an interior cavity. The buttonhole and cavity are configured to receive the retaining member of a pacifier. A particular pacifier may be used having a button-like retaining member that is particularly adapted to be removably held within the cavity.
Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a wrist tether which removably holds a pacifier on the wrist of an infant.
Another object of this invention is to provide a wrist tether, as aforesaid, having a thumb support for holding the pacifier at a position adjacent an infant""s own thumb.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a wrist tether, as aforesaid, having a button-like configuration for removably holding a pacifier.
A further object of this invention is to provide a wrist tether, as aforesaid, in which the nipple member of the pacifier may be pivotal relative to the retaining member.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a wrist tether, as aforesaid, which enhances physiological and neural behavioral organization by an infant relative to sighting, moving, and positioning a pacifier in his or her mouth.
Another object of this invention is to provide a wrist tether, as aforesaid, that is washable.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a wrist tether, as aforesaid, which inhibits an infant from sucking his thumb.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.


The valved container assembly comprises a container positionable on an adjustable stand. The container incorporates an outlet tube adjacent the bottom of the container, the outlet tube incorporating an inline flow control valve and an end valve which stops flow through the tube when flow into a receptacle for fluid from the container reaches a height below overflow.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a valved fluid container assembly including a container, such as, for example, a gas can, which is easy to use compared to those presently available and includes a valve system for greater accuracy in filling a device with fluid from the container, and for controlling flow of fluid from the container, the assembly further incorporating a stand for the container.
2. Prior Art
Heretofore, various liquid containers have been proposed. Also valved liquid containers have been proposed.
However, none have provided the ease of use and valving system which is described in greater detail hereinbelow.

Easy use valved fluid container assembly and valve system for same


A welding electrode hybrid laser arc welding is provided which is either a solid or metal core electrode. The electrode contains at least carbon, manganese, silicon, sulfur and phosphorus. The electrode has is no more than 0.02% carbon, manganese in the range of 0.6 to 1.2%, silicon in the range of 0.3 to 0.6%, no more than 0.01% sulfur, and no more than 0.01% phosphorus in % by weight of the electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
Devices, systems, and methods consistent with the invention relate to electrodes used for GMAW hybrid laser arc welding.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, developments have been made in hybrid laser arc welding, where workpieces are welded using a combination of a laser and gas metal arc welding (GMAW) methods. In one example of such welding the laser is used to create, or at least initiate, the molten weld puddle and the GMAW process follows behind the laser to deposit the filler material—welding electrode—into the weld puddle. Because the GMAW process is typically done in accordance with well known GMAW processes, solid welding electrodes which conform with American Welding Society (AWS) Standards, for example A5.18 ER70S-3, are employed. However, when welding in a hybrid laser arc welding process the use of standard AWS electrodes can result in the creation of solidification cracks and increased weld hardness, which can degrade the integrity and quality of the weld.

Electrode for GMAW hybrid laser arc welding


An electrochemical apparatus includes a catholyte, an anolyte, and a separator disposed between the catholyte and the anolyte. The catholyte includes metal salt dissolved in water, thereby providing at least one metal ion. The anolyte includes a polysulfide solution. The separator is permeable to the at least one metal ion. During a charging process of the electrochemical apparatus, oxygen is generated in the catholyte, the polysulfide in the polysulfide solution undergoes a reduction reaction in the anolyte, and the at least one metal ion moves from the catholyte to the anolyte. During a discharging process of the apparatus, the oxygen is consumed in the catholyte, the polysulfide oxidizes in the anolyte, and the at least one metal ion moves from the anolyte to the catholyte.

The cost of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar electricity generation, has dropped rapidly through the decades and can be competitive with fossil fuel generation. However, these energy sources are usually intermittent, thereby highlighting the need for electrical storage that can transform intermittent renewable power into predictable and dispatchable electricity generation, which may even serve as baseload power.
Conventional energy storage techniques include pumped hydroelectric storage (PHS) and underground compressed air energy storage (CAES), which can have costs as low as around 100 US$/kWh. However, these techniques also suffer constraints from geographical and environmental conditions that may limit further deployment.

Air-breathing aqueous sulfur rechargeable batteries


The system for adjustably mounting an item to a vertical surface comprises a track and cooperating slide slidably engaged to one another. One of the system structures engages an item to be mounted and the other of the system structures engages the vertical surface. Relative position between the structures may be adjusted and maintained, with the structures being releasably locked together once engaged. Further, if desired, the system may be engaged to an alarm apparatus to alert of tampering with the system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for adjustably mounting an item to a vertical surface. More particularly, the system comprises a track within which a cooperating slide is adjustably received and locked, with one structure engaging the item and the other structure engaging the vertical surface. Further, if desired, the system will accommodate engagement to a security system to indicate tampering with the mounted item.
2. Prior Art
It is often desirable to mount an item, such as a picture, to a vertical surface, such as a wall. Such mounting often times does not provide exact positioning desired. For example, the item may not hang straight, it may cock when hung by a wire, it may be a bit too high, a bit too low, or it may need to move toward the right or left.
When one uses a hanger such as a nail, numerous holes are made in the wall until desired positioning is attained.
Such disadvantages have been addressed in various ways.
The Schrager et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,522,901 and the Schwartz U.S. Pat. No. 2,723,096 both disclose a vertically adjustable system which incorporates a threaded member for use in adjusting positioning of a hanger engaged thereto while an item remains suspended from the hanger thereof.
The Robertson et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,780 discloses a picture hanging assembly which includes adjustable structures for assuring level positioning of an item depending therefrom.
Finally, the Kelrick U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,284 discloses a hanger which is very complex and which accommodates both vertical and horizontal adjustment.
As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, none of the prior art systems discloses structure which not only may be used for assuring desired positioning of an item suspended therefrom but also locks the item onto the vertical surface and accommodates engagement to a security system for indicating tampering with the suspended item.

System for adjustably mounting an item to a vertical surface


A method of manufacturing a liquid discharge head provided with a liquid flow path communicating with a liquid discharge port on a substrate has a step of forming a first electrically conductive layer on the substrate, a step of forming a molding member into the pattern shape of the flow path on the substrate, a step of forming a second electrically conductive layer on the molding member so as not to contact with the first electrically conductive layer, a step of forming a metal film by a plating process around the molding member by the utilization of the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer, and a step of removing the molding member and forming the flow path.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a liquid discharge head which discharges liquid by applying energy from outside to the liquid.
2. Related Background Art
A liquid discharge head which discharges desired liquid by applying energy from outside to the liquid can give the desired liquid to an object of discharge without the contact by a transfer roller or the like and therefore is used for various purposes. Above all, an ink jet recording apparatus is good in printing performance and low in cost and therefore has come to be widely utilized.
In the head of the ink jet recording apparatus, as means for discharging liquid from a discharge port formed in a liquid chamber, there are various types such as a type which generates bubbles in ink by heat energy and discharges an ink droplet by a produced pressure wave, a type which attracts and discharges an ink droplet by an electrostatic force, and a type which utilizes a pressure wave by a vibrator such as a piezoelectric element. The ink jet head includes in its construction a liquid chamber which provides a pressure generating chamber, a through port which communicates with the liquid chamber and provides a discharge port, the aforedescribed discharging means, etc.
As a method of forming a flow path structure such as the liquid chamber and the through port, mention may be made of:
(1) a method of forming the liquid chamber and the through port in a substrate by a photolithographic process and laser working;
(2) a method using plastic extrusion molding using a metal mold; and
(3) a method of forming a pattern which provides a molding member for the liquid chamber and the through port, and forming resin or forming a metal by a plating process, around the molding member.
The method under item (1) above includes the step of sticking the flow path structure on other substrate on which discharging means is formed. As the sticking, mention may be made of fusion welding by the fusion by heat, pressure welding utilizing the diffusion joining by heat and load, brazing and soldering utilizing a brazing filler metal, and adhesive securing utilizing an adhesive agent. The fusion welding and the pressure welding apply heat and load and therefore, have suffered from the problem that when the device becomes high in definition and high in density, the partition wall between liquid chambers may sometimes be destroyed. Also, as regards the brazing and welding and the adhesive securing, the control of the amounts of the adhesive agent and the brazing material is very difficult, and in some cases, the leakage of the adhesive agent and the brazing material into the liquid chambers or the unsealing of the liquid chamber due to the deficiency of the adhesive agent or the brazing material has occurred.
These problems have caused a reduction in yield. Also, in the case of the adhesive agent, there has also been the problem that the pressure produced in the liquid chambers may be alleviated in some cases. Also, alignment is necessary during the welding, but there has also been the problem that this is very difficult and mass productivity lacks.
The method under item (2) above has suffered from the problem that the selection range of the plastic material is generally narrow from the condition of the mechanical characteristic thereof and the accuracy of machining and the working condition are substantially determined by the material used. Also, there has been the problem that the mechanical characteristic is low and the pressure produced in the liquid chambers is alleviated or when the produced pressure is high as in the bubble jet (BJ) type, the material may be deformed in some cases.
In the method under item (3) above, the material is low in mechanical characteristic like the plastic material, and in some cases, the alleviation of the produced pressure or the deformation by the produced pressure has occurred.
Further, as the method of forming a metal around the molding member, by the plating process the following methods can be mentioned, but each of them suffers from a problem.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H11-115182, there is proposed a manufacturing method comprising the step of forming an integral type of nozzle and liquid chamber formed of an Ni material by electroforming, the step of forming a sacrifice layer formed of Cu in the liquid chamber, the step of forming a vibratory plate, and the step of fusing the sacrifice layer formed of Cu. In this case, it is necessary to stick the metal on a substrate on which discharging means is formed. The use of an adhesive agent during the sticking make alignment of high accuracy difficult. Also, there is a case where Cu formed as the sacrifice layer is alloyed with Ni and it becomes difficult to remove Cu only.
On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-142339 and Jae-Duk Lee, "A Thermal Inkjet Printhead with a Monolithically Fabricated Nozzle Plate and Self-Aligned Ink Feed Hole," J. Microelectromechanical Sys., Vol. 8, No. 3, September 1999, pp. 229–236, there is mentioned a method of integrally forming a nozzle plate and side walls.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H8-142339 (see FIG. 3A of the accompanying drawings), a molding member is formed of a first fusible resin 301 and a second fusible resin 302, whereafter an electrically conductive layer is generally formed and thereafter, metal film 304 having a predetermined film thickness is formed by electroforming, and lastly the molding member is removed to thereby form a flow path structure.
Also, in Jae-Duk Lee's publication (see FIG. 3B of the accompanying drawings), a molding member formed of a fusible resin 312 is formed on a substrate on which an electrically conductive layer 311 is formed, and metal film 313 having a predetermined film thickness is formed by electroforming, and lastly the molding member is removed to thereby form a flow path structure (Jae-Duk Lee,. "A Thermal Inkjet Printhead with a Monolithically Fabricated Nozzle Plate and Self-Aligned Ink Feed Hole," J. Microelectromechanical Sys., Vol. 8, No. 3, September 1999, pp. 229–236).
The method of manufacturing a flow path structure disclosed by Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-142339 and Jae-Duk Lee integrally forms a liquid chamber and a pattern providing a discharge port through which liquid is discharged from the liquid chamber with a fusible resin, and thereafter forms a plating layer around the pattern to thereby form a flow path structure. The liquid chamber can be formed directly on a substrate and therefore, the step of sticking is not included.
As a result, the problem due to sticking is solved, but in the case of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-142339, if the plating seed layer formed on the pattern is formed on the wall surface of the pattern providing the discharge port, the discharge port is closed by the plating layer and therefore, it becomes necessary to manufacture the flow path structure so that the plating seed layer may not be formed on at least the wall surface of the pattern providing the discharge port.
Methods of forming anisotropic metal film include a vapor depositing method, a sputtering method, etc., but to prevent a plating seed layer from growing on a side of a pattern, the pattern providing a discharge port need be of at least a taperless shape (the areas of the upper surface and lower surface of a molding member of a second fusible resin are equal to each other), and more preferably be of an inverted tapered shape (the area of the lower surface of the molding member of the second fusible resin is smaller than that of the upper surface thereof).
If the pattern providing a discharge port is made into an inverted tapered shape, there will arise the problem that the shape of the discharge port formed in the liquid chamber also becomes an inverted tapered shape and the deposition accuracy of the discharged liquid becomes lower than when the sticking method is used.
Also, in the case of Jae-Duk Lee's publication, the liquid chamber and the pattern providing a discharge port through which the liquid is discharged from the liquid chamber are integrally formed of a fusible resin, whereafter plating is grown from the seed layer of the plating formed on a substrate, and this leads to the problem that the corners of the cross-sectional shape of the discharge port becomes rounded and the deposition accuracy becomes lower than when the sticking method is used.

Method of manufacturing liquid discharge head


Object service receives communication of fingerprints stream, corresponding to file segments, from file source, and identifies sequential fingerprints in fingerprints stream as fingerprints group. Object service identifies group identifier for fingerprints group, and communicates fingerprints group to deduplication service associated with group identifier range including group identifier. Deduplication service identifies fingerprints in fingerprints group which are missing from fingerprint storage, and communicates identified fingerprints to object service, which communicates request for file segments, corresponding to identified fingerprints, to file source. Deduplication service receives communication of requested segments from file source, and stores requested segments. System identifies generation identifier associated with time of communicating by object service or deduplication service and identifies generation identifier associated with another time of communicating by object service or deduplication service. If generation identifier associated with time differs from generation identifier associated with other time, object service or deduplication service restarts communication.

A data user may copy data in a data center to one or more remote sites, which may be in one or more cloud locations, to have copies of data in case of a data center disaster, and/or the data user may copy data from remote sites to a centralized data center. Data storage systems include recording media that retain digital information, have evolved towards scalable designs that can grow with customer demand by adding storage and computation as necessary, and typically store redundant information. For example, when creating a copy of an enterprise's email system data which includes 100 instances of the same 1 Megabyte (MB) file attachment, a data storage system may store all 100 instances of the same 1 MB file attachment, inefficiently using 100 MB of storage space to store the same 1 MB file attachment. Data deduplication can eliminate redundant copies of information, which can improve the utilization of data storage systems and lower capital expenditure by reducing the total amount of recording media required to meet the capacity needs of data storage systems. Continuing the previous example, a data deduplication system stores only one instance of the same 1 MB file attachment and stores small references to the one stored instance for the 99 subsequent instances.
When being copied from or to a data storage system, a data file or a data object may be divided into data segments. A data deduplication system can receive data segments, compare these received data segments against previously stored data segments, identify which received data segments are unique because they have not been previously stored, and store the unique data segments. When a comparison identifies a received data segment as a duplicate of a data segment that has previously been stored as unique, a data deduplication system replaces the duplicate data segment with a small reference that points to the previously stored data segment.
Data deduplication efficiency depends on the number of duplications within data and how the data is divided for deduplication. For example, a relatively small data segment size enables a data deduplication system to identify more duplicates, and thereby save more recording media storage space. However, dividing a data file or a data object into a large number of small data segments increases the total size of the data segments' metadata because each data segment requires the same amount of metadata, increases the deduplication time required to process large numbers of small data segments, and increases data fragmentation.
Since there are numerous errors which can occur while copying a data file from a source to destination, data file copying systems need to verify that a data file has been correctly copied before ending the copying process. If some data in the file is missing or corrupted, then an important copy of the data file may no longer be available for a data user during a disaster recovery situation. Data file copying systems may respond to an error being detected in the copying of a data file by beginning the process of copying the data file over from the beginning of the copying process. For small data files, this is a reasonable approach, but for large data files which are hundreds of gigabytes (GBs) to terabytes (TBs) in size, resending all of the fingerprints and segments for the data file can take a long time. Therefore, a data file copying system can create checkpoints, and then respond to an error being detected in the copying of a data file by continuing the file copying process from the last checkpoint, without having to restart the file copying process from the beginning.

Destination file copying and error handling


The invention relates to a heat sink arrangement with a heat sink element, with a cylindrical interior, in particular a housing of an electric motor or housing part for such, with power electronics integrated into the housing or housing part, with at least one electronics component attached to the heat sink element from inside, in which the heat sink element is a sector of a cylinder adapted to the cylindrical interior of the heat sink arrangement, and that a springy clip is present that presses onto the ends of the sector such that the heat sink element is pressed against the cylindrical interior by spreading, as well as to an electric motor, a housing part and a springy clip.

The invention is based on a priority application EP06300763.7 which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention relates to a heat sink arrangement according to the preamble of claim 1, to an electric motor according to the preamble of claim 6, to a housing part according to the preamble of claim 7 and to a springy clip.
Such heat sink arrangement is known e.g. from US 2005/0285460 A1.
To assemble such heat sink arrangement is not easy because two elements have to be inserted at one and the same time.
Here the invention gives a remedy by a heat sink arrangement according to the teaching of claim 1, by an electric motor according to the teaching of claim 6, by a housing part according to the teaching of claim 7 and by a springy clip according to the teaching of claim 8.

Heat sink arrangement, electric motor, housing part, and springy clip


A method for suppressing noise of a first signal captured via a primary microphone is provided. A primary and a reference microphone are arranged on a communication device to capture noise and intermittent speech. A determination is made whether the first signal comprises non-stationary signal components or substantially stationary noise, and whether the first signal comprises substantially far-field noise in case it was determined that it comprises non-stationary signal components. A noise power spectrum estimate of the first signal is updated with a stationary noise power spectrum estimate if the first signal is considered to comprise substantially stationary noise or a far-field noise power spectrum estimate if the first signal is considered to comprise substantially far-field noise. A frequency response is computed on the basis of the estimated noise power spectrum. Noise from the first signal is suppressed by applying the frequency response on the first signal.

In general terms voice communication can be said to involve the transmission of a near-end speech signal to a far-end or distant user, where a speech enhancement problem consists in the estimation of a relatively clean speech signal from a captured noisy signal. There are a number of single-microphone configurations which allow for improvements when considering the suppression of noise.
Use of two distinct microphones to simultaneously capture a sound field allows for a possible usage of spatial information and characteristics of the sound source(s) from which a sound field captured by the microphones originates. These characteristics may relate to the relative placement of the microphones on a mobile communication device as well as the design and usage of the communication device. A proper estimation of the noise characteristics forms a basis for an efficient use of noise suppression algorithms, such as e.g. algorithms which are based on spectral subtraction, which is commonly used in this particular technical field.
Different methods for executing dual-microphone noise suppression have been suggested based on the assumption that the signals received by the microphones have a relatively similar power level for the near-end signal generated by the user of the communication device.
In WO 2007/059255 noise suppression is performed by generating a ratio of power difference and sum signals from input signals captured by two microphones, after which the input signals are being processed such as to suppress the estimated noise from one of the two input signals.
A drawback with WO 2007/059255, which is relying on the assumption of small or even no gain difference between signals captured by a microphone pair is that, in practice, dual-microphones mounted side-by-side on mobile devices will present an arbitrary gain difference. This difference is both inherent to the high variation of the manufactured microphone gains and to the variation in the near-field signal received levels with small changes in the position of the mobile device relative to the speaker's mouth, when the device is used in handheld mode.
Other methods, such as e.g. the one presented in US 2007/0154031 exploit the level differences between received microphone signals to discriminate speech and noise in the time-frequency domain and to suppress the noise accordingly.
However, while the use of a microphone for capturing noise, typically referred to as a reference microphone, in conjunction with a microphone used for capturing basically speech, typically referred to as a primary microphone, and the exploitation of a resulting signal level difference at the two microphones can allow for a fairly good detection of the speech and noise signals in the time-frequency domain, noise suppression based on a masking approach, such as the one described in US 2007/0154031 normally results in a high distortion of the extracted speech signal and introduces also often musical noise.
A spectral subtraction based method applicable for dual-microphone noise suppression has been suggested in WO2000/062579, where spectral processors are used for producing separate noise reduced and noise estimated signals.
Spectral subtraction techniques, such as the one described in WO2000/062579, have generally proven to be relatively robust to speech cancellation and to provide a relatively good suppression of stationary noise. The filtering process which is normally used in association with spectral subtraction usually relies on estimates of the spectrum of the noise and the spectrum of the noisy speech. The noise spectrum is preferably estimated during speech pauses and is based on the estimation of the stationary part of the noise only. Many background noise environments, such as e.g. restaurants, airports, streets and other public places, are however characterized by the presence of a high level of non-stationary noise which is not taken into consideration in known implementations, which are based on spectral subtraction techniques, and hence when applying these techniques the non-stationary noise component remains unfiltered in the signal transmitted to the far-end user of the communication link.

Noise suppressing method and a noise suppressor for applying the noise suppressing method


The invention describes a spring-force terminal connection (2) for electrical conductors with a busbar section (5) and a bent leaf spring (3), which has a bearing limb (7), which is supported on the busbar section (5), a spring bend section (11), which adjoins the bearing limb (7), and a clamping limb (8), which adjoins the spring bend section (11), for fixedly clamping a conductor to the busbar section (5). Those parts (12a, 12b) of the leaf spring (3) which merge with the bearing limb (7) and the clamping limb (8) run in the spring bend section (11) at least partially parallel to one another and bear against one another.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a spring-force terminal connection for electrical conductors with a busbar section and a bent leaf spring, which has a bearing limb, which is supported on the busbar section, a spring bend section, which adjoins the bearing limb, and a clamping limb, which adjoins the spring bend section, for fixedly clamping a conductor to the busbar section.
2. Background Description
The invention furthermore relates to an electrical terminal with at least one such spring-force terminal connection, which is inserted into an insulating housing of the electrical terminal.
DE 197 11 051 A1 discloses a connecting terminal for electrical conductors, with a spring-force terminal connection, which has a bent clamping spring formed from spring sheet steel with bearing limbs, which are connected to one another via a spring bend, and clamping limbs and a busbar, which is inserted into the clamping limb and bears against the bearing limb. A conductor insertion channel, which extends from the rear spring bend of the clamping spring along the bearing limb and the busbar, is provided in the insulating housing of the terminal.
Another embodiment of screwless connection terminals is described in DE 30 19 149 C2. In this case, the end of a bearing limb, which is positioned at an angle, of a bent clamping spring rests on a conductor end by means of spring force, which conductor end has been inserted through a conductor insertion channel into a free cavity.
DE 102 39 273 A1 discloses a spring-force terminal connection for an electrical conductor, in which the clamping limb end of a leaf spring dips into a rectangular material passage in a busbar section in such a way that the clamping limb end with a hole collar inner wall face of the material passage forms a clamping point for the electrical conductor. The bearing limb is supported on that side of the material passage which is opposite the clamping point. In this case, too, the leaf spring is provided with a U-shaped spring bend section.
As a result of the positioning of the conductor insertion channel known, for example, from DE 197 11 051 A1 with a substantial part of its length below the bearing limb of the clamping spring, a reduction in the physical height of the terminal component part in the direction of extent of the conductor insertion channel is already achieved.
Against this background, the present invention is based on the object of further reducing the physical width of clamping component parts in the direction of the spring excursion of the clamping spring.
The object is achieved by the spring-force terminal connection of the type mentioned at the outset by virtue of the fact that, in the spring bend section, those parts of the leaf spring which merge with the bearing limb and the clamping limb run at least partially parallel to one another and bear against one another.
In contrast to the previously known leaf springs bent in the form of a U in which the spring bend section has a considerable radius, with the spring-force terminal connection according to the invention the distance between those parts of the spring bend section which run parallel to one another and therefore the radius of the spring bend is reduced to a maximum extent, with the result that these two parts, which merge with the bearing limb and the clamping limb, of the spring bend section bear at least partially against one another. This means that the minimum physical width predetermined with respect to one another by the radius of the spring bend in the direction of the spring excursion of a clamping component part can be reduced.
The spring bend section with a reduced radial extent can preferably be realized by virtue of the fact that the leaf spring is folded over in the spring bend section, with the result that those parts of the leaf spring which bear against one another are connected to one another in the spring bend section via a 180° bend in the leaf spring. The leaf spring can therefore be produced from spring sheet steel which is folded over by means of a suitable shaping process.
As an alternative to this, however, the leaf spring can also be produced from two parts of spring sheet steel. In this case, the leaf spring is formed from a first part, which contains the bearing limb, and a separate second part, which contains the clamping limb. These two separate parts are then connected to one another so as to form the bent integral leaf spring at the spring bend sections, which run parallel to one another, of the two parts. In order to provide a spring excursion which is as great as possible, the connection should take place at the ends of the parallel spring bend sections.
Those parts of the leaf spring which bear against one another in the spring bend section can be connected to one another by means of riveting, welding, adhesive bonding or an interlocking connection.
The spring-force terminal connection can be configured, for example in design terms, in the manner known from DE 197 11 051 A1. In this case, the clamping limb of the leaf spring has a cutout and is bent back towards the bearing limb in such a way that the busbar section, which bears against the bearing limb, extends away from the bearing limb through the cutout, and the limit of the cutout at the end of the clamping limb together with the busbar section forms a clamping point for a conductor, which is plugged from the spring bend in the direction of the cutout and through the cutout.
However, it is conceivable for the spring-force terminal connection to be configured so as to have the design known in principle from DE 102 39 273 A1. In this case, the busbar section is manufactured from a flat material and has a conductor plug-through opening. The leaf spring dips into the conductor plug-through opening and forms, with the material passage of the conductor plug-through opening, a clamping point by virtue of the clamping limb of the leaf spring in the rest position, in which there is no conductor inserted into the conductor plug-through opening, bearing in sprung fashion against a clamping section at the conductor plug-through opening. In this case, the bearing limb preferably likewise extends into the conductor plug-through opening and is supported on that inner edge of the conductor plug-through opening which is opposite the clamping point. However, it is also conceivable for the bearing limb to be fastened in another way on the busbar section.

Electrical terminal and spring-force terminal connection therefor