The present invention provides a hydraulic fluid tank assembly for a vehicle having a hydraulic brake cooling circuit and a hydraulic steering circuit. The hydraulic tank assembly includes a hydraulic tank that has a brake cooling section fluidically coupled to the hydraulic brake cooling circuit of a vehicle and a steering section fluidically coupled to the hydraulic steering circuit of a vehicle. The steering section further is fluidically coupled to the brake cooling section such that hydraulic fluid may flow between the brake cooling section and the steering section of the hydraulic tank. A barrier plate disposed in the tank separates the brake cooling section from the steering section. The barrier plate has a through hole that fluidically couples the brake cooling section with the steering section; and a hydraulic fluid strainer is disposed in the through hole of the barrier plate in order to strain hydraulic fluid that flows between the brake cooling section and the steering section.

The present invention relates to an improved hydraulic oil tank that provides hydraulic oil to both the steering and brake cooling systems of a vehicle, such as a dump truck. In particular, the invention relates to a hydraulic tank that has two separate hydraulic oil environments, one for supplying steering oil and one for providing brake cooling oil, that share common oil.
Hydraulic systems for the steering and brake systems of a truck typically have either a totally common hydraulic tank that supplies both the steering and brake cooling oil to the steering and brake systems or two totally separate hydraulic tanks, one for the steering system and one for the brake cooling system.
Systems that employ a totally common hydraulic tank, however, risk having contaminants from the brake cooling oil enter the hydraulic steering system or circuit and cause a steering failure. Contamination of the brake cooling oil can result from brake wear or from a catastrophic brake failure. Some systems have hydraulic oil filters positioned in the hydraulic circuit between the brakes and the hydraulic tank for filtering contaminants from the brake cooling oil. However, these filters can become over saturated so that contaminated oil is able to bypass the filter.
Whereas the use of two totally separate hydraulic tanks can prevent contaminated brake cooling oil from entering the steering oil circuit and causing a steering failure, it can also be costly to implement. Furthermore, over time the volume of oil in the steering circuit may decrease due to leakage of oil across the brake seal, as explained in more detail further below.
Inside many typical disc brakes for trucks is a seal that separates the brake into brake application and brake cooling sections. Oil used in the brake application section for applying the brakes comes from the steering oil circuit and, in particular, from the steering accumulators which store oil at higher pressures. Due to the resulting pressure differential between the two sections when the brakes are applied, oil may leak from the brake application section to the brake cooling section across the brake seal. Over time this leakage can be significant and cause a decrease in the volume of oil in the steering oil circuit and an increase in the brake cooling oil circuit. If these two circuits are totally separated, as in the case where two totally separate hydraulic tanks are employed, then the oil that has leaked across the brake seal can not return to the steering oil circuit.
The present invention provides a single hydraulic tank which allows oil that has leaked across the brake seal from the brake application section to the brake cooling section to return to the steering circuit. While allowing "leaked" oil from the brake cooling section to return to the steering circuit, the present invention also prevents contaminants that may be present in the brake cooling oil from entering the steering circuit.

Method and apparatus for separating steering oil and brake cooling oil within a hydraulic tank


There is provided a wireless device configured to perform both multi-user spatial multiplex communication and single user communication with a communication device. The wireless device is configured to set a first waiting time for the single user communication, and count the first waiting time in a period in which a second waiting time for the multi-user spatial multiplex communication is counted. The wireless device then transmits data through the single user communication after the first waiting time expires.

In recent years, standardization of a new wireless LAN has been under review by IEEE 802.11 working groups and the like. For example, a method in which a plurality of wireless devices simultaneously perform data transmission with one access point device using multi-user spatial multiplex communication is under review. Patent Literature 1 discloses a communication control method in a wireless device that performs both multi-user spatial multiplex communication and single user communication.

Wireless device, communication device, wireless control method, communication control method, and program


Variable speed control systems and methods for walk-behind working machines, such as lawnmowers and similar powered machines, can include a control system base, a handle having a recess formed in an edge thereof, a control lever including a lever arm that is pivotably attached to the control system base and includes a grip portion, and a control connector connected between the control lever and a machine component. The control lever can be selectively pivotable with respect to the control system base between a first angular position at which the grip portion of the control lever is spaced apart from the handle to control the machine component to be in a first operating state and a second angular position at which at least a portion of the grip portion is positioned within the recess of the handle to control the machine component to be in a second operating state.

Many walk behind working machines, such as lawnmowers and other similar small powered equipment, have a self-propel system that propels or drives the working machine at a selected ground speed. In such systems, a control system is typically carried on the handle to allow the operator to engage and disengage the self-propel system and to select a desired ground speed. For example, many such control systems use a pivotable ground speed control bail on the handle of the working machine. In such systems, the bail can be pivoted to engage the self-propel system, with the degree of movement of the ground speed control bail dictating the ground speed of the working machine.
In these conventional self-propel systems, however, it can be difficult to maintain the control system in a fixed position corresponding to a desired cruising speed. For example, many control systems lack a fixed position in which the operator can comfortably hold the control bail while operating the working machine at a self-propelled "cruising" speed. In addition, with slipping belt or variable speed type transmissions that are commonly used in many lawnmowers, for example, the driving torque can change depending on the ground conditions such as the slope or ground surface. In such changing conditions, the speed of the transmission may require varying the control in a substantially continual manner to achieve a consistent desired speed.
In view of these issues, it would be desirable for a ground speed control system to allow for comfortable operation of the working machine at a cruising speed while still enabling changes in the driving torque to account for changing ground conditions.

Variable speed control systems and methods for walk behind working machine


A molecular detection apparatus of an embodiment includes: a first detector which includes a first sensor containing a MOF having a fluorescence emitting property, a light source which irradiates the MOF with light, and a light receiver which receives fluorescence from the MOF; a second detector which includes a sensor layer electrodes electrically connected with the sensor layer; and a type discrimination and concentration calculation part which discriminates a type of the molecules to be detected based on a measurement result measured by the first detector, and calculates a concentration of the molecules a measurement result measured by the second detector based on a discrimination result of a type of the molecules.

In recent years, global environmental problems due to an air pollution have become obvious, and in the context of tightening of regulations on emission gases from plants and vehicles, a gas detection apparatus has been required to be highly sensitive. In terms of an environmental standard related to the air pollution, for example, 40 ppb (parts per billion) or less has served as a standard for NOX (nitrogen oxide), and thus, detecting an extremely small amount of gas component in the order of ppb has been required. Separately from the environmental problems, in the defense field, development of accurate and rapid analytical methods with respect to NBC (N: Nuclear, B: Biological, C: Chemical) substances has stood as an issue. In terms of chemical agents in particular, rapid sensing of toxic gas that has an extremely strong effect on human body has been required as seen in the sarin nerve-gas attack on the Tokyo subway system. In order to prevent secondary damage, it is necessary to detect a gas component having an extremely low concentration in real time. Although various methods have been known as a method of detecting a gas component having a relatively high concentration, the detection methods have been limited for detecting the gas component having a concentration of ppb (parts per billion) to ppt (parts per trillion), which corresponds to an extremely low concentration.
For example, at a disaster site, a site at which an act of terrorism occurs, a site for quarantine at the border, or the like, it has been desired to sense the risk in advance by detecting an extremely small amount of the gas component. The gas component having an extremely low concentration is often detected by use of large equipment in research facilities. In this case, installation type equipment, which is expensive and has large weight and volume, is required such as a gas chromatography or a mass spectrometer. The case where direct measurement is desired on the go relies on a simple measurement method that detects the gas component by use of a biological reaction mechanism, but has many problems of a storage life, temperature management, a limit of determination whether the gas component is present or not, and the like. Under such circumstances, an apparatus that is capable of detecting the gas component having an extremely low concentration in real time, in other words, an apparatus that has a smaller weight and volume and a better portability and enables selective and higher sensitive detection of the gas component having an extremely low concentration in the order of ppt to ppb has been required.
As a detection element for the gas component having a low concentration, for example, an element has been known that has a conductive layer in which a surface of a carbon substrate such as a carbon nanostructure or graphene is surface modified with an organic substance or the like which selectively reacts with or adsorbs a specific substance and measures a potential difference or the like which changes depending on the gas component that has adhered to the surface of the carbon nano substrate. For example, when a component or the like similar to a detection target gas component is mixed, as an impurity, in a gas obtained from the air, such a detection element has a risk of being incapable of accurately detecting the detection target gas component. An inaccurate detection result of the detection target gas component naturally results in inaccurate concentration detection thereafter as well. Therefore, a detection apparatus capable of selectively and highly sensitively detecting the gas component having an extremely low concentration has been required.

Molecular detection apparatus and molecular detection method


Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) apparatus and method of a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO system are provided. The ARQ method includes decoding, when one or more packets are received, the received packets and trying to detect the decoded packets; and storing, when error is detected from the packets, the corresponding error packet, requesting a transmitter to retransmit N-ary packets from which the error is detected and to transmit (M-N)-ary new packets when the number of the error packets N is smaller than the total number of the transmitted packets M. Accordingly, the error rate of the retransmitted data can be minimized, the number of retransmissions can be decreased, and the overall data transmission rate can be raised.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) system, and in particular, to an Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) apparatus and method.
2. Description of the Related Art
The next-generation wireless mobile communication system aims to provide a variety of data services beyond the existing voice oriented services. To this end, high-speed data communication technology needs to be further developed. Recent research has found that a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) system, which uses multiple antennas at transmitter and receiver respectively, achieves a remarkable increase in channel capacity, compared to a system using a single transmit antenna and a single receive antenna. To realize the theoretical channel capacity increase gain of the MIMO system, various schemes have been suggested, including a spatial multiplexing scheme and a space-time code scheme.
The spatial multiplexing scheme can increase system capacity, without requiring additional system bandwidth, by transmitting different data from different transmit antennas at the same time. A representative example of the spatial multiplexing scheme is Vertical-Bell Laboratory Layered Space Time (V-BLAST). The space-time coding scheme provides both diversity gain and coding gain by distributing and transmitting a data stream over time slots and an antenna with proper codes appended. A representative example of the space-time coding scheme is a space-time block coding scheme.
A 2×2 MIMO system can receive two data streams over one time slot by separately receiving the signals at a receiver from two transmit antennas. Also, the 2×2 MIMO system can obtain the diversity gain and lower the data error rate by distributing and transmitting two data streams over two antennas in two time slots using Alamouti's code.
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of transmission and reception of a general 2×2 MIMO system.
In FIG. 1, 2×2 subchannels are established between a transmitter having two transmit antennas 101-1 and 101-2 and a receiver having two receive antennas 103-1 and 103-2. Xi(t) is a packet signal transmitted to a transmit antenna i at time t, and Yj(t) is a signal received at a receive antenna j at the time t. Vj(t) is white noise in the receive antenna j at the time t, and {circumflex over (X)}i(t) is a signal decoded from Xi(t) through decoders 105-1 and 105-2 at the time t. The subchannels each have a unique channel response characteristic hji. This characteristic is a channel coefficient from the transmit antenna i to the receive antenna j and is represented as a channel characteristic matrix H. In case of the 2×2 MIMO system, the channel characteristic matrix H is
      [                                        h            11                                                h            12                                                            h            21                                                h            22                                ]    ·      [                                        h            11                                                            h            21                                ]  can be represented as H1 and
      [                                        h            12                                                            h            22                                ]     can be represented as H2. The relational expression of the transmission and reception of the system is
                              Y          _                                  (          t          )                    =                        H                                                                                X              _                                                  (              t              )                                      +                              V            _                                          (            t            )                                ,                      where                                X          _                                  (          t          )                                                            is                                          [                                                                                X                    _                                    1                                                                  (                  t                  )                                                                                X                    _                                    2                                                                  (                  t                  )                                                                    ]              ,                            Y          _                                  (          t          )                                                            is                                          [                                                                                Y                    _                                    1                                                                  (                  t                  )                                                                                Y                    _                                    2                                                                  (                  t                  )                                                                    ]              ,          and                                                        V          _                                  (          t          )                                                                      is                                                    [                                                                                V                      _                                        1                                                                          (                    t                    )                                                                                V                      _                                        2                                                                          (                    t                    )                                                                                ]                .
Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) is a method for data retransmission from a transmitter when an error occurs in the received data in a communication system. Particularly, Hybrid ARQ (HARQ), which combines ARQ with encoding, combines the incorrectly received data stored in a previous time slot and the retransmitted data using a proper coding scheme. HARQ can reduce the number of data retransmissions and raise the data reception probability. Each packet is transmitted with a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) code for the error detection.
The CRC appends extra error detection bits called a Frame Check Sequence (FCS) to the original data bits to increase the reliability of a data frame of a certain size. The FCS generation and the error detection are carried out using one polynomial circuit and is frequently used thanks to its easy implementation, good error detection, and low overhead. For instance, after passing through a polynomial circuit p(x)=x5+x4+x2+1 to acquire an FCS of message bits 1010001101 in a frame, the FCS 1110 is generated. By appending the generated FCS to the original message bits, 1010000110101110 can be transmitted over the channel. Upon receiving the message bits, error detection is performed using the same p(x) polynomial circuit.
In the conventional ARQ method, which is for a Single Input Single Output (SISO) system, the receiver determines the error based on the error detection bits of the received packet. When an error occurs, the receiver can send an Acknowledge/Negative Acknowledge (ACK/NACK) signal to the transmitter over the reverse channel. That is, the receiver sends an ACK signal when the error is not detected, and sends a NACK signal when the error is detected. Accordingly, the transmitter sends new packets when receiving the ACK signal and retransmits the packet when receiving the NACK signal.
When the ARQ method of the existing SISO system is applied to the MIMO system, the number of the transmission paths increases and the number of operation schemes also increases. Also, two or more data streams can be transmitted at the same time, and the reception error may be detected from both or either of the two data transmissions. Therefore, to apply the ARQ method of the existing SISO system to the MIMO system, a method for minimizing the retransmitted data error rate and decreasing the number of retransmissions using an adequate ARQ method is needed.

Automatic repeat request (ARQ) apparatus and method of multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system


Method for operating a field device of process automation technology, wherein the field device is connected for communication with at least one servicing tool. In the case of a request by a servicing tool for access to the field device, the access allowed by the field device depends on the particular servicing tool which places the access request, and on the operating state, in which the field device is located.

In process automation technology, field devices are often employed, which serve to register and/or influence process variables. Serving for registering process variables are sensors, such as, for example, fill-level measuring devices, flow measuring devices, pressure and temperature measuring devices, pH-redox potential measuring devices, electrical conductivity measuring devices, etc., which register the respective process variables, fill-level, flow, pressure, temperature, pH-value and conductivity. Serving for influencing process variables are actuators, for example valves or pumps, via which the flow of a fluid in a section of pipeline or the fill-level in a container can be changed. In principle, all devices which are employed near the process and which deliver or work with process-relevant information are referred to as field devices. In addition to the aforementioned sensors and actuators, generally, units that are directly connected to a fieldbus and which serve to communicate with the superordinated units (e.g. remote I/Os, gateways, linking devices, etc.) are also referred to as field devices. A large number of these devices are produced and sold by the Endress+Hauser Group.
In modern industrial facilities, field devices are, as a rule, connected with superordinated units via fieldbus systems. Normally, the superordinated units involve control systems or control units, for example a PLC (programmable logic controller) or a DCS (Distributed Control System). The superordinated units are used, among other things, for process control, process visualizing, process monitoring as well as in the start-up of the field devices. One or more of such superordinated units can, in such case, be directly connected to the fieldbus, to which the field devices are connected, and/or be connected to a superordinated communication network.
In a field device, a plurality of parameters are provided. Parameters of a field device include, for example, a measuring range, limit values, units, etc. By writing and reading the parameters of a field device—which is also referred to as configuring (or parametering) the field device—the functionality of the field device can, in each case, be adapted corresponding to the intended use. The configuring of a field device is, as a rule, performed during the start-up of the field device. To the extent that changes should be performed during operation, a configuration can also partially occur during operation. A changing, activating and/or deactivating of parameters of a field device occurs, in such case, by a write accessing of the parameters. By a read accessing, parameters of the field device can be read out; a change in the parameters does not, in such case, occur.
For accessing parameters of field devices—especially for reading and writing parameters of field devices—servicing programs, which are also referred to as servicing, or operating, tools, are provided. Such servicing tools can, in such case, be implemented on the field device itself, on a superordinated unit and/or on a servicing device, such as, for example, a portable personal computer (laptop), a portable handheld servicing device (handheld), a PDA (Personnel Digital Assistant), etc. An accessing of parameters of a field device via the servicing tools can, in such case, occur automatedly, in the context of an application, or manually, by a user. As a rule, servicing tools make available to a user (who would like access to parameters of a field device) a corresponding user interface. A communication connection between a servicing device (e.g. a personal computer, portable handheld servicing device or PDA) and the field device is produced either via the fieldbus, to which the field device in question is connected, or directly via a corresponding service interface of the field device. A servicing tool which is implemented on the field device itself enables a user to access the field device on-site. In addition to providing access to field devices as explained, servicing tools can also have still other functions.
Until now, access rights are statically defined in a field device, which means, especially, that once set, or defined, access rights to parameters of the field device remain unchanged over time (assuming they are not changed again). During the start-up of a field device, a parameter change is relatively non-critical, since such a change does not directly affect the process of a plant. In some operating states of a field device, however, parameter changes are to be conducted only as a matter of exception and with high care, especially in an operating state in which the field device is integrated into the process of a plant, and changes to the parameters settings can directly affect the process (operating state: on control). In this case, a parameter change which is incorrect or which is undergone at an incorrect point in time can have an unforeseeable effect on the process. A static definition of access rights thus has the disadvantage, that in some situations, in which parameter changes are relatively non-critical, more extensive access rights are desirable; whereas in other situations, in which parameter changes are critical, the defined access rights are possibly too extensive.
In a plant of process automation technology, a field device is, as a rule, connected for communication not only with one, but rather with a plurality of servicing tools. In such case, a coordination of accessings by the different servicing tools often does not occur. This can lead to two servicing tools accessing parameters of a field device simultaneously, or at such short time intervals, that an unpredictable behavior and/or an error occurs in the current application. For example, it can occur that a first servicing tool accesses the field device, and loads all or a part of the parameters of the field device into the associated processor unit, on which the servicing tool is implemented. These data are then available as offline data, which means that a change of the same data (in the processor unit) does not directly affect the associated parameters in the field device. The parameters are then, for example, changed offline by way of the servicing tool, and then loaded back into the field device. After this loading, the changed parameters then exist as online data in the field device. If, in parallel—that is, at the same time or overlapping in time—to the parameter change via the first servicing tool, another parameter change is also performed in the field device via a second servicing tool, it can then occur that the parameter change of the first or the second servicing tool is unintentionally overwritten, or that the parameter change of the first servicing tool is not compatible with the parameter change of the second servicing tool. This can lead to unpredictable behavior in the process, or to the occurrence of errors.
Until now, existing measures have not been sufficient to reliably avoid the above-mentioned causes for possible error. In known servicing tools, an identification method, by which users must first identify themselves (for example, through a password or through biometric data) is, as a rule, provided. Depending on the type of task and the technical knowledge of the relevant person, predetermined accesses are enabled via the servicing tool. In this way, for individual persons, only such accesses are enabled for which, in each case, these persons are authorized. This mechanism does not prevent, however, that two or more persons access in parallel the same field device via different servicing tools. Additionally, this mechanism cannot prevent that a user unintentionally changes parameters of a field device which is currently in the operating state "on control", and that errors in the process are caused thereby.
Additionally, the use of so-called hardware-switches in field devices is also known. Such involves, for example, mechanical switches, which are placed directly on the field device, and whose actuation leads to the field device being blocked from parameter changes of any type. Disadvantageous in such case, is, however, the fact that, in order to both block parameter changes as well as for canceling this blocking, the field device in question must, in each case, be located on-site, and the relevant switches must be actuated. Additionally, such a switch cannot effectively and reliably eliminate the causes for error set forth above.


Disclosed are solid forms of 1-[(2-chloro-5-thiazolyl)methyl]-3-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-2-hydroxy-9-methyl-4-oxo-4H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidinium inner salt (Compound 1). Methods for the preparation of solid forms of Compound 1 and for the conversion of one solid form of Compound 1 into another are disclosed.

The solid state of chemical compounds can be amorphous (i.e. no long-range order in the positions of atoms) or crystalline (i.e. atoms arranged in an orderly repeating pattern). The term "polymorph" refers to a particular crystal form (i.e. structure of crystal lattice) of a chemical compound that can exist in more than one crystal form in the solid state. Polymorphs can differ in such chemical and physical (i.e. physicochemical) properties as crystal shape, density, hardness, color, chemical stability, melting point, hygroscopicity, suspensibility, solubility and dissolution rate, and such biological properties as biological availability, biological efficacy and toxicity.
Predicting physicochemical properties such as melting point or solubility for a crystal form in which the solid state of a chemical compound can exist remains impossible. Furthermore, even predicting whether the solid state of a compound may be present in more than one crystal form is not possible.
PCT Patent Publication WO 2011/017342 discloses 1-[(2-chloro-5-thiazolyl)methyl]-3-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-2-hydroxy-9-methyl-4-oxo-4H-pyrido [1,2-a]pyrimidinium inner salt and methods for its preparation, as well as the utility of this compound for controlling invertebrate pests. New solid forms of this compound, their compositions and methods of their preparation and use have now been discovered.

Solid forms of a pyrido-pyrimidinium inner salt

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions for controlling an invertebrate pest comprising a biologically effective amount of a solid form of Compound 1 and at least one additional component selected from the group consisting of surfactants, solid diluents and liquid carriers. Compositions comprising a mixture of a solid form of Compound 1 and at least one other nematocide, insecticide and/or fungicide are also disclosed.

Abstract: Also disclosed are methods for controlling invertebrate pests comprising applying to a plant or seed, or to the environment of the plant or seed, a biologically effective amount of a solid form of Compound 1.


A handle module is provided for fastening an outer door handle to a motor vehicle door with a modular basic body that in a final assembly state with its outer door handle protrudes through an opening in the outer door panel and comes to lie on the inside of the outer door panel. A giver is mounted on the modular basic body in a manner allowing pivoting or turning can be brought in operational connection with a taker of the door lock via an actuation rod. A shielding device is provided that at least partially encloses the giver at least in some regions.

Almost all doors of motor vehicles, particularly of passenger motor vehicles, are equipped with a closing device comprising at least one door lock arranged within the door structure which interacts with a closing bolt arranged in the door frame correspondingly thereto. There, the lock can be transferred into a release position via at least one actuation lever in which release position the closing bolt is released and the door can be opened.
The actuation lever is typically actuatable via a so-called lock rod, which on the other end is in engagement with a handle module typically arranged approximately at the height of the belt line of the door. Among other things, the handle module serves for the fastening of an outer door handle to be actuated by the user. The handle module is furthermore designed to mechanically redirect the actuation of the door handle initiatable by the user in such a manner that the lock rod can transmit a substantially linear movement to the actuation element at the lock end. Typically, a crank or lever-like giver is provided for this purpose on the handle module, on which the lock rod is pivotably mounted.
If for example the outer door handle is actuated, the handle module transmits that actuation into a corresponding pivot movement of its giver. By means of the lock rod the pivot movement is transmitted to the actuation lever or the taker of the lock, so that in the case of an unlocked closing mechanism the closing bolt is released and the door can be opened.
With a closing device of this type, as is already known in broad outlines from GB 1 442 394 it proves problematic if the vehicle door and/or the lock rod is/are subjected to a mechanical deformation as can typically occur during a vehicle collision or during an attempted break-in in the vehicle. Through the direct or indirect force effect on the lock rod the lock in effect can be transferred into a release position and the vehicle door thus opened. Because of the known weakness, vehicle thieves very gladly make use of elongated and pointed objects such as screwdrivers which they thrust through the outer door panel from the outside below the outer door handle so that the screwdriver brings about a movement or deformation of the lock rod in the sense that said lock rod transfers the actuation lever of the lock into the release position. Other types of break-in attempts are directed at entering the interior region of the door structure from the top, for example via a window shaft opening and, there, manually actuating the lock rod in the desired manner for example by means of a wire or metal hook.
Known locking devices for motor vehicle doors additionally have the disadvantage that during a deformation of the door structure due to a collision they have a tendency to transfer the lock into its release position, so that the door opens and the vehicle occupants can no longer be optimally protected especially in such critical situations.
It is therefore at least one object to make available a closing device for motor vehicle doors which with regard to the occupant protection has improved crash characteristics and greater resistance to forced opening of the vehicle door. It is additionally an object to make available a simplified and more cost-effective assembly concept for a closing device of a motor vehicle door. In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.


A dispenser includes a container having an opening; and a cover coupled to the container and configured to cover the opening, the cover including a base coupled to the container, the base having side walls defining an interior opening; a first tab and a second extending outwardly in a first direction from a first one of the side walls, wherein the second tab is spaced from and substantially parallel to the first tab, a third tab and a fourth tab extending outwardly in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction from a second one of the side walls, wherein the fourth tab is spaced from and substantially parallel to the third tab; and a lid tray rotatably coupled to the base and configured to cover the interior opening.

Dispensers for articles such as tissues and wet wipes are well known in the art. Such articles may be provided as moistened, but also dry or with lotion, and are often generally rectangular in shape and supplied interleaved, as discrete sheets, or separably connected. Dispensers for such articles are typically in box form, i.e., in the shape of a parallelepiped, wherein the box has an opening through which the articles can be removed. The opening of the dispenser can be covered by a lid that may be opened by, for example, being cut along a perforated edge, having an adhesive that may be sealed and unsealed repeatedly, or by having a hinged cover that can be opened and closed repeatedly.
Although the container and cover may be used together without being coupled to any other structure, often is it desirable for the container to be attached to another assembly, such as a wall or table mount, a warmer, or a disposal, among others. Although the container may be coupled directly to such assembly, such as by being accommodated within a space of the assembly, because the container may comprise a flexible material and be subjected to forces applied by a user removing wipes from the container, the container may become dislodged or otherwise separated from the assembly if attached directly, particularly as the number of wipes within the container is reduced.


A light emitting foldable decoration is provided for a socket holder fixture with a light bulb suspended by a power cord form a mounting plate on a ceiling of a building. The decoration consists of a structure connected to the socket holder fixture for screening the light bulb and another structure for covering the screening structure, so that the covering structure will allow some of the light illuminating from the light bulb to enhance the appearance of the covering structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates generally to illuminated ornaments and more specifically it relates to a light emitting foldable decoration.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous illuminated ornaments have been provided in prior art that are adapted to be adorned are considered to be beautiful bright objects and made in various types of geometric configurations. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.


A head-worn device comprises a housing with an insulating housing wall and is housing a conducting element (24; 31) having at least one end embedded into the housing wall, and a component (22; 30) being arranged adjacent to the conducting element (24; 31). The component (22; 30) and the conducting element (24; 31) are being separated by a partitioning element (26; 28; 40) provided as an insulator. The partitioning element (26; 28; 40) is having a shape increasing the travelling distance for a spark between the conducting element (24; 31) and the component (22; 30) by at least 40%, and a thickness and a Dielectric Strength sufficient to resist 3 kV without breaking down.

The present invention relates to head-worn devices, such as hearing aids. The invention, more particularly, relates to a method of providing electrostatic discharge protection for head-worn device.
Spark gaps are spaced apart electrodes having a breakdown voltage dependent on the electrode spacing and geometry. When a voltage across the gap spacing exceeds the breakdown voltage, an arc is created across the spark gap that causes the voltage across the spark gap to clamp to a clamp level. The International Electrotechnical Commission requires that a hearing aid must be immune against 8 kV (contact) and 15 kV (air) in an electrostatic discharge (ESD level 4 of the standard) test (IEC61000-4-2).
The electrostatic discharge may damage sensitive electrical components in the hearing aid. Therefor hearing aids need to be ESD protected.
Electrostatic Discharge is a transient discharge of static charge between two objects at different electrostatic potentials either through direct contact or an induced electric field. It is the result of a static charged object. Charge on the surface of any material generally is neutral, but when energy is imparted to an object, a charge imbalance occurs.
Conductors can't be charged easily through friction due to the mobility of the electrons in the conducting surface as charge recombination takes place and preserves the neutral surface. On the other hand, insulators can be easily charged by friction. Imparting energy to non-conducting material, e.g. a plastic surface, results in a large local buildup charge until it is discharged via an external path. The voltage levels generated by electrostatic charging can exceed several kilovolts.
Due to the compact geometry of hearing aids, the purpose of the invention is to protect sensitive components from damaging sparks caused by e.g. tribocharging. When a conducting element one end embedded in the housing wall, it may potentially carry an electrostatic charge being damaging for sensitive components.

Head-worn device having electrostatic discharge protection


A dual identity cell adapted for use in a small cell RAN includes two identities that may be supported on the same hardware platform—a dedicated PCI (Physical Cell Identity as defined under LTE) identity and a common PCI identity. The dedicated PCI identity operates similarly to a cell in a regular RAN in which neighboring cells use unique PCIs so that user equipment (UE) may distinguish among cells. The dedicated PCI identity, when exposed to the UE, may be used to determine the position of a UE within the RAN so that cells within listening range of the UE are identified. Those identified cells (termed here as the “detected set”) can then transmit the same data and control signals to the UE using their common PCI identities. In this way, all the cells in the detected set appear to the UE as one single cell.

Operators of mobile systems, such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS) and its offspring including LTE (Long Term Evolution) and LTE-Advanced, are increasingly relying on wireless small cell radio access networks (RANs) in order to deploy indoor voice and data services to enterprises and other customers. Such small cell RANs typically utilize multiple-access technologies capable of supporting communications with multiple users using radio frequency (RF) signals and sharing available system resources such as bandwidth and transmit power. While such small cell RANs operate satisfactorily in many applications, there exists a need for further improvements in small cell RAN technologies.
This Background is provided to introduce a brief context for the Summary and Detailed Description that follow. This Background is not intended to be an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter nor be viewed as limiting the claimed subject matter to implementations that solve any or all of the disadvantages or problems presented above.

Use of a common physical cell identity in a small cell network


A high strength Cr—Ni alloy material excellent in hot workability and stress corrosion cracking resistance, and seamless pipe for oil well application which consists of, by mass percent, C: 0.05% or less, Si: 0.05 to 1.0%, Mn: 0.01% or more and less than 3.0%, P: 0.05% or less, S: 0.005% or less, Cu: 0.01 to 4%, Ni: 25% or more and less than 35%, Cr: 20 to 30%, Mo: 0.01% or more and less than 4.0%, N: 0.10 to 0.30%, Al: 0.03 to 0.30%, O (oxygen): 0.01% or less, and REM (rare earth metal): 0.01 to 0.20% with the balance being Fe and impurities, and also satisfies the conditions in the following formula (1).N×P/REM≦0.40  formula (1)where P, N, and REM in the formula (1) respectively denote the contents (mass %) of P, N, and REM. The high strength Cr—Ni alloy material may further contain one or more types of W, Ti, Nb, Zr, V, Ca, and Mg, instead of part of Fe.

The sharp rise in the price of crude oil in recent years has resulted in oil or gas wells being dug deeper and in severely corrosive environments. Digging deeper oil or gas wells in harsh environments requires using oil well pipes that have high strength and possess excellent corrosion resistance and stress corrosion cracking resistance.
Oil and natural gas contain corrosive substances such as carbon dioxide gas, hydrogen sulfide, and chlorine ions. Material used for drilling oil or gas wells must therefore possess excellent resistance to such corrosive substances. Stress corrosion cracking is a main corrosive factor particularly in environments at temperatures of 150° C. or higher and containing hydrogen sulfide at 1 atm or higher. High stress corrosion cracking resistance is therefore required in materials used in environments containing hydrogen sulfide.
Oil and gas wells are being drilled deeper in recent years due to the increasing demand for oil and natural gas. The materials used in these deeper oil and gas wells must possess higher strength and also provide corrosion resistance against carbon dioxide gas, hydrogen sulfide, and chlorine ions. Examples of materials possessing excellent corrosion resistance in corrosive environments are the Cr—Ni alloy materials disclosed in patent document 1, patent document 2, and patent document 3. These patent documents 1 to 3 also reveal that increasing the N content is effective in increasing the strength of Cr—Ni alloy material. A drawback, however, is that the high strength alloy reinforced in this manner might have poor hot reduction rate. In view of this problem, elements such as Ca, Mg, and Si, and REM (rare earth metal) are added to improve the hot reduction rate.
The Cr—Ni alloy material disclosed in patent document 4 reveals that reducing the Mo content improves the hot reduction rate. A problem, however, is that cold working with high reduction rate is required in the case where the N content is low and higher strength is needed, involving deterioration of ductility and toughness.
Patent document 5 discloses, as a material having excellent corrosion resistance in an acidic environment or a seawater environment as well as having excellent hot workability, a super-austenitic stainless steel with a higher Mn and Mo content, and containing Ce, Ca, or a similar element. The material disclosed in patent document 5, however, is inadequate when higher hot workability is needed. This material further has such a problem that ductility and toughness might deteriorate if the material is subjected to cold working at high reduction rate to increase the material strength.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. S57-203735
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. S57-207149
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. S58-210155
[Patent Document 4] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H11-302801
[Patent Document 5] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-509751

High strength Cr-Ni alloy material and seamless pipe for oil well


A switching power supply circuit includes a PWM drive circuit (12) that performs the PWM driving of a switching element (Q1) at a duty ratio (D) commensurate with an input target voltage (VS), and generates from an input voltage (VB) an output voltage (VTL) whose target value is the target voltage (VS), by the PWM drive circuit (12) driving the switching element (Q1). The switching power supply circuit further includes a control circuit (13) and a target voltage limiting circuit (14) that together fix the duty ratio (D) regardless of the target voltage (VS), when a difference between the input voltage (VB) and the target voltage (VS) is less than or equal to a predetermined constant value (α).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a switching power supply circuit and a control method therefor that generates from an input voltage an output voltage whose target value is a target voltage by driving a switching element at a duty ratio commensurate with the target voltage.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a related-art technology, there exists an electric power supply device that receives a DC input voltage through an input terminal and outputs a lowered DC output voltage from an output terminal (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-159176 (JP-A-2007-159176)). This electric power supply device has: a pulse width modulation oscillator that performs pulse width modulation (PWM) of an output of an error amplifier; a drive circuit that generates a drive signal from a pulse signal received from the pulse width modulation oscillator; and a pair of power semiconductor switching elements that generates a DC output voltage by lowering the DC input voltage on the basis of the drive signal from the drive circuit.
By the way, in a switching power supply circuit as shown in FIG. 1 which controls an output voltage VTL to a target voltage by switching an input voltage VB, when the target voltage of the output voltage VTL and the input voltage VB are close to each other and therefore the input voltage VB and the output voltage VTL are substantially equal, there sometimes occur alternate repetitions of a continuous on-state period during which an on-state of a switching element Q1 continues and a switching period during which the on-off switching of the switching element Q1 at certain duty ratio continues. This repetition phenomenon occurs periodically as shown in FIG. 2, so that harmonic noise whose fundamental wave has a repetition period T (frequency 1/T) occurs. The repetition frequency VT is determined by, for example, a delay time of a feedback loop that includes an error amplifier (which time includes a phase compensation factor for preventing oscillation), or the like, and sometimes becomes several hundred kHz.
A reason for the occurrence of such a repetition phenomenon is that due to the characteristics of electronic component parts used, the circuit delay times, etc., there is a limit to the minimum pulse width of the PWM signal (duty signal) that the PWM drive circuit outputs.
For example, in the case where a voltage slightly lower than the input voltage VB is set as a target voltage of the output voltage VTL, the actual duty ratio that can be output at the time of the minimum pulse width is about 99% where the theoretical duty ratio (duty value) of the PWM signal for driving the switching element Q1 is, for example, 99.999%. Therefore, when the switching element Q1 is PWM-driven at a duty ratio of 99%, the target voltage is greater than the output voltage VTL (target voltage>output voltage VTL). Hence, if the PWM drive circuit is operated to further increase the duty ratio, the duty ratio is fixed at 100%, so that the switching element Q1 reaches a complete on-state. However, if the switching element Q1 reaches the complete on-state, the target voltage is less than the output voltage VTL (target value<output voltage VTL). Therefore, the PWM drive circuit operates so as to lower the duty ratio of the PWM signal. Hence, the state of operation of the switching element Q1 becomes a state of alternate repetitions of a period during which the switching element Q1 is continuously on and a period during which the switching element Q1 switches on and off at a certain duty ratio.
Besides, when the voltage difference between the target voltage of the output voltage VTL and the input voltage VB becomes very small due to fluctuations of the input voltage VB, the two states, that is, the continuous on-state and the switching state, are sometimes alternately repeated as well.
In some cases, the repeated actions induce a current ripple in a wiring (harness), such as an input wiring of the input voltage VB, an output wiring of the output voltage VTL, etc.

Switching power supply circuit and control method therefor


In a data transfer system having at least one terminal and at least one portable data carrier configuration, for example a chip card, and a method of recharging the portable data carrier configuration through the use of the terminal, an area of a non-volatile memory of the card representing a monetary value is subdivided into two value areas of which only one is activatable into a non-volatile state and the other can only be activated temporarily in each case. When the card is recharged, the new counter status is written into the value area which has initially only been activated temporarily. It is only after checking the correct writing that this value area is switched in such a way that it is activatable into a non-volatile state.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a data transfer system having at least one terminal and at least one portable data carrier configuration which is provided with a non-volatile semiconductor memory that has at least a first value area acting as a counter and representing a debatable monetary value. The invention also relates to a recharging method for the value area of the portable data carrier configuration.
Such a portable data carrier configuration is, for example, a currently customary chip card, which is used, for example, as a phonecard. In that case, the stationary terminal is a card-compatible telephone set. Such chip cards constructed as simple memory cards contain a non-volatile semiconductor memory, for example an EEPROM, which acts essentially as a counter for the prepaid telephone units to be debited. The EEPROM in that case may be wired, for example, in accordance with European Patent 0 321 727 B1, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,332, so that it operates as a multistage abacus-like counter. The value of the card, and consequently the counting extent of the counter, is established by writing to and consequently blocking the areas of the counter which are no longer authorized. Before that establishing operation, the counter always has the maximum counting extent. Currently customary phonecards can be used only once and are discarded after use. However, the use of such chip cards as an electronic wallet is also under discussion. Chip cards which can be used for that purpose are only worthwhile if they are rechargeable, that is to say if the counter status can be incremented again after a certain amount has been debited. That increasing of the counter status takes place at special charging terminals, at which the user can credit his or her card by a certain amount either by cash payment, through the use of a credit card or by specifying an account number. When recharging the counter of a chip card, it may be necessary due to the construction of EEPROMs to initially clear a larger counting area or the entire counter, that is to say too high a counting extent may be temporarily set. It is only thereafter that the new counter status can be set by renewed restriction of the counting extent through programming operations.
If a user draws the card out of the terminal in the time between the clearing of the counter and the renewed programming, he or she would have too high an amount credited, as a result of which improper manipulation is made possible. It is also conceivable for a user to manipulate the data traffic between the terminal and the card, so that in such a way too high an amount may be credited.
The manipulation of the data on the transmission path could be prevented by a so-called electronic signature. The data to be transmitted can also be encoded through the use of a secret key and can only be decoded by a particular key uniquely assigned to the sender of the data, as a result of which the sender is definitively identifiable and the data cannot be manipulated, since the encoding key is secret. However, such encoding and decoding require a complex and very fast arithmetic unit, which is possible only with expensive microprocessors, such as are used, for example, in already known cryptocards.
Published European Patent Application 0 398 545 A1 describes a method and a configuration for storing data in a nonvolatile memory which has at least two areas, into which successive data are alternately written. In that case, each memory area can be identified as the memory which is valid at a specific point in time, for example the switching-on time, by a flag that can be set into a non-volatile state. Since each memory is assigned its own flag, which can assume two states, it may happen that both flags assume the same state. Therefore, it is necessary in the case of the known method and the known configuration to determine the actually valid state by an "arbitration" logic.
In the known configuration, in the "normal case" of memory operation both flags always assume the same set state at a specific point in time, but the flag which was not set last will be reset. However, that requires that a writing operation and an erasing operation are always necessary, which additionally takes time.

Data transfer system having a terminal and a portable data carrier configuration and method for recharging the portable data carrier configuration using the terminal


To provide an air passage, exteriorly to a swallowed pen cap, a penholder cap is formed in one body. A groove is placed side by side to the direction of cap axis from closed end edge of a cap body toward the other open end. On the end of the groove, at least one rib is disposed. This rib has an end extended on the groove up to the open edge of the cap. This rib is projected from the surface of a cap body and a connection supporting part which holds a rib is provided away from the outside surface of the tightening part.

So far, there has been a type of the cap for a penholder, preventing evaporation of ink at the pointed end of a pen being substantially air-tight. To secure ventilation to the direction of axis in case the cap is accidentally swallowed, it sets the inner cylindrical body in the outer cylindrical body and secures ventilation to the direction of axis through the space between inner and outer cylindrical body and also it covers and makes substantially air-tight a pointed end of a writing instrument by the inner cylindrical body (Japanese utility model open number 1-139595, Japanese utility model open number 1-1693 85).
There has also been a cap providing a vertical groove placed side by side on the outside circumference which is connected to the inside of the cap thus securing ventilation to the direction of axis through the groove in case the cap, is accidentally swallowed.
However, the formation of a number of above-said prior art caps specially in one body with inner and outer cylindrical body separated would complicate the production process, and composition parts would increases in number, and consequently it cost a great deal even if safety is maintained. Providing the air passage on outside circumference to the direction of axis from the closed end edge through inside the cap body up to the open end edge causes restriction to the use of a cap for the reason of production and design. Moreover, the rib provided on the circumference causes incomplete formation of the substantially air-tight area inside the cap through the process of formation thus it would be defective in providing air tightness.
Some defects of the prior art caps are improved by this device. It is formed in one body, is easy to form, lowers the cost, and improves a substantially air-tight condition while preventing suffocation in case the cap is swallowed.


An emergency alerting system for alerting or warning large numbers of people of the occurrence or threat of an emergency using available communications media. Multiple facilities are monitored for the occurrence of multiple alarm conditions. On the occurrence of such a condition radio or telephone contact is made with a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and the LEPC is notified of the site and nature of the alarm condition. Using a predetermined listing or data bank the LEPC selects a number corresponding to the site and condition and transmits such number to an automated controller for a radio transmitter. The transmitter may be part of an existing radio paging system. The automated controller, on the basis of the number dialed in by the LEPC, transmits an appropriate Code Assignment Plan (Cap Code) signal. The Cap Code signal is the electronic signature of a preprogrammed Cap Code chip within individual radio receivers positioned at the sites of intended alarm recipients. The Cap Codes are assigned and utilized to effect the notification of predetermined groups related to specific alarm conditions. Upon a receiver being actuated by receipt of its Cap Code an alarm is actuated to produce a sensory alarm signal such as sound or light. A detector is provided at the alarm site and upon detecting the sensory alarm acknowledges to the monitored facility the occurrence of the alarm.

In any community there is the ever present possibility of the occurrence of emergency situations which may affect all or some portion of the residents. These emergency situations may range from relatively minor and localized occurrences to major catastrophes such as nuclear emergencies, hazardous material incidents, chemical spills, prison emergencies or the like. The conventional means for dealing with such emergencies entails an alarm triggered by the nuclear plant, prison facility, government installation, etc., with this alarm being transmitted to a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) by conventional means such as an existing telephone or radio link or a plain old telephone (POT). The LEPC is a 911 emergency type facility such as a State Police or a fire house. Such facilities are existing and their operation is familiar. Exemplary of previously proposed and/or existing systems are the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,875, issued Sept. 11, 1990, to William B. Bernard et al describes an emergency radio alerting and warning system comprising an FM transmitter having multiple encoding means to permit the selection of all receivers in a given location and broadcasting to particular receivers in the selected location. The transmitter broadcasts signals with the encoded signals being followed by signals to activate audible alarms at the receivers which are appropriately encoded followed by transmission of the message over the loud speakers of the selected receivers. The receivers are receptive but inactive prior to receipt of an encoded signal specific to the receiver whereupon the receiver is fully activated to sound the audible alarm to alert persons in the vicinity followed by audibilizing of the broadcast message.
The foregoing system is apparently being offered for sale as advertised in an undated brochure titled "EAR" (not admitted to be prior art). This brochure describes an alternative to existing notification systems which rely on conventional radio, television, telephones and sirens. The system consists of single frequency FM receivers made available to users for installation in homes, offices, apartments and hotels. The receivers are activated by digital codes that are broadcast from low powered transmitters installed in emergency vehicles such as fire, police and ambulance vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,742, issued Sep. 8, 1987, to David T. Raizen et al, describes a security system for monitoring a plurality of locations by sensors which transmit alarm signals to a central control station by radio or telephone. Each alarm signal is encoded to identify the particular sensor location and alarm condition. The control station comprises a computer which correlates the received alarm signals with information stored in the computer memory to identify which of a plurality of satellite stations are to be notified of a particular alarm condition at a particular monitored location, what correlated information is to be transmitted to such satellite station, and whether to effect such transmission by radio or telephone. The computer actuates a radio or telephone transmitter in the control station to transmit correlated signals to the appropriate satellite stations, and may also actuate a speech synthesizer so that such signals may be transmitted as synthetic speech.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,047, issued Aug. 8, 1989, to James R. Saunders. The Saunders Patent describes an automated remote telemetry paging system for providing remote pager notification of changes in selected operating parameters measured at a specific site location. The selected parameters and the unacceptable changes therein are provided in the form of a plurality of the electrical status signals each representative of one of the selected parameters. The remote telemetry unit (RTU) includes a programmed microprocessor and a status signal receiving circuit for receiving and electronically isolating the received status signals. An interrogation circuit controlled by the microprocessor central processing unit (CPU) scans the digital status signals, and a discrimination circuit controlled by the CPU reads the digital status signals. The digital status signals are transmitted to appropriate pager communications equipment for display in remote paging devices. If it is determined that an unacceptable status signal deviation has occurred the system generates a digital status message identifying the remote site location and the selected parametric deviation, and then energizes a telephone interface when the digital status message is completed and dials preselected pager telephone numbers stored in the memory means through the telephone central switching equipment and pager network equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,291, issued Dec. 12, 1989, to James T. Stillwell. This patent describes a system for automatically monitoring the status and safety of buildings and reporting the existence and kind of emergency to distant locations. The emergencies may be burglaries, fires, temperature excursions, extremely high or low flow rates, temperatures, pressures, etc. The system employs a plurality of facility monitors each receiving the input from a plurality of field detectors. Each facility monitor detects conditions at a specific location. When a detector in a facility monitor encounters an emergency event, that monitor transmits across a telephone line a signal which identifies the abnormal detector and identifies the kind of emergency event for which that detector would be activated and the magnitude of the emergency. Each facility has its own telephone line. The encoded message sent on the telephone line is received at the telephone company central office which forwards the information along a telephone line to a paging company. The information from the telephone line is received by a message processing computer which in turn encodes the information in a manner compatible with the radio transmitter. The transmitter broadcasts the information to a digital pocket pager to produce a display which indicates that the designated detector at the facility has enunciated an event which deserved immediate attention. The display also carries an alphanumeric message describing the nature and/or magnitude of the emergency event. The owner of the pager may then make an appropriate decision as to what type of response to make.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,059, issued Feb. 12, 1991, to James L. Smith et al. This patent shows an alarm system which includes both a land-based communication path and a wireless communication path between a protected premise and a public switched telephone network (PSTN) in order to communicate the existence of an alarm condition between the protected premise and an alarm monitoring station. The PSTN communicates with the alarm monitoring station via telephone line. A terminal alarm control panel includes a series of relays which upon receipt of an alarm signal from an alarm sensor connect a local telephone via a telephone line to a subscriber telephone line which is connected to the PSTN. Communication is thereby established between the protected premise and the PSTN via a subscriber line which is the land-based portion of the alarm system. Communication is thereby passed from the PSTN to the alarm monitoring station. The terminal alarm control panel may include automatic dialing circuits for dialing the telephone number of the alarm monitoring station via a subscriber telephone line or the telephone number may be dialed from a local telephone. The patent also shows a redundant communication path between the terminal alarm control panel and the PSTN in the event of a failure of the land-based portion of the alarm system. Thus the system includes a cellular type radio/telephone system including a cellular transceiver connected to the terminal alarm control panel. When an alarm condition exists at the detected premise the cellular transceiver transmits a radio frequency signal via an antenna to an antenna of a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO). The MTSO is interconnected to the PSTN.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,698, issued Aug. 26, 1980, to Joseph A. Birilli et al. This patent describes an alarm system which employs a radio frequency transmitter and a frequency compatible receiver that couples into a telephone system to ring a remote telephone and deliver a message into the receiver of the remote telephone. The emergency transmitter includes a small battery powered radio frequency transmitter. The receiver comprises a receiver/dialer unit having a continuously recycling magnetic tape transport and a coupling device for coupling the unit into a telephone lines. The magnetic tape transport contains a recording of a series of DTMF signals indicative of the number to be dialed and message to be delivered. When the emergency transmitter is activated it sends out an RF signal which is received by the receiver/dialer unit. Receipt of the signal by the receiver/dialer activates the magnetic tape transport and causes the unit to be accessed into a telephone number is dialed and the recorded message delivered.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,560,657 issued Feb. 2, 1971, to Paul L. Stone et al. This patent describes a burglar, fire or other alarm system. The actuation of the alarm closes a switch to energize a radio transmitter. The signal from the transmitter is detected by a centrally located receiver which actuates a switch. Closure of that switch causes energization of a tape deck to generate a recorded audio signal. The audio signal is effective to dial a predetermined number and upon the called phone going off-hook to deliver a prerecorded warning message. The device may dial a second number or redial the same number.


The present disclosure includes memory blocks erasable in a single level cell mode. A number of embodiments include a memory comprising a plurality of mixed mode blocks and a controller. The controller may be configured to identify a particular mixed mode block for an erase operation and, responsive to a determined intent to subsequently write the particular mixed mode block in a single level cell (SLC) mode, perform the erase operation in the SLC mode.

Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor, integrated circuits and/or external removable devices in computers or other electronic devices. There are many different types of memory including volatile and non-volatile memory. Volatile memory can require power to maintain its data and can include random-access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), and synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), among others. Non-volatile memory can retain stored data when not powered and can include NAND flash memory, NOR flash memory, phase change random access memory (PCRAM), resistive random access memory (RRAM), and magnetic random access memory (MRAM), among others.
Memory devices can be combined together to form a solid state drive (SSD). An SSD can include non-volatile memory (e.g., NAND flash memory and/or NOR flash memory), and/or can include volatile memory (e.g., DRAM and/or SRAM), among various other types of non-volatile and volatile memory. Flash memory devices can include memory cells storing data in a charge storage structure such as a floating gate, for instance, and may be utilized as non-volatile memory for a wide range of electronic applications. Flash memory devices typically use a one-transistor memory cell that allows for high memory densities, high reliability, and low power consumption.
An SSD can be used to replace hard disk drives as the main storage volume for a computer, as the solid state drive can have advantages over hard drives in terms of performance, size, weight, ruggedness, operating temperature range, and power consumption. For example, SSDs can have superior performance when compared to magnetic disk drives due to their lack of moving parts, which may avoid seek time, latency, and other electro-mechanical delays associated with magnetic disk drives.
Memory cells in an array architecture can be programmed to a target (e.g., desired) state. For instance, electric charge can be placed on or removed from the charge storage structure (e.g., floating gate) of a memory cell to program the cell to a particular data state. The stored charge on the charge storage structure of the memory cell can indicate a threshold voltage (Vt) of the cell, and the state of the cell can be determined by sensing the stored charge (e.g., the Vt) of the cell.
For example, a single level cell (SLC) can be programmed to a targeted one of two different data states, which can be represented by the binary units 1 or 0. Some flash memory cells can be programmed to a targeted one of more than two data states (e.g., 1111, 0111, 0011, 1011, 1001, 0001, 0101, 1101, 1100, 0100, 0000, 1000, 1010, 0010, 0110, and 1110) such that they represent more than one digit (e.g., more than one bit). Cells configured for programming to more than two data states may be referred to as extra level cells (XLC). For example, multi-level cells (MLCs), triple level cells (TLCs), and/or quad-level cells (QLCs) may be referred to generally herein as XLCs. XLCs can provide higher density memories for a given number of memory cells; however, XLCs may have a lower endurance and/or data retention capability as compared to SLCs. For example, an expected useful life of SLCs may be 50,000 to 100,000 cycles (e.g., program-erase cycles), while an expected useful life of XLCs may be 1,000 to 5,000 cycles.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention is directed to a system for reliably transmitting characters encoded as audible signals using voice over Internet protocol communication systems. According to an embodiment of the present invention, tones within a sequence of tones encoding a textual character are transmitted using two data packets. The first data packet includes a segment of time having a starting boundary that is synchronized with the start of the encoded tone and extending for a time period equal to about one-half the total time period of the tone. The second packet encodes the remaining half of the audible tone. At the receiving end, data packets encoding a textual character are ordered according to the position occupied by the data encoded by the packet within the sequence of tones. If any unpaired packets of data are detected at the receiving end, the characteristics of the packets that are unpaired are copied into the time slot that would have been occupied by the missing packet. Accordingly, the present invention allows for the accurate transmission of textual characters over VoIP networks, even where a packet of data encoding part of a sequence of packets encoding a character is dropped.

In order to allow for people having speech and/or hearing disabilities that prevent them from using conventional telephones to communicate over the public switched telephony network, text telephones (TTY devices), also known as telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDD devices) have been developed. In general, such devices encode characters of text using sequences of audible tones. In particular, in response to receiving a command to transmit a character, a TTY device will generate a sequence of audible tones that is transmitted through the telephone network to a similar TTY device at the receiving end. The TTY device at the receiving end decodes the sequence of audible tones, and displays or otherwise outputs the encoded character.
In the United States, TTY devices communicate with one another using a 45.45 baud frequency shift key protocol commonly referred to as Baudot signaling. Baudot signaling transmits characters using a sequence of seven audible tones at either 1400 Hz or 1800 Hz. In particular, a Baudot character comprises a start bit of 1800 Hz, five tones of either 1400 or 1800 Hz to signal the series of five bits specifying the character, and a stop bit of 1400 Hz. There is no error correction. At 45.45 baud, the duration of each individual tone is 22 ms. By coincidence, the duration of individual tones used in Baudot signaling is very close to the time segment of a voice communication that is included in a packet of data transmitted in connection with a typical voice over IP (VoIP) communication system.
VoIP systems are increasingly popular as a way to efficiently allow parties to engage in voice communications. In particular VoIP systems allow parties to communicate by voice over computer networks, such as the Internet, rather than requiring the establishment of a dedicated, point-to-point communication link, as in traditional switched circuit telephony. Accordingly, VoIP can be a very economical way to conduct voice communications.
Unfortunately, existing VoIP systems are problematic when used in conjunction with TTY devices. The problem is caused by packet loss. Specifically, VoIP systems transmit digital audio streams, such as voice, by breaking the streams into individual packets (typically 20 ms in length, although packet sizes of other lengths are not precluded). Each of these packets is assigned header information, such as the digital audio encoding scheme that was used, a sequence number, and a destination. It is important to note that the route to the destination is not part of the header information.
The ability for each packet to take what is, at that instant, the "best" route to the destination is where VoIP derives its economic advantage. It is also the reason why TTY-on-VoIP is unreliable: because packets are free to take different pathways, they cannot be relied upon to arrive at the receiving device before it is their "turn" to be played. Although these packets often arrive eventually, they are regarded as lost because they did not arrive in time, and must therefore be discarded.
Under most circumstances, the loss of occasional packets is not detectable in voice communication. The reasons is that VoIP telephones employ packet loss concealment algorithms that trick the human ear by mimicking the acoustic properties of adjacent packets. Although these techniques work well with voice, they do not work with TTY characters. If a packet containing a TTY tone is lost, the VoIP packet loss concealment techniques of the present art are unable to recover it or rebuild it.
Systems for improving the reliability of TTY transmissions have been developed in other domains, for example in connection with digital wireless telephony applications. (In wireless telephony, the problem being addressed was not due to packet loss, but was instead caused by the use of voice-optimized audio encoding techniques that cannot encode TTY tones without distortion). All of these approaches rely on a modem-type mechanism, which the TTY's Baudot tones are not transmitted as an audio stream, but are instead translated into a non-audio data stream. Despite their inherent reliability, these approaches are not entirely satisfactory because they tend to preclude mixed-mode voice and TTY dialog. This is a significant problem because nearly half of all TTY users are hard of hearing, but still speak clearly. These individuals prefer to receive with their TTYs and then speak in response, something they are unable to do on systems that do not permit TTY and voice transmissions to be intermixed.

Error correction method and apparatus for TTY on VoIP transmissions


An eye-mountable composition, an eye-mountable device and a method for making the eye-mountable device are disclosed. In one aspect, an eye-mountable composition is disclosed, which may include a silicone hydrogel having silicon-containing monomer-derived units and hydrophilic monomer-derived units, a non-silicone hydrogel having non-silicon-containing hydrophobic monomer-derived units and hydrophilic monomer-derived units, or an elastomer. The composition is biocompatible, does not adhere to ocular tissue, and has a modulus of elasticity of 0.2 MPa to 10 MPa. Also provided is an eye mountable device including an electronics platform embedded in an eye-mountable composition, and a method for fabricating the eye-mountable device.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
The continuous or semi-continuous monitoring of physiological parameters has applications in many areas of modern medicine. Electrochemical-based sensors are believed to be particularly suitable for the monitoring and quantification of analytes (e.g., glucose) in bodily fluid samples (e.g., blood, tear film, urine or interstitial fluid samples). The use of an electrochemical-based sensor that employs an analyte sensing component, (e.g., an enzyme) in conjunction with an electrode(s) allows for the quantification of an analyte in a liquid sample by detecting the product(s) produced from the reaction of the analyte sensing component and the analyte.
To build such an analyte sensor for detection of an analyte in tear film, it is desirable to incorporate the device in a polymeric composition that satisfies specific technical criteria, including (1) flexibility (2) permeability, (3) biocompatibility, and (4) a desirable modulus of elasticity. Conventional analyte sensors that are currently on the market do not meet all four of these technical criteria.

Biocompatible materials for underlid device fabrication


Disclosed is a method and apparatus for mixing internally generated or stored video with an external video and driving an LCD display device. External video is clocked into a dual port external frame store. Internal video is either internally generated or read from an internal mass store device and stored in an internal frame store and in a preferred embodiment, the internal video data includes an embedded code which serves to select on a pixel by pixel basis the appropriate frame store signal, either external or internal for display on the LCD panel. By adjusting the start number on row and column counters for reading out data from the external frame store, panning of an external video image can be accomplished. By repeating the readout of the external frame store selectively, a "zoom" of the image can be provided to an LCD display device. By reversing either the direction in which the external video is stored in the frame store or the direction in which columns of information are read out, the displayed image can be reversed permitting rear projection of an accurate image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to video data processing techniques and specifically to a unique method and apparatus for merging internal stored or generated video with external video and for processing a resultant video for use in a projection display system.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
The projection of computer generated images through use of liquid crystal display panels is well known in the art. See for example, Vogeley et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,536, issued on Dec. 11, 1990 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,993, issued Aug. 16, 1988 and other patents cited therein. It is noted that video input signals can include a wide variety of input formats including VGA, EGA, CGA, Mac II, and a variety of other computer generated video signals, as well as real time motion video signals including NTSC, PAL, SECAM, and that provided by various VCR players are also available.
These videos are clocked at a wide variety of frequencies and are in many different formats. It is sometimes required or desired that these videos be reformatted (double scanned, etc.), as discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/664,950, filed Mar. 5, 1991, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Displaying RGB and Sync Video Without Auxiliary Frame Storage Memory", also by Vogeley et al.
In providing video signals for projection, either by projection television techniques or more preferably, by supply to a liquid crystal display (LCD) equipped projector, it is also desirable to provide independently generated video images. In the past, such internally generated images were either merged with the external video source (overwritten) or independently viewed. Such internal video images might be a menu, graphics or an actual video image retrieved from a local mass storage device such as a ROM or disc drive. While not essential, it is desired that the internal video be independent of processing applied to external video signals (panning, reformatting, zooming, etcetera).
Generally LCD displays are clocked at a constant clock frequency which may be dramatically different from the clock frequency of the external video input or even an internally generated signal. Although video is generally projected directly upon a screen, it is also desirable to be able to provide an image reversal or a "mirror image" such that the video can be applied to a rear projection screen for front viewing. As previously noted, depending upon the LCD display chosen, the display clock frequency may vary from 30 hertz vertical frame rate up to 100 hertz or higher.
With regard to external and internal video, it is also desirable to be able to "zoom" or provide a magnified image of a limited portion of the complete video image and then to be able to "pan" the "zoomed" image to that specific portion of the nonzoomed image which was of interest. Although generally image panning is associated with only a zoomed image, it is also desirable to be able to pan a non-zoomed image so as to move a portion of an unzoomed image off of the screen, perhaps making room for a blanked-out portion of the screen suitable for writing in operator control video such as is described in U.S. application Ser. No. 07/698,091, "Method and Apparatus for Interacting With a Computer Generated Projected Image", filed May 10, 1991, also by Vogeley et al.
While the above aspects of a video projection system are desirable, other than by means of a simple overwriting technique which permits user prompts or company logo displays, applicants know of no LCD projection apparatus which can provide a combination of external and internal video (in the manner of "windows" utilized in computer software systems), zooming, panning, or reverse images for external or internal video whether reformatted or not. The advanced capabilities, such as internally generated graphics generation and/or image retrieval, that are entirely independent of a wide variety of incoming video signals, including both computer generated video and real time video, that can be overlayed or merged with incoming video and can be randomly edited has never been previously accomplished to the inventor's knowledge.

Method and apparatus for merging independently generated internal video with external video


System and method for automatically tracking and enabling the operation of a product. An order is received and information regarding the order, customer, and product is stored. A key is given to the customer to be used in registration. During registration, the key is provided and a candidate fingerprint obtained. If the candidate fingerprint matches the fingerprint of the ordered product, data is automatically sent to the product that enables the product to operate. In addition over time, status regarding the product is received and updates are sent to the product as needed or requested.

A product goes through many phases in its lifetime. After a design phase, a product is typically manufactured and prepared for distribution. The product may be shipped directly to a customer or it may be shipped to a reseller for sale to other resellers or customers. In the past, once a product left a manufacturing site, the product producer (hereinafter "vendor") had little if any information as to where the product was, to whom the product was sold, what the product was being used for, or the condition of the product. Vendors tried to determine some information about to whom the product was finally sold (hereinafter the "customer") by providing a warranty or registration card and requesting that the customer fill out the card and return it to the vendor. Many customers would simply fail to return the card or not provide the information requested (or would provide inaccurate information by mistake or otherwise). This left a gap in a vendor's knowledge regarding where the product ended up. In addition, if the customer failed to fill in the serial number of the product (or filled in an incorrect serial number), the vendor did not know which specific product the customer received.
Vendors provided incentives for returning completed cards such as a drawing for a free product or otherwise. This motivated some customers to return cards but still did not guarantee the correct entry of data regarding the product received. In addition, the card was typically the last communication received from the customer (unless something went wrong with the product). In general, the vendor did not know how the product was performing, whether it had errors, or otherwise.
With the Internet age and electronic and software products, some vendors provided electronic means for returning registration information. Although somewhat better than the paper cards returned, these means suffered many of the same problems—failure to register, incorrect information supplied, and lack of status updates regarding the product. In addition, electronic registration was susceptible to interception and information gathering by hackers and competitors of the vendor.
Furthermore, vendors who received registrations—electronic or otherwise—had no way of monitoring that a product was used as licensed. For example, a customer could buy a hardware/software combination in which the software was licensed to run on the shipped hardware only. The hardware could be a computing device of limited computing power and resources. The customer could install the software on a more powerful platform and register the software using the better platform. A vendor could not tell that the software was running on an unlicensed platform and had difficulty enforcing the license agreement in an automated way.


A battery pack comprises a master battery management system, three or more battery blocks, three or more local battery management systems, three or more optical or magnetic isolated communications, and a wire assembly. Each of the three or more battery blocks comprises a plurality of battery cells connected in parallel so that form a common equipotential positive terminal and a common equipotential negative terminal. The three or more battery blocks comprises a low battery block, a high battery block, and one or more mid-range battery blocks between the low battery block and the high battery block. The negative terminal of each of the one or more mid-range battery blocks is electrically connected to the positive terminal of a respective adjacent battery block of the three or more battery blocks.

In examples of the present disclosure, high voltage refers to a voltage larger than 12 volts. Conventional battery pack manufacturers usually place low number of temperature sensors in the battery pack or break the battery pack into smaller sub-packs with individual battery management systems so that large harnesses, the sum of numbers of voltage balancing wires and numbers of temperature sensing wires, can be avoided. However, the arrangements of conventional battery pack manufacturers would result in increased cost because of including multiple individual battery management systems and reduction of the safety performance of the battery pack because of including less number of temperature sensors.

High voltage battery pack having electrically isolated decentralized battery management system


The present disclosure provides for adaptive resource management in new radio operations that favors the usage of resources for pilot signals and channel estimation in the transition slots of a slot burst, and the transmission of data in the subsequent slots of the slot burst. A device such as a user equipment (UE) and/or a base station may determine that the UE is operating in a transition state. The device may adapt a first numerology including a first number of symbols per slot used for transmission in the transition slots during the transition state, to a second scaled numerology including a second number of symbols per slot used for transmission in the subsequent slots after the transition state. A ratio of reference signal symbols to data symbol symbols may be greater in the transition slots than in the subsequent slots.

Aspects of this disclosure relate generally to telecommunications, and more particularly to resource management in wireless communication systems.
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various telecommunication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, and broadcasts. Typical wireless communication systems may employ multiple-access technologies capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power). Examples of such multiple-access technologies include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, and single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems.
These multiple access technologies have been adopted in various telecommunication standards to provide a common protocol that enables different wireless devices to communicate on a municipal, national, regional, and even global level. For example, 5G new radio (NR) communications technology is envisaged to expand and support diverse usage scenarios and applications with respect to current mobile network generations. In an aspect, 5G communications technology includes enhanced mobile broadband addressing human-centric use cases for access to multimedia content, services and data; ultra-reliable-low latency communications (URLLC) with strict requirements, especially in terms of latency and reliability; and massive machine type communications for a very large number of connected devices and typically transmitting a relatively low volume of non-delay-sensitive information. As the demand for mobile broadband access continues to increase, however, there exists a need for further improvements in 5G communications technology and beyond. Preferably, these improvements should be applicable to other multi-access technologies and the telecommunication standards that employ these technologies.
It is envisaged that 5G NR will, in some cases, be deployed in time division duplexing (TDD) bands using very large spectrum (e.g., greater than 100 MHz). Due to the large spectrum, devices may be able to complete transmission of available data relatively quickly. Accordingly, the transmission pattern for 5G NR may be bursty in nature. The bursty transmission pattern allows the user equipment (UE) to more frequently utilize a sleep operation (e.g., discontinuous reception (DRX)) for power savings. The UE may be in a sleep state, then wake up for a short period of time to receive and/or transmit data, then return to the sleep state.
Network capacity improvements by 5G communications technology in terms of, for example, spectral and energy efficiency may nonetheless adversely impact some aspects of existing technologies. For example, it is well known that orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems and single carrier frequency-division multiplexing (SC-FDM) system are relatively sensitive to noise and interference. Particularly, in order to transfer data correctly between the UE and a network, the UE and the base station (e.g., evolved Node B), generally use channel estimation to filter out noise and/or interference. In bursty transmission patterns, however, there may not be enough time for enhancing the channel estimates through across-slot filtering. For example, a UE may wake up for only a few slots. By the time the UE and base station transmit enough reference signals to build channel estimation filters, the burst may be complete.

Adaptive resource management for robust communication in new radio