The arc blast switch can have single or dual contact movement and possesses a break chamber with low gas compression, the switch includes a first contact and a second contact, the first contact being movable in a longitudinal axis and being secured to the break chamber in which the gas is compressed by a piston. A device for displacing the piston is arranged so that its movement changes direction inside the case of the switch after the gas compression stage, and the device includes a telescopic link connected to the piston. The length of the displacement of the piston inside the case during the compression stage is not less than the length of the displacement of the first contact during the compression stage.

The invention relates in general to a switch, and more particularly to a circuit breaker, possessing a break chamber with low gas compression. The invention can apply equally well to single contact movement circuit breakers and to dual contact movement circuit breakers. In particular, the way in which dual contact movement circuit breakers operate and the way in which low gas compression circuit breakers operate have both been known separately for many years, however combining them presents drawbacks that are explained below. For low gas compression circuit breakers, reference can be made in particular to French patent FR 2 696 274.
It is appropriate to recall that the principle of low compression means that gas is compressed in the break chamber only during part of the stroke of the contacts, and generally during less than 50% thereof. This first portion of circuit breaker opening corresponds to the contacts moving from the closed position to the beginning of blasting the arc that follows separation of the contacts. Gas compression is at its maximum at the moment the contacts separate, and the pressure falls quickly as the arc is blasted. The amount of energy required for opening the circuit breaker is thus reduced during the second portion of the stroke of the contacts.
The principle of dual contact movement has been applied for a long time (see French patent FR 2 491 675), since it consists merely in driving both contacts simultaneously in opposite directions, either at different speeds or at speeds that are equal, thereby providing displacement that is symmetrical about the closed position. Drive can be provided by a linkage or by a rack-and-pinion system. Compared with a single movement device, the advantage of a dual movement device is that it enables the time required for separating the contacts to be reduced without increasing moving contact speed. The time required to separate the contacts depends on their mean relative speed and on their overlap distance R. Thus, for a symmetrical dual movement device, the contact separation time is approximately halved compared with a single movement device, for identical overlap distance R and mean contact speed. In addition, on separation of the contacts, each contact has moved through a distance of only R/2 in the case of a symmetrical dual movement circuit breaker, whereas the moving contact has moved through a distance R in the case of a single movement circuit breaker. Finally, the reduced moving contact speed in a dual movement device presents a significant advantage in terms of total kinetic energy, and energy consumption can be reduced by about 50% (in outline, the total moving mass is doubled but the mean speed of the contacts is halved and as a result total kinetic energy is approximately halved).
However, dual contact movement does not lead only to advantages, particularly if it is associated with a break chamber having low gas compression. Because of the reduced displacement of the contacts, the length L of the compression chamber (the relative stroke of the piston in the compression chamber) is halved, and as a result the blast pressure is likewise halved.
It should also be recalled that in most low gas compression circuit breakers the piston in the break chamber is generally held fixed inside the case during the first portion of circuit breaker opening. It is the compression chamber which is secured to the contact carrying the blast nozzle and which moves towards the piston in order to compress the gas (see above-mentioned patent FR 2 696 274). For a single movement circuit breaker, this gives a compression length L equal to the stroke of the moving contact during the first stage of opening, i.e. likewise equal to the overlap distance R of the contacts. By way of simplification, it is assumed that the compression volume Vc is equal to Lxc3x97S where S is the section of the piston (the bore).
In comparison, in a dual contact movement circuit breaker the compression length L is equal to R/2. Thus, to obtain a compression volume Vc equivalent to that of a single movement circuit breaker without increasing the overlap distance R of the contacts, it is necessary to double the section S of the piston. That solution presents three kinds of drawback:
it makes it necessary to increase the diameter of the case, and thus the overall size of the case;
it makes it necessary to double the force required for compression purposes in order to obtain the same gas pressure; and
it amounts practically to doubling the mass of the moving elements, thereby nullifying the saving in kinetic energy consumption that is achieved by using dual movement.
In order to increase compression volume without increasing piston section, certain single movement devices enable a compression length L to be obtained that is longer than the contact overlap distance R, typically to lie in the range 1.1 R to 1.25 R. To this end, the piston is no longer stationary during the compression stage, but is moved a little inside the case towards the compression chamber by means of a linkage connected to the piston and to the contact carrying the compression chamber. An example of such a system is to be found in European patent EP 0 664 552. The piston is then said to execute reciprocating movement since it moves in one direction during the compression stage and in the opposite direction after the contacts have separated. This movement during the first stage of movement is equal to the distance Lxe2x88x92R and in known devices that represents only 10% to 20% of the length L of the compression volume.
When applied to a circuit breaker having dual contact movement, such a system with reciprocating piston movement can make it possible to obtain a compression length L that lies typically in the range 1.1 R/2 to 1.25 R/2 instead of having L equal to R/2 for a fixed piston. The blast pressure thus remains well below that obtained in an analogous single movement circuit breaker.
An object of the invention is to provide a solution which remedies those drawbacks, and capable of being applied to all types of circuit breaker having a break chamber with reduced gas compression, regardless of whether they use single or dual contact movement.
Specifically, the invention makes it possible in a circuit breaker having dual contact movement to combine the advantages of single contact movement circuit breakers with the advantages of dual movement circuit breakers while avoiding their drawbacks. In particular, the invention provides a device possessing the same compression length L as a single movement device for given contact overlap distance R. The invention also makes it possible to improve the performance of single contact movement circuit breakers. Devices known in the prior art can typically achieve values of L lying in the range R to 1.25 R. In comparison, a device proposed in the context of the present invention makes it possible to obtain L equal to 2 R at least.
To this end, the invention provides a gas blast switch possessing a break chamber with low gas compression, the switch comprising a first contact and a second contact, the first contact being movable along a longitudinal axis and being secured to the break chamber in which the gas is compressed by a piston, displacement means for displacing said piston being arranged so that its movement changes direction inside the case of the switch after the gas compression stage, wherein said displacement means comprise a telescopic link connected to said piston, and wherein the length of the displacement of said piston inside said case during said compression stage is not less than the length of the displacement of said first contact during said same compression stage.
In a first embodiment of the switch of the invention, said second contact is movable along said longitudinal axis in the opposite direction to said first contact.
In a particular embodiment of the switch of the invention, said piston is connected in alternation with the second contact and with the first contact during the operation of opening the switch.
In a particular embodiment of the switch of the invention, said piston is secured to the second moving contact by means of the telescopic link throughout the gas compression stage, and is separated therefrom after said first and second contacts have separated so as to become secured to said first contact. This form of connection makes it possible to obtain a compression length L equal to said distance R.
In a particular embodiment of the switch of the invention, the telescopic link is formed by a first cylinder extending the piston and surrounded by a second cylinder, the second cylinder being fixed to a peripheral link that is permanently secured to the moving second contact. Said telescopic link comprises a locking assembly that unlocks at the end of the gas compression stroke to allow the movement of the piston to change direction and to follow the movement of the first contact after the first and second contacts have separated.
In a particular embodiment of the switch of the invention, said locking assembly is constituted by balls disposed in openings formed in the first cylinder, said balls being engaged in internal peripheral grooves of the second cylinder during the gas compression stage in order to lock said telescopic link.

Arc-blasting switch possessing a break chamber with low gas compression and reciprocating piston movement


An active leg engagement system for a vehicle includes a selectively deployable leg-engaging member containing an airbag or expandable energy absorber for protecting a pedestrian from collision with the vehicle. An alternative embodiment may include an expandable energy absorber within or behind a vehicle bumper.

Currently, in SUV's and light weight trucks, it is often difficult to mitigate leg injuries and prevent "submarining" of a pedestrian beneath a vehicle after contact between a moving vehicle and the pedestrian. This is due to higher bumper heights typical of these types of vehicles, and the difficulty of packaging a fixed low-mounted energy-absorbing member due to vehicle styling demands, off-road performance needs, and other factors. Thus, a need exists for an active system designed to detect, catch and support the lower leg of a pedestrian during impact with a SUV or light weight truck.


The present invention relates to a health care system comprised of a sock aide, a reacher and a shoe horn. The sock aide is removably coupled to the reacher by the engagement of a T-shaped arm on outer surface of the sock aide with a sleeve disposed on one end of the reacher. The sleeves are provided on opposite sides of the reacher to allow the donning of a sock to either the left or right foot. The shoe horn is slidably mounted on the reacher.

The present invention relates to a health care system and more particularly to assisting physically challenged people to put on shoes and socks.
Health care aides to assist physically challenged individuals to put on and remove shoes and socks are well known. U.S. Pat. No. 7,287,675, issued Oct. 30, 2007, to Sullivan et al. is incorporated herein by reference, and relates to a three-in-one health care system having a combination of a reacher, sock aide and shoe horn.
It is an object of the invention to improve upon a health care system by providing an improved sock aide with an extended portion and improved attachment means to the reacher.


A method measures values on a workpiece (7) using a coordinate measuring apparatus which has a measuring probe head (5) with a deflectable probe pin (6). The coordinate measuring apparatus can carry out a linear or nonlinear projection (transformation) of the deflection signals (s) determined by the measuring probe head (5) into a coordinate system (XM, YM, ZM) of the coordinate measuring apparatus using parameters (A). In order to be able to use the method for any measuring probe, more particularly probes whose probe pins are not moveably guided in the directions of the coordinates, at least a portion of the parameters (Aanti) describes components of the deflection of the probe pin which are located tangentially relative to the surface of the workpiece on the touch point.

Methods of this kind are already known from the state of the art. In such methods, probe heads are usually used in which the probe pin is moveably attached to the probe head in the three coordinate directions. For this purpose, the known probe heads include a probe head mechanical system in the interior thereof via which the probe pin can be deflected in the three coordinate directions. The probe head mechanical system usually has three guideways for this purpose. Each of the guideways permits the movement in one of three coordinate directions of the coordinate measuring apparatus. For this purpose, each of the three guideways is aligned parallelly to one of the movement directions of the coordinate measuring apparatus.
The deflections of the probe pin are measured by the measuring systems of the probe head. In order to incorporate these measured deflections of the probe pin into the coordinate system of the coordinate measuring apparatus, a transformation matrix was used in the past via which the measured measurement values of the probe pin deflection (deflection signals or probe head signals) were transformed into a coordinate system of the coordinate measuring apparatus. The individual parameters of this matrix were determined in preceding calibration operations.
A corresponding probe head, for which such a calibration operation was explained, is described in the article entitled "Multidimensional measuring probe head improves accuracy and functionality of coordinate measuring machines" by W. Lotze published in the journal "Measurement 13" on pages 91 to 97 (1994) (publisher: Elsevier Science B.V.). On pages 95 and 96 of this publication, a description is provided for the determination of the parameters of a corresponding matrix H for the two-dimensional case (the probe can only be moved in the xy-plane).
In recent times, and for various reasons, probe heads were used whose guideways no longer permit movement parallel to the coordinate directions of the coordinate axes of the coordinate measuring apparatus. For example, probes are used whose probe pin is linearly guided in the direction of its longitudinal axis; whereas, the probe pin is rotatably moveably journalled via a cardan joint for movement in the two other coordinate directions.
In the attempt to couple such a probe head to a coordinate measuring apparatus utilizing conventional transformation matrices, problems have developed insofar as the known methods for calibrating corresponding probe heads no longer converge.

Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH


When the temperature of an engine and a main battery is low at the time of activating a vehicle system, an ECU starts the engine in advance and outputs a running permission signal after completion of engine startup. At this stage, the ECU suspends a defect diagnosis operation on a subsidiary load and feedback-controls the DC/DC converter by setting the voltage control value to a level lower than the output voltage from the subsidiary battery and at least the lower limit of the operating voltage of the ECU. The ECU feedback-controls the DC/DC converter by setting the voltage control value to a level of at least the output voltage of the subsidiary battery in response to completion of engine start-up. Then, the suspension of the defect diagnosis operation on the subsidiary load is canceled and a running permission signal is output.

A hybrid vehicle that runs according to the driving force from at least one of the engine and motor is attracting attention as one measure directed to environmental problems. In such a hybrid vehicle, a high-voltage battery directed to running the vehicle, supplying power to the motor, is incorporated. The electricity stored in this running-purpose battery is also used for engine startup. Specifically, electricity is supplied to a motor generator coupled to the engine, and the engine is started by driving the motor generator serving as a motor.
In a hybrid vehicle, a subsidiary battery of low voltage for controlling the run as well as to supply electricity to accessories mounted on the vehicle is also incorporated. The subsidiary battery incorporated in a hybrid vehicle, as compared to those in a system that runs only by means of an engine, also functions as a power source for control of high-voltage systems including the running-purpose battery, in addition to the function as a power source for accessories. The importance of subsidiary batteries has become higher in accordance with the increase of the load. Conventional hybrid vehicles are mounted with a converter circuit that converts the electrical energy of the high-voltage system into low voltage to charge the subsidiary battery, taking into account the supply of electrical energy to the subsidiary battery (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laying Open Nos. 2003-70103, 2003-189401, and 2001-320807).
In such hybrid vehicles, the running-purpose battery supplies electricity of a constant level to the accessories and subsidiary battery via the converter circuit, regardless of whether the vehicle is in an arrested mode or a running mode. In the case where the output performance of the running-purpose battery is extremely degraded due to being situated in a low temperature state, sufficient electricity from the running-purpose battery cannot be supplied to the motor generator when the engine is to be started by the motor generator. There was a problem that engine startability is not reliable.
To avoid such an event, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-70103, for example, discloses a control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle characterized in that the drive of the converter circuit is stopped when the engine is to be started by means of the motor generator.
According to the control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-70103, control of automatic startup of the engine is effected by applying a driving force to the engine through the motor generator. When the capacity of the high-voltage battery is reduced at this stage, the electricity required to cause the motor generator to start the engine cannot be supplied from the high-voltage battery, leading to degradation in the startability. In view of this problem, the apparatus of Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-70103 stops the drive of the DC/DC converter when the engine is to be started by the motor generator to prevent the power output of the high-voltage battery from being drawn to the low-voltage battery. Thus, the engine startability is improved.
However, the prohibition of the drive of the DC/DC converter at the time of engine startup will result in the termination of power supply from the running-purpose battery to the subsidiary battery in accordance with the control apparatus for the hybrid vehicle disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-70103.
In general, the power source such as the subsidiary battery and running-purpose battery has the output power altered according to the charged amount (SOC: State Of Charge) as well as the peripheral environment. Particularly, it is difficult to obviate degradation in the output power from the subsidiary battery due to the continuous driving of a large electric load such as the headlight as well as natural discharge occurring by being left over for a long period of time. At an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls the engine startup upon receiving power supply from the subsidiary battery, there is the possibility of the supplied voltage from the subsidiary battery to the ECU will be lower than the ECU operating voltage.
Since the ECU will be disabled in operation in such an event, safety measures to prohibit activation of the vehicle system (system shutdown) are taken in conventional hybrid vehicles when the voltage of the subsidiary battery becomes lower than a predetermined threshold value. Thus, there was a problem that the engine cannot be started as a result of occurrence of system shutdown at the control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle set forth above.
In view of controlling the drive of a DC/DC converter, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-70103 teaches suspension of the operation of the DC/DC converter, and Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-189401 teaches an operation in two different modes having a different target value for the output voltage.
Specifically, in the hybrid vehicle of Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-189401, the DC/DC converter activates in a low-voltage mode in which the input electricity of the high-voltage battery is converted into the voltage of 12.0 V corresponding to the level where charging of the control-directed battery of 12 V is not possible, in the case where the power generated by the motor generator is low with the engine in an idling state and the temperature of the high-voltage battery is lower than the defined lower limit temperature. Then, following activation of the DC/DC converter, the generated power is gradually increased at a rate that does not affect the idling rotation of the engine. When the generated amount of power by the motor generator is sufficiently ensured, the operation mode of the DC/DC converter is switched from the low-voltage mode to a high-voltage mode in which the input electricity of the high-voltage battery is converted into the voltage of 14.5 V corresponding to the level where charging of the control-directed battery of 12 V is possible.
Thus, the power consumed by the DC/DC converter output is compensated for by the power generated at the motor generator while ensuring stable idling rotation of the engine. As a result, the discharge from the high-voltage battery at the time of DC/DC converter activation can be suppressed to prevent the temporary voltage drop at the high-voltage battery.
However, when the DC/DC converter is operated in a low-voltage mode in the hybrid vehicle disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-189401, the power consumed by the control computer, accessory, and subsidiary battery connected to the DC/DC converter will be restricted.
In order to ensure the running performance and drivability of the vehicle when the engine is started and attains an idling state, proper operation of all control computers and accessories is required. In the hybrid vehicle of Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-189401, all the control computers and accessories cannot operate properly when the DC/DC converter is in a low-voltage mode since power cannot be supplied stably to the control computers and accessories. There is a possibility of system shutdown.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a power supply control apparatus and method for a hybrid vehicle that can ensure engine startup while avoiding occurrence of system shutdown even in a low temperature environment.

Power supply control apparatus and method for hybrid vehicle


An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a controller controls a first and the second image forming unit to form a measurement image on the image bearing member, wherein the measurement image is composed with a first measurement image having a first color, and a second measurement image having a second color with a lower reflectance than the first color, a radiation unit emits a irradiation light to the measurement image, a light receiving unit receives a reflected light from the measurement image, a comparison unit compares a light amount of the reflected light from the measurement image with a threshold value, and a changing unit increases the threshold value, if a measurement time period during which a light amount of the reflected light from the measurement image is equal to or greater than the threshold value is longer than a predetermined time period.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus that reduces color misregistration when images of a plurality of color components are superimposed to form a color image.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus employing the electrophotographic process includes image forming units that form toner images of different colors for respective color components. The toner images formed by the image forming units for respective color components are transferred onto an intermediate transfer member to be superimposed. The toner images, after having been transferred onto a recording material, are fixed onto a recording material as a full-color image by heat and pressure of a fixing device.
In the image forming apparatus, when the images for the respective color components have been transferred onto the intermediate transfer member, if there is a positional deviation between the images for the respective color components, color misregistration will be produced in an image on the recording material. Therefore, an image forming apparatus discussed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0280633A1, forms a measurement image for color misregistration detection on an intermediate transfer member, and adjusts a position and a timing at which the image is formed for each image forming unit, based on a result of detection of the measurement image for color misregistration detection.
In the image forming apparatus discussed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0280633A1, a first image forming unit forms a first measurement image having a first color onto the intermediate transfer member, and a second image forming unit forms a second measurement image having a second color at a position on the intermediate transfer member away from the first measurement image by a predetermined distance. The first measurement image and the second measurement image on the intermediate transfer member pass through a measurement position, and thereby a positional difference between the first measurement image and the second measurement image is detected. The measurement position is a position on the intermediate transfer member at which an optical sensor radiates light. In U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0280633A1, a position at which the second image having the second color is formed by the second image forming unit is adjusted based on the positional difference thereof. Accordingly, color misregistration of an image, which is formed by transferring the second image having the second color to be superimposed on the first image having the first color, is reduced.
The optical sensor outputs a signal determined according to an amount of received light, by receiving the light reflected by the intermediate transfer member or the measurement image for color misregistration detection. The positional difference is determined according to a time difference between a time period during which an output value when the optical sensor has received a reflected light from the first measurement image exceeds a threshold value, and a time period during which an output value when the optical sensor has received a reflected light from the second measurement image exceeds the threshold value.
Further, an achromatic color toner and the intermediate transfer member have a low reflectance, and their difference is small. Therefore, a position of an image formed with the achromatic color toner on the intermediate transfer member cannot be detected by the optical sensor. Thus, in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0280633A1, a position of the image formed with the achromatic color toner on the intermediate transfer member is detected using a composite pattern. The composite pattern is images obtained by transferring a plurality of images formed with the achromatic color toner separated from each other by a predetermined distance, on an image formed with chromatic color toner. In other words, the composite pattern is a pattern in which an image region formed with the chromatic color toner is exposed from a region between a plurality of images formed with achromatic color toner. The optical sensor can detect a reflected light from the image region formed with the chromatic color toner exposed from the region between the plurality of images formed with the achromatic color toner.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a reference pattern and a composite pattern formed on the intermediate transfer member in a case where a positional deviation has not occurred, and a reference pattern and a composite pattern formed on the intermediate transfer member in a case where a positional deviation has occurred. The reference pattern is a first measurement image having a magenta toner. The composite pattern is formed by superimposing the second measurement image having a black toner on the first measurement image having the magenta toner Further, a distance Lo between the reference pattern and the magenta image that constitutes the composite pattern does not cause an error, since the magenta image is formed by the same image forming unit for magenta.
In a case where the image formed with the magenta toner and the image formed with the black toner do not have a positional deviation, a positional difference from the reference pattern to the magenta image region exposed from a region between the plurality of images formed with the black toner becomes Lma (target distance). On the other hand, in a case where the image formed with the magenta toner and the image formed with the black toner have a positional deviation, a positional difference from the reference pattern to the magenta image region exposed from the region between the plurality of images formed with the black toner becomes Lmb. In other words, in a case where the image formed with the black toner has a positional deviation, a positional difference Lmb from the reference pattern to the magenta image region exposed from the region between the plurality of images formed with the black toner differs by a positional deviation amount ΔL relative to the target distance Lma. The image forming apparatus discussed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0280633A1 adjusts a position at which the black image is formed based on the positional deviation amount ΔL, thereby reducing color misregistration of an image formed by transferring the black image overlapping the magenta image.
However, in the composite pattern composed of the chromatic color toner and the achromatic color toner, an amount of the achromatic color toner overlapped on a region formed with the chromatic color toner may be decreased by an influence of temperature or humidity. When an amount of the achromatic color toner overlapped on a region formed with the chromatic color toner decreases, light radiated from the optical sensor penetrates through the achromatic color toner region and is reflected from the chromatic color toner region, thereby increasing an amount of light received by the optical sensor.
As a result, if an output value output from the optical sensor becomes a threshold value or greater, by the optical sensor receiving the reflected light from the chromatic color toner covered by the achromatic color toner, there is a problem that a positional difference between the reference pattern and the composite pattern may be erroneously detected. Consequently, even if a position at which an image is to be formed is adjusted, based on a positional difference between the reference pattern and the composite pattern formed on the intermediate transfer member, there is a problem that color misregistration of an image formed by superimposing the image formed the achromatic color toner on the image formed with the chromatic color toner cannot be inhibited


In a work-process tracking system, each of event-data collecting threads collects event data from each of work systems. A storing thread stores the event data collected in a database. When a termination instruction is received, a thread in operation is terminated. For example, when an instruction to start (or terminate) an event-data collecting process is received, a control unit initiates (or terminates) the event-data collecting thread. Similarly, when an instruction to start (or terminate) a storing process, the control unit initiates (or terminates) the storing thread.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for tracking a work process that indicates a workflow in various work systems, and a computer product.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to a phase-in of work systems along with growth of a company or introduction of individual work system for each business unit, it is often the case that various work systems are present within a company. Because such various work systems have a complex relationship therebetween, it is difficult to grasp works as a whole. For example, such a problem can arise that it is difficult to understand progress of an entire work, problems in the work process, and what kind of an effect is expected when an investment in a new information technology (IT) is made for which part in a business.
For this reason, analysis of a work process that indicates a flow of work in the various work systems has conventionally been performed when works in operation are to be improved. Thus, it is determined which part has a problem and what should be improved. A workflow system is a system used for analyzing a flow of works in the work systems. The workflow system in general includes an existing flow engine and an application to be automatically executed in the order according to a workflow presented.
A workflow supporting system and a workflow supporting method that enables to refer to managing information including history and progress and to track a flow even for a workflow that range various different work systems or non-routine works are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H10-63747.
However, in the conventional technology described above, it is impossible to grasp relation among applications that branches into various processes at some midpoints. In such case, to grasp the relation among the applications, the work process and an analyzing scheme have to be reviewed by, for example, dividing the workflow into processes to be analyzed separately.
In addition, most of the existing work systems do not process works according to a workflow. Therefore, to track a work flow in different work systems, it is necessary to collect data including processed data and unprocessed data by accessing each of the work systems to analyze the data. Such workflow tracking is practically impossible.

Apparatus for tracking work process and computer product


An interferometer and corresponding system are provided having several aspects. In a first aspect, there is provided an interferometer adapted to receive separate first and second beams f1 and f2 therein, the interferometer comprising substantially equivalent and separate first and second optical pathways for the first and second beams f1 and f2. In a second aspect, there is provided an interferometer adapted to receive as separate inputs therein first and second beams f1 and f2, where such beams are not mixed or combined until just prior to being output by the interferometer. In a third aspect, an interferometer is provided having one or more beam blockers for intercepting extraneous or undesired light, and keeping such light from contaminating or interfering with separate beams f1 and f2.

Displacement measuring interferometers ("DMIs") are well known in the art, and have been used to measure small displacements and lengths to high levels of accuracy and resolution for several decades. Among such devices, helium-neon displacement measuring laser interferometers have enjoyed relatively widespread application owing to their high degree of stability and monochromaticity. Interferometers require careful alignment of mirrors that must be sustained over extended periods of time, however, which can present considerable practical difficulties.
A double-pass interferometer may be rendered partially insensitive to mirror misalignments by double-passing each arm of the interferometer and incorporating a means of inverting the wavefronts between passes. See, for example, "A Double-Passed Michelson Interferometer" by S. J. Bennett in Optics Communications, Volume 4, number 6, February/March, 1972, where double-passing is achieved using a polarized beam-splitter, two quarter-wave plates and a cube-corner reflector that serves as an inverting component. The entirety of the foregoing paper by Bennett is hereby incorporated by reference herein. In consequence of their commercial viability, robustness, stability and accuracy, double-pass displacement measuring interferometers find relatively common use in high accuracy displacement measurements.
Despite the many advances that have been made in the field of DMIs generally, however, measurement errors and inaccuracies persist. Among the factors contributing to such errors and inaccuracies are alignment errors and path length errors, optical mixing, thermal effects, polarization leakage (or the unintended mixing of measurement and reference beams), diffraction-induced fringing, non-linear relationships between phase and displacement, and other errors. See, for example, "Recent Advances in Displacement Measuring Interferometry" by Norman Brobroff in Meas. Sci. Technol. 4 (1993) 907-926, and "An Investigation of Two Unexplored Periodic Source Errors in Differential-Path Interferometry" by Schmitz and Beckwith in Precision Engineering 27 (2003) 311-322, where some of these factors are discussed in detail. The respective entireties of the foregoing papers by Broboff and Schmitz et al. are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Most DMIs in the prior art combine reference and measurement beams before they are presented to the optical portion of an interferometer system. The non-ideal characteristics of the source and optics result in mixing of the reference and measurement beams before the desired displacement is measured. This is one of the principal means by which non-linear errors are introduced in DMIs. Another principal source of non-linear error in DMIs is diffraction-based interference. Some prior art DMIs employ a reflective aperture to separate a reference beam from a measurement beam, the two beams sharing a common annulus up to the reflective aperture. The result of such an architecture is that an interference beam is formed, which can degrade performance.
In a paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the ASPE in 2001 entitled "Demonstration of Sub-Angstrom Cyclic Non-Linearity Using Wavefront-Division Sampling with a Common-Path Laser heterodyne Interferometer," Feng Zhao of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. discloses a common-path heterodyne interferometer that attempts to minimize non-linear errors. Zhao isolates the reference and measurement beams over most of the optical path to the detector by using separate fiber optic channels for the reference and measurement beams. The reference beam has a first frequency and the measurement beam has a second frequency different from the first frequency. In rough terms, first and second beams corresponding to the first and second frequencies are generated and measured at separate first and second detectors. In some systems, however, things are more complicated than this. Instead, so-called "local oscillator" and "probe" beams are emitted by the source as two separate beams, the beams being mixed in the interferometer to produce measurement and reference beams at the output. This topic is discussed in further detail below.
For purposes of clarity and to avoid confusion, the terms "measurement beam" and "reference beam" are employed herein, but are to be understood as potentially being interchangeable with the terms "local oscillator beam" and "probe beam," respectively, depending upon the particular context in which either term may appear.
The first beam may be referred to as a reference beam produced by means of the first frequency beam impinging upon a stationary aperture. The second beam may be referred to as a measurement beam produced by the second frequency beam impinging upon a moving target. The phase difference between the first and second beams represents the position of the target. Zhao's interferometer architecture reduces non-linear errors in measured displacements. Zhao employs a wavefront division scheme, however, in which diffraction-based interference errors remain important because measurement and reference beams are annularly spaced apart from one another over essentially the same optical path. Moreover, it is not clear how Zhao's approach could be expanded to more than one optical axis.
What is needed is a DMI that further minimizes non-linear and diffraction-induced errors, and that may be scaled up or down over multiple optical axes in a straightforward and economic manner.

Monolithic displacement measuring interferometer with spatially separated but substantially equivalent optical pathways and optional dual beam outputs


A diagnostic display device is coupled to a vehicle data bus and receives vehicle identification information which is used to identify one or more expected onboard systems installed on the vehicle. Expected systems are queried to determine that they are present and operating properly. Presence and operation status information are stored and/or presented to a user to facilitate automated vehicle system inspection.

The present application finds particular application in vehicle troubleshooting systems, particularly involving diagnostic systems. However, it will be appreciated that the described techniques may also find application in other diagnostic systems, other vehicle monitoring systems, or other troubleshooting systems.
Research shows that antilock brake system (ABS) failure in commercial vehicles frequently goes undetected due to inspector inability and/or unwillingness to perform the often complicated and time-consuming system checks. For instance, ABS fault indicator lights that are burned out in vehicles being inspected can indicate that the ABS fault persisted for a lengthy time period before the bulb burned out, and/or that the bulb has been tampered with to hide a faulty ABS from an inspector. Roadside inspectors may verify that the ABS fault indicator is not lit and consider the vehicle safe, but if the ABS fault indicator bulb is burned out there is no way to verify that the ABS is functioning properly.
ABS function is difficult to verify via a roadside inspection in part because of the wide variety of vehicle models, model years, ABS types, etc. When the ABS fails, downstream systems such as electronic stability program (ESP) control, collision mitigation systems, adaptive cruise control systems, etc., can be detrimentally affected. However, to date, the roadside inspector merely checks the ABS light to make sure that it turns on and back off in order to verify that the ABS is functioning properly.
The present innovation provides new and improved systems and methods that facilitate automatically verifying that mandated systems (e.g., ABS and others) are not only present on a vehicle but functioning properly, which overcome the above-referenced problems and others.

Vehicle inspection verification and diagnostic unit


A system and method for establishing a verified computing environment for executing data-driven contracts, comprising a cryptographic directed acyclic graph object model of a data-driven contract, wherein at least a subset of the objects in the MDAG correspond to clause state of at least one programmable clause of the data-driven contract; at a computing environment, administrating the data-driven contract in accordance with the MDAG which can include at least one execution instance comprised of: receiving a contract input to contract logic of the data-driven contract, processing the input according to the clause logic, in response to the contract input, generating at least one updated state object and generating at least one output object, and for each generated object, hash-linking the generated object to an object associated with the creation of the generated object.

In recent years there has been growing interest in blockchain and distributed ledger technologies. Distributed ledgers (also known as "shared ledgers", "replicated ledgers" or, in specific implementations, "blockchains"), are a type of database architecture where a single record of data is spread throughout and viewable by numerous entities, and typically updated according to a robust consensus protocol/algorithm. Despite the promise and benefits of these technologies, there are significant technical impediments to the generalized usage of 'on-chain' transactions and particularly so-called "smart contracts".
"Smart contract" systems execute computational logic as a transaction-based state machine in a distributed environment in which all nodes of a distributed ledger or blockchain network process all transactions and enforce state changes on-chain automatically in step with contract logic execution using built-in consensus mechanisms. Each time a "smart contract" is executed, the state of the ledger is updated with output of the computation. Combining execution and consensus-based enforcement is typically suitable for cryptocurrency applications where it is desirable for an enforced transfer of a digital asset to be performed together with the act of computing the transfer. However, this paradigm of bundled execution and consensus-based enforcement is unsuitable for a large number of potential applications that may not require enforcement with execution or that are inhibited by contemporaneous enforcement and execution.
Computable legal contracts are an important use case for distributed ledger and blockchain systems, and represent one such example. By contrast with generalized "smart contracts", commercial legal contracts are, firstly, inherently private conceptions and often necessitate contract data, state, and computation is at least partially private. Secondly, computable legal contracts, as distinct from generalized "smart contracts", require verifiable computation, but may often be hindered by automated enforcement. For example, automated enforcement may not be commercially or legally exigent, such as where a contracting party does not wish to avail themselves of certain rights under an agreement, or where an error in execution gives rise to the need for legal rectification (e.g., restitution), or where a dispute resolution mechanism prior to enforcement is preferable or required. Existing "smart contract" systems that combine execution and enforcement of the effects of execution may not, therefore, be suitable for commercial and legal application. Thirdly, computable legal contracts frequently need to natively integrate with computing environments other than blockchains and distributed ledgers. None of these attributes are suitably provided for in existing "smart contract" computing systems.
Providing suitable computing environments is critical to the adoption of the technology for enterprise and legal application. Thus, there is a need in the computing field to create a new and useful system and method for a verifiable, deterministic, and consensus-based computing environment. This invention provides such a new and useful system and method.

System and method for a computing environment for verifiable execution of data-driven contracts


An aqueous ink for inkjet recording contains water, a hydrosoluble organic solvent, resin particles, and a pigment, wherein the hydrosoluble organic solvent contains at least three kinds of diol compounds accounting for 45% by weight or more in the hydrosoluble organic solvent, wherein three or more of the at least three kinds of diol compounds have boiling points 10° C. or greater apart from each other.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an aqueous ink for inkjet recording, an inkjet recording device, an inkjet printed matter, and an inkjet recording method.
2. Background Art
Since inkjet printers are relatively quiet, enjoy low running costs, and easily capable of printing color images, they are now widely used at home as output device of digital signals.
In recent years, inkjet technologies have been appealing in business field of, for example, display, posters, and signboards.
In such use, since porous recording media have problems with regard to light resistance, water resistance, and abrasion resistance, non-porous recording media such as plastic film are used. Accordingly, ink for such non-porous recording medium has been developed.
For example, as such ink, solvent-based inkjet ink using an organic solvent as a vehicle or ultraviolet-curable inkjet ink using a polymerizable monomer as its main component have been widely used.
However, the solvent-based inkjet ink evaporates a large amount of the solvent into air, which is not preferable in terms of environmental burden. Some ultraviolet curable inkjet ink have skin sensitization potential. In addition, since an ultraviolet ray irradiator built into a printer is expensive, the application field of the solvent-based inkjet is limited.
Considering this background, an aqueous ink for inkjet recording as widely used at home so far is appealing because of its less burden on environment. Therefore, development of an aqueous ink for inkjet recording that can be directly printed on a non-porous substrate (non-porous recording medium) is in progress. For example, such developments are disclosed in JP-2005-220352-A and JP-2011-94082-A.
However, such aqueous ink has disadvantages in general with regard to image quality in comparison with a solvent-based inkjet ink.
First, since ink does not basically penetrate into a non-porous substrate, the ink on the non-porous substrate needs drying quickly. However, since water is contained in the aqueous ink as main solvent and a hydrosoluble organic solvent is added as additive, drying property deteriorates, resulting in poor drying. For this reason, when a recorded recording mediums is placed on another recording medium or rolled up, strike-through, so-called blocking, easily occurs.
In addition, most of the non-porous substrates are extremely glossy. Therefore, ink to demonstrate high gloss is demanded in order not to impair the integrity of printed portions and non-printed portions when printed. However, unlike a solvent-based ink in which a resin is dissolved in ink, particles are fused to form a layer in the case of an aqueous ink for inkjet recording. Therefore the surface of a printed non-porous substrate tends to become rough, thereby losing gloss.

Aqueous ink for inkjet, inkjet recording device, inkjet printed matter, and inkjet recording method


The invention relates to an air core filling system for reclining or seating furniture, for example, for a mattress, an armchair, a car seat, a piece of camping furniture or similar, comprising an air core and an integrated air core filling system, reacting to a load, which independently, supplies a dosed amount of air into the air core, in order to maintain the same at a given adjustable pressure in the non-loaded state. Said air core filling system comprises an air pump system (3) with at least two separate chambers (2, 6) and control system (17), whereby the first chamber (2) is directly connected to the air core by a line (1) and a second chamber (6) is connected to the air core by a line (7) through a pressure regulation valve (13) and to the ambient air by a line (9). The air pump system (3) is preferably embodied in the form of a double-chamber bellows, whereby the chambers (2, 6) have a common defining surface (4), on which a return device, for example, a spring (5), acts, in order to almost completely empty the chambers (2, 6) on relief of the air core.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air core filling system for furniture, especially for a mattresses and seating furniture, but also for car seats and camping furniture which have an air-filled core.
2. The Prior Art
Reclining or seating furniture with an air-filled core have long been known. They are regarded as the logical further development of the waterbed, which was originally preferably used in hospitals. As a result of the water filling of the mattress, it was possible to achieve a more even pressure distribution over the entire contact surface in order to prevent the feared bedsores.
Waterbeds come with a number of disadvantages, however. Bodily weak persons have difficulties changing their lying position. This is caused by the fact that in the case of a change of position, it is necessary that the water in the mattress under the body needs to be moved too. Such mattresses are therefore even dangerous for babies. Further disadvantages are the comparatively cumbersome handling and the very high weight. A further problematic aspect is that it has been noticed that water is a very good heat-transfer medium. The filling with water, which normally has room temperature at most, needs to be heated continually to a temperature of approximately 25° C. to 28° C. in order to avoid withdrawing temperature from the body in an unpleasant and especially hazardous manner. Such temperatures are absolutely damaging for persons with venous diseases. Since air is an adverse heat-transfer medium, tempering devices can be omitted in mattresses with an air core without having to give up the known advantages of the waterbeds. All other indicated disadvantages of waterbed can be avoided by using a mattress with an air core. Moreover, there is a better adjustment of the support to the user's body shape because there is no lateral displacement of water as in the waterbed. Instead, the displaced air quantity will lead to an even increase in the air pressure over the entire volume.
The disadvantageous aspect in seating furniture or mattresses with an air core is however that they are not absolutely gas-tight. As a result of gas diffusion, especially in the case of pressure loads during use, there will be a loss of pressure in the air core which requires periodic refilling. Older systems comprise filling systems which are driven manually or by means of an electromotor in order to hold the once chosen degree of hardness over a substantially indefinite period of time.
An air-core filling system is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,322, comprising an integrated hinged pump which is connected directly with the air core via a ball check valve. The pump is flipped out for re-filling the air core and is compressed manually. It may occur relatively easily that the air core is overfilled and becomes too hard, so that air needs to be bled via a further valve. This cumbersome operation was soon replaced by systems in which air can be filled only up to a preset pressure by means of a control valve.
Automatic refilling systems were also developed in order to also enable a continuous maintenance of the desired pressure in the air core. EP 0 620 716 B1 describes an upper mattress with an integrated air system for example in which a circumferential foamed-material frame is present about an air core in which an air reservoir and supply system is integrated. It consists of an air pump, an air reservoir and a pressure regulating valve. When the foamed-material frame is loaded when the user lays down on the mattress, a pressure is exerted on the pump body integrated in the foamed-material frame which conveys the air from said pump bodies to an air reservoir. The air coming from the pump bodies is compressed and stored there. A one-way valve is installed in the connecting line between the pump bodies and the reservoir. Once the mattress is relieved, the pressure from the pressure reservoir balances the pressure in the air core of the mattress up to a value again which is set on the pressure regulating valve. Once the boundary zone is relieved, the pump bodies suck in ambient air through a further valve by returning to their initial position.
This system has a number of disadvantages however. The air from the pump bodies will only be pressed into the reservoir when the pressure on the boundary zone by sitting on the same is sufficiently high, which means in other words when the user sits fully on the boundary zone. Sitting down usually occurs in such a way that the boundary zone is loaded only by the leg but not by the buttocks. The consequence is insufficient compression of the pump bodies.
A further disadvantage is that the reservoir always needs to be under pressure in order to keep the air core of the mattress at the set value. If there is a loss of pressure in the reservoir for any reason, e.g. by introduction of dust into the one-way valve to the reservoir, maintaining the set pressure value will no longer be possible. On the other hand, the built-up pressure of the compressed air can only be reduced via the air core. This leads to the consequence that a pressure of 100 mbar and more can build up in the reservoir under intensive use, as a result of which the connections and valves are subjected to a high load. A further disadvantageous aspect are the considerably long distances from the air entrance to the reservoir and further to the pressure regulating valve, thus leading to large surface areas for gas diffusion. The likelihood of leakages also rises as a result of the numerous connection points. A further disadvantageous aspect is that an intended pressure reduction in the air core is only possible by diffusion loss, which is why it takes a long time until the pressure in the air core has settled to a lower level.
The present invention is therefore based on the object of avoiding these disadvantages in such a way that a pump and control system is created which works without a reservoir and in the entire air core filling system has the same pressure as in the air core when not loaded. The air supply system in accordance with the invention further has a substantially smaller overall size with considerably reduced connecting lines and also has a number of connecting points which is lower in comparison with the system according to EP 0 620 716 B1 in order to thus reduce any hazards by unintended pressure loss.
The invention will be explained in greater detail by reference to the attached drawing.


The present invention relates to a configuration method and system for providing a configuration parameter, such as a server, gateway or proxy server address(es), to a terminal device. A trigger control information defining trigger events and/or conditions is loaded to the terminal device (11, 21) and a discovery procedure for obtaining the configuration parameter(s) is initiated when at least one of the trigger events and/or conditions is detected. Thereby, a user-friendly automatic configuration of services or server addresses can be provided to a moving mobile terminal.

Discovery procedures are required to discover addresses or other configuration parameters of data sources or servers for providing services to a terminal device or client. According to the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), as specified in the Internet Engineering Task Force Request For Comments (IETF RFC) 2608, a dynamic allocation of network addresses is defined, where temporary or permanent network (IP) addresses are allocated to hosts. The basic mechanism for the dynamic allocation of network addresses is simple. A client requests the use of an address for some period of time. The allocation mechanism guarantees not to reallocate that address within the requested time and attempts to return the same network address each time the client requests an address. To achieve this, the client broadcasts a DHCP discover message which is passed on to DHCP servers not on the same physical subnet. Each server may then respond with a DHCP offer message that includes an available network address and/or other configuration parameters. The client receives one or more DHCP offer messages from one or more servers and may choose one server from which to request configuration parameters, based on the configuration parameters offered in the received DHCP offer messages. Then, the client broadcasts a DHCP request message including the server identifier to indicate which server it has selected, such that those servers not selected by the DHCP request message may use the message as a notification that the client has declined that servers offer. The server selected in the DHCP request message commits the binding for the client to persistent storage and response with a DHCP acknowledge message containing the configuration parameters for the requesting client.
According to the Domain Name Server (DNS) protocol specification as defined e.g. in the IETF RFC 1035, domain names are used as arguments to a local agent, called a resolver, which retrieves information associated with the domain name. Thus, a user might ask for the host address or mail information associated with a particular domain name. To enable the user to request a particular type of information, an appropriate query type is passed to the resolver with the domain name. The resolver is responsible for hiding the distribution of data among name servers from the user. The resolver starts with knowledge of at least one name server. When the resolver processes a user query it asks a known name server for the information. In return, the resolver either receives the desired information or a referral to another name server. Using these referrals, resolvers learn the identities and contents of other name servers. Resolvers are responsible for dealing with the distribution of the domain space and dealing with the effects of name server failure by consulting redundant data bases in other servers.
Previously, the internet server systems and thus also their configuration parameters (e.g. addresses) have been quite stable and they have been configured manually based on user specific settings to the terminal. However, in the case of wireless Internet, for example WLANs (Wireless Local Area Networks), the configuration using DHCP and DNS protocols does not take into consideration wide area cellular type rapid mobility. In particular, a mobile station or mobile terminal may send a DHCP query in order to find an IP address of a P-CSCF (Proxy Call State Control Function) or some other service lookup server. The DHCP server in the network answers with a P-CSCF address. Then, the mobile terminal contacts the P-CSCF in order to get a list of available multimedia services. The P-CSCF can take into account the type of network to which it is contacted, so that not all of the services designed for the PS (Packet-Switched) domain may technically be possible in the CS (Circuit-Switched) domain for example because of the low capacity of the CS network. The P-CSCF answers with a list of services which are now available to the user.
In mobile Internet, the dynamic configuration of the configuration parameters (e.g. server addresses) should be adapted to the movements of the mobile terminal. Solutions for such a dynamic service configuration are provided by the Service Location Protocol (SLP) specified in the ITEF RFC 2608, which provides a scalable framework for discovery and selection of network services. A user agent which is a process working on the users behalf to establish contact with some service by retrieving service information from service agents or directory agents performs discovery by issuing service request messages. Furthermore, a Service Discovery Protocol (SDP) is specified in the Bluetooth Specification Version 1.0 B issued on 29. November 1999 by the Bluetooth Forum, where a service discovery mechanism is provided as a means for client applications to discover the existence of services provided by server applications as well as the attributes of those services. The attributes or configuration parameters of a service include the type or class of service offered and the mechanism or protocol information needed to utilize the service. A set of SDP server available to an SDP client can change dynamically based on the RF (Radio Frequency) proximity of the servers to the client. When a server becomes available, a potential client must be notified that the client can use SDP to query the server about its services. Similarly, when a server leaves proximity or becomes unavailable for any reason, the client may use SDP to poll the server and may infer that the server is not available if it no longer response to requests.
However, these known dynamic service configuration procedures do not provide an automatic server address configuration or reconfiguration procedure and a service configuration customization mechanism.
When a mobile terminal moves across the radio, network and service area coverage, it is a problem for the user to manually configure server or proxy server addresses. In practice, it is almost impossible to configure the addresses manually, because the user cannot be aware of the current service configuration of the operator. This is especially true when localized area specific servers of a visited operator are considered. For example, a user is abroad and wants to find out special offers of local restaurants and the like. Thus, an automatic and operator specific service configuration is highly desirable.


Based on a plurality of valid data sets from a data set selection portion, an internal-resistance-during-charging calculation portion calculates the value Rc of internal resistance during charging from the slope of a voltage-current linear approximation during charging, and an internal-resistance-during-charging-and-discharging calculation portion calculates the value Rcd of internal resistance during charging and discharging from the slope of a voltage-current linear approximation during charging and discharging. A judgment portion compares the absolute value ΔR of the difference between Rcd and Rc that has been calculated by a difference computation portion with a first predetermined value ΔRT1, and when ΔR≦ΔRT1 is satisfied, the judgment portion outputs Rcd or Rc, whichever is smaller, as the value of internal resistance of a secondary battery.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for estimating, while driving, the internal resistance (IR) of a secondary battery such as a nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery installed in a pure electric vehicle (PEV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), or the like as a source of motive power for the motor and a source of driving power for various loads and for detecting the state of deterioration and an anomaly of the secondary battery.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, it is well known that the internal resistance of a secondary battery is calculated to detect the state of deterioration or an anomaly of the secondary battery. In HEVs and other electric vehicles, when an output from the engine is greater than the motive power that is necessary for the vehicles to run, the surplus motive power is used to drive the generator so as to charge the secondary battery. Conversely, in HEVs and other electric vehicles, when an output from the engine is small, the electric power of the secondary battery is used to drive the motor so as to make up for the shortage of the output from the engine.
For example, JP 2000-323183A discloses a method for detecting the internal resistance of a secondary battery that is connected to a load consuming or regenerating such electric power. More specifically, the current I, voltage V, and temperature T during charging and discharging are first sampled over a predetermined period of time. Next, the sampled currents I are integrated to obtain the maximum amount of stored charge Qmax and the minimum amount of stored charge Qmin in that period, and furthermore, the difference ΔQ between these stored charges is obtained. Then, when all aspects, i.e., the difference ΔQ in the amount of stored charge, a distribution of the current I, and the temperature T, in that period are appropriate, a linear approximation of the sampled currents I and voltages V is obtained, and the internal resistance is calculated from the slope of the obtained straight line.
In this manner, the internal resistance of the secondary battery installed in HEVs and other electric vehicles is calculated based on the current I and voltage V that are measured as the vehicles are running.
However, even when the secondary battery is normal, the current I and voltage V that are measured during running may vary depending on the state of charging and discharging pattern at the time when the vehicle starts to run or stops running, for example. Moreover, in some cases, a small short-circuit occurs in the secondary battery, resulting in a deterioration in the secondary battery, and thus the voltage V decreases only during discharging. Consequently, it is difficult to obtain a correct value of internal resistance with the method described above.

Method for detecting state of secondary battery and device for detecting state of secondary battery


A stud driver and remover for studs having non-grip areas includes an improved construction that enables the stud driver and remover to drive and remove studs without damaging a non-grip portion of the stud. The improved stud driver and remover includes five drive rolls, and increased ratio between the cross-sectional areas of the stud and the drive rolls. The stud driver and remover also includes an increased roll length and decreased included angle which allows the roll to penetrate more deeply into the stud. Each of a plurality of cams formed in a core of the tool is provided with a recess to accommodate one of the rolls. These recesses allow the tool to be placed on a stud having a non-grip area such as a flange or threaded area and to drive and remove the stud without damaging the non-grip area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stud driver and remover for studs having a non-grip area and a method of making the stud driver and remover. In particular, the present invention relates to a stud driver and remover for studs having an area that is susceptible to damage if gripped by the tool and a method of making the same in which the stud driver and remover has an improved construction over the prior art that enables the inventive stud driver and remover to drive and remove undercut studs without damaging the non-grip area.
2. Description of Related Art
Stud drivers and removers for small diameter studs are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,069,527 to Kirkland discloses a chuck adapted for stud driving and removing in which three relatively small rolls rotatably grasp the stud. In addition, the assignee of the present application has sold a stud driver and remover under the trademark ROLL-GRIP for studs having a diameter between three sixteenths and three inches. However, the ROLL-GRIP.TM. tool works best on small diameter studs, i.e., studs having a diameter between three sixteenths and three fourths of an inch. While these stud drivers and removers have worked very well for the small diameter studs, they are not readily adaptable to accommodate removal or driving of stud having a non-grip area such as a threaded portion or flange. An example of such a stud having a non-grip area is an undercut stud which has a relatively large diameter threaded portion and a relatively small diameter, non-threaded undercut portion.
These types of non-grip area studs and undercut studs, in particular, are used in many industries. Undercut studs are especially prevalent in most turbines used in various industries. The turbines require a large number of undercut studs which must be specially made for each application. Consequently, the undercut studs can cost as much as thousands of dollars each. In the past, there were no tools which could readily drive and remove the undercut studs without damaging the threads on the stud and rendering these studs useless. If a tool was available, the tool would flatten the threaded portion of the undercut stud during the driving or removal process, thereby rendering the undercut stud unusable and requiring a replacement undercut stud to be specially made. This results in undesired machine down time and unnecessary cost. Other studs having flanges or other areas not suitable to withstand the gripping pressures required for driving and removing experience similar difficulties with conventional stud driving and removing devices.

Stud driver and remover for studs having non-grip area


A device for limiting the output current of an operational amplifier of the type including an output stage having an output transistor, including circuitry for limiting the biasing current of a differential input stage of the operational amplifier to a value determined by a measurement resistor connected between the output transistor and an output terminal of the operational amplifier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for limiting the negative output current of an operational amplifier. In other words, the invention relates to a current limiting device associated with a low-side half-stage of an output stage of the operational amplifier. The present invention applies more particularly to an operational amplifier having a differential input stage coupled to a low supply voltage (for example, a negative voltage or ground).
2. Discussion of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of an exemplary operational amplifier of the type to which the present invention applies.
The operational amplifier includes a differential input stage 1, a gain stage 2 and an output stage 3.
The differential input stage 1 is biased by a constant current source 4 and the gain stage 2 is biased by a constant current source 5. The output stage 3 is formed by two transistors T1 and T2 defining output high-side and low-side half-stages, respectively, each of which is associated with a respective device 6 and 7 for limiting the output current.
FIG. 1 represents an operational amplifier formed by bipolar transistors. Two diodes D1 and D2 are interposed between source 5 and the gain stage 2 to compensate for the base-emitter voltage drops of the bipolar transistors T1 and T2, of NPN and PNP-type respectively, of output stage 3.
The operational amplifier is supplied between a high voltage Vcc, for example a positive voltage, and a low voltage Vee, for example a negative voltage or ground. The operational amplifier includes two input terminals E- and E+ which are connected to the respective bases of two PNP transistors T3 and T4 of stage 1. The emitters of transistors T3 and T4 are connected to a first terminal of source 4, whose other terminal is connected to the supply line Vcc. The collector of each transistor T3 or T4 is connected to the collector of a respective NPN transistor T5 or T6, whose emitter can be connected, if necessary through a resistor (not shown), to the supply line Vee. The bases of transistors T5 and T6 are interconnected and transistor T5 is diode-connected, i.e., its base is connected to its collector. The collector of transistor T6 forms the output 8 of the differential input stage 1.
Output 8 is connected to the base of an NPN transistor T7 forming, for example, the gain stage 2. The emitter of transistor T7 is connected to line Vee. The collector of transistor T7 forms the output of stage 2. The output of stage 2 is provided to the respective bases of transistors T1 and T2. The collector of transistor T7 is directly connected to the base of transistor T2 which forms the low-side output half-stage of the operational amplifier. The collector of transistor T7 is also connected, through two series diodes D1 and D2, to the base of transistor T1 forming the high-side output half-stage. Transistor T7 is biased by source 5 having a first terminal connected to line Vcc and a second terminal connected, through diodes D1 and D2, to the collector of transistor T7.
The collector of transistor T7 is connected to line Vcc and its emitter is connected, through a resistor R1 of a device for limiting the output current 6, to an output terminal S of the operational amplifier. The collector of transistor T2 is connected to line Vee and its emitter is connected, through a resistor R of a device for limiting the input current 7, to the output terminal S. Resistors R1 and R2 form resistors for measuring the positive and negative currents, respectively, of the output stage 3.
Device 6 is formed by resistor R1 and an NPN transistor T8. The base of transistor T8 is connected to the emitter of transistor T1 and its emitter is connected to terminal S. The collector of transistor T8 is connected to the base of transistor T1.
Device 7 is formed by resistor R2 and a PNP transistor T9. The base of transistor T9 is connected to the emitter of transistor T2 and its emitter is connected to terminal S. The collector of transistor T9 is connected to the bases of transistors T5 and T6 of the differential input stage 1.
The normal operation of an operational amplifier such as represented is FIG. 1 is well known by those skilled in the art and will not be described.
The role of the current limiting devices 6 and 7 is to protect the operational amplifier during its critical operation, i.e., when the output (positive or negative) current of the operational amplifier exceeds the values for which the operational amplifier is designed, risking to damage the operational amplifier. Such a critical operation condition may occur, for example, if the impedance of the load connected to terminal S is too low or in case of accidental short-circuit at the output of the operational amplifier.
When the positive output current of the operational amplifier exceeds a value predetermined by the size of resistor R1, transistor T8 becomes conductive, which causes the base current of transistor T1 to decrease, thereby limiting the positive output current of the operational amplifier. The limit value of the current corresponds to the ratio of the base-emitter junction voltage Vbe.sub.ON of transistor T8 in the conductive state and resistance R1. Under normal operation conditions, i.e., when the current flowing through resistor R1 is lower than Vbe.sub.ON /R1, the base-emitter voltage of transistor T8 is too low and transistor T8 is not conductive.
When the negative output current of the operational amplifier is such that the voltage drop across resistor R2 exceeds the base-emitter voltage Vbe.sub.ON of transistor T9 in the conductive state, transistor T9 becomes conductive, which causes the base current of transistor T6 of the input stage 1 to increase. The resulting increased collector current of transistor T6 causes the base current of transistor T7 to decrease and, thus, the base current of transistor T2 to decrease. As for device 6, the current limitation is determined by the value of resistor R2 and is equal to the ratio of the base-emitter voltage Vbe.sub.ON of transistor T9 in the conductive state and resistance R2. Under normal operation conditions, i.e., when the current flowing through the measurement resistor R2 is lower than Vbe.sub.ON /R2, transistor T9 is not conductive.
A drawback of a conventional operational amplifier such as represented in FIG. 1 is that the negative current limited by device 7 causes oscillations of the output current of the operational amplifier. The limitation current loop, formed by transistor T9 and transistors T6 and T7, is not stable because of the limited bandwidth of PNP transistor T9. This problem does not occur for device 6 since the current limitation loop is formed by an NPN transistor T8 inherently having a wide bandwidth.
Such oscillations are undesirable, especially because they pollute the positive supply line Vcc. For example, if a short-circuit occurs between the output terminal S and the supply voltage Vcc, the oscillations resulting from the current limited by device 7 are reproduced on the supply line Vcc, which may impair the proper operation of other circuits supplied by the supply line Vcc.
Using a PNP transistor for transistor T9 is correlated to the connection of the measurement resistor R2 to the emitter of transistor T2. The conventional device more particularly applies to an operational amplifier whose low-side output half-stage is formed by a so-called vertical transistor, for example, a PNP bipolar transistor whose collector corresponds to the substrate, which makes it necessary to connect the measurement resistor R2 to the emitter of transistor T2.
A further drawback is that the action of device 7 on the differential input stage 1 is asymmetric, regardless of whether transistor T2 is vertical or lateral, which creates an offset in the biasing of input transistors T3 and T4 of the operational amplifier. The conventional limitation of the negative output current causes a current to be injected in the bases of transistors T5 and T6, and thus in the collector of transistor T5 only.

Device for limiting the output current of an operational amplifier


Medical device systems and related methods are disclosed.

Balloon catheters can be used for a variety of medical procedures, such as, for example, to widen an occluded body vessel, as in angioplasty, to position a medical device, such as a stent or a graft, or to selectively block a passageway. A balloon catheter may include an inflatable and deflatable balloon positioned on a narrow catheter shaft. Prior to insertion and positioning of the balloon catheter within a patient's body, the balloon is folded around the shaft to reduce the radial profile of the medical device for easy and a traumatic insertion.
During use, for example, in angioplasty, the folded balloon can be positioned at a location in a vessel occluded by a stenosis by threading the balloon catheter over a guide wire placed in the body. The balloon is then inflated by introducing a fluid, such as saline, into the interior of the balloon. Inflating the balloon can radially expand the stenosis so that the vessel can permit an increased rate of blood flow. After use, the balloon is deflated to its reduced radial profile and withdrawn from the body.
In some cases, it is desirable to incise at least a portion of the stenosis prior to radial expansion, thereby further increasing the blood flow rate.


A display system (12) for attachment to a sill (14) of a window structure (26) has been provided. The display system (12) includes a mounting device (28) for attaching the display system (12) to the sill (14) of the window structure (26) and a display device (18) for attachment to the mounting device (26). The display device (18) is intended to communicate various information to the viewer of the display device and preserve or create more available space surrounding the window structure (26).

Display systems are widely utilized for communicating various kinds of information in a variety of environments, e.g. a vehicle and a building. These display systems typically are positioned within locations that allow for efficient use of the surrounding area.
For example, an aircraft can have a variety of gauges integrated within an instrument panel of the cockpit for the purpose of positioning those gauges beyond a space typically utilized for another function. Specifically, the integration of the gauges within the instrument panel can allow a pilot to freely operate the steering tiller of the aircraft without interference from the gauges. Moreover, in this position, the gauges typically do not obstruct the pilot's field of view, hinder the crew members' access to their oxygen masks, or delay the crew members in exiting the aircraft.
Unfortunately, the typical locations in which the display systems are mounted can lack sufficient space or be inadequately shaped for receiving an additional display system. As a result, the display system may be omitted from the environment thereby eliminating the information that could be otherwise provided by the display system.
Therefore, a need exists for a display system that is integrated within a windowsill of a vehicle or a building so as to provide various kinds of information and allow for efficient use of the area surrounding the window structure.


A pouch type battery includes a pouch case having a front region, a rear region, first and second side regions, and a cover, wherein the first side region connects the front region to the rear region at a first side of the battery, and the second side region connects the front region to the rear region at a second side of the battery, the first and second sides being opposite to one another, the rear region has a recess therein to accommodate an electrode assembly, and two extending portions extend from first and second sides of the recess, the two extending portions being wrapped around to form the first and second side regions and the front region, inward-facing surfaces of the two extending portions being bonded to each other to form a first seal in the front region, at least one of the extending portions extending beyond the first seal and being further wrapped around to form the cover, the cover extending at least partially across the front region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery. More particularly, the present invention relates to a pouch type battery and a method of making the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Batteries may employ any of a number of electrochemical technologies and may be manufactured in a variety of form factors. Generally, batteries may be classified as primary, or single use, and secondary, or rechargeable. Various battery technologies employ lithium, e.g., lithium secondary batteries, and generally use a non-aqueous electrolyte because of the reactivity between lithium and water. This electrolyte may be, e.g., a solid polymer containing lithium salts or a liquid in which lithium salts are dissociated in some type of organic solvent. Lithium secondary batteries include lithium metal and lithium-ion batteries using an organic liquid electrolyte, and lithium ion polymer batteries using a polymer solid electrolyte. In solid type lithium ion polymer batteries, there is little risk of leaking electrolyte, whereas in liquid or gel type lithium ion polymer batteries there is a chance of leaking the organic electrolyte.
For batteries where the risk of leaking electrolyte is low, a pouch may be used as the battery housing, in contrast to the metal can that is typically employed for batteries having a higher risk of leaking electrolyte. When the pouch is used, it is generally possible to reduce the weight and thickness of the battery and to freely change the shape of the battery, in comparison with the case where the metal can is used.
FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a conventional pouch type battery before the pouch is sealed, FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the battery of FIG. 1 after sealing and folding the pouch, and FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 2. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a conventional pouch type battery may include an electrode assembly 3 and a pouch material 4 accommodating the electrode assembly 3.
Referring to FIG. 1, a method of forming the conventional pouch type battery will now be described. First, the center of the roughly rectangular pouch material 4 may be folded to form a rear portion 4b and a front portion 4a. A recess 6 in which the electrode assembly 3 can be accommodated may be formed in the rear portion 4b. Sealing portions 5 may be used to seal the front and rear portions 4a and 4b together. A core cell formed as just described may be housed in a hard case to form a hard pack battery (not shown). Otherwise, both lengthwise ends may be dosed with a hot melt resin.
When the hard pack is formed using the bare cell without folding the sealing portions 5, the hard case may require additional space to accommodate the sealing portions 5. Therefore, the sealing portions 5 may be folded toward the respective sides of the recess 6, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Even when the pouch is not put in a hard case, the sealing portions 5 of the pouch may be folded to reduce the overall width of the battery.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the recess 6 in the conventional pouch type battery may have side walls that are essentially straight or angled at close to 90°. Accordingly, when the sealing portions 5 are folded toward the recess 6, the folded sealing portions 5 are also essentially straight or slightly angled. As a result, if combined with the electrode assembly 3 having rounded sides, the interior portion of the conventional pouch type battery would not be efficiently filled. Thus, the electrical capacity of the battery per unit volume is not maximized. In addition, referring to FIG. 3, folding the sealing portions 5 in this manner increases the overall width of the bare cell by an amount 2W, where W is the width of each of the sealing portions 5 along the respective side surfaces of the pouch.
It will be appreciated that the conventional pouch type battery limits the size of the electrode assembly 3 that can be disposed therein, due to the additional 2W width of the pouch case that is occupied by the sealing portions 5. Moreover, if the pouch case is to be disposed in a hard case, during the assembly process the angled edges of the pouch case may contact the hard case, causing damage to the pouch case. Since the pouch may be very thin, the electrode assembly 3 may be easily damaged.
Additionally, the hard case may have a wall thickness of about 0.6 mm, which makes the completed battery thicker. Accordingly, if the device for which the conventional pouch type battery is intended imposes a limitation on the battery size, the electrical capacity of the battery may be reduced. Conversely, increasing the electrical capacity of the battery may require a larger battery, which may require design changes to other aspects of the device to be powered.

Pouch type battery and method of making the same


The maximum wait time for callers in a call center (FIG. 10) is lowered by selecting, for an agent (25) who has just become available to handle a call, a highest-priority waiting call that would most likely wait the longest if it were not selected at this time. Anticipated wait times are computed for the calls at the heads of the non-empty highest-priority call queues that correspond to the agent's skills or splits (202-210). The anticipated wait time of a call is computed as the call's present (elapsed) wait time plus the average rate of advance of calls in the call's queue (210). The call with the longest anticipated wait time is then selected first and is assigned to the available agent for handling (212-216). The process is repeated each time that any agent becomes available.

In automatic call-distribution (ACD) systems, calls incoming to a call center are answered and handled by a plurality of agents. The ACD system automatically distributes and connects incoming calls to whatever agents are suited to handle the calls and are free, that is, not handling other calls at the moment.
It often happens that the call center becomes overloaded by calls, so that no suitable agents are available to handle calls at the moment that the calls come in. The calls then back up. They are placed in different queues based upon some preestablished criteria, and are placed in each queue in the order of their arrival and/or priority. There they await suitable agents becoming free and available to service them. The waiting calls are distributed to agents for handling on an oldest-call-waiting (OCW) basis. That is, when an agent becomes available, the system considers the call at the head of each queue from which that agent is eligible to handle a call, and selects the one of the calls that has been waiting the longest. The system does not consider how long a call will have to wait for the next available agent if the call is not selected at this time.

Waiting-call selection based on anticipated wait times