A method for manufacturing a layered structure for routing electrical signals comprising the steps of providing a layout for the layered structure having an insulating layer with at least one signal trace, a via, and a stub trace on a first side of the insulating layer, and a generally planar electrically conductive layer disposed on a second side of the insulating layer. Identify the stub trace and define a beneficial portion on the second side based upon a layout of the stub trace where the electrically conductive layer on the second side is to be absent. Modify the layout according to the step of defining and manufacture the layered structure according to the modified layout.

Creation of certain integrated circuit packages and printed circuit boards often uses an electro-plating manufacturing process. One physical artifact of the electroplating process is one or more stub traces that electrically connect a signal via to a perimeter of the package. In view of the sensitivity of some of the signaling frequencies, some integrated circuit packages are designed to connect to controlled impedance transmission lines. At frequencies above 500 MHz, the stub trace presents a transmission impedance mismatch that affects signal integrity. The adverse impact of the resulting signal degradation increases with the signal frequency.
As a signal travels down a signal trace and encounters a via in parallel with the stub trace, the signal splits with a first portion traveling along the via and a second portion traveling along the stub trace. As the second portion of the signal encounters an end of the stub trace, it is reflected. The reflected signal then mixes with the original signal at the via, and causes signal degradation. A relatively short stub trace will reflect the second signal and cause signal degradation early on in a signal transition. This may not present as much a problem if signal registration is later on in the signal transition and after the area in the signal that mixes with the reflection. Longer stub traces, therefore, present more of a problem because reflected signals are more likely to disturb the signal at the via at a time when another component of the system registers the signal.
One available solution to the foregoing problem in the art is the use of an electroless plating or printing process. Printed circuit boards that use a printing process do not have the stub trace artifacts. IC packages, however, are typically manufactured using either the electroplating process or the electroless plating process. The electroless plating process does not create stub traces as an artifact of manufacturing, and therefore, does not present the same issue. Unfortunately, the electroless plating process has higher variability in conductor geometry making it difficult if not impossible to carefully control signal trace impedance. For high frequency signal traces, however, the uniformity of conductor geometry is an important factor in maintaining signal quality. Accordingly, the benefit of the absence of stub traces is somewhat offset by the variability in signal trace geometry. The electro-less plating process, therefore, only partially addresses the issue of obtaining high frequency signal quality. In addition, not all IC package styles are available in the electroless plating process. Accordingly, the electroless plating process may not be available or advisable in certain IC package applications.
Another solution is to arrange the IC die so that all of the contacts carrying high-speed signals are placed on a perimeter of the die where the stub traces are shortest. It saves costs, however, to manufacture small ICs with high density and higher density ICs dictate that interior contacts also carry the high-speed signals.
There remains a need, therefore, to address the deleterious affects of the stub traces that are an artifact of the electro-plating manufacturing process.

Method of fabricating the routing of electrical signals


A tree stand for use in hunting and observing wildlife that includes a collapsible platform and collapsible seat support assembly. In several constructions, a platform assembly includes several pivot joints that permit multiple platform sections to fold together. The folding sections may also include frame members that fan fold together. An adjoining seat support and/or seat assemblies fold with the platform to widths that accommodate transport. In several other platform constructions, the platform assembly includes several pivot joints that permit perimeter, interior and end frame members and/or multi-section stays to fold. Underlying cross supports, end straps, end caps and wires stabilize and maintain the displacement of the platform frame members and stays. Several alternative seat support assemblies, platform and sling seat assemblies, cable and strap supports are also disclosed in various tree stand combinations.

The present invention relates to portable hunting stands and, in particular, to a stand adapted to mount to a tree and that includes a collapsible and/or hinged platform.
A problem with tree stands is their size. Those with larger platforms provide more foot space to accommodate necessary movement while in the tree, but on the ground are harder to carry. That is, the width of the stand can be cumbersome during transport, either by a handle or supported on the back, through the woods when the stand can bump into trees and/or catch on brush and tree branches and all of which create undesired noise and inconvenience the hunter. Some stands also provide ladders or sectional upright towers, which are even more cumbersome to transport.
A typical commercially available portable tree stand consists of a horizontal support platform that is hinged to ail upright, vertical frame assembly. Cables may extend from the vertical frame to the platform to fix the maximum relative range of rotation of the platform and upright frame. A seat belt, rope, chain or other suitable length of fastener material is secured to the vertical frame to wrap around a tree and fasten to a mating fastener at the stand to secure the stand to the tree. Threaded fasteners or other auxiliary fasteners may also be provided to secure the vertical frame to the tree. Some stands provide means for leveling the platform.
The vertical frame can provide one or more displaced, upright members. The vertical frame also typically supports a seat assembly. The seat can comprise a sling arrangement or a rigid, padded seat that depends from the vertical frame. The seat can be permanently mounted to the vertical support piece(s) or be removable. The seat may also permit rotational movement.
The platform typically comprises a closed or open construction constructed of wood, steel or aluminum. The platform is sized to permit some nominal movement of the feet and maneuvering by the hunter. The platform is typically constructed to be rigid and support individuals weighing up to 300 pounds. Metal platforms can provide a solid, mesh or framed floor. Mesh floors typically are welded to perimeter frame pieces. Framed floors typically provide a number of tubular members that are fabricated into a matrix with intervening open spaces to shed water, snow etc. A thermal insulated and/or traction mat can be supported on the platform.
The geometric configuration and dimensions of a portable platform can vary widely. Typical rectangular platforms might exhibit a width in the range of 18 to 30-inches and a depth of 20 to 36-inches. Depending upon the materials, the weight of the stand assembly can correspondingly vary from 5 to 55 pounds.
Although large stands accommodate hunter movement, they tend to be heavy and cumbersome during transport and/or when being suspended from a tree. Stands can be carried by a handle of more typically are supported on the back via straps in a backpack fashion. Large platforms consequently extend well beyond the shoulders of the hunter, where the platform can strike intervening brush, trees etc. The length of the stand can also interfere with leg movement by striking the back of the legs.
The subject invention was developed to provide a lightweight, portable tree stand having a relatively large platform that is easy to carry through the woods, yet allows plenty of room for hunter movement while in the tree. A variety of alternative designs have been developed that allow a vertical frame assembly to fold flat relative to a multi-section platform. The platform is constructed in multiple sections that partially disassemble and/or are hinged to fold in sections and/or fan fold multiple frame members together to effectively reduce the width of the platform assembly in a closed or transport condition. The folded width is approximately one half the open width. An opened stand platform occupying a relatively large area is thereby obtained, yet the overall width of the assembly does not appreciably extend beyond the shoulders during transport in a backpack configuration. A variety of pivoting brackets, detachable supports, hinged retainers, stops and overlapping frame pieces stabilize and reinforce the folding frame sections. Notched latches also accept hook ends at the cable supports to provide a quick leveling adjustment.


A heat exchanger for use in a contact group of a sulfuric acid plant includes a chamber in which a tube bundle is arranged on a circular ring. A gas space is formed between the tube bundle and a chamber casing surrounding the tube bundle. A gas supply opening is provided in the chamber casing and is configured to introduce a gas into the gas space substantially radially to the tube bundle. A gas outlet opening adjoins an interior space enclosed by the tube bundle in a substantially axial direction. A center of the tube bundle is offset with respect to a center of the chamber casing in a direction opposite to the gas supply opening.

Within the contact group of sulfuric acid plants tube bundle heat exchangers usually are employed, which are installed in a vertical configuration, so that possibly obtained sulfuric acid condensate can flow off towards the bottom tray and can be withdrawn there to avoid corrosion. In general, the SO2 gas is guided on the casing side and the SO2/SO3 gas is guided on the tube side. In commercial plants over 1,500 tato MH, disk-and-doughnut heat exchangers are used (cf. Winnacker/Küchler, Chemische Technik: Prozesse and Produkte, edited by Roland Dittmeyer et al., Vol. 3: Anorganische Grundstoffe, Zwischenprodukte, p. 96 f., Wiley-VCH Verlag, Weinheim, 2005).
The cold SO2 gas generally is guided in counterflow to the SO3-containing gas to be cooled. It was found out that the sulfuric acid condensate leads to a strong corrosion in particular in the first chamber of the heat exchanger, so that high-alloy and expensive stainless steel materials must be used. To reduce the costs, the heat exchanger was divided into two parts, so that in the case of excessive corrosion not the entire heat exchanger, but merely the region exposed to cold gas, in which a particularly high corrosion occurs, must be replaced. While initially assuming a uniform division of the heat transfer region, the applicant recently has employed heat exchangers in which in the cold heat-exchange section (1st chamber) only a minor part of the entire heat transfer surface was provided. Moreover, instead of an arrangement in which two vertically oriented heat exchangers are arranged one beside the other and which creates problems in terms of drainage, there was now used an arrangement in which the chamber, to which the cold SO2 gas is supplied, is arranged horizontally. From this first chamber, the sulfuric acid condensate can simply be withdrawn at the bottom. The SO2-containing gas then was transferred into the adjoining vertical section with a greater heat transfer surface. It was found out, however, that in the case of the radial approach flow of the tube bundle in the horizontal section of the heat exchanger a non-uniform gas flow and as a result an impairment of the heat transfer can occur.

Heat exchanger including a tube bundle that is offset with respect to a center of the chamber casing


An audio processing device comprises a feedback estimation system for estimating feedback from an output transducer to an input transducer, the feedback estimation system comprising an adaptive filter comprising a variable filter part for filtering an input signal according to variable filter coefficients and an algorithm part comprising an adaptive algorithm for dynamically updating filter coefficients, a control unit for controlling the de-correlation unit and the adaptive algorithm, and a correlation detection unit for determining a) the auto-correlation of a signal of the forward path and providing an AC-value and/or b) the cross-correlation between two different signals of the forward path and providing an XC-value.

The following account of the prior art relates to one of the areas of application of the present application, hearing aids.
Acoustic feedback occurs because the output loudspeaker signal from an audio system providing amplification of a signal picked up by a microphone is partly returned to the microphone via an acoustic coupling through the air or other media. The part of the loudspeaker signal returned to the microphone is then re-amplified by the system before it is re-presented at the loudspeaker, and again returned to the microphone. As this cycle continues, the effect of acoustic feedback becomes audible as artefacts or even worse, howling, when the system becomes unstable. The problem appears typically when the microphone and the loudspeaker are placed closely together, as e.g. in hearing aids or other audio systems. Some other classic situations with feedback problems are telephony, public address systems, headsets, audio conference systems, car audio systems, etc. Unstable systems due to acoustic feedback tend to significantly contaminate the desired audio input signal with narrow band frequency components, which are often perceived as howl or whistle. A variety of feedback cancellation methods have been described to increase the stability of an audio processing system. The feedback path of an audio processing device, e.g. a listening device, e.g. a hearing aid, may vary over time. Adaptive feedback cancellation has the ability to track feedback path changes over time and is e.g. based on an adaptive filter comprising a linear time invariant filter (variable filter part of the adaptive filter) to estimate the feedback path, and wherein its filter weights are updated over time (e.g. calculated in an update (algorithm) part of the adaptive filter). The filter update may be calculated using stochastic gradient algorithms, including some form of the Least Mean Square (LMS) or the Normalized LMS (NLMS) algorithms. A drawback of these methods is that the estimate of the acoustic feedback path (provided by the adaptive filter) will be biased, if the input signal to the system is not white (i.e. if there is autocorrelation) because the estimate is made in a 'closed loop'. This means that the anti feedback system may introduce artefacts when there is autocorrelation (e.g. tones) in the input. 'Open loop' estimation is possible, as e.g. described in EP 2 237 573 A1.
The algorithm part of the adaptive filter comprises an adaptive algorithm for calculating updated filter coefficients for being transferred to the variable filter part of the adaptive filter. The timing of calculation and/or the transfer of updated filter coefficients from the algorithm part to the variable filter part may be controlled by an update control unit. The timing of the update (e.g. its specific point in time, and/or its update frequency) may preferably be influenced by various properties of the signal of the forward path. The control scheme may preferably be supported by various sensors of the audio processing device, e.g. a feedback detector (e.g. comprising a tone detector) for detecting whether a given frequency component is likely to be due to feedback or to be inherent in the externally originating part of the input signal (e.g. music). The timing of the adaptive algorithm for calculation and updating filter coefficients (e.g. the time interval between each calculation/update) may be defined by an adaptation rate, which again may be controlled by a step size of the adaptive algorithm.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,106,871 describes a method for canceling feedback in an acoustic system compromising a microphone, a signal path, a speaker and means for detecting presence of feedback between the speaker and the microphone, the method comprising providing a LMS algorithm for processing the signal; where the LMS algorithm operates with a predetermined adaptation speed when feedback is not present; where the LMS algorithm operates an adaptation speed faster than the predetermined adaptation speed when feedback is present, and where the means for detecting the presence of feedback is used to control the adaptation speed selection of the LMS algorithm.
WO 2007/113282 A1 describes a hearing aid comprising an adaptive feedback cancellation filter for adaptively deriving a feedback cancellation signal from a processor output signal by applying filter coefficients, and calculation means for calculating the autocorrelation of a reference signal, and an adaptation means for adjusting the filter coefficients with an adaptation rate, wherein the adaptation rate is controlled in dependency of the autocorrelation of the reference signal.
[Ma et al.; 2011] deals with feedback suppression, in particular adaptive feedback cancellation, which uses an adaptive filter to estimate the feedback path. However, a large modeling error and a cancellation of the desired signal may occur when the external input signal is correlated with the receiver input signal. It is proposed to replace the hearing-aid output with a synthesized signal, which sounds perceptually the same as or similar to the original signal but is statistically uncorrelated with the external input signal at high frequencies where feedback oscillation usually occurs.
WO 2009/124550 A1 describes an audio system comprising a signal processor for processing an audio signal, and a feedback suppressor circuit configured for modelling a feedback signal path of the audio system by provision of a feedback compensation signal based on sets of feedback model parameters for the feedback signal path that are stored in a repository for storage of the sets of feedback model parameters.

Method of controlling an update algorithm of an adaptive feedback estimation system and a decorrelation unit


A system for initiating and maintaining a real time audio or video media session between two clients, at least one of which has a private network IP address and is supported by a NAT firewall, comprises a proxy server serving each client and a relay server. The first proxy server may receive an invite message from a caller client to initiate a media session with a callee client. The invite message will identify the IP address and media port number of the caller client. The proxy server queries the relay server to obtain a port number of the relay server that may be used for relaying the media session between the caller client and the callee client. The proxy server will replace the IP address and port number of the caller client with the IP address and port number of the relay server in the invite message before forwarding to the callee client. When the callee client generates a response message that includes the IP address and media port number of the callee client, the proxy server will replace the IP address and media port number of the callee client in the response message before forwarding the response message to the caller client.

For many years voice telephone service was implemented over a circuit switched network commonly known as the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and controlled by a local telephone service provider. In such systems, the analog electrical signals representing the conversation are transmitted between the two telephone handsets on a dedicated twisted-pair-copper-wire circuit. More specifically, each telephone handset is coupled to a local switching station on a dedicated pair of copper wires known as a subscriber loop. When a telephone call is placed, the circuit is completed by dynamically coupling each subscriber loop to a dedicated pair of copper wires between the two switching stations.
More recently, the copper wires, or trunk lines between switching stations have been replaced with fiber optic cables. A computing device digitizes the analog signals and formats the digitized data into frames such that multiple conversations can be transmitted simultaneously on the same fiber. At the receiving end, a computing device reforms the analog signals for transmission on copper wires. Twisted pair copper wires of the subscriber loop are still used to couple the telephone handset to the local switching station.
More recently yet, voice telephone service has been implemented over the Internet. Advances in the speed of Internet data transmissions and Internet bandwidth have made it possible for telephone conversations to be communicated using the Internet's packet switched architecture and the TCP/IP and UDP/IP protocols.
To promote the wide spread use of Internet telephony, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) had developed the H.323 set of standards and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) has developed the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and the Multi-Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP).
A problem associated with internet telephony is that network address translation (NAT) firewalls prevent the transmission of UDP/IP frames from an endpoint computer outside the firewall to an endpoint computer on a private network inside the firewall.
More specifically, each endpoint designates a UDP/IP channel, which comprises the endpoint's IP address and an assigned UDP/IP port number, for receipt of real time media. The channel is then provided to the other endpoint.
Because the private network client does not have a globally unique IP address, a frame sent to such non-globally unique IP address can not be routed on the Internet and will be lost. Further, even if the private network client were able to identify and designate the IP address of the NAT firewall, the private network client has no means for establishing a port on the NAT firewall for receipt of real time media.
Because of the wide spread use of NAT firewalls which typically provide both IP address translation and port translation of all frames sent from the private network to the Internet, what is needed is a system and method for establishing and maintaining real time audio and/or a real time video communication session between two clients, at least one of which is located on a private network behind a NAT firewall.

Firewall penetration system and method for real time media communications


A ball screw device includes a ball returning tube which is formed by covering the outer periphery of the tube with a heat shrinkable resin tube and heating the thus formed tube, formed of two halves, to shrink the heat shrinkable resin tube so that the two halves of the ball returning tube can be made integral. The ball screw device is advantageous in that it generates little noise, the ball returning tube has sufficient strength despite the splittable structure and manufacturing of the device is easy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ball screw device comprising a ball screw nut and a tube attached on the outer side of said nut for returning plurality of balls, said balls being rotatingly movable between the spiral groove provided on the inner periphery of said screw nut and the spiral groove provided on the outer periphery of the screw shaft. More particularly, the structure of the present invention device reduces the noise caused by balls colliding with the tube and enables easy production, attachment to the nut and handling of the tube.


The present invention provides a signal demodulation method and device. The method includes: obtaining a symbol probability parameter, where the symbol probability parameter comprises: an amplitude ry and a phase angle φy of a receive signal, an amplitude rxj and a phase angle φxj of each constellation point xj in a decision constellation point set, and a standard deviation σn of Gaussian noise and a standard deviation πθ of phase noise; calculating, according to the symbol probability parameter, a symbol probability that a transmit signal is each constellation point xj in the decision constellation point set; and performing demodulation according to the symbol probability, and outputting demodulation information. The present invention improves an anti-phase-noise capability.

In order to meet the development requirements of multimedia communication services, high order modulation such as multiple quadrature amplitude modulation (Multiple Quadrature Amplitude Modulation, MQAM) is widely used in a modern wireless communication system, so as to provide a higher information transmission rate in a limited frequency band. However, the high order modulation is very sensitive to factors such as phase noise and Gaussian noise in a signal transmission process, the noise enables a receive signal of a receiving end to randomly move or rotate when compared with a correct corresponding modulation constellation point, so that a decision of the receiving end on a transmit signal corresponding to the receive signal is affected, and a wrong modulation constellation point and a corresponding data bit may be demodulated.
In the prior art, during demodulation processing, only an impact of Gaussian noise on a receive signal is considered in some demodulation methods without considering an impact of phase noise; however, with a modulation order adopted in the wireless communication system becoming increasingly higher, the density of constellation points increases, and an impact of the phase noise on the demodulation is increasingly remarkable, and if the phase noise is not considered, it may lead to a wrong demodulation result. Alternatively, although both the Gaussian noise and the phase noise are considered in some demodulation methods, the existing demodulation algorithm has a low anti-phase-noise capability, and when the phase noise is large, the impact of the phase noise on a demodulation result is still remarkable.


A lifting device adapted to be fitted to a tracked vehicle which is configured to operate in snow-covered terrain. The lifting device has an interface member which in one form allows for an interface portion of the mast region to fit to a plurality of commercially available tracked snow vehicles. Further, in one form, the lifting device interfaces with the existing hydraulics of conventional tracked snow vehicles.

Ski lifts and other operations in the snow often require repositioning of the snow to groom slopes or otherwise clearing of the snow when desirable (such as clearing Arctic runways for planes). Snow track-type vehicles are commonly available and sold to ski areas, oil drilling operations, or any other type of commercial operation where there is a large quantity of snow and mechanical work is required in that area. Snow track-type vehicles commonly have an actuating system with a plurality of hydraulic members that are utilized to reposition a base mount. Oftentimes, the base mount is adapted to have a blade attached thereto. In one form, the blade has winglets which are hydraulically actuated to rotate about a substantially vertical axis in the lateral distal portions of the blade. Normally, the winglets are utilized by the snow track-type vehicle operator to desirably reposition the snow. Of course a hydraulic line is in communication with the wing led actuators and control of this hydraulic line is within the cab of the unit.
It has been problematic in certain environments such as ski resorts to reposition large, heavy or cumbersome items. More particularly, ski resorts may host events such as snow parks where snowboarders require certain props for these events. Such props can include rails, drops, wooden based jumps, etc. which are commonly constructed from wood and metal and are quite heavy. The props are generally robust enough to handle the various impacts imparted thereon and further must have sufficient mass so as not to reposition when impacted.
In addition to the various uses noted above, chairlift maintenance is another concern, where lifting heavy chairs, which are now commonly removable from the main operating cable, can be a difficult task. Therefore, having a lifting mechanism with a sufficient range of height to lift the various chairs on and off is extremely useful. Further, in various snowfield areas such as ski slopes or oil fields, removing garbage and other material from, for example, eating quarters is extremely useful. On that note, having a forklift-like item that attaches to snowplowing units near, for example, oil pipeline fields is very advantageous for repositioning material and moving pipes and providing adequate mobility for positioning, for example, pipes for welding or other installation.
Therefore, a lifting device is adapted to fit to snow track-type vehicles to expand their functionality and allow a forklift-type of lifting apparatus on a snow field, providing various benefits. Further, interfacing with the existing hydraulics to have an ergonomic and human factor type engineering compliant system is useful to lower the time required in the training of snow track-type vehicle operators. Therefore, as described in detail below, there is a method and apparatus for providing such mechanical lifting in a snow field environment while utilizing existing equipment and controls.
While the present invention is illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments are described in detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications within the scope of the appended claims will readily appear to those sufficed in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicants' general concept.

Detachable lifting mechanism for a tracked snow vehicle method and apparatus


An endotracheal tube (10) having an incomplete posterior bevel (50) extending toward, but not completely through, the anterior wall (36) and a curved lip (54) projecting from the anterior wall (36).

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to endotracheal tubes for ventilation of the lungs, and more particularly, to such tubes suitable for blind guided intubation.
II. Description of Prior Art
When a patient stops breathing, it is imperative that effective ventilation be instituted as soon as possible. Ventilation is best accomplished by forcing air through an endotracheal tube inserted through the mouth and laryngeal opening and into the trachea (in which case the tube may be referred to as an orotracheal tube). The endotracheal tube is usually a preformed, semi-flexible tubular member having a gas flow lumen extending therethrough. The tube has an arcuate shape imparted to it and the distal tip is usually cut completely across at an angle to define a beveled edge to facilitate its insertion between the vocal cords.
The usual method of orotracheal intubation relies on a blade laryngoscope by which to visualize the laryngeal opening so as to facilitate insertion of the tube. The endotracheal tube used to intubate with the blade laryngoscope is usually introduced into the laryngeal opening from the right side thereof (i.e., the patient's right side). To facilitate this procedure, the distal tip is beveled on its side relative to the curvature of the tube (i.e., the tube is cut with a left side-facing bevel that extends at an angle down from the left aspect of the tube through the right aspect) such that the terminal tip defines a right-sided chisel point, which obstructs the view of the vocal cords as little as possible as it approaches those cords and provides a suitably narrow contour for insertion therebetween, and a left-sided elliptical hole circumscribed by the left side-facing beveled edge. Intubation with the blade laryngoscope presents significant difficulties and risks, however. In addition to possible injury or trauma to the patient in the utilization of the blade laryngoscope, it is not uncommon for the orotracheal tube to be accidentally inserted into anatomical spaces surrounding the larynx, such as the closely adjacent esophagus. Such misintubation, if not quickly recognized and corrected, may have fatal consequences.
Another approach to intubation is so-called blind intubation in which a guide device is inserted into the throat to guide the orotracheal tube into the laryngeal opening without requiring visualization of the laryngeal opening. I have developed blind intubation guides which both minimize injury and trauma in use, and also substantially reduce the risk of misintubation. Such intubation guides are shown, for example, in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,805 and my U.S. Patent Application entitled "Orotracheal Intubation Guide", filed concurrently herewith. The disclosures of my aforesaid '805 patent and concurrently-filed patent application are both incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. With some blind intubation guides such as mine, the endotracheal tube is advanced through the guide into the laryngeal opening along the midline of that opening rather than obliquely from the side of that opening, as with a blade laryngoscope. Thus, the side-facing bevel of the tube tip may be of no useful benefit and, indeed, may be disadvantageous in that the right-sided chisel point may become impacted on the right side of the larynx, and the left-facing elliptical hole may snag on left-sided laryngeal features, such as the left arytenoid and corniculate cartilages, thus preventing the tube from advancing into the trachea.
Another blind intubation technique is to railroad the tube over another member such as a tubular orotracheal introducer. In such a technique, the introducer is inserted into an orotracheal tube and extends through the tube lumen beyond the distal tip. The forward end of the introducer is inserted through the laryngeal opening into the trachea, and the tube is railroaded downward over the introducer into the trachea. Here again, the side-beveled configuration of the tube tip predisposes it to become impacted or hung-up on anatomical features of the larynx for the same reasons described above.
An endotracheal tube proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,466 has a rear-facing bevel (i.e., the tube tip is cut at an angle that extends down from the outer surface of the tube's convex posterior wall through the outer surface of the tube's concave anterior wall), rather than a side-facing bevel. The rear-facing bevel moves the chisel point of the bevel tip from a lateral aspect of the tube to the anterior aspect. I have discovered, however, that the chisel point created by this complete posterior bevel is too broad, and too anteriorly disposed. As a result, the tube may have a tendency to become impacted on the posterior base of the epiglottis or hung up on the vocal cords at the anterior commissure of the glottis where the space between the vocal cords is the narrowest. Even if the tube successfully passes through the glottis, the chisel point would tend to become lodged on or between the cartilaginous rings within the trachea thus preventing further advancement in the trachea.


The fishing rig of the present invention is an assembly of a round cylindrical weight and two beads threaded on a stiff wire member. The cylindrical weight has two flat ends and an axial hole perpendicular thereto. The wire member is made with a free length of about 3 times the length of the weight. By the unique shape of the weight, the stiffness of the wire and the ratio of length of the wire to the weight, a fishing rig which casts more accurately and which gets snagged on underwater obstructions less frequently is achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fishing rigs, and more particularly to fishing rigs which rest on the bottom beneath the water and attract the fish primarily by sound.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bass fishing, to which the invention disclosed is mainly directed, typically involves the use of a "rig" which is tied on one's fishing line intermediate the reel and the hook. The rig, often referred to as a "Carolina" rig, is a fishing aid in which a piece of relatively long flexible leader line runs loosely through a bullet-shaped weight and a pair of glass or plastic beads. A further length of flexible leader line with a hook is connected to one end of the rig and the other end is tied to the line which is wound onto the reel. The line is cast over the water with the aid of a fishing rod to drop the hook and rig in the water at or near a desired spot. The bullet-shaped weight remains on the bottom of the lake, and as the person fishing works the rod, the beads in the "Carolina" rig hit the end of the weight and make a clacking noise. This is why the rig is sometimes known as a "clacker." A fishing rig of the type described is currently sold by Kalin Company of Brawley, Calif., although many fishing enthusiasts assemble their own rigs of a generally similar description.
Although the known rig is a popular fishing aid, especially in bass fishing, there are certain problems which are frequently encountered in its use. It has been found, for example, that with a known rig attached to a fishing line, casting is difficult and inaccurate. The described rig tends to be aerodynamically unstable in flight and it will wobble and spin end over end so that one cannot cast predictably to a desired spot. Also, when the known rig is being reeled in to cast again, it is prone to being caught on underwater objects, such as logs or rocks. Once caught, the fishing line is typically broken and a new rig must be assembled to the line to continue the day's fishing. It is not uncommon to lose more than one of this type rig during each day of fishing.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a fishing rig which is able to attract fish by producing a clacking sound but is unlikely to be caught on underwater objects and lost.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide a fishing rig which is reliable and accurate in casting.
Other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.


A medical device consists of a sacral panel, an abdominal panel and first and second trocanteric pad assemblies positioned therebetween. The sacral panel is adjustably connected to each of the first and second trocanteric pad assemblies by posterior connecting elements. The abdominal panel is adjustably connected to each of the first and second trocanteric pad assemblies by anterior adjusting elements. Upon positioning of the device on a body of a patient, tightening of the anterior adjusting elements generates inwardly directed pressure exerted by the device on a pelvic region of the user.

The invention relates to the emergency medicine in general, and specifically it relates to medical devices for maintaining the integrity of the pelvic region of humans.
The pelvic region of humans is known to be rich in blood supply and to be substantial in concentration of vital nerves. Patients with abdominal crush injuries or with pelvic fractures require delicate handling by emergency medical personnel. It has been known that even limited uncontrollable movements of patients having pelvic fractures can cause grave damage in the form of puncturing, tearing and stretching of both arterial and venus structures in the pelvic and sacral areas. Such movements can also lead to a substantial and permanent damage of vital nerves in this region of a human body. An example of such medical conditions causing further internal injuries is xe2x80x9can open book fracturexe2x80x9d. This fracture often leads to a significant movement of bones. As a result, the stability of the pelvis is compromised and it becomes open in a manner similar to opening of a closed book.
The injuries discussed hereinabove can cause significant and permanent damage to the femoral artery and to various nerve structures passing through the pelvis region. In this condition the neighboring venus, arterial and nerve structures can be severely damaged causing a fatality or permanent disability. Therefore, in order to prevent further serious arterial, venus and nerve damage, this region of a human body requires stabilization even prior to a patient being transported to a hospital or other medical facilities.
Thus, it has been a long failed and unsolved need to provide an orthotic device capable of minizing the results of pelvic fractures and can be readily adapted to situations in which significant restriction or immobilization of the pelvic region of a patient is necessary.
One aspect of the invention provides a medical device consisting of a sacral panel for positioning at a sacral region, first and second trocanteric pad assemblies for positioning at trocanteric regions and an abdominal panel for positioning at an abdominal region of the user. The sacral panel is adjustably connected to each of the first and second trocanteric pad assemblies by at least one posterior connecting element, so that position of each trocanteric pad assembly can be independently adjusted relative to the sacral panel. The abdominal panel is adjustably connected to each of the first and second trocanteric pad assemblies by at least one anterior adjusting element. Upon tightening of the anterior adjusting elements inwardly directed pressure is exerted by the device on the pelvic region of the user.
As to another aspect of the invention, at least one posterior connecting element consists of a pair of posterior connecting elements positioned at each side of the sacral panel for independent adjustment of the position of the trocanteric pad assemblies relative to the sacral panel. Each anterior adjusting element consists of a pair of anterior adjusting elements positioned at each side of the abdominal panel.
As to a further aspect of the invention, the sacral panel is formed by first and second lateral portions spaced from each other. The lateral portions are interconnected by proximal and distal portions. A cut out region is defined at the distal portion, so that upon positioning on the body of a user, a center of the cut out region is positioned at a substantially higher elevation than side areas of the distal portion adjacent to the first and second lateral portions. The downwarldy extending side areas of the distal portions provide support to a lower back, while the cut out portion is positioned above the buttock of the user.
As to still another aspect of the invention, each pair of the posterior connecting elements consists of a proximal posterior connecting element and a distal posterior connecting element. Each proximal connecting element is movably positioned at the proximal portion and each distal posterior connecting element is movably positioned at the distal portion of the sacral panel.
As to still a further aspect of the invention, each trocanteric pad assembly includes proximal and distal posterior adjusting arrangements and proximal and distal anterior adjusting arrangements. The proximal posterior adjusting arrangement is adapted for receiving an adjusting position of the proximal posterior connecting element. The distal posterior adjusting element is adapted for receiving an adjusting position of the distal posterior connecting element. The proximal and distal anterior adjusting arrangements are provided for receiving and adjusting position of the anterior adjusting elements. Each posterior adjusting element is preferably in the form of a clip connected to the respective trocanteric pad and formed with a biasing engagement portion provided for selectively engaging and disengaging the respective posterior connecting element.
Still another aspect of the invention provides a medical device, wherein a circumferentially rigid sub-assembly is formed by the sacral panel, the first and second trocanteric pad assemblies interconnected by the posterior connecting elements, so that tightening of the abdominal adjusting elements generates a predetermined pressure exerted by the trocanteric pads and directed to the center pelvic region.
The device of the invention has been designed to redirect the medial forces forth lateral regions of the trunk of the pelvic area, which are known for their ability to exert pressure over the trocanteric area or the lateral side of the pelvis both on the left and right side. Thus, the present invention is adapted to prevent the pelvic area or the pelvic bone from splaying or from opening up.
The invention provides the ability to adopt the device to accomodate many types of the patients"" bodies.


A method for preparing exfoliated clay nanocomposites by in-situ polymerization comprising the steps of (a) providing a mixture of at least one type of monomer and at least one type of organophilic clay; and (b) initiating an in-situ polymerization reaction in the mixture so as to cause the at least one type of monomer to polymerize thereby forming the exfoliated clay nanocomposite. The exfoliated clay nanocomposite produces an x-ray diffraction pattern that is substantially devoid of an intercalation peak. The exfoliated clay nanocomposite may then be used as a masterbatch.

Since Toyota's pioneering work on polymer layered silicate nanocomposites, a great deal of research has been carried out in this field over the past decade. With the addition of a very small amount of nanofiller into the polymer matrix, these nanocomposites exhibit substantial increase in many physical properties, including mechanical properties (tensile modulus and strength, flexural modulus, and strength), thermal stability, flame retardance, and barrier resistance. Smectite clays, such as montmorillonite (MMT), are of particular interest because they offer a high aspect ratio (10–1000) and a high surface area. Montmorillonite is hydrophilic in nature, which hinders the homogeneous dispersion in the organic polymer phase. Ion exchange of the interlayer inorganic cations (Na+, Ca2+) with organic cation renders the hydrophilic clay surface organophilic. The reduction in surface energy improves the wetting characteristics of the clay surface with polymers or monomers.
From the structural point of view, two idealized polymer/clay nanocomposites are possible: intercalated and exfoliated. Intercalation results from the penetration of polymer chains into the interlayer region and interlayer expansion. Usually the ordered layer structure is preserved and can be detected by X-ray diffraction (XRD). By contrast, exfoliation involves extensive polymer penetration and silicate crystallites delamination, and the individual nanometer-thick silicate platelets are randomly dispersed in the polymer matrix. Exfoliated nanocomposites; usually provide the best property enhancement due to the large aspect ratio and surface area of the clay.
Melt intercalation and in-situ polymerization are the two most common ways of preparing polymer/clay nanocomposites. Melt intercalation involves the mixing of clay with a molten polymer matrix. The layer separation, especially exfoliation, depends on the establishment of favorable interactions between the polymer and the clay surface and the subsequent system energy reduction. In-situ polymerization involves monomer intercalation followed by polymerization. By tailoring the interaction between the monomer, the surfactant, and the clay surface, the exfoliated nanocomposites (nylon-6,2 poly(ε-caprolactone), and epoxy) were successfully synthesized via ring-opening polymerization. The functional group in the organic cation can catalyze intralayer polymerization and facilitate layer separation.
Many thermoplastic polymers are produced by free radical polymerization using vinyl monomers, and the reaction adopts distinctly different mechanisms as compared to ring-opening polymerization. Polymerization is usually carried out in the presence of initiators. It is therefore necessary to investigate the interaction between the monomer, the initiator, and the modified clay surface in a systematic manner. Intercalated polymethyl methacrylate (hereinafter referred to as "PMMA") and polystyrene (hereinafter referred to as "PS") nanocomposites have been synthesized through either emulsion or bulk polymerization. It was found that the structural affinity between the styrene monomer and the organic cation played an important role in the PS/clay hybrid structure. Improved dispersion of clay in the PMMA/clay nanocomposites was obtained when methyl methacrylate (hereinafter referred to as "MMA") was co-intercalated and copolymerized with lauryl methacrylate (LMA). The authors attribute this improvement to a better compatibility of LMA with the organic cation functionalized clay surface. Efforts have also been made to anchor a living free radical polymerization (LFRP) initiator in the interlayer region to improve the intralayer polymerization rate, to achieve an exfoliated PS nanocomposite. Recently, a more conventional initiator, 2,2′-azo(isobutylamidine hydrochloride), was immobilized in the interlayer region to yield exfoliation of clay in the PMMA matrix, using suspension polymerization. Exfoliation of clay in PMMA was also reported in the emulsion polymerization. Our work focuses on the synthesis of exfoliated PMMA and PS/clay nanocomposites via bulk polymerization. The effects of monomer, initiator, and clay surface modification on the structure of nanocomposites are investigated.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Clay nanocomposites prepared by in-situ polymerization


The present invention relates to a novel chiral derivative of Garcinia acid bearing lactone ring moiety of formula I,

This invention relates to novel chiral derivatives bearing lactone moiety of Garcinia acid and a process for preparing the same.
Garcinia acid [(xe2x88x92)-Hydroxycitric acid lactone or (2S,3S)-Tetrahydro-3-hydroxy-5-oxo-2,3-furandicarboxylic acid] is isolated from the fruits of Garcinia cambogia, Garcinia indica and Garcinia atroviridis. Garcinia acid for formula Ia is widely used as an important ingredient in many pharmaceutical formulations1-10.
The non-availability of Ia in the market, in the pure form, has resulted in the limited use of these compounds in the area of organic synthesis and pharmaceutical front. This is due to the lack of any commercially viable large-scale manufacturing process. In U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/365,301,1999 an economic, commercially viable, cost effective process for the large-scale isolation of Ia has been described11.
Also during the past two decades there has been a great deal of interest to find cheap and potential chiral molecules from chiral pool to accomplish synthetic pathways with a high degree of asymmetric induction12-25.
Added to this, substituted xcex3-butyrolactones are known to be potent antagonists or agonists depending upon the substitution pattern of the xcex3-aminobutyric acid receptor, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system26.
The known methods for obtaining diversity functionalised chiral xcex3-lactones are either by the cyclisation of acyclic starting materials such as the sterioselective iodolactonisation of unsaturated 3-hydroxy acids27 or from sugars such as D-ribofiranose or D-glucosamine or carbohydrates such as D-ribose, D-glucose etc28. These chemical: modifications involving carbohydrates require tedious protocols.
The object of this invention therefore is to prepare novel chiral derivatives of Garcinia acid and the process of preparing the same.
To achieve the objective this invention provides novel chiral derivatives of
Garcinia acid bearing lactone ring moiety of formula I-
wherein:
R1=R3=alkali salt of carboxyl acid, or acid chloride or part of N-substituted cyclic imides.
R2=hydroxyl or protected hydroxyl group.
In the above formula I
R2 is xe2x80x94OH or protected hydroxyl group. To form various chiral derivatives of Garcinia acid bearing lactone ring moiety.
Chiral Derivatives of Garcinia Acid Bearing Lactone Ring Moiety
Summary of the chiral derivatives of Garcinia acid bearing lactone ring moiety is given below in scheme I:
The present invention further provides a process of preparation of Formula Ib comprising:
treating an aqueous solution of Ia with an aqueous solution of alkali till the pH of the solution is neutral,
evaporating the solution to dryness,
washing the residue with water miscible organic solvent,
drying the product Ib in vaccum.
The said alkali is sodium bicarbonate.
The invention further includes a process for the preparation of novel chiral derivative of formula Ic, comprising:
adding an organic halide to a suspension of Ib in organic solvent,
stirring the mixture for 1-4 hours,
filtering the said mixture,
evaporating the said solution to get Ic as a hygroscopic solid.
The said organic solvent is ether.
The said organic halide is thionyl chloride.
The invention further includes a process for the preparation of novel chiral derivative of formula Id comprising:
adding DMSO, an organic acid and an anhydride to If,
allowing the mixture to stand for 3-4days,
adding the reaction mixture to cold saturated aqueous solution of alkali,
stirring the mixture for 1-4 hours,
extracting the resultant solution with an organic solvent,
washing the extract with aqueous alkali,
drying the organic layer,
evaporating to get crude Id,
purifying the crude Id by chromatography to get pure Id as an yellow oil.
The said organic acid is acetic acid.
The said anhydride is acetic anhydride.
The said alkali is sodium bicarbonate.
The invention further includes a process of preparation of novel chiral derivative of formula Ig comprising:
refluxing the suspension of Ia in an organic halide for 3 hours,
concentrating the said mixture under vacuum,
dissolving the solid obtained in an organic solvent,
adding an appropriate amine to the dissolved solution,
stirring the mixture at room temperature for 4-18 hours,
concentrating the solution under vacuum,
adding the organic halide to the semi-solid obtained,
refluxing for 18 hours,
extracting with suitable organic solvent,
subjecting the said extract to chromatography furnishing Ig as white crystals.
The said organic halide is acetyl chloride.
The said appropriate amine is 4-methoxy benzyl amine.
The said organic solvent is chloroform.
The process will now be described with reference to the following examples.

Chiral derivatives of Garcinia acid bearing lactone ring moiety and process for preparing the same

Abstract: wherein:

Abstract: R1=R3=alkali salt of carboxyl acid, or acid chloride or lower esters or part of N-substituted cyclic imides.

Abstract: R2=hydroxyl or protected hydroxyl group and a process for preparing the same.


Backflow during installation of a ground anchor is controlled using a preventer, and the preventer is removed during curing of grout and backflow. A cylinder may be inserted at least partially into a structure, and the preventer placed or attached atop the cylinder. A hollow bar may be extended through the preventer and cylinder into one or more layers of materials beyond the cylinder. Grout may be delivered to the layer(s) through the hollow bar, which may cause a viscous backflow to flow into the cylinder and preventer. During application of the grout, the preventer may be used to control a rate of backflow. After application of the grout, the preventer may put into an open position, and a seal assembly forced down the hollow bar, through an interior cavity of the preventer, to a position below the preventer, after which the preventer may be removed while the grout and backflow cure.

A micro-pile is a relatively small-diameter grouted pile, which may include a central steel reinforcement member. A micro-pile may be considered a friction pile in that at least a portion of the load it is transferred to the surrounding ground (e.g., soil or rock) in which it is inserted by friction along the length of the micro-pile. A micro-pile may be used to transfer the load of a structure, for example a steel or concrete foundation, slab and/or floor, into the underlying soil, along a length of the micro-pile.
A tie-back anchor is a structural element inserted into the ground to transfer applied tensile load into the ground, for example, through a wall (e.g., a retaining wall and/or the wall of an excavation) to assist the wall in supporting the load. Tieback anchors may be drilled or otherwise inserted into the ground (e.g., through a wall) using a relatively small diameter bar, which may be solid (e.g., steel rebar) or hollow (e.g., hollow steel rebar) at an angle, for example, between 15 and 45 degrees A tieback anchor may be grouted as well, in which grout may be introduced into the ground to increase ground resistance and prevent the tie-back anchor from pulling out, reducing the risk for destabilization of the wall.
Micro-piles and tie-back anchors are examples of structures referred to herein as "ground anchors" that provide support to another structure (e.g., foundations and/or walls) by anchoring them in some fashion to the adjacent ground (e.g., soil), thereby transferring at least a portion of a load being borne by the structure into the adjacent ground. Ground anchors may use grout, for example, a cement-based grout (e.g., neat cement grout; i.e., Portland cement and water) to assist in the anchoring.

Controlling backflow from drilling with hollow rebar and grouting


A road surface state determination device includes a tire-side device and a vehicle-body-side system. The tire-side device is attached to a tire of a vehicle. The vehicle-body-side system is included in a vehicle body. The tire-side device outputs a detection signal corresponding to a magnitude of vibration of the tire. The tire-side device generates road surface data indicative of a road surface state shown in a waveform of the detection signal. The tire-side device transmits the road surface data. The vehicle-body-side system receives the road surface data transmitted from the tire-side device. The vehicle-body-side system determines the road surface state of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling based on the road surface data and learning data.

Road surface state determination methods have been proposed. In one of the road surface state determination methods, vibration applied to a tire is detected using an acceleration sensor provided in a back surface of a tire tread, and a road surface state is estimated based on a result of the detection of the vibration. The road surface state determination method extracts a feature vector from a waveform of the vibration applied to the tire and calculates a degree of similarity of the extracted feature vector to each support vector stored for each type of a road surface to determine the road surface state.

Road surface state determination device and tire system


Embodiments of the invention provide a thin-film transistor and a fabrication method thereof, an array substrate and a display device. The thin-film transistor comprises a gate electrode (2), an active layer (4), source and drain electrodes (6), and a gate insulating layer (3) provided between the gate electrode (2) and the active layer (4). The gate electrode (2) comprises a gate electrode metal layer (23) and a first protection layer (32), the first protection layer (32) is provided between the gate electrode metal layer (23) and the gate insulating layer (3) to isolate the active layer (4) from the gate electrode metal layer (23). The gate electrode metal layer (23) is made of copper or copper alloy.

Among flat panel display devices, Thin-film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD) has a dominant role due to its advantages of small size, low power consumption, low fabrication cost, low radiation and the like.
Oxide Thin-film Transistor (OTFT) has the advantages of ultra thin thickness, light weight, low power consumption and the like, and thus the OTFT not only can be applied to the liquid crystal display panel, but also provides a possibility of applying organic light emitting display panel as a new generation of display panel in the future.
The conventional fabrication process of an array substrate is as follows: forming a gate electrode on a base substrate, depositing a gate insulating layer, depositing an active layer, forming source and drain electrodes, depositing a passivation layer and forming a pixel electrode.
However, the conventional fabrication process as described above has the following drawbacks. Copper (Cu) or Cu alloy is used to form the gate electrode and the source and drain electrodes, and in this case, Cu may diffuse into the active layer due to its relatively active property. Therefore, Cu is apt to contaminate the active layer, so that the carrier mobility may be reduced and defects may occur in the resultant product.

Thin-film transistor and fabrication method thereof, array substrate and display device


An esophageal stent configured to span a stricture may include a tubular body configured to shift between a delivery configuration and a deployed configuration, the tubular body having a first end and a second end. In the deployed configuration: the tubular body defines a first flange portion, a second flange portion, and a saddle portion extending from the first flange portion to the second flange portion; the tubular body further defining an overall longitudinal length extending from the first end to the second end; the first flange portion has a first outer radial extent, and the second flange portion has a second outer radial extent; the first outer radial extent and the second outer radial extent are greater than an outer radial extent of the saddle portion; and a longitudinal length of the saddle portion is at least 50% of the overall longitudinal length of the tubular body.

Some conditions may cause body lumens (e.g., the esophagus, the bile duct, the trachea, the gastrointestinal tract, the vascular system, etc.) becoming restricted, such as by a stricture formation. As a result, it may be necessary to open the body lumen to permit normal function. Some body lumens may be treated with a self-expanding stent. However, some body lumens are also prone to unintended and/or undesired movement or migration of the stent. Some stents have been designed with a flare on one or both ends with an intent to improve anchoring within the body lumen. However, the flared end(s) can sometimes have undesirable consequences, including perforation of the body lumen and/or stenosis formation. There is an ongoing need to provide alternative endoprostheses or stents as well as alternative methods for manufacturing and using endoprostheses or stents.

Stent with improved anti-migration properties


Embodiments of a data handling apparatus is adapted to facilitate resource allocation, allocating resources upon which objects execute. Embodiments of a data handling apparatus can include resource allocation logic and a scheduler. The resource allocation logic can be operable to dynamically set entitlement values for a plurality of resources comprising physical/logical and operational resources. The entitlement values are specified as predetermined rights wherein a process of a plurality of processes is entitled to a predetermined percentage of operational resources. The scheduler can be operable to monitor the entitlement values and schedule the processes based on priority of the entitlement values.

Resource allocation in data processing and computing is used for applications to run on a system. A program initiated by a user generates a process. A computer allocates resources for the process to be run. Typical resources include access to a section of computer memory, data in a device interface buffer, one or more files, a suitable amount of processing power, and the like.
A computer with only a single processor can only perform one process at a time, regardless of the number of programs loaded by a user or initiated on start-up. Single-processor computers emulate the running of multiple programs concurrently because the processor multitasks, rapidly alternating between programs in very small time slices. Time allocation is automatic, however higher or lower priority may be given to certain processes with high priority programs typically allocated either more or larger slices of processor execution time.
On multi-processor computers, different processes can be allocated to different processors so that the computer can truly multitask.

Data handling apparatus adapted for scheduling operations according to resource allocation based on entitlement


A boundary scan testing system may include a baseboard (102, 202), a computing module (104, 204) coupled to the baseboard, and a boundary scan test module (106, 206, 306, 406) coupled to the computing module, where the boundary scan test module is coupled to execute a boundary scan test (120, 220, 320, 420) on the computing module via a set of boundary scan instructions (114, 214) received remotely over at least one of an IP network (110, 210) and an I2C bus (211).

Current boundary scan testing methods for printed circuit boards utilize vendor-specific hardware that uses software and files compiled to run on that particular hardware. This requires costly test stations that must be local to the unit under test (UUT) and specific connectivity cabling to connect the testing hardware to the UUT. The prior art also requires vendor-specific software to run and diagnose the test results. These often proprietary test stations can vary in configuration from vendor to vendor and are not interchangeable. The prior art has the disadvantage in that often proprietary and costly vendor specific hardware and software is required to run a boundary scan test. The prior art has the further disadvantage in that the test equipment must be situated locally to the UUT, as specific and unique cabling is required between the test hardware and the UUT.
There is a need, not met in the prior art, to perform boundary scan testing of integrated circuits without the need for costly vendor-specific and from locations other than locally to a UUT. Accordingly, there is a significant need for an apparatus and method that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art outlined above.
Elements in the Figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the Figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first", "second", and the like herein, if any, are used inter alia for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. Moreover, the terms "front", "back", "top", "bottom", "over", "under", and the like in the Description and/or in the Claims, if any, are generally employed for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for comprehensively describing exclusive relative position. Any of the preceding terms so used may be interchanged under appropriate circumstances such that various embodiments of the invention described herein may be capable of operation in other configurations and/or orientations than those explicitly illustrated or otherwise described.


An acceleration sensor of the present invention is a heat sensing type acceleration sensor, and includes a heating chip formed with a heating element on a surface thereof, and a sensor chip formed with a thermocouple element on a surface thereof and disposed so that the surface faces the surface of the heating chip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat sensing type acceleration sensor.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) have received increasing attention. The MEMS are microscopic electronic mechanical system parts/elements which are produced by means of semiconductor microfabrication techniques. As a typical MEMS, an acceleration sensor is known for detecting acceleration of an object.
For example, a heat sensing type acceleration sensor includes a substrate having a recess on the surface thereof, four thermocouples installed on the recess, and a heater disposed at the center of the four thermocouples. Among the four thermocouples, two the thermocouples are disposed along the X axis at mutually opposite sides at equal intervals with respect to the heater, and the other two the thermocouples are disposed along the Y axis orthogonal to the X axis at mutually opposite sides at equal intervals with respect to the heater.
When the heater is energized, the surrounding air is heated by the heat from the heater, and temperature gradients symmetrical with respect to the X axis direction and the Y axis direction are generated. The pairs of the thermocouples disposed on the X axis and the Y axis, respectively, are disposed at equal intervals from the heater, so that when the acceleration sensor stands stationary, a temperature difference detected by each pair of the thermocouples is zero. On the other hand, when acceleration in the X axis direction is applied to the acceleration sensor, the air temperature distribution shifts to the X axis direction, and the temperatures detected by the pair of the thermocouples disposed on the X axis become different from each other. When acceleration in the Y axis direction is applied to the acceleration sensor, the air temperature distribution shifts to the Y axis direction, and the temperatures detected by the pair of the thermocouples disposed on the Y axis become different from each other. Therefore, based on the temperature differences detected by the respective pairs of the thermocouples, a direction and magnitude of acceleration applied to the acceleration sensor can be detected.
However, in the above-described heat sensing type acceleration sensor, it is necessary to form a recess on the surface of the substrate and to install a heater and four thermocouples on the recess, resulting in complicated production process and high cost.


Apparatus to provide effective removal of heat from a high power density device. The apparatus has a heat spreader and a heat sink structure. The heat spreader is divided into one or more chambers. Electromagnetic pumps are placed inside each chamber in a configuration that facilitates easy circulation of liquid metal inside the chamber. The liquid metal preferably is an alloy of gallium and indium that has high electrical conductivity and high thermal conductivity. The liquid metal carries heat from a localized area (over the high power density device) and distributes it over the entire spreader. This results in a uniform distribution of heat on the base of the heat sink structure and hence effective removal of heat by the heat sink structure.

The present invention relates to a system for dissipating heat from a high power density device (HPDD). More specifically, the present invention relates to a heat spreader that helps in effective dissipation of heat from the HPDD.
Electronic devices such as central processing units, graphic-processing units, laser diodes etc. generate a lot of heat during operation. In case the generated heat is not dissipated properly from high power density devices, this may lead to temperature buildup in these devices. The buildup of temperature can adversely affect the performance of these devices. For example, excessive temperature buildup may lead to malfunctioning or breakdown of the devices. So, it is important to remove the generated heat in order to maintain normal operating temperatures of these devices.
The heat generated by HPDD is removed by transferring the heat to the ambient atmosphere. As heat generated by HPDD increases, more heat has to be transferred to maintain the operating temperature of the HPDD. The transfer of heat from a HPDD to the atmosphere faces thermal resistance. In order to transfer more heat, this thermal resistance has to be reduced. One way to reduce thermal resistance is to increase the effective surface area of the hot device, for this purpose a finned heat sink structure is sometimes used. This finned heat sink structure increases the effective surface area for transfer of heat from the HPDD, thereby reducing the thermal resistance between a HPDD and atmosphere.
FIG. 1 shows a typical finned heat sink structure 101 mounted on HPDD 103. The HPDD is mounted on mounting board 105. Heat generated by HPDD 103 is transferred to finned heat sink structure 101. This finned heat sink structure in turn dissipates the heat to the atmosphere. The surface area of the finned heat sink structure is much larger than that of the HPDD. This increases the effective surface area for transfer of heat from the HPDD leading to reduced thermal resistance between the HPDD and the atmosphere. The reduced thermal resistance results in an increase in the rate of dissipation of heat to the atmosphere. Heat is transferred from the finned heat sink structure 101 to the atmosphere by natural convection, or by forced convection with the use of a fan.
However, the material used to construct finned heat sink structures has inherent resistance to the flow of heat. This leads to uneven distribution of temperature at base of the finned heat sink structure. This reduces the effectiveness of the finned heat sink structure in dissipating the heat.
FIG. 2A shows a finned heat sink structure 201 with uneven temperature distribution at the base of the structure. Arrows of differing lengths show the flow of heat in the finned heat sink structure. The shorter lengths of arrows at the outer fins depict less flow of heat as compared to the flow of heat in the inner fins (depicted by large arrows). The outer fins of finned heat sink structure 201 are not as effective in dissipating heat as the inner fins. This is due to an uneven temperature distribution at the base. FIG. 2B shows a finned heat sink structure 205 with uniform temperature at the base of the structure. The same lengths of arrows at the outer and inner fins depict uniform flow of heat in the fins. Thus, unlike finned heat sink structure 201 of FIG. 2A, the outer fins of finned heat sink structure 205 are as effective in dissipating heat, as its inner fins.
Hence, in order to increase the effectiveness of the finned heat sink structure heat needs to be uniformly distributed at the base of the structure. An important way for uniformly distributing heat at the base of the finned heat sink structure is by using a device called a heat spreader. The heat spreader is placed between HPDD and finned heat sink structure and spreads heat uniformly at the base of the structure.
FIG. 3 depicts the use of heat spreaders for uniform distribution of heat. FIG. 3A shows a HPDD 301 on a mounting board 303. A Finned heat sink structure 305 is placed in contact with HPDD 301. Heat is removed by conduction from HPDD 301 to finned heat sink structure 305. Heat is thereafter dissipated by finned heat sink structure 305 to the ambient atmosphere.
FIG. 3B shows a heat spreader 307 placed between HPDD 301 and finned heat sink structure 305. Heat spreader 307 increases transfer of heat between HPDD 301 and finned heat sink structure 305 by evenly distributing heat at the base of finned sink structure 305.
Heat spreaders are usually made of materials with low thermal resistance. Examples of such materials include copper or aluminum. Lightweight materials having high thermal conductivity such as graphite sheets and CVD (chemical vapor deposition) diamond thin film are also used for making heat spreaders. Typically, these high thermal conducting materials are costly and do not increase performance of the heat spreader substantially more than aluminum or copper heat spreaders.
Head spreaders may also be based on vapor chambers. A vapor chamber based heat spreader involves the vaporization and condensation of the liquid filling it. This heat spreader has a vacuum vessel with a saturated wick structure lining the inside walls. As heat is applied to the base of the heat spreader, the working fluid at the base immediately vaporizes, and the vapor rushes to fill the vacuum. Wherever the vapor comes into contact with cooler wall surface it condenses, releasing its latent heat of vaporization. The condensed liquid returns to the base via capillary action in the wick structure.
FIG. 4 shows a heat spreader 401 based on a vapor chamber. Heat spreader 401 is placed between HPDD 403 and finned heat sink structure 405. Heat spreader 401 has two surfaces, a surface 407 in contact with the finned heat sink structure 405 and a surface 409 in contact with HPDD 403. There is a lining 411 inside the heat spreader. Liquid on surface 409 absorbs heat from HPDD 403, evaporates and fills the vacuum in heat spreader 401. When it comes in contact with surface 407, it transfers heat to finned heat sink structure 405, condenses and moves back to surface 409 due to gravity or the capillary effect. The capillary action enables the performance of vapor chamber based heat spreader to be less dependent on the device's orientation with respect to gravity Also, thermal resistance associated with the vapor spreading is negligible.
However, maximum heat transfer in a vapor chamber based heat spreader is limited by vapor/liquid nucleation properties. Heat transfer is also limited by the presence of interface resistances such as that between metal surface and liquid layer and between metal surface and vapor.
From the above discussion, it is evident that presently available heat spreaders suffer from various limitations that limit the effectiveness of these heat spreaders. These limitations lead to higher device operating temperatures and decreased performance of HPDD. Thus, there is a need for heat spreaders that can effectively remove the heat from high power density devices.

Cooling of electronics by electrically conducting fluids


A document transport system for transporting and selectively recirculating relatively large documents through a processing station. In accordance with this invention, a transport is provided which has a defined endless document path. A gripper bar is provided for selectively and releasably securing the leading edge of large documents, and a driven chain is also provided for supporting and moving the gripper bar at a predetermined imaging speed through an imaging station. Further, drive rollers are provided proximate the imaging station to urge documents in the document path through the imaging station at the predetermined imaging speed. The invention also includes control apparatus for halting the gripper bar at a first position downstream from the processing station to enable release of documents from the gripper bar and at a second position upstream from the processing station to enable selective insertion and retention of documents in the gripper bar. Finally, the chain also recirculates the gripper bar from the first position to the second position at a rate substantially faster than the imaging speed to enable rapid recirculation of documents for imaging and rapid insertion of a new document for imaging after release of a previously imaged document.

Sheet handling systems for transporting large sheet-like material between processing stations are well known, as are the class of sheet handling systems referred to as document handlers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,556 to Gerald A. Grey, Jr. and assigned to Xerox Corporation discloses a system for receiving large documents, individually, which are then fed into a sheet or document feeder. The document is then transported by the feeder to and through an imaging position to image the document on a photoreceptive surface. The process is repeated until the desired number of images are completed by reverse transport of the document back to the initial imaging position and then recommencement of imaging.
Generally, large document handlers used with devices, such as electrophotographic printing machines, use a preselected path through which documents are moved relative to a process station. In electrophotographic printing machines, one of the processing stations generally employed is an imaging station, which can be, for example, an illuminated imaging slit and lens arrangement for reflecting light from the document onto a charged photoconductive surface to form a latent image.
Mishandling or misfeeding of large documents in the document handler can cause wrinkling, buckling, tearing, or other sheet damage to documents being transported through an imaging station. Such mishandling of the fed documents can also cause the image printed to be skewed, uneven, unevenly magnified, or misregistered due to the failure to present the document properly. Thus, the loading, starting positions, speed (sheet velocity) and direction of movement of the large documents can be quite critical to commercially acceptable imaging, as well as saving the original documents handled.
The following disclosures may be relevant to various aspects of the present invention:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,179,404 PA0 Patentee: Felts et al. PA0 Issued: Apr. 20, 1965 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,409 PA0 Patentee: Simonek et al. PA0 Issued: May 26, 1981 PA0 Disclosure No. 16063 PA0 August 1977, p. 54 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,674 PA0 Patentee: Giezeman et al. PA0 Issued: Dec. 15, 1987 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,526 PA0 Patentee: Dastin PA0 Issued: Jan. 22, 1981 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,796 PA0 Patentee: Haney et al. PA0 Issued: Aug. 16, 1966 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,143 PA0 Patentee: Case et al. PA0 Issued: Sep. 5, 1972 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,345,065 PA0 Patentee: Shearer et al. PA0 Issued: Oct. 3, 1967 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,556 PA0 Patentee: Gray, Jr. PA0 Issued: Feb. 26, 1991

Document handler for transporting large documents


A cookware assembly or set comprising or including at least one cookware vessel of a substantially square peripheral exterior and interior form when viewed in plan, wherein the vessel has an attachment location on at least one of the four sides, the attachment location being a relief in the vessel's rim suitable for handle engagement, and a handle selectively engageable at the or any one of the attachment locations, the handle with both proximal and distal end regions having a pair of jaw elements at the proximal region for facilitating engagement to an attachment location such that a first jaw of the jaw pair locates substantially inside the vessel and a second jaw of the jaw pair locates substantially outside of the vessel, and a lid able to fit on the cookware vessel and to close, or at least substantially close, the cookware vessel.

Typical cookware items such as pots and pans with fixed handles are sometimes large and cumbersome and are difficult to stow efficiently. In some situations, such as in apartments boats, caravans etc there may be limited space available to store cookware. Typical cookware does not lend itself for use in situations in which there is limited space for storage.
It is an object of the present invention to provide improved cookware which overcomes or at least partially ameliorates some of the abovementioned disadvantages or which at least provides the public with a useful choice


A voltage-command correction unit provided between an electric-power conversion unit and a voltage-command calculation unit provides a predetermined current range including the zero level for the detected output current, and, at a first clock time when the output current enters from outside to inside of the current range, sets a zero cross timing of the output current as a clock time for switching the polarity of the correction voltage that corrects the AC voltage command calculated and output by the voltage-command calculation unit based on the first clock time and the frequency, thereby making a configuration capable of correcting the AC voltage command with the correction voltage with the same polarity as the polarity of the output current around the zero cross point of the output current.

An electric power converter, in which power device elements of upper and lower arms that configure an electric-power conversion unit provided at an output stage generate an AC voltage by performing a switching operation based on a voltage command to output the AC voltage to an AC load, provides a period to control the power device elements of the upper and lower arms into off-operation states at the same time for the purpose of preventing a short circuit due to simultaneous conduction of the power device elements of the upper and lower arms. This period is called a dead time; with this dead time, an error is known to occur between a voltage command that the electric-power conversion unit receives and a voltage that the electric-power conversion unit actually outputs to the load based on the voltage command. The error voltage caused by this dead time becomes a voltage with a polarity reversed with respect to the polarity of an output phase current of the electric-power conversion unit.
In order to correct the voltage error caused by this dead time, a method for detecting the output phase current of the electric-power conversion unit by a current-detecting unit provided in the electric power converter and applying a voltage with the same polarity as the detected output phase current to give a corrected voltage command to the electric-power conversion unit is known (for example, Non-patent Document 1). As a method for detecting a current, not only a method for directly detecting the output phase current of the electric-power conversion unit but also a method for detecting the output phase current from a DC link current of the electric-power conversion unit are known (for example, Non-patent Document 2).
However, near a current zero cross point where the polarity of the output phase current switches, because the absolute value of the output phase current is small, accurately detecting the polarity of the output phase current is very difficult. In addition, near the current zero cross point, because the output phase current causes chattering, the correction method of adding a voltage with the same polarity as the polarity of the output phase current to the voltage command may cause a polarity error of a correction voltage added to the voltage command, or a phenomenon in which the polarity of the correction voltage continuously switches between a positive and a negative voltages, alternately.
For this reason, various proposals have been conventionally made to prevent the problem of dead-time correction near the current zero cross point where the absolute value of the output phase current is low (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 4).
Specifically, Patent Documents 1 discloses an example of configuring an output voltage error correction apparatus of an inverter apparatus, which corrects an output voltage error caused by a short-circuit prevention period of the output voltage of the inverter apparatus, to include a current detection unit that detects the output current of the inverter apparatus, a current polarity judgment unit that judges the polarity of the output current detected by this current detection unit, and the voltage error correction unit that, for a threshold value set for the output current, if the output current of the inverter apparatus is outside the threshold value, corrects the output voltage by the polarity of the judged output voltage, and if the output current of the inverter apparatus is within the threshold value, corrects the output voltage by the polarity of the voltage command.
Moreover, Patent Documents 2 discloses an example of configuring an inverter that directly converts DC to AC by bridge-connecting to the arms, which are semiconductor elements, and when controlling the inverter by giving a pulse-width modulated voltage signal, which is obtained by comparing the magnitude relation between a voltage command signal and a carrier signal, to the bridge-connected upper or lower side arm element, configuring a control circuit of a pulse-width modulation control inverter provided with an on delay time for preventing a simultaneous on of the upper and lower side arm elements to include a current polarity judgment unit for outputting a signal to judge the polarity of this output current when the output current of the inverter exceeds a predetermined positive or negative value, a voltage polarity judgment unit for outputting a signal to judge the polarity of the voltage command signal, a first compensation amount calculation unit for calculating the amount to compensate an error voltage occurred in the output voltage of the inverter due to the on delay time, a compensation amount distribution unit for outputting the first compensation amount calculation value in a state where the polarity of the first compensation amount calculation value corresponds to the current polarity and the voltage polarity, and an addition unit for adding the output value of the compensation amount distribution unit to the voltage command signal to make the added value a new voltage command signal.
Moreover, Patent Documents 3 discloses an example of configuring an AC motor drive apparatus that includes a current detection unit for detecting a current flowing into an AC motor, a deviation current calculation unit for calculating a deviation current from a command current and the detected current, a current control unit for calculating a command voltage from the deviation current, a dead time compensation unit, which includes the current polarity judgment unit for determining the current polarity, for outputting a dead time compensation voltage, a voltage addition calculation unit for adding the dead time compensation voltage to the command voltage calculated from the current control unit to calculate a final command voltage, and a PWM electric power conversion apparatus for converting from an AC voltage to a DC voltage using the information on the final command voltage obtained from the voltage addition calculation unit; wherein the dead time compensation unit includes a command current polarity judgment unit for judging a command current polarity from a command current, a detection current polarity judgment unit for judging a detection current polarity from a detected current, and a final current polarity judgment unit for judging a final current polarity from the information on the command current polarity and the detection current polarity.
Furthermore, Patent Documents 4 discloses an example of configuring a PWM control inverter apparatus in which a voltage correction unit for correcting an inverter output voltage by the error voltage calculated using an upper-and-lower-arm short-circuit prevention period, a PWM carrier frequency, and a DC voltage corrects the inverter output voltage in accordance with the polarity of the inverter output current when the absolute value of the inverter output current is larger than a predetermined value and corrects the inverter output voltage in accordance with the polarity of the inverter output voltage when the absolute value of the inverter output current is smaller than the predetermined value; wherein a PWM carrier setting unit that sets the PWM carrier frequency is configured so that the PWM carrier frequency keeps the value of the frequency thereof when the error voltage is smaller than the inverter output voltage, and the PWM carrier frequency is changed so as to keep the ratio between the error voltage and the inverter output voltage constant when the error voltage is larger than the inverter output voltage.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 2756049 (Page 16, FIG. 11)    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 3245989 (Page 12, FIG. 7)    Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-112879 (Page 6, FIG. 2)    Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent No. 3287186 (Page 8, FIG. 3)    Non-patent Document 1: Sugimoto, Koyama, and Tamai: Practice of Theory and Design on AC Servo System: Sougoudenshi Shuppansha (9th line in Page 55 to 5th line in Page 57)    Non-patent Document 2: "Three-Phase Current-Waveform-Detection on PWM Inverters from DC Link Current-Steps" IPEC-Yokohama'95 p.p. 271-275)