The heel counter structure includes a sole plate provided at least at the heel region of the shoe and having a peripheral portion. The peripheral portion is upraised along the heel region of the shoe so as to enclose the lower portion of the heel portion of the foot of the wearer. The heel structure also includes a pair of heel counter portions provided on the medial and lateral sides of the heel region of the shoe so as to sandwich the heel portion of the foot sideways. The heel counter portions are coupled to the peripheral portion of the sole plate at the lower ends of the heel counter portions so that the heel counter portions can tilt inwardly and outwardly independently of the sole plate. The heel counter portions are separated from the peripheral portion of the sole plate except the lower ends of the heel counter portions.

The present invention relates generally to a heel counter structure for a shoe, and more particularly, to improvement in structure to hold a heel of a foot of a shoe wearer stably at all times irrespective of width of the heel or size of calcaneus of the foot.
The applicant of the present invent ion proposed a sole structure for an athletic sports shoe in which a sole has a three-dimensional upraised shape to enclose a region extending from a ball of a foot in front of a plantar arch portion to a heel portion and an upper end edge portion of the upraised shape extends to a vicinity of a ridge line of the widest region of the foot (see figured 1 and 3 of Japanese utility model registration application examined publication No. H07-36481 or 1995-36481).
In this case, giving a three-dimensional shape to the sole allows for secure support of the heel without a heel counter for holding the heel.
However, in the structure shown in the above-mentioned publication, since an upraised portion whose upper end edge portion extends to the vicinity of the ridge line of the widest region of the foot is adapted to hold an entire heel, in the event that a width of the sole of the shoe corresponds to a heel width of the foot of a wearer, it can hold the heel sufficiently, but in the event that the heel width of the foot is smaller than the width of the sole of the shoe, a gap is created between the heel and the shoe and thus it cannot hold the heel sufficiently thereby causing support of the heel to be unstable. To the contrary, in the event that the heel width of the foot is greater than the width of the sole of the shoe, the heel of the foot steps on the upraised portion to deform an upper part of the upraised portion outwardly. Thereby, the structure cannot hold the heel sufficiently, shortens the life of the shoe, and causes sore of the foot through chafing of the shoe.
Another prior-art heel counter structure is shown in FIG. 37. As shown in FIG. 37, the heel counter structure 100 includes a planar insole board 101 and a heel counter portion 102 disposed along a heel peripheral portion of the insole board 101 to enclose a heel of a foot.
In this case as well, in the event that a heel width of the foot F of a wearer corresponds to a heel width of the shoe (see FIG. 38), the heel counter portion 102 can hold the heel, but in the event that the heel width of the foot F is greater than the heel width of the shoe (see FIG. 39), since the heel of the foot F widens and deforms an upper part of the heel counter portion 102 outwardly, the heel counter portion 102 cannot hold the heel sufficiently (see FIG. 39 and a dash-and-dot line of FIG. 37). Also, in the event that the heel width of the foot is smaller than the heel width of the shoe, a gap is created between the heel and the shoe and thus it cannot hold the heel sufficiently either.
On the other hand, it is considered that not only for shoe length but also for heel width of a shoe, different sized shoes are prepared and stocked, but it is not realistic to stock shoes of different heel widths respectively for the shoes of different lengths because shoe manufacturers and shoe sales divisions need to have a large stock of shoes.
The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances and its object is to provide a heel counter structure for a shoe that can hold a heel of a foot of a shoe wearer stably at all times irrespective of width of the heel or size of calcaneus of the foot. In other words, the present invention is directed to providing a heel counter structure for a shoe to increase holdability of a heel of a foot.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious and appear hereinafter.


A sustained release preparation comprising a combination of a microcapsule which gradually releases a GnRH agonist or a salt thereof for a long term, and a microcapsule which gradually releases a GnRH agonist or a salt thereof for a short term.

Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone known as GnRH (or LHRH) is released from hypothalamus, and binds to a receptor of pituitary gland. LH (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) which are released thereby, act on gonad to synthesize steroidal hormones.
However, it has been revealed that, when a compound having strong luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone activity is continuously administered, the number of available receptors is decreased and formation of gonad-derived steroidal hormones is inhibited. Utilizing this, a compound having GnRH activity is clinically applied as a remedy for sex hormone dependent diseases such as prostate cancer, prostatomegaly, endometriosis, hysteromyoma, metrofibroma, precocious puberty and breast cancer.
Such compounds as have GnRH activity include, specifically, leuprorelin acetate, buserelin acetate and goserelin acetate, and sustained-release preparations containing them are sold as a remedy for the aforementioned diseases. Preparations containing these compounds have been used initially as a preparation which is administered once per day, thereafter, they have been formulated into sustained-release preparations. Currently, they are sold as a sustained-release preparation for one month, three months or four months. Those sustained-releases preparation are disclosed in EP190833 and EP442671.
As described above, compounds having GnRH activity are widely used as a remedy for prostate cancer. In diseases which slowly progress, in particular, prostate cancer, extension of a releasing term of a preparation is preferable not only from a viewpoint of improvement in therapeutic effect and improvement in QOL (quality of life) of patients, but also from a viewpoint of medical economy due to reduction in care times as an outpatient.


In some implementations, a method performed by data processing apparatuses includes identifying a first delivery route that includes delivery stops at multiple locations within a first geographic region, and identifying a second delivery route within a second geographic region. The first delivery route can be assigned to a first carrier that is designated to deliver orders within the first geographic region, and the second delivery route can be assigned to a second carrier that is designated to deliver orders within the second geographic region. An additional order can then be identified that is requested to be delivered to a location within the first geographic region. The second delivery route can be modified to include the additional delivery stop for the additional order, including assigning the additional order to the second carrier even though the second carrier is designated to deliver orders within the second geographic region.

The present disclosure relates to delivery route management and optimization.
Routing software may be used to help shippers plan delivery routes for drivers that have been assigned delivery of various items. When a route includes multiple stops, for example, the routing software can determine an order for the stops based on criteria such as driving time and distance. The routing software can then generate a map that includes each of the stops, and can provide directions for navigating the route.

Delivery route management and optimization


An apparatus comprising an integrated circuit and a logic portion. The integrated circuit may have a plurality of regions each (i) pre-diffused and configured to be metal-programmed and (ii) configured to connect the integrated circuit to a socket. The logic portion may be implemented on the integrated circuit. The plurality of metal programmable regions are each (i) independently programmable and (ii) located in one of said pre-diffused regions. Each of the metal programmable regions comprises (a) a regulator section configured to generate an operating voltage from a common supply voltage, (b) a logic section configured to implement integrated circuit functions and operate at the operating voltage, and (c) a level shifter configured to shift the operating voltage to an external voltage level.

When application specific integrated circuits (ASICS) or Platform ASICs are implemented in multi-chip modules (MCM) there can be many supply voltages needed due to the mix of technology used. For example, when 90 nm and 0.13 micron technologies are used in the same package, multiple core and I/O voltages (i.e., 1.0, 1.2, or 1.5) are used. In addition, power is often wasted because I/Os typically are designed to drive package, electrostatic discharge protection circuitry (ESD) and board loads, which are much higher in capacitance than the load seen in an MCM.
Conventional solutions use multiple supply voltages and deal with unnecessary power dissipation on a case by case basis. However, providing multiple supply voltages can add cost to the system and complicate board design.
It would be desirable to implement configurable I/Os to operate with different supply voltages that may be used in multi-chip modules.

Configurable I/Os for multi-chip modules


A wavelength converter includes a first phase modulator configured to perform phase modulation on pump light in accordance with a first phase modulation signal, a second phase modulator configured to perform phase modulation on signal light in accordance with a second phase modulation signal, a wavelength converter configured to multiplex the signal light having undergone the phase modulation with the pump light having undergone the phase modulation, the wavelength converter configured to perform wavelength conversion on the signal light in accordance with the pump light, a detector configured to detect a modulation component from the signal light having undergone the phase modulation and the pump light having undergone the phase modulation, and a generator configured to generate the first phase modulation signal and the second phase modulation signal so as to minimize the detected modulation component.

As demand for communication increases, for increasing transmission capacity, for example, the number of cores of optical fibers, capacity of optical signals per wavelength, and the number of wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) channels are increased.
However, since the cost of, for example, laying optical fibers is high, it is required to increase the transmission capacity without increasing the number of optical fiber cores. Increases in optical signal capacity and the number of WDM channels are required for the transmission devices for increasing the transmission capacity. However, there is a limit to the increase in the transmission capacity only with the existing communication bands, for example, the conventional communication band (C-band). For a further increase in the transmission capacity, it is required to use the long wavelength band (L-band) in a long wavelength range and the short wavelength band (S-band) in a short wavelength range.
However, optical components such as an optical transceiver, a wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer, and an optical amplifier for, for example, the L-band and S-band are required to be independently developed. Thus, the cost of the transmission device using optical components for the L-band and S-band is high compared the cost of the transmission device only using optical components for the C-band. By using the wavelength converter, high capacity transmission may be performed with a transmission device using C-band optical components.
Meanwhile, in the wavelength converter, it is important to increase wavelength conversion efficiency. However, for increasing the wavelength conversion efficiency, it is required to increase the power of the pump light. When high-intensity monochromatic pump light is input to an optical fiber, stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) occurs in which input light is scattered backward and does not propagate. For example, when a fiber having a small core diameter referred to as a highly nonlinear fiber is used, the likelihood of occurring of SBS increases.
Thus, according to the related art, the spectral width of pump light is increased by performing phase modulation of about some hundred MHz to some GHz on monochromatic pump light to suppress SBS. As a result, high-power pump light is able to be input to the optical fiber. Thus, high wavelength conversion efficiency may be reliably obtained.
Accordingly, in the wavelength converter, phase modulation is performed on pump light and signal light not having undergone wavelength conversion, and a modulation component of the signal light having undergone the phase modulation and a modulation component of the pump light having undergone the phase modulation are canceled out each other, thereby the modulation component is reduced in the signal light after the wavelength conversion. This may suppress degradation in signal characteristic after the wavelength conversion.
For example, as the related art, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 2001-318395, 10-221656, and 11-225109 are disclosed.

Wavelength converter apparatus and method of performing wavelength conversion


An efficient system and method for reliably identifying guidelines, ruled lines, and the like, in images of text, and distinguishing those portions of such lines which touch or intersect character strokes in the image. The system provides for removal of guideline segments between character strokes without deleting character strokes. The system operates effectively on both machine printed and hand formed text. An image of text has most characters separated for more effective subsequent OCR processing, despite the presence of guidelines connecting the characters.

Most optical character recognition (OCR) systems and handwriting recognition methods treat each character as a single connected object, especially when character segmentation is involved. The text may be printed or written on a form or label providing guidelines that touch the characters; or, the writer may underline portions of the text with a line that intersects the characters. Also, a line may be superimposed unintentionally onto a label, for example, during handling of a package. Studies have found that over 35% of handwritten addresses on parcels have at least one character touching a guideline. When they connect characters, such lines make it difficult for recognition systems to identify the individual characters as separate objects.
Some prior systems simply detect the whole guideline and remove it from the original image of the text. This often removes part of character strokes and, therefore, breaks the connectivity of the characters. For example, if an underline touches a "U" at its bottom curve and the system removes the entire underline, the "U" may be broken and recognized as two "I"s.
Other prior systems have attempted to separate characters in an image from ruled lines that contact characters. An example of such a system, which examines prospective contact positions of a character and a ruled line, is described in Japanese Kokai Patent Application No. Hei 31991!-160582. Such systems may have difficulty when the ruled line varies in thickness, when its direction is not very close to horizontal, when it branches into multiple lines, or when it bends significantly. Such systems may also be more suited to machine printed characters and less capable of dealing with handwritten characters.
Thus, there has been a need in the art for a system and method for reliably identifying guidelines, ruled lines, frames, and the like, in images of text, even when such lines vary in thickness and direction, and when the lines touch text that is machine or hand formed. There also has been a need in the art for removing such lines while preserving all of the character strokes of the text.

System for character preserving guidelines removal in optically scanned text


The invention relates to a method and a device for acquiring electronic information about transmission speeds between nodes of an acyclical network, in particular of an IEEE 1394 bus network, precisely one transmission link being present between in each case two of the nodes of the network, and a respective PHY transmission speed of the transmission link being determined by a minimum value of PHY speeds of the nodes of the network lying on the transmission link, in the case of the method the respective PHY transmission speed being determined for one subset of the transmission links in the network by acquiring the PHY speeds of the nodes lying on the transmission links and electronically acquiring minimum values of the PHY speeds; and the respective PHY transmission speed being electronically acquired for another subset of the transmission links, which is different from the one subset of transmission links, on the basis of one of the PHY speeds which have been determined for the nodes lying on the transmission links of the one subset, and electronic topology information about a topology of the network being electronically acquired using optimization means which are formed in a node of the network. The device is provided for carrying out the method.

A network is composed of electric/electronic devices which are connected using a data bus and between which data is exchanged via the bus. The electric/electronic devices are referred to as network nodes, or as nodes for short. If there is precisely one transmission path between two respective nodes in a network, the network is referred to as an acyclical network.
There are different network standards, depending on the data bus used and the electric/electronic devices connected to the data bus. A network standard to which a lot of attention has been paid recently is the standard IEEE 1394. The standard IEEE 1394 provides a standard which is suitable in particular for supporting the exchange of data between multi-media devices of any desired type. A data bus which is configured according to the IEEE 1394 standard can be connected both to a personal computer and its peripherals such as printers, scanners, CD-RW drives and hard disks and to home entertainment electronic devices such as video cameras or televisions.
In a network bus according to the IEEE 1394 standard or the standard IEEE 1394a, all the nodes must be able to transmit data at the speed S100, which corresponds to a transmission speed of approximately 100 Mbps. A node can optionally also support the speed S200 or the speeds S200 and S400. The maximum transmission speed for exchanged data between the individual nodes at the level of the bit transmission layer, the so-called PHY transmission speed, is determined here by the speeds of so-called physical layer chips (PHY chips) of the nodes involved in the physical exchange of data. In addition, each node with the so-called link-layer chip (link chip), which is arranged in the protocol hierarchy of the IEEE 1394 network above the PHY chip has a further speed determining component. The PHY chip and the link chip of a node can have different maximum speeds which are referred to below as the PHY speed or link speed of the node. The link chip of a node is, however, involved only in the transmission of data if the respective node itself is a starting node or destination node of a transmission of data. If a node merely passes on a transmission of data because it lies on the transmission link between the starting node and the destination node or nodes, only its PHY chip is involved in the transmission of data. The PHY transmission speed of a transmission of data between a starting node and one or more destination nodes of the network bus is equal to the minimum value of the PHY speeds of the nodes lying on the transmission link, including the starting node and the destination node or the destination nodes. The maximum actual transmission speed of a transmission of data is equal to the minimum value of the link speeds of the starting node and the destination node or the destination nodes and the PHY transmission speed of the transmission of data. With respect to an IEEE 1394 network, the invention is concerned only with the acquisition of the PHY transmission speeds within the IEEE 1394 network, and for this reason the link speeds of the respective nodes are not considered further. For a different acyclical network in which the PHY transmission speeds are identical to the actual transmission speeds, because apart from the PHY speeds of the nodes involved no further speeds of speed determining components have to be taken into account, the invention can also be used to acquire the actual transmission speeds. In what follows, the term transmission speed will be used in the sense of the maximum actual transmission speed, and the term PHY transmission speed will be used for the maximum physical data transmission speed for transmissions of data between network stations.
In an IEEE 1394 bus network, both asynchronous communications links and isochronous communications links can be set up between nodes. In order to ensure the highest possible data transmission rates on the network, it is advantageous to know the transmission speeds between the individual nodes of the network. If a communication is carried out between network nodes at the minimum supported speed, the speed S100, even though the nodes which are involved in the data exchange can carry out the exchange of data at a higher speed than the minimum network speed, bandwidth of the data bus is added. If, on the other hand, an attempt is made to set up a communication at a speed which is higher than the PHY speed of one of the nodes involved in the exchange of data, or higher than the link speed of the starting node or higher than the link speed of a destination node, this attempt fails since data cannot be passed on or transmitted or received in this one involved node. In order, therefore, to be able to define an optimum transmission speed for any exchange of data in the network, it is consequently necessary to know the transmission speeds between all the network nodes present in the network, which presumes knowledge of the respective PHY transmission speeds.
An acyclical network has a hierarchy. Any network node has a maximum of one parent node and no, one or a plurality of children nodes with which it is directly connected. These directly neighboring nodes are referred to as adjacent nodes. The PHY transmission speed between two neighboring nodes is obtained from the minimum value of the PHY speeds of the two adjacent nodes, or is unknown if one of the two PHY speeds is unknown.
If the structure of the network changes, the transmission speeds between the nodes of the network have to be determined afresh. In the case of a network which is embodied as an IEEE 1394 network, a reset operation (bus reset) is carried out on the data bus, in particular if an electric/electronic device is connected to the data bus or an electric/electronic device is disconnected from the data bus. In the case of a reset operation on the data bus, each IEEE 1394 node which is connected to the data bus transmits a self-ID information item (ID identification) to the other nodes. This ensures that every node in the network is informed of which other nodes are connected on the network. By reference to the self-ID information, which is transmitted with so-called self-ID packets, it is possible to determine a bus topology of the network bus. In particular, a uniquely defined integral ID code number can be assigned to each node with the aid of the self-ID packets. Which nodes are adjacent in the bus topology results from port status fields of the self-ID packets and from the knowledge of how the ID code numbers on an IEEE 1394 bus are assigned after a reset operation according to the port statuses of all the nodes on the bus. A person skilled in the art is familiar with the procedure for assigning the ID code numbers so that at this point a detailed presentation will not be given. In addition, the self-ID packets contain information about the PHY speed of the respective node.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,757 discloses a method for determining a transmission speed between any two nodes of an IEEE 1394 network in which a common preceding node is determined for a starting node and a destination node, and in each case the transmission speed from the starting node to the common preceding node and from the destination node to the common preceding node is determined, and the transmission speed from the starting node to the destination node is then set to be equal to the minimum value of the transmission speed from the output node to the common preceding node, and to the speed from the destination node to the common preceding node. The known method does not acquire the actual transmission speeds including the link speeds, but rather only the PHY transmission speeds. In the proposed method, the transmission speed from the starting node to the destination node is determined in each case directly before a communications link is set up.
If communications links are frequently implemented in succession between the same nodes of the network without a bus reset operation having taken place in the meantime, the method steps for determining the maximum transmission speed are carried out repeatedly, which amounts to wasting computing power.

Method and device for acquiring electronic information about transmission speeds in a network


The invention relates to a torque sensor for calibrating screwing tools such as dynamometric keys or impact screw drivers. A torque sensor for calibrating screwing tools has an inner body defining an axis with respect to which a torque is to be measured. The inner body has a seat for engaugement of a screwing tool to be calibrated. An outer annular body is held stationary. This outer annular body is coaxial with the inner body and is connected therewith through radial webs of a first type and through radial webs of a second type. The first type webs have relatively large widths circumferentially but have relatively small axial dimensions. The second type webs are relatively narrow circumferentially but have relatively large axial dimensions. The torque sensor further comprises torsion measuring elements attached to said first type webs for measuring torsional deformation due to torques exerted on said inner body.

The invention relates to a torque sensor for calibrating screwing tools such as dynamometric keys or impact screw drivers.
DE 195 02 616 A1 discloses a torque sensor comprising an inner body having an axis with respect to which a torque is to be measured, and an outer annular body which surrounds the inner body coaxially and which is connected with the inner body through radial webs. There is a first type of web which has a relatively large width circumferentially but has relatively small axial dimensions. And there is a second type of web which is relatively narrow circumferentially but has relatively large axial dimensions. Measuring elements are attached to the first type webs.
The prior art torque sensor serves for the measurement of a torque which is transmitted by rotating parts. The annular body is attached to one rotating part by bolts. The inner body is a ring which is attached to the other rotating body, also by means of axial bolts. The driving torque is transmitted through the webs. Measuring elements in the form of strain gauges are arranged on the first type webs, which are circumferentially wide but relatively thin in axial direction. The strain gauges respond to torsion of the first type webs. The second type webs take up axial forces. The torque sensor of DE 195 02 616 A1 has two diametrically opposite wide and thin webs of the first type bearing the measuring elements. Furthermore, there are differently spaced second type webs symmetrical to the first type webs. The measured values are transmitted by wireless means.
There is a need of calibrating screwing tools. This calibration may consist in determining and, if necessary, adjusting the torque at which a dynamometric key releases. It is, however, also desirable to calibrate dynamically operating screwing tools such as impact screw drivers or wrenches, where the torque is measured which is exerted in impact form on a screwed connection.

Torque sensor for calibrating screwing tools


A multistage axial-flow pumping or marine propulsion device having fixed or variable pitch stators between rotors. Stator vanes are designed to lower internal fluid speed without sacrificing total pressure as working fluid travels toward the discharge nozzle. A variable pitch stator controls the amount of energy, i.e., torque, imparted to the working fluid at successive rotor sections. A variable inlet guide vane provides throttling of mass flow rate independently of rotor speed. An exit guide vane provides flow straightening and pressure maintenance at the discharge nozzle. A variable area throat at the discharge nozzle controls the exit velocity of the water jet according to boat speed and/or desired propulsive efficiency. Advantageously, the device enables a shipmaster to set performance characteristics of a vessel at any desired speed, loading, horsepower setting, or operating characteristic of the power plant.

The present invention relates to a fluid pumping device, and additionally, to a high-efficiency, axial flow marine propulsion system.
In a multistage axial flow pump, i.e. two or more stages, energy is transferred from a prime mover or engine to the working fluid (e.g., water) at each stage. Pressure is increased at each succeeding stage until the working fluid is exhausted through a discharge nozzle to generate thrust. Increased pressure inside the pump tends to suppress damaging cavitation that may otherwise act upon the impellers. This differs from a conventional centrifugal or mixed-flow pumping device that is generally limited to single stage and consumes a relatively large volume. Apart from marine propulsion, other large-scale pumping applications of the invention include fire control, flood control, irrigation, and in large cooling towers.
An axial-flow pumping device used in marine propulsion, for example, might include an outer casing or housing, a water inlet, a shaft-driven impeller section, and an outlet or discharge nozzle. Such devices were either single stage or provided counter-rotating rotors in two stages. Counter-rotating rotors, however, presented myriad mechanical problems and were difficult to service. The impeller section included multiple radially aligned rotor blades mounted on a rotating wheel or rotor that forced water from the inlet to the outlet. Power was derived from a conventional power plant, such a piston-driven gasoline or diesel engine, a gas or steam turbine engine, or any combination thereof. A drive shaft and sometimes, a gear reduction mechanism, coupled the prime mover to the impeller section of the pumping device to convert rotary power to thrust.
Most engines, however, have only one optimum operating speed that delivers peak horsepower or peak efficiency, but the operating speed may not optimally match the desired thrust and/or hull speed of the vessel, which varies with loading of the vessel, fluid density, fluid temperature, or other conditions. A fully loaded vessel, for example, has a different optimum operating speed than a lightly loaded vessel. Thus, certain inefficiencies inherently exist in prior power plant-thruster combinations.
To compensate for inefficiencies, prior axial flow devices employed variable pitch rotor blades in the impeller section to match the optimum torque, speed, or fuel efficiency of the prime mover. It is known in a prior pumping device, but not necessarily applied to marine propulsion, to include fixed stator vanes between impeller sections of a multi-stage pumping device to counteract whirl or rotational velocity that the rotor blades impart to the fluid, such as that disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,755,554 and 5,562,405 (both issued to Ryall). The stator vanes had the effect of redirecting fluid flow to maintain a desired angle-of-attack of rotor blades in the succeeding stage while the rotor blades worked against the whirling fluid, but such prior stator vane designs significantly increased internal friction. It was not known, however, to provide variable pitch stator vanes in prior systems to efficiently compensate for pressure, velocity (propulsor or vessel), or torque fluctuations. Ryall, for example, provides a substantially constant absolute velocity in flow passages between fixed stator blades. Due to their geometric structure, prior stator vane designs did not maintain or increase static pressure between rotor sections, and therefore, endured other losses in efficiencies. Such prior systems generally operated, at best, around 65 to 72% propulsive efficiency.
The pumping or propulsion device of the present invention, however, uses multiple rotor-stator stages that include geometrically efficient blades and vanes, e.g., an airfoil shape, to minimize internal drag and to successively increase static pressure of the working fluid at each stage of the device. Because fluid velocity decreases across the stator vanes, static pressure increases thereby improving overall efficiency of the device. Variable-pitch stator vanes may also be employed to further improve efficiency since pitch angle changes altered the angle of attack of working fluid against rotor blades in the succeeding section. Varying the angle of attack impacted the torque required by the prime mover to drive the pump.
Preferably, the rotor blades in each section of a preferred multi-stage pump or propulsion device are fixed-pitched thereby obviating mechanical problems typically associated with variable-pitch rotor blades. Thin, low-drag stator vanes, fixed or variable-pitch, are also preferred to minimize internal drag. Advantageously, the improved multistage structure has a simpler mechanical construction, has a larger thrust-weight ratio, is more easily serviced and maintained, and importantly, achieves greater propulsive efficiencies, i.e., in the range of 84 to 90% (or more), regardless of the thrust and/or hull speed set points. When deployed in marine propulsion, the present invention may additionally include a variable area discharge nozzle, i.e., a controllable throat area, to optimally match vessel speed with the discharge speed of the water jet for any given or desired thrust or power setting. This enables the vessel to operate at maximum propulsive efficiency over a wide range of speeds thereby conserving precious fuel and increasing range.

Axial flow pump or marine propulsion device


The invention relates to a rotary piston machine which can function as a pump, compressor or motor. A cycloid power component and a correspondingly formed blocking component are in mutual engagement in said machine. The difference in the number of teeth between both components is one. The volume of the working chambers (16) thus created attains a maximum and a minimum level at each rotation owing to the synchronous rotation of said power component and blocking component.

The invention concerns a rotary piston machine as defined by the elements of the independent claim. A rotory piston machine for use in a pump, a compressor, a turbine or motor must exhibit properties which allow its design to be precisely calculated. In dependence on the application and the fluid dynamic properties of the medium being transported or pumped, the design of the power and blocking components must be effected in such a way that effective transport performance is obtained. Moreover, the production of these components must be done by means of a tool whose proper design is important in order to minimise production costs.
In a conventional rotary piston machine (DE P 42 41 320.6; DE G 92 18 694.7; PCT/DE 92/01025), all lines of the cycloid component and the central component extending transverse to and defining the operating direction pass through the point of intersection of the axes of rotation. This limits the expansion and compression behavior of the working chambers and therefore adaptation of the rotary piston machine to various working media and fields of application. FR 838,270,GB 1,099,085 and DE 2639760 all disclose rotory piston machines having a power component and a blocking component. The power component and blocking component teeth mutually engage and are configured to have shapes generally of a conical section type (i.e. conical, circular, parabolic, ellipsoidal, or hyperbolic). These teeth shapes of prior art have the disadvantage that a plurality of contact lines occur between the blocking and power components per chamber during operation. This causes reduced efficiency in fluid transport through the chambers and complicates calculation of the pressure and flow properties of the fluid during the course of operation.
In view of these disadvantages of prior art it is the underlying purpose of the present invention to design a rotory piston machine for a pump, a compressor, a turbine or a motor having a structure which facilitates precise calculation of the flow properties of the medium in the chambers during operation in dependence on the fluid dynamic properties of that medium and which permits efficient design of a tool for producing the power and blocking components.
This purpose is achieved in accordance with the invention with a rotory piston machine having a power component whose teeth are shaped using a cycloid generator. The cycloid shape not only allows precise calculation of the properties of the rotory piston machine but also produces one line of contact per chamber between the power and blocking components which propagates monotonically through the chamber during the course of operation thereby providing efficient operation of the pump and precise determination of the action of the pump on the transport response of the fluid. The intake and output behavior of the working chambers is determined by the phase shift, to thereby reduce undesired back-flow or mixing between the intake and output working media.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the phase shift from the inner to the outer diameter is at least 360xc2x0 such that the working chamber is closed off from the surroundings at least at one angular position of the first or second component.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the amplitudes of the cycloids forming the operating surface of the cycloid component differ from one another. This allows additional freedom in designing the behavior of the working chambers.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the working chambers are separated by a positive fit between the sides and tops of the opposing component teeth. Due to the different number of teeth, the tooth tops of the control component advance along the sides of the cycloid component teeth to essentially eliminate fluid back-flow. In addition, the control component can thereby be driven by the cycloids.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, there is no positive fit between the cycloids forming the operating surfaces of the cycloid component and the control component. The machine is then a flow machine whose characteristics are defined by the impulse and mass of the working medium. Moreover, sensitive media having characteristics impaired by compression may also be used as the working medium.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the control channel for input of the working medium is disposed at the outer diameter, and the control channel for output of the working medium is disposed on the inner diameter of the tooth structures. During turbine or motor operation, the impulse and mass forces generated by the working medium are aligned with the direction of displacement of the working chamber. This reduces leakage losses and improves efficiency.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the working positions of the axes of rotation of the components can be changed independently of one another. In accordance with the invention, additional pairs of toothed disk structures can be incorporated. At least one of the components has toothed gearing on its back side which cooperate with an additional rotating component having single or double teeth. This requires a radial seal between the enclosing casing and these rotating components. Drive and output may be effected in a conventional manner using shafts or toothed wheels connected to the rotating components or disposed thereon and cooperating with additional drive or output means. By changing the working positions of the rotary axes, the volume change in one component of the rotary piston machine can be advanced or retarded with respect to the other to permit graduated operation through connection of the working chambers or for mixing.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, there are two cycloid or control components and the additional part is disposed between the doubled components in the form of a ring with toothed surfaces or cycloid operating surfaces. According to a further embodiment, at least two working chambers, on opposite sides of the ring, can be connected to one another. This creates e.g. a double pump or power machine, in which a control component, with teeth on both sides, is disposed between two absolutely synchronously rotating cycloid components with a number of teeth differing by one tooth from the number of teeth on the doubled components. This control component may comprise a drive or output device in dependence on whether it is a pump or a motor. Alternatively, the drive and/or output may be effected via the doubled cycloid components. The casing may serve as a stator supporting both driven cycloid components at corresponding working angles between which the control component, having sides with a number of teeth differing by one tooth, freely rotates.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the casing or the control component has appropriate channels for the input or output of the working media, which may be optionally controlled during rotation. This precludes additional valves and also effects rinsing in the centrifugal direction.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the radial circumference of the components is spherical, and the components are guided on a corresponding spherical inner surface of the casing in a radially sealing manner. This spherical guidance permits change in the working position without creating additional sealing problems. This outer or inner radially sealing, spherical working chamber wall may be connected to the control or cycloid components and may rotate therewith to center the components with respect to each other.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the rotary piston machine is a compressor with control independent of the rotational speed effected, in particular, by changing the phase shift of the two rotating parts relative to the channels of the working media. In addition to the advantageously stable centrifugal force dependence of the moving components, the small size, and large power, the phase shift permits continuous control of the compression ratio, independent of the rotational speed. Such a compressor is particularly suitable for charging combustion engines, since they have high, widely varying rotational speeds, since the mass of the charger should be as small as possible (in particular the driven rotating masses), and since the power must be controlled independently of the rotational speed. Since several pairs of working chambers can operate in a phase-shifted manner, the valve-less control in the direction of flow (no inversion of flow) and the very high sealing quality of the working chambers, permit the inventive compressors to be used in pressure ranges currently accessible to piston machines only.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the rotary piston machine is a hydrostatic element used as a pump, motor or transmission. These applications are advantageously influenced by the extremely favorable relationship between the size and volume exchange. The simple kinematics, the rotational speed stability of the structure and the very large rinsing channel cross-sections ensure that these machines are also suitable for the highest of rotational speeds. The inner flow resistance of the machine according to the invention is extremely low. If it is used as a pump, the high inherent stability of the components has advantageous effects. Wear is limited to rubbing between the movable components. In addition, the machine is suitable for the highest working pressures. If it is used as a hydraulic motor the same advantages obtain, in particular, the small accelerated masses, the good starting behavior, and the high volume efficiency. The low construction volume and the compact manner in which the pump and the hydraulic motor can be connected is particularly advantageous for use as a hydrostatic transmission.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the rotary piston machine is a power machine or refrigerator, in particular, operating according to the Stirling principle, wherein the cooperating working chambers are phase-shifted by 90xc2x0. Two rotating cycloid components cooperate with a rotating control component to form operating chamber pairs which are each phase-shifted by 90xc2x0. One chamber is heated and the other cooled, and a regenerator is integrated into the control component. In accordance with the invention, there is no component exchange between the warm and cool regions. The walls of the cold and the warm working chambers are insulated from one another despite their close spatial proximity. An advantageous convection surface/working chamber volume ratio can be achieved due to the high inherent stability of the components forming the working chamber. One of the rotating components may be a linear generator driver for a Stirling motor or a linear motor for a Stirling refrigerator. The machine can therefore be hermetically sealed and designed for very high loading pressure with low working gas leakage loss. The phase shift defining the performance of the Stirling motor can be easily realized in this embodiment. In any event, the amount of transported heat can be regulated in such a refrigerator, irrespective of the rotational speed.
Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the invention can be extracted from the following description, the drawing and the claims.
Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing and further described below.

Rotary piston machine having cycloid teeth


A specimen processing system 100 which performs preprocessing and analysis of a specimen includes sensors 5a, 5b, . . . each detecting a driving state of a driving device installed in the system, an abnormality detecting part 3a determining from signal waveforms detected by the sensors 5a, 5b, . . . whether an abnormality occurs in the driving device, and a recording device sequentially recording the signal waveforms detected by the sensors 5a, 5b, . . . and storing a sensor signal waveform before or after the occurrence of an operation abnormality into an unerasable area when the abnormality is determined to have occurred in the abnormality detection part 3a. Consequently, there is provided a specimen processing system capable of realizing restoration from the time of the occurrence of an abnormality faster than in the past.

With a view toward remotely managing a clinical specimen processing device by a technician or the like in a support center, there has been described in Patent Literature 1, a remote management method of remotely managing a clinical specimen processing device processing a clinical specimen, in which the clinical specimen processing device is captured by an imaging device, and a captured image captured by the imaging device is provided from the imaging device to a managing device provided in a remote site of the clinical specimen processing device through a communication network to display a captured image in the managing device.
Further, with a view toward rapidly and appropriately specifying the cause of occurrence of a failure in an automatic analyzer, there have been described in Patent Literature 2 that a storage unit is provided which stores an alarm log of recording information about the failure caused in the device, an operation log of recording information about an operation applied to the device, a communication log of recording information communicated within the device, and an analysis abnormality log of recording information about an abnormality in an analysis result by the device, and that at least some records included in each of the alarm log, the operation log, the communication log, and the analysis abnormality log are connected to thereby create one composite file, the record relatable to the cause of occurrence of the failure is retrieved from within the records recorded in the composite file, and when the record relatable to the cause of occurrence of the failure exists as its retrieval result, the designation input of a record to be reproduced by the corresponding device within the composite file is received, and an operation having the same content as the designated and input record is executed.


The present disclosure provides an ink, an ink manufacturing method, and a display device. The ink includes the first solution, the second solution, the third solution, the fourth solution, and the blank ink. The ink is mixed from the fourth solution and the blank solution. The mass percentage of the CsPbX3 in the fourth solution is 5% to 30% to the fourth solution and the blank ink.

The present disclosure relates to the field of display technologies, particularly to an ink, an ink manufacturing method, and a display device.
With the rapid development of display technologies, various types of display technologies have emerged. Among them, quantum dots have great development potential due to their excellent optical characteristics. All-inorganic perovskite quantum dots have better stability and are more suitable for display light-emitting components.
Inkjet printing technology is an effective method to implement full-color quantum dots. In the prior art, there is a lack of all inorganic perovskite quantum dot inks that can be used for full-color inkjet printing technology.
Therefore, an ink, an ink manufacturing method, and a display device are urgently required to solve the above technical problems.

Ink, ink manufacturing method, and display device

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Semiconductor Display Technology Co., Ltd.


A solid state drive (SSD) interface controller includes a host interface, first and second command interfaces, and an interface information storage unit. The interface information storage unit is configured to store information for determining activation or deactivation of each of the first and second command interfaces, and a capacity allocated to each of the first and second command interfaces. The interface information storage unit may comprise first and second registers storing interface information, which may be changed in response to an extension ROM BIOS executed during a booting operation. The command interfaces may be configured to communicate using interface protocols such as SATA, SATA express, or nonvolatile express. An interface power management unit may cut power to an interface when deactivated based on the stored interface information.

Embodiments of the inventive concept relate to a solid state drive (SSD) interface controller, and more particularly, to an SSD interface controller for efficiently managing interfaces communicating data with an SSD and a control method thereof.
Hard disks store data using a magnetic storage method. Such hard disks generally have low durability. For instance, an impact force applied to a hard disk may result in a bad sector and lost data. Also, a hard disk includes a disk rotated by a motor, and reading speeds differ between the inner portions and the outer portions of the disk. Therefore, data read/write times are not consistent.
SSDs were developed to overcome these problems. SSDs include memory, such as flash memory, as a storage device. Data can be processed in parallel in SSDs, avoiding a bottleneck effect in computers. Also, since SSDs do not require spindle motors having high power consumption, the SSDs increase power efficiency of systems as compared to the hard disks. SSDs may require controllers to control operations. A controller usually includes an interface that allows data communication with the SSD. Recently, development of faster interfaces has been in progress to increase performance and speed of systems. An approach for effectively managing such interfaces is desired.

Solid state drive interface controller and method selectively activating and deactivating interfaces and allocating storage capacity to the interfaces


A semiconductor device, which is controlled based on a control signal corresponding to control data includes: a control register in which the control data is set; a sequencer which performs read control of a first control command on a nonvolatile memory in which the first control command is stored; a first command bus to which the first control command read from the nonvolatile memory is output; and a first decoder which decodes the first control command of the first command bus. The sequencer cyclically performs read control of the first control command on the nonvolatile memory, and sets the control data corresponding to the first control command in the control register each time the first decoder decodes the first control command output to the first command bus.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method for controlling the same.
An electronic instrument such as a portable telephone is reduced in size by providing a liquid crystal system in the electronic instrument. A further reduction of power consumption can be realized by strictly performing drive control using a driver (integrated circuit or semiconductor device in a broad sense) which drives a liquid crystal panel which makes up the liquid crystal system.
A control register is provided in the driver. Drive control corresponding to control data is enabled by setting the control data in the control register, whereby further strict drive control can be realized. As examples of the control register, a control register for setting a region to be displayed, selecting the data line to be driven, selecting the shift direction of display data to be supplied, setting display output timing, or the like can be given.
The driver is connected with a micro processor unit (hereinafter abbreviated as "MPU") (display controller). As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-222249, the MPU sets the control data in the control register of the driver at the time of power-on or initialization or during a display period. The driver generates a control signal set in the control register, and performs drive control based on the control signal.

Semiconductor device and method for controlling the same


Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.

There exist today many types of hand-held electronic devices, each of which utilizes some sort of user interface. The user interface can include an output device in the form of a display, such as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), and one or more input devices, which can be mechanically actuated (e.g., switches, buttons, keys, dials, joysticks, joy pads) or electrically activated (e.g., touch pads or touch screens). The display can be configured to present visual information such as text, multi-media data, and graphics, and the input devices can be configured to perform operations such as issuing commands, making selections, or moving a cursor or selector in the electronic device.
Recently work has been progressing on integrating various devices into a single hand-held device. This has further led to attempts to integrate many user interface models and devices into a single unit. A touch screen can be used in such systems for both practical and aesthetic reasons. Additionally, multi-touch capable touch screens can provide a variety of advantages for such a device.
Heretofore, it has been assumed that touch screens, whether single touch or multi-touch, could be produced by fabricating a traditional LCD screen, and disposing a substantially transparent touch sensing device in front of this screen. However, this presents a number of disadvantages, including substantial manufacturing costs.


Composite structures having a higher density, stronger reinforcing niobium based alloy embedded within a lower density, lower strength niobium based alloy are provided. The matrix is preferably an alloy having a niobium and titanium base according to the expression: EQU Nb--Ti.sub.32-45 --Al.sub.3-18 --Hf.sub.8-15. and the reinforcement may be in the form of strands of the higher strength, higher temperature niobium based alloy. The same crystal form is present in both the matrix and the reinforcement and is specifically body centered cubic crystal form.

The present invention relates to metal structures in which a metal matrix having a lighter weight and a lower tensile strength at high temperature is reinforced by filaments of a metal present in lower volume fraction but having both higher tensile strength and higher density than that of the matrix. The invention further relates to the reinforcement of lower density metal matrix composites having a niobium titanium base matrix and a higher oxidation resistance, with metal reinforcement having a lower oxidation resistance as well as higher density and higher strength.
The invention additionally relates to body centered cubic metal structures in which a metal matrix having a lower density and a lower tensile strength at high temperature is reinforced by filaments of a metal present in lower volume fraction but having both higher tensile strength and higher density than that of the matrix. Lastly, the invention relates to metal-metal composite structures in which a lower density metal matrix having a niobium titanium base and a higher oxidation resistance is reinforced with denser, but stronger, niobium base metal reinforcing filaments having a lower oxidation resistance.
It is known that niobium base alloys have useful strength in temperature ranges at which nickel and cobalt base superalloys begin to show incipient melting. This incipient melting temperature is in the approximately 2300.degree. to 2400.degree. F. range. The use of the higher melting niobium base metals in advanced jet engine turbine hot sections would allow higher metal temperatures than are currently allowed. Such use of the niobium base alloy materials could permit higher flame temperatures and would also permit production of greater power at greater efficiency. Such greater power production at greater efficiency would be at least in part due to a reduction in cooling air requirements.
The commercially available niobium base alloys have high strength and high density but have very limited oxidation resistance in the range of 1600.degree. F. to 2400.degree. F. Silicide coatings exist which might offer some protection of such alloys at temperatures up to 2400.degree. F., but such silicide coatings are brittle enough that premature failure of the coating could be encountered where the coated part is highly stressed. The commercially available niobium base alloys also have high densities ranging from a low value of 8.6 grams per cubic centimeter for relatively pure niobium to values of about 10 grams per cubic centimeter for the strongest alloys.
Certain alloys having a niobium-titanium base have much lower densities of the range 6-7 grams per cubic centimeter. A group of such alloys are the subject matter of commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,956,144; 4,990,308; 5,006,307; 5,019,334; and 5,026,522. Such alloys can be formed into parts which have significantly lower weight than the weight of the presently employed nickel and cobalt superalloys as these superalloys have densities ranging from about 8 to about 9.3 grams per cubic centimeter. One of these patents, U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,144, concerns an alloy having the following composition in atom percent:
______________________________________ Concentration Ingredient Range ______________________________________ niobium balance titanium 32-45% aluminum 3-18% hafnium 8-15% ______________________________________
A number of additional niobium based alloys are also the subject of commonly owned U.S. patents. These U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,890,244; 4,931,254; 4,983,356; and 5,000,913. This latter group of alloys has uniquely valuable sets of properties but have densities which are higher than those of the other alloys. Commonly owned U.S. patent 4,904,546 concerns an alloy system in which a niobium base alloy is protected from environmental attack by a surface coating of an alloy highly resistant to oxidation and other atmospheric attack.
In devising alloy systems for use in aircraft engines the density of the alloys is, of course, a significant factor which often determines whether the alloy is the best available for use in the engine application. The nickel and cobalt based superalloys also have much greater tolerance to oxygen exposure than the commercially available niobium based alloys. The failure of a protective coating on a nickel or cobalt superalloy is a much less catastrophic event than the failure of a protective coating on many of the niobium based alloys and particularly the commercially available niobium based alloys. The oxidation resistance of the niobium based alloys of the above commonly owned patents is intermediate between the resistance of commercial Nb base alloys and that of the Ni- or Co-based superalloys.
While the niobium based alloys of the above commonly owned patents are stronger than wrought nickel or cobalt based superalloys at high temperatures, they are much weaker than cast or directionally solidified nickel or cobalt based superalloys at these higher temperatures. However, for many engine applications, structures formed by wrought sheet fabrication are used, since castings of sheet structures cannot be produced economically in sound form for these applications.
The advantage of use of niobium based structures is evidenced by the fact that the niobium based alloys can withstand 3 ksi for 1000 hours at temperatures of 2100.degree. F. The nickel and cobalt based wrought superalloys, by contrast, can withstand 3 ksi of stress for 1000 hours at only 1700.degree. to 1850.degree. F.
What is highly desirable in general for aircraft engine use is a structure which has a combination of lower density, higher strength at higher temperatures, good ductility at room temperature, and higher oxidation resistance. We have devised metal-metal composite structures which have such a combination of properties.
A number of articles have been written about use of refractory metals in high temperature applications. These articles include the following:
(1) Studies of composite structures of tungsten in niobium were performed at Lewis Research Center by D.W. Petrasek and R.H. Titran and are reported in a report entitled "Creep Behavior of Tungsten/Niobium and Tungsten/Niobium-1 Percent Zirconium Composites" and identified as Report No. DOE/NASA/16310-5 NASA TM-100804, prepared for Fifth Symposium on Space Nuclear Power Systems, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N Mex. (Jan. 11-14 1988). No studies of reinforcing niobium base matrices with niobium base structures, nor the unique benefits of such reinforcing, is taught in this report. PA0 (2) S.T. Wlodek, "The Properties of Cb-Ti-W Alloys. part I. Oxidation," Columbium Metallurgy, D. Douglass and F.W. Kunz, eds., AIME Metallurgical Society Conferences, vol. 10. Interscience Publishers, New York (1961) pp. 175-203. PA0 (3) S.T. Wlodek, "The Properties of Cb-Al-V Alloys. Part I. Oxidation," ibid., pp. 553-583. PA0 (4) S. Priceman and L. Sama, "Fused Slurry Silicide Coatings for the Elevated Temperature Oxidation of Columbium Alloys", Refractory Metals and Alloys IV - TMS Conference Proceedings, French Lick, Ind., Oct. 3-5, 1965, vol. II, R.I. Jaffee, G.M. Ault, J. Maltz, and M. Semchyshen, eds., Gordon and Breach Science Publisher, New York (1966) pp. 959-982. PA0 (5) M.R. Jackson and K.D. Jones, "Mechanical Behavior of Nb-Ti Base Alloys", Refractory Metals: Extraction, Processing and Applications, K.C. Liddell, D.R. Sadoway, and R.G. Bautista, eds., TMS, Warrendale, PA (1990) pp. 311-320. PA0 (6) M.R. Jackson, K.D. Jones, S.C. Huang, and L.A. Peluso, "Response of Nb-Ti Alloys to High Temperature Air Exposure", ibid., pp. 335-346. PA0 (7) M.G. Hebsur and R.H. Titran, "Tensile and Creep Rupture Behavior of P/M Processed Nb-Base Alloy, WC-3009", Refractory Metals: State-of-the-Art 1988, P. Kumar and R.L. Ammon, eds., TMS, Warrendale, Pa. (1989) pp. 39-48. PA0 (8) M.R. Jackson, P.A. Siemers, S.F. Rutkowski, and G. Frind, "Refractory Metal Structures Produced by Low Pressure Plasma Deposition", ibid., pp. 107-118.

Composite structure with NbTiAl and high Hf alloy matrix and niobium base metal reinforcement


Embodiments can provide a random access method. In this method, a preamble sequence can be sent by user equipment (UE), and a random access response can be received by the UE. The random access response includes information for sending a message 3, and the information for sending the message 3 is used by the user equipment to determine a beam for sending the message 3. The beam for sending the message 3 can then be determined based on the information for sending the message 3. The message 3 can be sent by using the determined beam.

A random access procedure starts when a user sends a random access preamble to attempt to access a network and ends before a basic signaling connection is established between the user and the network. Random access is a critical step in a mobile communications system and is also a final step for establishing a communication link between a terminal and a base station. UE exchanges information with the base station through random access, to complete a subsequent operation such as calling, resource requesting, or data transmission. The UE implements uplink time synchronization with the system through random access. Random access performance directly affects user experience.
In NR technology research, a beamforming mechanism is introduced. To be specific, when a message is sent, an analog beam is formed in a specific direction to concentrate energy, thereby enhancing signal coverage. However, there is no relatively good random access mechanism.


Offsets and timing skews in data signals captured in a data receiver are reduced by adaptively adjusting a transition threshold of the data receiver. A data corrector provides a set of adjustment vectors for adjusting the transition threshold of the data receiver. The data corrector uses differential clock signals and a reference voltage to generate the set of adjustment vectors to be provided to the data receivers. The data receiver is an improved receiver incorporating a trip point adjustor that receives the set of adjustment vectors from the data corrector to adjust its trip point relative to the reference voltage.

Integrated circuit devices have long been the building blocks for a wide variety of applications. One of the largest applications for integrated circuits has been in the field of digital computers, where the development of smaller feature sizes for the integrated circuit has allowed for greater capacity and flexibility in operating a digital computer. In particular, the developments in integrated circuits have provided for increased memory capacity and different types of memory devices. One such memory device is the Double Data Rate Dynamic Random Access Memory, referred to as DDR DRAM.
DDR DRAM transfers data at both the rising and falling edge of a clock signal, unlike traditional SDRAM, which transfers data only on the rising edge of a clock signal. In operation, DDR and similar memory devices utilize differential signaling for clock signals at clock pins of a device package. Differential signaling for these clock signals reduces sensitivity to common mode voltages to enable the production of a stable internal timing reference. Typically, a differential signal provides good signal integrity from which a balanced receiver can be built that maintains good duty cycle performance internally. However, DDR and similar memory devices utilize non-differential signaling for data signals input on the device data pins. The received data signals are compared to a voltage reference voltage supplied by the system. The lack of differential signaling for the received data signals introduces sensitivities to both the common mode signal voltage and reference voltage levels. As a result, the received data signals exhibit timing skew relative to the received clock signals, when the signaling levels depart from ideal.
The non-differential signals and their sensitivity to the system voltage reference, VREF, may result in data signal offsets, which requires some compromise in building the receivers used in applications such as memory devices. As a result of these design compromises, the internal signals after capture generally do not have the same duty cycle integrity as the system clock signal. This reduction in duty cycle integrity could be due to several reasons. Imbalances in the memory buffers can occur during wafer processing due to variations between p-type channel devices and n-type channel devices in drive strength that can vary from wafer to wafer. Invariably, the p to n drive strength ratios are not as balanced as initially designed. This variation from the design is a factor when examining the received data signal relative to VREF.
The data signal is examined relative to a trip point of a data receiver. A trip point is essentially the transition point, or transition threshold, at which the data receiver transitions from a one to a zero, that is, the point at which, when the input changes from one level to another, the output changes from one level to another. Ideally, the trip point should be exactly equal to VREF. As the received data signal transitions through the voltage level represented by VREF, the output of the receiver will transition from one state to another. Thus, the data signals are being examined relative to the VREF level in the circuitry of the data receivers using p-type and n-type device elements. With imbalances from the design in the p to n drive strength ratio, the trip point may be somewhat shifted from VREF. As a result, imbalances in a duty cycle may occur, or the rise and fall times of the data signal and that of a data buffer may not be matched as desired. As a result, some timing skews relative to the received clock signal may occur. Then, generally, as data is sent from the data receivers to data latches, any kind of timing skew incurred in the data receivers translates into set-up and hold timing problems.
Generally, VREF is a reference voltage set as one-half the power supply. If data signals swing from VSS to VDD, VREF should be (VDD−VSS)/2. The ideal level for VREF is to be perfectly centered in the signal swing. If VREF is not centered in the signal swing, the output duty cycle from the data receiver can be affected. Further, any noise on the VREF input to the receiver could potentially affect the timing of the output signal in a high speed device. In a high speed device, the design intent is to guarantee certain set up and hold times, such that measured from where the clock makes a transition, there is a certain set up time requirement where data has to be transitioned and settled before the clock transition occurs. At higher frequencies, the set up and hold time is smaller, thus any errors or deviations from design created on the chip die will negatively affect set up and hold times. In addition to making integrated circuits as accurate as possible, there is a need to correct for imbalances in the transistors in the integrated circuit, and correct for DC offsets in the VREF signal.
Typically, once the integrated circuit has been made, data signal offsets and timing skews are not corrected during operation of the processed integrated circuit. A problem dealing with adjusting timing offsets of a digital signal relative to a coincident clock signal has been addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,250, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Adaptively Adjusting the Timing Offset Between a Clock Signal and Digital Signals Transmitted Coincident with that Clock Signal, and Memory Device and System Using the Same," and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In the above patent, a number of digital signals with respective timing offsets are stored and evaluated, where one of the timing offsets from the number of digital signals stored is selected to be used to adjust the timing offsets for the digital signals. Such an approach will not fully address the problems previously discussed. There remains a need for correcting data signaling offsets and timing skews in a data receiver as it operates. The present invention provides a solution to this problem.

Apparatus for adaptively adjusting a data receiver


A robot device includes a sensor on its base plate capable of sensing rotation of the base plate occasioned by decoupling of a detachable joint that joins a forearm member of the robot to the base plate. The sensor produces an output signal which, if above a preset threshold, shuts off the motors driving the robot.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to high speed pick-and-place robotic machines, and more particularly to a fail-safe control circuit that is operative to disable the robot in the event of a machine fault condition.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,582 to Raymond Clavel (the Clavel '582 patent), there is described a robot for handling products in a three-dimensional space. The teachings of that patent are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Because of the three-sided geometry of the mechanism, the device in the Clavel '582 patent has become known in the industry as a Delta Robot and that terminology will be used herein. The robot of the type described therein is designed for high-speed and high-accuracy pick-and-place applications, such as may be effectively used in the packaging machine industry, for picking products from a conveyor belt and placing them in cartons or to the infeed of a high-speed wrapping machine with a predetermined orientation and spacing between products.
Referring to FIG. 2 of the Clavel '582 patent, the Delta Robot includes a generally triangular-shaped main casting 1 having three rotatable shafts 2 journaled for rotation about horizontal axes extending generally parallel to the three sides of the triangular casting 1. Each of the three shafts is arranged to driven by a servo motor 3 for rotating the arms 4 in a vertical plane. Rotary encoders 7 on the servo motor 3 feed positional information to a main controller module 12.
At the free ends of the arms 4 are crossbars of a predetermined length dimension and carrying a detachable connector, such as ball and socket joints 26, at opposed ends thereof. The detachable ball and socket joints 26 couple the crossbars to pairs of rods or six forearms 5, all of equal length. Suspended from the lower ends of the six forearms 5 is a triangular shaped base plate member 8. More particularly, cross rods project laterally from the base plate 8 proximate the three vertices thereof and detachable connectors, e.g., ball and socket joints 27, are used to join the lower ends of the forearm members 5 to the cross rods.
Supported from the underside of the base plate 8 is an end effector 9 which may comprise a vacuum cup or other type of gripping member. In that the forearms 5 are of equal length, as the respective servo motors impart rotation to the arms 4, the base plate 8 carrying the end effector 9 undergoes pure translation without rotation in first swinging to pick up a product located in a first area and transporting it to a second area for release. Occasionally, inertial forces or impact forces occurring when the end effector hits a product can result in disengagement of one or more of the ball-joint connections 27 between the forearms 50 and the base plate 8. When this occurs, the base plate and end effector move in an uncontrolled manner, which can cause damage to the end effector itself or to products being handled. It is, therefore, desirable to provide a protection or safety feature to the robot to prevent damage to the machine or the products being handled in those instances where one or more of the ball or socket joints 27 become detached. The present invention provides such protection.


The invention relates to novel pyrrolidine derivatives represented by formula (1): ##STR1## wherein: R1 represents (1) a lower alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or (2) a 3- to 15-membered mono- or fused cyclic hydrocarbon group which may contain a hetero atom on the ring, or which may be substituted with a substituent(s); each of n and m represents an integer and the sum of n and m is an integer of 0 to 2; each of X and E represents oxygen, NR' (wherein R' is hydrogen or a lower alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms), sulfur, phenylene, CH.dbd.CH or CH.sub.2 ; A represents an amino acid residue or an imino acid residue, which functional group may be optionally protected, or a glycine residue which may be substituted at the amino moiety thereof; and, Y1 represents a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms; or a salt thereof. The pyrrolidine derivatives inhibit a prolyl endopeptidase and are expected to be effective for the treatment of amnesia.

Low molecular protease inhibitors originating from natural sources such as leupeptin, chymostatin and elastatinal are known. Based on these compounds, a number of peptidyl aldehydes have been synthesized and provided as inhibitors. It is known that upon inhibition of serine protease or thiol protease, these peptidyl aldehydes are known to form a covalent bond to the hydroxy or thiol group of the enzyme, see Thompson, R. C., Biochemistry, 12, 47-51 (1973).
Peptidyl aldehydes contain an aldehyde group at the C terminus of peptide chain. Then, modification of their amino acid sequences to enhance the specificity or inhibitory activity is restricted to the N-terminal site. Compounds including Poststatin, that were found by the present inventors, contain also at the C terminus as the activity center such a structure that enhances the specificity and contain an .alpha.-keto acid moiety in peptide chain; it is thus considered that these compounds would inhibit the enzyme in the same mechanism as in the peptidyl aldehydes, cf. EP-A-0423358, EP-A-0468339 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,752. However, poststatin and the like might be degraded by various proteases in vivo since they have the peptide residue and amino acid residue bound to the a-keto acid structure at the C and N termini. It is therefore expected to develop compounds having other stable functional groups with less possibility of degradation.

Zaidan Hojin Biseibutsu Kagaku Kenkyukai


A barcode reader for capturing a barcode connected to a moving carrier is proposed having at least one optical barcode detector for at least one-dimensional capture of information modules of the barcode. The barcode reader furthermore comprises at least one optical clock track detector for capturing clock track modules of a clock track of the barcode and at least one optical reference detector for capturing at least one item of reference information of the barcode. The barcode reader is configured to determine a direction of movement of the carrier from at least one signal from the clock track detector and at least one signal from the reference detector.

For the purpose of identifying specific products, or else for the purpose of data storage, in particular of small amounts of information, the prior art has widely disclosed the use of barcodes, for example one-dimensional or two-dimensional barcodes. By way of example, barcodes have been disclosed which are applied directly onto the products to be identified or marked, for example by means of appropriate printing techniques or else other techniques, for example laser techniques. However, as an alternative or in addition thereto, the barcodes can also be applied separately by means of appropriate adhesive techniques, for example by means of barcode labels.
Medical consumable articles are an important exemplary embodiment thereof; the present invention can, in particular, be related thereto but the present invention is not restricted thereto. Such medical consumable articles are used in medical diagnostics for example and can, for example, be embodied as disposable articles. Examples of such consumable articles are lancets for producing a puncture in an area of skin of a user, in particular for the purpose of generating a sample of a bodily fluid of the user. However, as an alternative or in addition thereto, the consumables can, for example, also comprise test elements, i.e. elements which are used to detect a property of a sample. By way of example, this property can be a concentration of one or more analytes in the bodily fluid. For this purpose, the consumables, which can for example be embodied as test strips, test tubes, test tapes or similar types of consumable articles, can in particular comprise one or more test fields. As a rule, these test fields comprise one or more test chemicals which specifically change at least one detectable property if the analyte to be detected is present. By way of example, this can be a property which can be detected electrochemically or optically, such as, for example, a color change. In principle, such test elements are known from the prior art. By way of example, these test elements can be used for qualitative and/or quantitative detection of blood glucose, lactate, cholesterol, coagulation values or similar parameters in the sample.
In the case of medical consumable articles, particularly in the field of medical diagnostics, at least one item of information in respect of the consumable article must, in general, be read into a medical instrument interacting with the consumable article. According to the prior art, this is generally performed manually or via electronic transmission methods, such as, for example, so-called ROM keys, which are added to packaging of the consumables and are entered into the medical instrument when the consumables are used for the first time. However, in principle, other forms of data transmission are also possible. By way of example, the transmitted data can contain information in respect of how the medical instrument interacts with the consumable articles and/or how the consumable articles are to be used. By way of example, this can be calibration information, batch-specific data or similar data since test strips, for example, usually have properties which differ from batch to batch and should be taken into account when using the consumable articles and more particularly when evaluating measured values which were obtained using these consumable articles.
The prior art has disclosed a number of different types of barcodes. Here, these can be simple one-dimensional barcodes, which are also referred to as linear barcodes, or, as an alternative or in addition thereto, else be multidimensional barcodes, for example so-called data matrix codes. Various options will be explained in more detail below.
Barcodes are usually read by means of hand-guided or motor-driven swipe systems or by means of moved mirror-deflected laser beams (scanners). Such reader systems are typically used in the case of one-dimensional barcodes. In the case of two-dimensional or multidimensional barcodes, which comprise significantly more information, use is generally made of camera systems or else mirror scanners. The use of CCD row-systems by moving the objects and goods past the CCD row in motor-driven and perpendicular fashion is also known, particularly in production processes and/or assembly-line methods. In order to decode and read out the information of these partial images of multidimensional barcodes, supplied by means of camera systems or, for example, CCD rows, high demands must generally be placed on both the motion sequence of the scanner or the moving past of the articles and on the utilized computer systems. In particular, use must generally be made of high-speed computer systems. In order to enable spatial resolution of the submodules, i.e. the binary information carriers, contained in the barcode, use is made of speed information contained in the code in the form of relative defined distances of the submodules in the case of one-dimensional barcodes or of clock tracks in the case of two-dimensional barcodes. Such barcodes are also referred to as "self-clocked barcodes". However, all previously used barcodes assume a precise unidirectionality of the movement process, within the scope of which the article with the barcode is moved past the barcode reader. Although a violation of the unidirectionality is often identified in the case of one-dimensional barcodes, if such a so-called "bad scan" is identified, this generally requires a new scanning attempt. Mirror-guided or camera-supported scan systems in the case of two-dimensional barcodes often automatically ensure speed constancy and unidirectionality.
From prior disclosure it is known to provide a reader for moved-past transport goods or containers provided with a data medium. The reader comprises a reader head which can scan information present in an information track of the data medium. Provision is furthermore made for a clock track, which is scanned by means of two sensors. The two sensors are arranged offset with respect to one another. This arrangement can be used, inter alia, to identify a movement direction of the barcode and, accordingly, to read out information content into a shift register. See, e.g., EP 0 180 283 A2
It is also known to provide an apparatus for identifying objects moved along a track. By way of example, these can be transport cars which are provided with an information carrier. The information carrier comprises three rows of holes. Here, an upper row and a lower row serve as information rows, in which the encoded information is present. The upper and lower rows complement one another, and so respectively one hole is made in the holes of the rows lying above one another. By way of example, if the upper hole is present, this means that there is a 1 at this place of the binary number to be represented, while a hole in the lower row represents a 0. By contrast, the central row is embodied such that all holes are present therein, respectively independently of the respective information. The markings in the second row are arranged offset compared to the markings in the first and the third row. Respectively one row is associated with a scanning element which is arranged in a spatially fixed manner. Furthermore, a corresponding algorithm for identifying the information is described. Inter alia, edge identification is also disclosed herein. See, e.g., EP 0 379 017 A2.
It is also known to provide a test carrier analysis system for analyzing a constituent of a bodily fluid. Inter alia, provision is made in this case for a test carrier and a code carrier. See, e.g., EP 0 492 326 A2.
However, both motor-operated barcode readers and manually operated barcode readers can still lead to irregular conditions, in which the demands in respect of speed constancy and unidirectionality are violated. By way of example, mechanical resistances can occur in the case of motor-operated barcode readers and these may lead to jerks in the drive systems. If the transport direction is violated, bad scans can also occur in this case. Although manually operated barcode readers, in which the articles provided with the barcode are guided past the barcode reader manually, are comparatively stable with respect to speed constancy, a shaking operator of the system would, under certain circumstances, also fail to meet a demand in respect of unidirectionality.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide methods and devices which at least largely avoid the disadvantages of the above-described, known methods and de-vices. In particular, a barcode reader, in particular for use in a medical instrument, is to be proposed, which can be realized easily and with a small installation space and which can also be used reliably in manually guided applications.

Devices for transmitting items of information of optical barcodes, optical barcodes having phase-shifted clock and reference tracks, and methods for capturing or transmitting information of such optical barcodes


A differential ball screw and nut assembly has an axially and rotatably fixed nut with an internal helical groove having a first lead to cooperate with a tubular ball screw having an external helical groove with a corresponding lead to provide a first raceway for a train of balls. The tubular ball screw also has an internal helical groove of the same hand with a second reduced lead relative to the first lead. A second rotatably fixed, radially inner screw having an external helical groove with a lead corresponding to the second lead cooperates with the internal groove of the tubular screw to provide a second raceway. A second train of load bearing balls transmits load between the tubular screw and second screw to move the screws differentially an axial distance corresponding to the number of rotations of the tubular screw times the lead differential.

Typical ball screw actuators employ a screw and nut of the general character disclosed in the present assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,760, for example, wherein the nut has an external ball return tube for a recirculating train of load bearing balls which is accommodated within a nut and screw groove helical raceway.
In this patent, the nut, which is fixed to a non-rotatable piston, is held against rotation. Reciprocating movement of the piston is caused by rotary movement of the screw in the usual manner via the train of load bearing balls. In another embodiment of the invention disclosed in the aforementioned patent, the screw may be revolved by a suitable motor or source of driving rotation while being fixed against axial movement and the nut, which is prevented from revolving, will be moved axially.
In the case of the configurations of the aforementioned patent, the ball screw lead may only be as small as the ball size permits. For example, if a 60 thousandths inch lead was specified, the ball diameter size could only be a fraction (for example 0.078215 inches) of this lead and a great many balls would be required for large loads. The present differential ball screw assembly permits the use of large load bearing balls (for example 0.3125 and 0.28215 inches), while providing a very fine resultant lead.

Differential ball screw and nut assembly and method of obtaining relative linear motion differentially

Thomson Saginaw Ball Screw Company, L.L.C.


A method and system for wireless data communication. A request is accepted for communication of a data collection including a plurality of data objects. For each of the plurality of data objects, content importance and error resilience properties are evaluated. A transmission order of the data objects is determined based upon evaluated content importance, error resilience properties, past channel conditions and predicted channel conditions, and one or more data objects are selected based on the determined order. An error control level is selected for transmission of data packets for communicating the selected data objects based upon error resilience properties and current channel conditions to achieve communication of the data collection.

Web usage, file transfer, multimedia applications, and other popular applications place high demand on data communication networks, calling for strategies to address the bandwidth and error rate demands placed upon channels. Wireless networks have a particularly strong need for communication strategies that address the growing demand for ubiquitous multimedia access. A significant bottleneck in satisfying the increasing demand for content-rich multimedia access is the dynamic error conditions caused by wireless channel variations.
In order to address the above concern, several link and physical layer error control techniques have been proposed that introduce redundancies in transmission to counter the presence of errors. However, due to the redundant data transmission, the physical/link layer techniques may lead to very high communication overhead in terms of the energy consumed and the latency experienced.
A number of adaptation techniques have been proposed to address erroneous transmission in wireless multimedia by using information about specific application object types, such as image and video. One class of techniques is based on Unequal Loss Protection (ULP) framework. In this framework, given a target bandwidth (expressed as the total number of packets), the goal is to protect different parts of the object differently so as to maximize the quality of the data under current channel condition. It is assumed that the channel condition is known a-priori, and is static during the transmission period.
In another class of techniques, called Priority Encoding Transmission (PET), each packet is protected differently at the lower layer using some priority information provided by the higher layer. The advantage of this technique is that it can potentially vary the protection level dynamically as the physical layer channel condition changes. However, such PET techniques do not specify how to optimally assign priorities to different packets based on the changing wireless channel conditions.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Content and channel aware object scheduling and error control

The Regents of the University of California