A flush control system, for releasing different amounts of water from the holding tank of a toilet into a discharge pipe, includes an auxiliary tank mounted in the toilet holding tank. The auxiliary tank has a volume which is less than the volume of the holding tank, and has one end wall assembly with a flapper valve communicating with the interior of the auxiliary tank and another flapper valve in a different wall communicating with the interior wall of the holding tank. A chamber is formed between the two walls in which the flapper valves are located. The bottom of this chamber has an opening which is placed over the discharge pipe opening in the bottom of the holding tank. A balancing aperture is formed through one of the other walls of the holding tank to permit water flow to take place between the auxiliary tank and the holding tank. The balancing aperture is smaller in diameter than the diameter of the openings closed by the flapper valves; so that a low volume flush is effected when the flapper valve inside the auxiliary tank is opened, and a maximum flush is effected when the flapper valve located in the wall communicating with the holding tank is opened.

Flush toilets are in widespread use throughout the world for disposing of both fluid and solid waste. The standard construction for such toilets is to provide a holding tank for the water to be used in a flush,from which the water is fully discharged each time the toilet is flushed. The amount of water in the holding tank is selected to be sufficient to dispose of solid waste deposited into the toilet bowl. This requires a relatively large quantity of water. For disposal of fluid waste only, however, utilizing the full contents of the holding tank is wasteful, since fluid wastes can be disposed of with a much lower volume of water.
In many areas of the world, such as in the Southwestern United States, water is in short supply. Efforts to conserve water include efforts to reduce the amount of water consumed in a flush toilet each time the flush mechanism is operated. Some of these efforts simply employ devices for limiting the amount of water in the tank; so that a lower volume of water is used each time the toilet is flushed. Approaches of this nature, however, frequently result in unsatisfactory disposal of solid waste, since often it is necessary to flush such a low water volume toilet more than once in order to dispose of solid wastes. This defeats the purpose of the low volume. Such toilets generally do not have any problem in disposing of purely liquid waste.
In efforts to alleviate the problems associated with simply reducing the water level every time a toilet is flushed, dual flush toilet devices have been designed. These toilets are selectively operated to use the full volume water available for solid waste disposal, and to use a lesser volume of water for liquid waste disposal.
Two United States patents, Pozo U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,299 and Navarrette U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,893, disclose dual flush mechanisms. In the devices of both of these patents, flush valves are located at different heights on a discharge pipe inside the toilet tank. One of these valves is located near the bottom of the holding tank; and the other valve is located at an intermediate position above the other or first of the valves. When a full flush is desired, the flapper valve located at the lowermost position is operated to discharge the full volume of water into the toilet bowl for effecting flushing of solid waste. When a partial flush, for disposing of fluid waste only, is desired, the upper flapper valve is opened. Thus, less water is required to effect a flush, since the upper valve closes before the water level in the tank drops to the bottom of the tank. The pressure available for effecting a partial flush, however, is less than the pressure available for the full flush because of the location of the partial flush valve at a higher position within the tank. As a consequence, the flushing action which takes place in the toilet bowl is not as vigorous for a partial flush as it is for a full flush because of this reduced pressure.
Another approach to providing reduced volume water flushes in a toilet tank is disclosed in the U.S. patent to Kern U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,170. This patent is directed to a modification of a standard toilet tank to permit it to provide only reduced water flushes. This is not a dual flush device. The device of this patent utilizes a smaller container or barrier in the tank around the discharge pipe; so that when the flush mechanism is operated, only the water which is above the top of this container or barrier, and then located within the barrier, is used to effect the flush. This leaves the remainder of the water in the tank surrounding the barrier unused. This patent is directed to an installation which is to be made to an existing toilet tank to reduce the amount of water available for a flush operation.
An after-market installation for effecting a dual flush operation is disclosed in the U.S. patent to Gruenhagen U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,444. This patent discloses a closed compartment which is placed in the toilet over the exhaust or discharge pipe in the bottom of the holding tank. The compartment then surrounds the valve which normally is associated with the discharge pipe. The compartment is hinged at one side, and is magnetically held in place at the other side. Thus, some very specific installation requirements must be made in order to place this device in an existing toilet holding tank. When a partial flush is desired, operation of a lever lifts the stopper from the exhaust pipe in the chamber. The water in the chamber is used to effect the partial flush. Water in the remainder of the tank surrounding the chamber is not used for such a low volume flush operation. When a full volume flush is desired, the valve in the chamber first is lifted; then further operation of the handle or operating lever lifts the entire inner tank up on the edge opposite the hinge to permit the water to flow under that edge and through the discharge or exhaust pipe. Thus, the entire contents of the tank are emptied for such a full flush. At the end of the full flush, the tank drops back into place and is held against the bottom of the toilet holding tank by the magnet. The flapper valve within the inner tank also closes in a normal manner. This is a relatively complex device.
The United States patent to Zaruba U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,537 discloses several versions of a dual flush toilet. Some of these versions include a pair of flapper valves located at different heights within the tank to effect the flushing, but in the manner described previously in conjunction with the Pozo and Navarrette patents. FIG. 9 of this patent, however, shows a dual flush version which uses an auxiliary inner tank surrounding the exhaust pipe or discharge pipe in the holding tank. This auxiliary inner tank has a valve located in the bottom of it, much like the one in the Gruenhagen patent discussed above. In addition, there is a flapper valve located in the side of this tank. For a partial flush, the original or inner valve is opened and only the water in the inner tank is discharged. When a full flush is desired, the two valves both are opened to permit water in the tank to flow from the main tank through the opening in the side of the auxiliary tank, and then out through the discharge pipe in the bottom of the holding tank.
The U.S. patent to Wilhelm U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,958 is a custom or factory made toilet tank for effecting a dual flush operation. This is not a device which may be added to a standard toilet holding tank originally designed for a single flush operation. In the device of Wilhelm, two different discharge openings are provided in the bottom of the tank. A separate standpipe is formed around one of these openings to effect a partial flush, where only the water within this standpipe is discharged. For a full flush, both of the stoppers or valves are raised; so that the water within the standpipe as well as the water within the main tank is used to effect the flush.
It is desirable to provide an improved dual flush control system for releasing different amounts of water from the holding tank of a toilet into a discharge pipe opening in the bottom of the holding tank, which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art, which is simple in construction, easy to install and simple to operate.


A charge pump circuit comprises an input terminal for receiving an input voltage, an output terminal for providing an output voltage, and a plurality of pump stages connected in series between the input and output terminals and alternately coupled to first and second clock signals having complementary states. Each of the pump stages includes a transistor having a gate terminal, a source terminal, a drain terminal, and a bulk terminal, and a capacitor connected between the gate terminal of the transistor and a corresponding one of the clock signals. Each bulk terminal is biased by the voltage of a previous pump stage driven by the same clock signal, so that each of the corresponding threshold voltages of the transistors is suppressed to a voltage sufficient for generating a higher voltage on a low power supply voltage regardless of body effect.

Many non-volatile memory devices, such as electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), EPROMs, and FLASH EPROM memories, require relatively high voltage potentials for writing or erasing information, typically in the range of approximately 12-20 Volts. Because power supplies of contemporary digital systems supply a much lower voltage, for example 2-5 Volts, various methods of high-voltage generation have been used to "pump up", or increase, the power supply voltage Vcc to the potential required by non-volatile memories.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional charge pump circuit 10 used for high-voltage generation. The charge pump circuit 10, commonly referred to as "voltage multiplier," increases (or "pumps up") the amplitude of the power supply voltage Vcc to a programming/erase voltage Vpp required by non-volatile memories.
The charge pump circuit 10 comprises several pump stages 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 connected in series. Pump stage 15 represents the nth pump stage. Each pump stage 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 respectively comprises capacitors C1, C2, C3, C4, and Cn connected to respective gate terminals of diode-connected NMOS transistors MN2, MN3, MN4, MN5 and MNn. The power supply voltage Vcc is coupled through a diode-connected NMOS transistor MN1 to a source of transistor MN2 of the first pump stage 11. The pumped up output voltage Vout is received from a drain of the transistor MNn in the nth pump stage 15. Each of the pump stages 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 is coupled to one of a pair of complementary clock signals P1 and P2 (refer to FIG. 2) through capacitors C1, C2, C3, C4, and Cn, respectively.
During operation, the capacitors C1, C2, C3, C4, and Cn are successively charged and discharged during each half of the clock signal. Specifically, capacitor C1 is charged through the diode-connected NMOS transistor MN1 as the clock signal P1 transitions to a low level, and capacitor C3 is charged via the current path through capacitor C2, the diode-connected NMOS transistor MN3 and positive-transitioning clock P2. Charge is transferred from capacitor C1 to capacitor C2 through the diode-connected NMOS transistor MN2 when the clock signals P1 and P2 reverse polarity. Charge transfer is constrained by transistors MN1 . . . MNn to be in a direction from left to right.
As capacitors C1, C2, C3, C4, and Cn are successively charged and discharged, packets of charge are "pumped" along the diode-connected NMOS transistors MN1 . . . MNn. The average voltage potential at the drains of the diode-connected NMOS transistors MN1 . . . MNn increases progressively from stage 11 to the output Vout of the diode-connected NMOS transistor chain. Thus, the voltage generated at the drain of the diode-connected NMOS transistor MNn at node Vout has a greater amplitude than the power supply voltage Vcc. When the power supply voltage is 5 Volts, the charge pump circuit 10 is sufficient for generating the high voltages required by non-volatile memories. In this scenario, for example, approximately 10 pump stages are utilized.
In the conventional embodiment, the bulk-to-source voltage Vsb increases as the power supply voltage Vcc is pumped up through the pump stages, causing respective threshold voltages Vts of the diode-connected NMOS transistors MN1 . . . MNn to be increased, as shown in FIG. 3, according to a phenomenon known as "body effect" (sometimes referred to as a substrate bias effect). The body effect causes the conductance of a transistor to decrease, that is, it increases the threshold voltages Vt of each transistor. As conduction of the transistors decreases, the upper pump stages, for example stage 15, become highly resistive, which severely limits current.
Thus, there is a need for a charge pump circuit capable of generating the high voltages required by non-volatile memories from a low power supply voltage without incrementally increasing threshold voltage.

Low-power charge pump circuit having reduced body effect


The invention provides an input/output-integrated display device equipped with a means for inputting information through handwriting comprising a protective glass plate arranged as an outermost layer on the observation side of the device, leaving a space between the protective glass plate and a part of the device facing the same. The protective glass plate is a chemically reinforced glass plate prepared by immersing, in a molten salt bath, a glass plate produced according to the floating technique and has a Young's modulus of 71 to 74 GPa and a Poisson's ratio of 0.22 to 0.24 to thus chemically reinforce the same; the protective glass plate has the side serving as the top face upon the production of the glass plate according to the floating technique and the bottom face side opposite to the top face side; the surface compression stress on the top face side is 200 to 650 MPa; the protective glass plate is arranged such that the top face faces the space; and the protective glass plate is deflected towards the bottom face side at a warpage.

There have already been put on the market various display devices each of which is so designed that a display panel, for instance, a flat display panel such as a liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL panel is provided with a tablet plate to thus permit the input of information such as characters and/or patterns through handwriting using, for instance, a data-inputting device such as a data-inputting pen and that the contents thus inputted into the device can be displayed on the display panel.
The display device is provided with a transparent protective plate on the side of the device facing the observer in order to maintain the desired display quality thereof while eliminating the occurrence of any local pressure possibly applied onto the same when inputting information into the device (see, for instance, FIG. 3 attached to Patent Document 1 or FIG. 1 attached to Patent Document 2). In this respect, a glass plate has preferably been used as such a protective plate in the light of the excellent characteristic properties thereof such as high mechanical strength, good weatherability and high light-transmittance.
It has been required for the foregoing display devices to increase the area thereof for the display and to reduce the weight thereof for its portable use and it has correspondingly been required for the protective glass plate used in the foregoing display devices to increase the area thereof and to reduce the thickness of the plate for the reduction of the weight thereof.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Un-Examined Patent Publication Hei 6-75213;
Patent Document 2: Japanese Un-Examined Patent Publication 2004-240548

Input/output-integrated display device and protective glass plate used therein


Where G and H are cyclic groups, M is an integer of two or more, i=1, . . . , M, f is a homomorphic function of mapping a member xi of group H to group G, Ri and R0 are random variables with a value in group G, ri is a realized value of the random variable Ri,, r0 is a realized value of the random variable R0, and ai is a random number of an integer of 0 or more, a random number generation unit 11 generates random numbers a1, a2, . . . , aM. A sampler 21 is capable of calculating f(x1)r1, f(x2)r2, . . . , f(xM)rM to obtain a calculation result thereof as z1, z2, . . . , zM, respectively. A power calculation unit 12 calculates (z1)a1, (z2)a2, . . . , (zM)aM. An extended randomizable sampler 22 is capable of calculating f(x1a1×x2a2× . . . ×xMaM)r0 to obtain a calculation result z0 thereof. A determination unit 16 determines whether or not (z1)a1×(z2)a2× . . . ×(zM)aM=z0.

The inventor has proposed a technique of calculating f(x) for an input x using a randomizable sampler and a sampler described below (for example, refer to Non-patent literature 1).
R is defined as a random variable with a value in group G. What returns war′ corresponding to a sample r′ in accordance with the random variable R every time an integer a of 0 or more for wεG is given is referred to as a randomizable sampler with an error R for w. In the randomizable sampler, distribution of the random variable R is unrelated to the integer a.
In addition, what returns wr′ corresponding to the sample r′ in accordance with the random variable R every time a demand is received in wεG is referred to as a sampler with an error R for w.
The randomizable sampler and the sampler calculate war′ and wr′, respectively, using a function called black box.
In a case that, when r1 and r2 are realized values of the random variable R, an output f(x)ar1 of the randomizable sampler with an error R for f(x) is equal to the a-th power (f(x)r2)a of an output f(x)r2 of the sampler with an error R for f(x), r1 and r2 are unit elements eg of group G with high probability. Accordingly, since f(x)r2=f(x)eg=f(x) in this case, the output f(x)r2 of the sampler becomes f(x) intended to be obtained.

Proxy calculation system, method, request device and program thereof

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION


A wire retracting device includes a base having a platform, a limiting board disposed on the base, a cover including a top surface and a side wall, a slide block slidably disposed on a sliding area, and a transmission wire disposed in an accommodating space formed between the cover and the base. An annular wall is arranged on the platform, and has a limiting portion that has a first stop portion and a second stop portion respectively formed on two sides thereof. A gap, in which the cover is limited to being movable, is formed between the limiting board and the platform. The top surface has a grooved opening, and a lever is arranged on an inner edge thereof. The side wall is disposed along an edge of the top surface. The sliding area is formed between the inner edge of the grooved opening and the annular wall.

A portable adapter is a docking station designed for laptop computers, which allows a laptop computer to be connected to peripheral equipment, e.g., a power adapter, an internet cable, a mouse, a peripheral keyboard, a printer, and a peripheral monitor via a single connection point. The portable adaptor, in addition to having a plurality of connecting ports, usually has a transmission wire that is used for connecting peripheral electronic devices.
When a wire is received inside a conventional portable adaptor, the wire can usually be wound one turn only. When the wire is wound more than one turn, a user may not know whether or not the wire is completely retracted and continue to wind the wire, thereby causing the wire to be over-wound and damaged. However, when the wire can only be wound one turn or less than one turn, a length of the wire is consequently limited (since accommodating a wire that is too long is not possible, and the wire can only be kept at a length that is fitting for accommodation and for being wound one turn).
Therefore, it has become an important issue in the industry to allow the user to be aware that the wire has been completely retracted when the wire is being wound more than one turn.

USI Science and Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.


A direct current smelting electric furnace includes a rectifying control circuit, a rectifying power supply device, a short network device, a multi-load layout device including multiple electrodes, and an electric furnace body. The rectifying power supply device includes at least two double-circuit direct current power supply packs. Four output terminals of each double-circuit direct current power supply pack are connected to three electrodes in the multi-load layout device by the short network device to constitute two current circuits by an electric furnace weld pool load. Each electrode in the multi-load layout device is connected to homo-polar output terminals of a three-phase negative semi-cycle rectifying output circuit and a three-phase positive semi-cycle rectifying output circuit, separately. The rectifying power supply device-includes multiple output current circuits. The number of output current circuits of the rectifying power supply device is the same as the number of electrodes in the multi-load layout device.

Currently, an alternating current power supply technology is basically adopted for smelting electric furnaces in China and abroad. All of the smelting electric furnaces using the alternating current power supply technology are powered by an alternating current with an industrial frequency of 50 Hz-60 Hz. Due to the load characteristic of low voltage and high current of the smelting electric furnace, the eddy current loss of ferromagnetic parts around an electric furnace short network is large. As the existence of inductive reactance factor of a conducting circuit of an electric furnace short network causes it difficult to input high alternating current electric energy into an electric furnace weld pool, coexistence of heavy current working condition and the inductive reactance of the conducting circuit of the electric furnace short network causes a low power factor of the whole system of the alternating current electric furnace. The electrode arc of the alternating current electric furnace is ignited and extinguished 100 times˜120 times per second, then the arc is unstable in combustion, causing defects of large consumption due to electrode breakage, high ore consumption and power consumption of products per ton, and so on during production.
There are fewer electric furnaces adopting the direct current power supply technology, and currently, all of the direct current electric furnaces adopting the direct current power supply technology basically need to adopt the bottom electrode technology, but it is difficult for the bottom electrode to be widely spread and applied in the smelting industry because the bottom electrode is easy to burn.
In recent years, some enterprises try to build and use a multi-electrode direct current electric furnace system, which finally causes uneven power distribution inside the electric furnace weld pool basically because the problem of matching a direct current power supply device with an electric furnace weld pool load cannot be solved, then in production practice, the smelting index is not ideal, and the advantage of heavy current transmission of the direct current electric energy fails to be fully exerted to bring practical industrial application value to the smelting work.

Direct current smelting electric furnace


The invention relates to a chipper knife with at least one cutting edge (6) along at least one of its side edges. The chipper knife is adapted to be mounted in chippers of the kind which are used to cut chips of a desired size and shape from pieces of wood or timber (7) and which comprise a tool, in the form of a plane or conical disc, which is arranged for rotation about an axis of rotation and on which a plurality of such chipper knifes (2) are mountable in such manner that one end of the cutting edge of the chipper knife is located closer to the axis of rotation of the tool than the opposite end of the cutting edge. The cutting edge (6) of the chipper knife is formed between a timber-guiding surface and a chip-guiding surface, the timber-guiding surface having a varying angle along its length in relation to a plane of rotation in such a way that the angle is greater at the end of the cutting edge located closest to the axis of rotation decreases in the outward direction. The chip-guiding surface of the chipper knife also has a varying angle along its length in relation to a plane of rotation in such a way that the angle is smaller at the end of the cutting edge located closest to the axis of rotation and increases in the outward direction in order to obtain a cutting edge angle between the timber-guiding surface and the chip-guiding surface (13) that is essentially constant along the whole length of the cutting edge.

To obtain chips of uniform length in a chipping process, it is important to ensure smooth and uniform feeding of the pieces of timber to be cut between two consecutive chipper knives. The feeding of the timber can, at least to some degree, be controlled by a timber feeding device, but also by the timber-guiding surface formed between two chipper knives, which surface should follow an ideal cam curve for optimal guiding of the pieces of timber. The timber-guiding surface is formed on the one hand by a timber-guiding surface of the chipper knife forming a cutting edge and, on the other hand, by the outside of an outer clamping member, if any, but may also, in some types of machines, comprise a timber-guiding surface on the chipper disc between two consecutive chipper knives.
For chippers of the kind referred to above, in which the rotating tool has the shape of an essentially plane or conical disc and the respective chipper knives thus have a radial extension and are arranged with one end of the processing cutting edge closer to the axis of rotation of the disc than the opposite end, this means that the ideal cam curve will have a different shape or angle relative to the direction of rotation depending on the distance from the axis of rotation. The reason for this is that the distance along which the wood is advanced between two consecutive chipper knives should be the same though the distance between them along a radial line varies with varying radial distances from the axis of rotation. For example, in the case of a tool in the form of a plane disc, the ideal cam curve is rectilinear, as seen in cross-section, along one and the same radial distance from the axis of rotation, but the angle to a plane of rotation increases with decreasing radial distance from the axis of rotation. On the other hand, in the case of a conical chipper disc, the ideal cam curve is arched with a radius of curvature that decreases with decreasing radial distances from the axis of rotation.
The cutting edges of the chipper knives for such chippers are formed between two surfaces shaped by grinding or in any other way, a first surface or timber-guiding surface facing outwards towards the pieces of timber that are fed to the tool for cutting, while a second surface or chip-guiding surface faces inwards towards an opening formed in the tool and is adapted to guide the chips into the opening so that the chips can be discharged through the tool for direct use or intermediate storage. Consequently, the outwardly oriented timber-guiding surface of the cutting edge will form part of the cam curve that is adapted to guide the pieces of wood to the following chipper knife. Thus, the timber-guiding surface of the chipper knife should follow the ideal cam curve as closely as possible.
However, the chipper knives, in particular their cutting edges, are subjected to considerable wear, which means that it is also important that they should be made as inexpensive and simple as possible, so that they can be replaced and/or resharpened at a low cost. It is therefore quite common for the chipper knife to have a plane timber-guiding surface with a constant angle along the whole length of the chipper knife. As a rule, however, it is made as short as possible in order to interfere as little as possible with the feeding of the pieces of timber. A common type of chipper knife thus has an essentially flat shape with two large main surfaces, and the cutting edge is formed between one of the main surfaces and a bevelled surface between the main surfaces, the bevelled surface forming the timber-guiding surface, while the edge-forming main surface forms a chip-guiding surface.
The principles outlined above are known from U.S. Pat. No. 2,183,224, which thus discloses a chipper in which the edge-forming timber-guiding surface of the chipper knife has a shape that essentially corresponds to the ideal cam curve. In this case, the timber-guiding surface is formed by one of the main surfaces of the chipper knife, while the chip-guiding surface is formed by the bevelled surface between the two opposite main surfaces. However, this type of chipper and chipper knife has never been very commercially successful. Possibly because, on the one hand, the chipper knives are too expensive to manufacture and, on the other hand, the improvement in chip quality and the resulting increase in revenue have not been enough to compensate for the increased costs of the machine and the chipper knives.
SE 419,522 discloses a chipper in which a twisted timber-guiding surface is provided with a varying angle relative to the direction of rotation depending on the distance from the axis of rotation. In this case, this is achieved by using plane and straight inner knife holders, chipper knife and outer knife holders which are twisted by clamping them against a non-plane support. A drawback of a chipper of this kind is, however, that very large forces are required to deform the knife holder elements and the chipper knife, which means that mounting the chipper knives is very time-consuming. Moreover, when fixing the knife holder elements and the chipper knife in the twisted shape tension is built into the material, which makes them more susceptible to damage during operation.


A pyrroloquinoline compound of the following formula is disclosed: ##STR1## wherein H,. C.sub.1-6 alkyl, PA1 H, PA1 C.sub.1-6 alkyl, ##STR3## wherein R.sup.5 is C.sub.1-10 alkyl, aryl, or aryl C.sub.1-10 alkyl; R.sup.3 is: PA1 (CH.sub.2).sub.n NHR wherein R is H, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, or C.sub.1-6 alkyloxycarbonyl; ##STR4## R.sup.4 is: H, PA1 C.sub.1-6 alkyl, PA1 C.sub.1-6 alkyloxycarbonyl, PA1 RCH.sub.2 --, wherein R is H, C.sub.1-6 alkyl or aryl, or ##STR5## X is O, or NR.sup.6 wherein R.sup.6 is equal to H or C.sub.1-6 alkyl and n is an integer from 1-3.. R.sup.1 is: ##STR2## wherein R is H, C.sub.1-10 alkyl, or C.sub.1-6 alkyloxycarbonyl; R.sup.2 is:. The compounds of the invention exhibit bradykinin antagonist activity as well as activity with .alpha.-adrenergic, histaminergic, and muscarinic receptors.

The present invention is directed to novel pyrroloquinoline alkaloids which demonstrate activity against bradykinin, .alpha.-adrenergic, histaminergic, and muscarinic receptors. Known bradykinin (BK) antagonists are peptides. The present invention describes an non-peptide that is a bradykinin antagonist. BK is a hormonal nonapeptide which mediates pain, vascular permeability, inflammation, gastrointestinal function, and smooth muscle tone in vascular and other tissues. BK is one of the key mediators of the body's response to trauma and injury. BK levels are generally low until a traumatic event triggers a cascade of biochemical reactions and a rise in the concentration of BK by proteolytic generation. High molecular weight precursors, the kininogens, are found in blood and tissue. This cascade is initiated by the activation of the Hageman factor which also initiates fibrinolysis and coagulation.
Receptors for BK exist in the nervous system, epithelia, smooth muscle and fibroblasts. In each tissue type BK triggers specific responses including neurotransmitter release, muscle contraction, fluid secretion by epithelia, and the stimulation of cell growth. The initial interaction for the biological response occurs at a BK receptor site on a cell. Specific peptide BK antagonists have been developed (Vavrek, Peptides, 6, 161-165 (1985)). Their potential use includes use as anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory agents. BK can activate neurons and produce neurotransmitter release. It activates phospholipases C and A.sub.2 resulting in the production of a number of bioactive intermediates including inositol triphosphate (Ins-1,4,5-P.sub.3), diacylglycerol(DAG) and arachidonic acid (AA) and its cyclooxygenase and lipooxygenase products. These substances cause cellular levels of cAMP, cGMP, and Ca.sup.2+ to increase. In neurons, the most important points of action for the substances released by BK stimulation may be ion channels, Miller, R. J., Trends Neurosci., 10, 266-228 (1987).
BK released during tissue damage causes vasodilation, increased vascular permeability, altered gut motility and pain. Specific BK receptors exist in intestinal mucosa and muscle. BK and its analogs stimulate Cl.sup.- secretion by the gut epithelia. BK has a contractile effect in muscle. Manning et al., Nature, 299, 256-259 (1982).
BK can open calcium channels as indicated by the inhibitory effects of Ca.sup.2+ channel blockers. Calcium may be involved in regulating BK receptor binding. See Innis et al., Proc. Natn. Acad. Sci., 2630-2634 (1981). BK also stimulates sodium intake and DNA synthesis. Owen et al., Cell, 32, 979-985 (1983).
Excessive kinin activity may play some role in carcinoid syndrome and in inflammatory bowel disease. Patients with ulcerative colitis have abnormally high levels of active kallikrein, the kinin-releasing enzyme, and plasma and tissue levels of peptidyl dipeptidase which degrades kinins are depressed in patients with regional enteritis. Manning et al., Nature, 299, 256-259 (1982).
The localization of BK receptors to nociceptive neurons supports a role for BK in pain mediation. Several BK antagonists block BK induced acute vascular pain in the rat. BK antagonists also relieve BK and unrate induced hyperalgesia in the rat paw. These results indicate that BK is a physiologic mediator of pain and that BK antagonists have analgesic activity in both acute and chronic pain models. The BK receptor involved in vascular pain may be different from the receptor involved in cutaneous hyperalgesia. Steranka et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA., 85, 3245-3249 (1988).
BK receptors have been classified as two major subtypes-.beta..sub.1 and .beta..sub.2. The BK metabolite des-Arg.sup.9 -bradykinin is a .beta..sub.1 receptor agonist which has higher potency than BK but it is relatively inactive at .beta..sub.2 receptors. Steranka et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA., 85, 3245-3249 (1988). BK receptors are G protein-coupled receptors that activate phospholipase C or phospholipase A.sub.2 and increases the synthesis of inositol triphosphate or arachidonic acid. Olsen et al., J. Bio. Chem. 263, 18030-18035 (1988). G-proteins are a family of membrane proteins that become activated only after binding guanosine triphosphate (GTP). Activated G-proteins in turn activate an amplifier enzyme on the inner face of a membrane; the enzyme then converts precursor molecules into second messengers. For example, an external signal molecule (bradykinin) may bind to its cell-surface receptor (BK-2) and induce a conformational change in the receptor. This change is transmitted through the cell membrane to a G-protein, making it able to bind to GTP. Binding of GTP causes another conformational change in the G-protein that enables it to activate phospholipases A.sub.2 and C. BK antagonists may be useful, therefore, to prevent the activation of G-proteins by bradykinin.
It is known that there is a large degree of heterogenicity within the muscarinic, adrenergic, and serotonergic classes of receptors. But, it is also known that "[s]imple classification of subtypes of BK receptors cannot fully account for the properties of these receptors on cells from a variety of tissues." Mahan et al., Mol. Pharmacol., 37, 785-789 (1990).
BK induces InsP formation through the activation of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and subsequent mobilization of intracellular Ca.sup.2+ and activation of phospholipase A.sub.2, which causes the release of arachidonate and subsequent synthesis of prostaglandin E.sub.2 have been found to exist in Swiss albino mouse 3T3 cells and BALBc (SV-T2) mouse 3T3 cells and involve receptors coupled to pertussis toxin-insensitive G proteins. These receptors belong to the B.sub.2 subtype. Mahan et al., Mol. Pharmacol., 37, 785-789 (1990).
The effect of bradykinin on the neuroeffector junction of the isolated rat vas deferens has been studied. Llona et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 241, 608-614 (1987). BK potentiated the magnitude of the muscular response to the electrically driven twitches and contracted the smooth muscle generating an increased muscle tone. The former action is referred to as the neurogenic or presynaptic effect and the latter is called the musculotropic or postjunctional action. The rat vas deferens contains bradykinin receptors on the nerve endings and on smooth muscle membrane. The structural prerequisites for the activation of these receptor sites appear to be slightly different.
These results support the existence of B.sub.2 receptor subtypes. Des-Arg.sup.9 -BK and des-Arg.sup.9 -[Leu.sup.8 ]-BK are inactive in causing either pre- or postsynaptic BK like responses and incubation of des-Arg.sup.9 -[Leu.sup.8 ]-BK at high concentrations failed to antagonize BK responses in the vas deferens. This peptide is a known B.sub.1 antagonist. The authors suggest that there are several classes of BK-2 receptors. Llona et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 241, 613 (1987). See also Brass et al., Br. J. Pharmacol., 94, 3-5 (1988).
As indicated, BK mediates vasodilation, pain and smooth muscle contraction in a number of tissues. Many of these biological actions may result from the release of arachidonic acid and its metabolites. The major metabolite in Swiss 3T3 cells (fibroblasts) is PGE.sub.2 which induces smooth muscle contraction, mitogenesis, an increase in intracellular free calcium and stimulates adenylate cyclase(to produce cAMP). BK activates phospholipases which control intracellular arachidonate. Conklin et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 244, 646-649 (1988).
Phospholipases are considered to be the rate limiting enzymes in receptor mediated arachidonate release. BK activates PLA.sub.2, a phospholipase which cleaves arachidonic acid directly from the parent phospholipid. In contrast, BK in BPAE cells (bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells) stimulates activity of a phosphatidylcholine-specific PLC which provides arachidonate substrate for PGI.sub.2 synthesis. The authors conclude that the BK receptors are pharmacologically distinct and that more BK subtypes exist beyond BK.sub.1 and BK.sub.2. Conklin et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 244, 646-649 (1988). To further clarify the role of bradykinin and express the need for an effective bradykinin antagonist, kinins are released in response to tissue injury and activate sensory pain fibers, contract venous smooth muscle and stimulate prostacyclin (PGI.sub.2) and endothelium derived relaxing factor (EDRF) synthesis. Blood flow to the damaged area and vascular permeability increase to cause inflammation. Plevin et al., Trends Pharmacol. Sci., 9, 387-389 (1988). Multiple .beta..sub.2 BK receptors in mammalian tissues are present. The tissues include guinea-pig ileum, vas deferens prejunctional, N1E-115 cells (neuronal cell line), rat uterus, and guinea-pig trachea (endothelial cells-BK linked to second messenger and coupled to a G-protein). There is a need, therefore, for a bradykinin antagonist which is useful in the treatment of a number of disorders in which bradykinin plays a role. Pharmacological agents containing guanidine moieties are known. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,059,624 and 5,028,613 describes tricyclic pyrroloquinoline alkaloids isolated and purfied from certain marine sponges which exhibit antitumor and antimicrobial activity. The instant invention, however, claims a novel pyrroloquinoline guanidine compound that is highly active as a bradykinin antagonist and is therefore useful to treat bradykinin associated disorders.


Embodiments of a memory scoreboard are presented herein. The memory scoreboard tracks memory requests for each rank and bank of memory being addressed. When there are no pending requests, the scoreboard provides an indication to an idle timer that begins a count down to close a current page of the memory. The idle timer can be configured dynamically to close memory pages and to address dynamically-changing code streams by tracking previous decisions made on page closes.

Computing devices typically include memory controllers to control access to memory, e.g., by a processor, to read and write data. For instance, memory may be configured as Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), which provides the "main memory" of the computing device that is used to store data for use by the processor, such as computer-executable instructions, data for further processing according to the computer-executable instructions, and so on.
One technique that has been utilized to improve the efficiency of access to the DRAM is to close a "page" to main memory when traffic to the memory has been idle for a predetermined amount of time, which may be referred to as an "idle time". Thus, future requests to the memory will be performed with "page empty" timing and therefore do not encounter additional overhead to close the page before another page is opened. A performance gain, for example, may be encountered when future requests result in more "page misses" (e.g., a different page than the one that is open is subject to a next memory transaction) than "page hits". Therefore, if the "missed" page is already closed, the overhead in requesting another page is minimized.
In order to determine when to close a page, a memory scoreboard may be utilized which indicates whether there are pending requests to the memory, and thus, whether the memory is idle. Traditional techniques which were utilized to provide the scoreboard, however, were inefficient and as such may have a significant gate count that consumes valuable semiconductor resources.
The same reference numbers are utilized in instances in the discussion to reference like structures and components.

Pending request scoreboard for out-of-order memory scheduler


A power supply control device, by which a plurality of switching power supply circuits of different properties are operated under switching conditions respectively fitted therefor simultaneously with the prevention of an occurrence of what is called a low-frequency switching beat phenomenon, thereby achieving the miniaturization and the increasing of the efficiency of a power supply unit. To synchronize the timing of switching operations among control systems or units of the power supply control device, the control device of the multi-channel type or the control device having a master-slave function is used. Further, a frequency divider circuit or a frequency multiplier circuit is connected to a comparator of such a control device. Thereby, although synchronizing the timing among the switching operations, a plurality of pulse output signals of different frequencies are outputted from the control systems or the control units. Incidentally, a frequency divider circuit or a frequency multiplier circuit may be added to an oscillation circuit of the control device, instead of connecting the frequency divider circuit or the frequency multiplier circuit to the comparator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a power supply control device for driving a plurality of switching power supply circuits which are incorporated in a power supply unit and have different properties, for example, the ordinary rectification type switching power supply circuits and the synchronous rectification type switching power supply circuit by synchronizing the operation timing among the circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, electronic devices have been miniaturized, while the performance thereof and the range of functions thereof have been enhanced. Thus, a power supply unit to be incorporated in an electronic device has a plurality of switching power supply circuits respectively corresponding to loads (namely, machines and circuits) of different properties. Here, note that generally, the pulse width modulation type control integrated circuits are used for controlling the driving of the switching power supply circuits and that a power supply unit has a number of control systems which corresponds to the number of the loads, namely, the number of the switching power supply circuits.
Meanwhile, when operating a plurality of switching power supply circuits in a same power supply unit independent of one another, an interference phenomenon (so called a switching beat), which is based on a plurality of switching operations, sometimes occurs in the power supply unit. This is due to the fact that, for example, when two switching power supply circuits operate at switching frequencies f1 and f2, respectively, a low-frequency switching beat corresponding to the difference (f1-f2) between the two switching frequencies results.
In order to prevent an occurrence of this low-frequency switching beat phenomenon, the conventional power supply unit synchronizes the timing of switching operations among the plurality of switching power supply circuits that undergo independent output control. As practical examples of this, there have been employed the following two means.
(1) Namely, a first means adapted to employ a multi-channel type control device which uses a unified reference waveform signal (namely, a triangular-wave voltage) as those of a plurality of control systems constituted in the control device.
(2) Further, a second means adapted to employ control devices, each having a master-slave function, and to use one of the control devices as a master control device and operate this control device at a predetermined operation timing and at a predetermined oscillation frequency, and to use the rest of the control devices as slave control devices which causes the slave control devices to receive a synchronization signal from the master control device and operate at an operation timing synchronized with the master control device and at the same oscillation frequency as that of the master control device.
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the control device corresponding to the first means, which is incorporated with the intention of preventing an occurrence of a low-frequency switching beat phenomenon, and a power supply unit employing this control device.
The control device CD of FIG. 1 is roughly composed of a first control system CH1, a second control system CH2, a reference voltage supply 1, an oscillation circuit 2 and a protective circuit 3.
Here, the reference voltage supply 1 is adapted to output a highly-stable voltage as a reference voltage level. Further, the oscillation circuit 2 is operative to output a triangular-wave voltage at a predetermined oscillation frequency. Moreover, the protective circuit 3 is operative to output an operation stopping signal so as to protect the systems from a short in the output circuit and to prevent an occurrence of a malfunction when a low level signal is input.
The reference voltage supply 1, the oscillation circuit 2 and the protective circuit 3 are shared by the control systems.
The control system CH1 is used for driving and controlling a first power supply circuit PS1 and is basically composed of an error amplifier Err1, a comparator Comp1 and an output buffer 1. An operation of this control system CH1 is performed as follows. Namely, first, this control system CH1 receives a feedback signal FB1 from the switching power supply circuit PS1. Then, a voltage level represented by the received feedback signal FB1 is compared with a reference voltage (V.sub.RE F) in the error amplifier Err1, so that an error signal is obtained therein. Subsequently, this error signal is compared with a triangular-wave voltage in the comparator Comp1, which generates a pulse output signal PO1 having on-duty in accordance with an output voltage thereof. This pulse output signal PO1 is supplied to a switching device of the switching power supply circuit PS1. Thereby, the switching power supply circuit PS1 is driven and controlled in such a manner that an output voltage thereof remains constant.
The control system CH2 is used for driving and controlling a second power supply circuit PS2 and is basically composed of an error amplifier Err2, a comparator Comp2 and an output buffer 2. An operation of this control system CH2 is similar to the operation of the control system CH1. Thus, the description of the operation of the control system CH2 is omitted.
Here, the protective circuit 3 is adapted to output an operation stopping signal when an abnormality occurs in the switching power supply circuits PS1, PS2. When receiving this operation stopping signal, the output buffers Buf1, Buf2 prohibit pulse output signals PO1, PO2 from passing therethrough. Thus, an operation of the switching power supply circuit PS1 is stopped.
Referring next to FIG. 2, there is schematically shown control devices corresponding to the second means and a power supply unit having these control devices, which are constituted for the purpose of preventing an occurrence of low-frequency switching beat phenomenon.
In the power supply unit of FIG. 2, two switching power supply circuit PS3 and PS4 are driven and controlled by control devices MCD and SCD, respectively, independent of each other.
Here, the control device MCD is composed of: a control system, which consists of an error amplifier MErr, a comparator MComp and an output buffer MBuf; a reference voltage supply 11 for outputting a reference voltage or signal; an oscillation circuit 12; and a protective circuit 13. An operation of this control device MCD is performed as follows. Namely, the control device MCD receives a feedback signal FB3 from the switching power supply circuit PS3. Subsequently, a voltage represented by this feedback signal FB3 is compared with a reference voltage (V.sub.REF)in the error amplifier MErr, so that an error signal is obtained.
Then, the comparator MComp compares the error signal with a triangular-wave signal sent from the oscillation circuit 12 and further outputs a pulse output signal PO3 having on-duty in accordance with an output voltage thereof. This pulse output signal PO3 is supplied to a switching device of the switching power supply circuit PS3. Thereby, the switching power supply circuit PS3 is driven and controlled in such a manner that an output voltage thereof remains constant.
Here, the oscillation circuit 12 is operative to output a synchronization signal RSS (which is generally a voltage that is the same as the triangular-wave voltage to be supplied to the comparator Comp1) to an external circuit simultaneously with supplying a triangular-wave voltage to the comparator MComp.
Further, the control unit SCD is composed of: a control system which consists of an error amplifier SErr, a comparator SComp and an output buffer SBuf; a reference voltage supply 21; an oscillation circuit 22; and a protective circuit 23. An operation of this control device SCD is fundamentally the same as of the control device MCD. The control device SCD, however, is different from the control device MCD, in which the oscillation circuit 12 of the control device MCD produces a triangular-wave voltage at independent operation timing and at the predetermined oscillation frequency, in that the oscillation circuit 22 of the control device SCD receives a synchronization signal (RSS) from the control device MCD and operates in such a way as to generate a triangular-wave voltage whose operation timing and oscillation frequency are the same as those of the signal produced by the oscillation circuit 12.
As is understood from this, in the case of the power supply unit of FIG. 2, the control device MCD functions as the master control device, while the control device SCD functions as the slave control device.
The reduction in size of electronic devices in recent years has resulted in great demand for the miniaturization of power supply units. When miniaturizing the power supply units, the inductors and the capacitors of the switching power supply circuits PS3 and PS4 are first miniaturized. At that time, the switching frequency of the switching device is set at a high value. This switching frequency is determined according to the oscillation frequency of a triangular-wave voltage output by the oscillation circuit 2, 12 or 22 of the control device CD, MCD or SCD. Although the generally used oscillation frequency is several hundreds kilohertz (kHz), an oscillation circuit which provides an oscillation frequency of several megahertz (MHz), is currently available.
Meanwhile, because of the fact that batteries are used in electronic devices as a power source, the reduction in size of the electronic devices to the portable size thereof also results in great demand for a reduction in the power consumption of the power supply units. A problem to be solved by the reduction in power consumption of the power supply units to low levels is the improvement of the efficiency of each of the switching power supply circuits. Switching power supply units of the synchronous rectification type are available as means for improving the efficiencies of the switching power supply circuits.
This switching power supply circuit of the synchronous rectification type employs a transistor as a rectifying device, instead of a diode. A loss produced in the transistor due to a collector-to-emitter voltage in an on-state is less than a loss produced in the diode owing to a forward voltage (drop). Thus, theoretically, a loss produced in the rectifying device is reduced. Thereby, the efficiency of the switching power supply circuit can be enhanced. However, in the case of actually using a transistor as a rectifying device, losses are produced when on/off operations thereof are performed. As the switching frequency becomes higher, losses abruptly increase. As a result, in the case of switching frequencies of a certain range, a loss produced in the switching power supply circuit of the synchronous rectifying type using a transistor is more than a loss produced in the switching power supply circuit of the ordinary type using a diode. Incidentally, it is known that in the case of using semiconductor devices already on the market, the limit of the switching frequency for increasing the efficiency of the switching power supply circuit by employing the circuit of the synchronous rectification type is about 200 kHz.
Moreover, in the case of the circuit of the synchronous rectifying type using a transistor as the rectifying device, there is the necessity of complementarily driving the transistor, which is employed as the rectifying device, in synchronization with the operation of the switching device. Thus, the switching power supply circuits further require circuits and components therefor.
Therefore, in the case of the switching power supply circuit employing the synchronous rectification, the size of the circuit is large in compensation for the increasing of the efficiency thereof, in comparison with the case of employing the switching power supply of the ordinary rectification type. Consequently, in the former case, the size of the power supply unit is large.
To attain the miniaturization of the power supply unit and the increasing of the efficiency thereof by achieving a good balance therebetween, it is considered as necessary to suitably arrange the switching power supply circuit of the ordinary rectification type and the switching power supply circuit of the synchronous rectification type in the unit according to the characteristics of loads. For example, the miniaturization of the power supply unit is achieved by applying the switching power supply circuit of the ordinary rectification type to a load whose power consumption is small, while the high efficiency of the power supply unit is realized by applying the switching power supply circuit of the synchronous rectification type to a load whose power consumption is large.
However, in the actual case of using the switching power supply circuit of the ordinary rectification type together with the switching power supply circuit of the synchronous rectification type, the conventional power supply control device of FIG. 1 has a problem in that pulse output signals supplied from each of the control systems to the switching power supply circuits has only one kind of a pulse frequency (a switching frequency).
The miniaturization of the power supply unit requires a high switching frequency, whereas the increasing of the efficiency thereof (synchronous rectification) requires a lower switching frequency. Namely, when the pulse output signals has only one kind of the pulse frequency under this condition in which the tendencies of the frequencies respectively required by the miniaturization and the increasing of the efficiency, respectively, are opposed to each other, one of the miniaturization and the increasing of the efficiency has to be traded off for the other thereof.
Similarly, in the case of the power supply control devices (MCD and SCD) of the master-slave type as shown in FIG. 2, in order to prevent generation of a low frequency switching beat, the operation-timing and oscillation-frequency of a triangular-wave voltage outputted from the slave control device (SCD) are set in such a manner as to be the same as those of a triangular-wave voltage outputted from the master control device (MCD). Thus, the same problems as in the case of the power supply control circuit of FIG. 1 comes up. Consequently, one of the miniaturization and the increasing of the efficiency has to be traded off for the other thereof.


An obstacle-detectable mobile robotic device includes a frame body capable of traveling on a surface, a control circuit mounted to the frame body for controlling the traveling manner and direction of the frame body, and a detection system mounted to the frame body and electrically connected with the control circuit. The detection system has an optical emitter, an optical receiver, and a reflector. The optical emitter emits the light onto the surface, and the light is reflected onto the reflector and then to the optical receiver to be received by the optical receiver. A receiving area generated by the optical receiver on the reflector never overlaps the surface. Accordingly, the obstacle-detectable mobile robotic device can effectively avoid ambient light pollution to have preferable detection potency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to mobile robotic devices, and more particularly, to an obstacle-detectable mobile robotic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,844 disclosed an obstacle detection system for an autonomous cleaning robot, on which an optical emitter and a photon detector are mounted for emission and reception respectively on a surface, like the ground, that the robot travels. As a projection area generated by the optical emitter on the surface overlaps a detection area generated by the photon detector on the surface, the light emitted from the optical emitter is received by the photon detector; meanwhile, the robot is located on the smooth ground. While the robot travels and encounters a stair or a cavity, i.e. the surface on which the robot travels suddenly lowers its position, the projection area and the detection area do not overlap each other to enable the robot to regard it as encountering a barrier.
Although the above-mentioned prior art can overcome the problem while encountering the barrier, there is still space for improvement because of the following drawbacks. Generating the projection and detection areas directly on the ground by the optical emitter and the photon detector is vulnerable to the interference of external light pollution. In other words, if any external polarized light is reflected to project itself on the photon detector, misjudgment will be incurred. In addition, if the external light directly enters the detection area, the photon detector may do the misjudgment thereof due to detecting the external light.

Obstacle-detectable mobile robotic device


The invention proposes a method for operating an actively clocked PFC circuit (2) having a directly or indirectly connected load circuit (5) at the output of the PFC circuit (2), wherein the load circuit (5) has at least one luminous means, in particular one or more LEDs (4), wherein the PFC circuit (2) is controlled by a PFC controller (30) in such a manner that the PFC controller (30) determines a control parameter, in particular a switched-on time period (ton), for the clocking of the PFC circuit (2) on the basis of at least one first controller setting (RE_fast) and one second controller setting (RE_slow), wherein the time of a change from the first controller setting (RE_fast) to the second controller setting (RE_slow) is dependent on the directly or indirectly determined average value of the control parameter, in particular the switched-on time period (ton).

In many operating devices for light-emitting means, it is conventional for the light-emitting means to be operated either at a high frequency, in particular in the case of gas discharge lamps, or else by means of pulse modulation, for example in particular in the case of LEDs. For this purpose, so-called driver circuits are provided, which can be in the form of a pulse modulator, a full-bridge or half-bridge circuit, etc. Generally, a DC link voltage is supplied to these driver circuits, which DC link voltage may have a so-called ripple superimposed on it, if appropriate.
In order to provide this DC link voltage, often a so-called PFC (power factor correction) circuit, also referred to as active power factor correction circuit, is used. This PFC circuit generates the DC link voltage on the basis of a generally rectified mains supply voltage whilst maintaining a power factor which is as high as possible.
Within the scope of the present invention, it is always the case of so-called actively clocked PFC circuits, i.e. circuits in which the power consumption by the PFC circuit is preset by a clocking of a switching element, such as, for example, a transistor or a MOSFET. When the switching element is closed, in this case an inductance is magnetized, and this inductance is then discharged when the switch is open via a diode into a storage capacitor. Typical circuits are, for example, a boost converter, an isolated flyback converter or a so-called SEPIC.
The switching element of the PFC circuit and, for example, the switch-on time period Ton of the switching element is generally regulated by a control circuit. It is further known to change the regulator settings depending on externally supplied dimming commands, for example.
A certain problem arises to the extent that, during a transition time after a change in the regulator settings, the energy transmitted by the PFC circuit can be too high or too low. When this transition time of, for example, 40 ms is reached, this temporary excessively high or excessively low transmitted energy is detectable by the human eye in the form of a flash of light or a low light intensity.

Control loop with a variable time constant for power factor correction for a load circuit comprising light-emitting means


The present invention provides a substrate-embedded antenna and an antenna array constituted by said antennas. An antenna of the present invention comprises a plurality of substrates, a metal fill and a feed line. Each of the substrates has at least one through-hole. The metal fill is placed within each through-hole, and each metal fill placed therein connects one another to form a columnar metal conductor which acts as a radiating body of the antenna. The feed line is electrically coupled to the metal conductor to input and output electrical signals. A plurality of said antennas may constitute an antenna array.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna, and more particularly, to a substrate-embedded antenna.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Using Internet to exchange information and communicate is very common in modern days, and recently, using radio communication systems to exchange different types of data, such as voice or text messages, media files, etc., has become one of the most popular ways of communication. As antennas receive and transmit radio waves, the need for smaller antennas providing high-speed communications is increasing when mobile devices become even more popular. Smaller antennas can be integrated into handheld systems or portable communications devices more favorably.
A conventional antenna used within a portable communications device is generally a patch antenna or dipole antenna printed on the surface of a multi-layer substrate. A patch antenna can provide broadside radiation which is perpendicular to the orientation of the substrate's surface. A dipole antenna can provide end-fire radiation which is either perpendicular or parallel to the substrate's surface. However, these two types of antenna both occupy much surface area of a substrate, and may thus have less surface area for a chip or other components to use.

Substrate embedded antenna and antenna array constituted thereby


Systems (100) and methods (500) for connecting network resources of a first network (116) to network resources of a second network (118). The second network is different from the first network. The methods involve receiving a first message (302, 402) from a first network resource (106) of the first network. The first message has a first protocol format. In response to the first message, a second message (308, 408) having a web service request format is dynamically generated. The second message is communicated to a third network resource (112) of the second network for conversion into a third message (314). The third message has a second protocol format different from the first protocol format. The first network can be an SIP network. The second network can be an SS7 network.

1. Statement of the Technical Field
The present invention relates to systems and methods for connecting network resources of a first network to network resources of a second network that is different from the first network. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for connecting a network resource with a Transfer Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) interface to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based network resource.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there has been a significant effort to develop a standard architecture and set of interfaces for components in a telecommunication service provider's next generation network. Various solutions exist for interfacing components in the telecommunication service provider's next generation network. A first solution generally involves connecting an SIP application server to a legacy network element comprising a Signaling System Number Seven (SS7) ISDN User Part (ISUP) interface. ISUP messages are passed from the legacy network element to the SIP application server by appending them to the relevant SIP messages. This solution works well for ISUP messages because the ISUP and SIP messages are both session related messages. Also, ISUP messages cleanly map to SIP messages. However, this solution provides undesirable results for passing non-session related messages to the SIP application server.
A second solution generally involves extracting key parameters of a TCAP message. Thereafter, the extracted key parameters are passed to the SIP application server in an SIP message header or an SIP Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). Despite the advantages of this solution, it suffers from certain drawbacks. For example, this solution is not programmable because it relies on a predetermined mapping for each TCAP application.
A third solution generally involves setting up an SIP session specifically for passing non-session related TCAP messages to the SIP application server. Despite the advantages of this solution, it suffers from certain drawbacks. For example, this solution requires at least six (6) SIP messages to set up and end each session. The six (6) messages include an INVITE message, a TRYING message, a first OK message, an ACK message, and a BYE message, and a second OK message. Each of the listed messages are well known to those having ordinary skill in the art. These six (6) messages are an overhead on top of the additional messages and responses required to actually pass the required information between two (2) systems. As a result of the six (6) message requirement, the third solution is an inefficient solution. The inefficiency of the third solution may prohibit its use in certain application due to the latency of establishing the session.

Interface for connecting a network element to a session initiation protocol application server

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for individually setting the position of a door striker plate (20) relative to the latch body which has to engage with the striker plate. The tool (22) comprises a plate (40) which locates around the striker plate, and which can be clamped by means of vacuum to the door pillar (14) at any position. The method provides that the striker plate (20) is loosely secured to the door pillar (14), the door (10) is closed so that the latch mounted on the door moves the stalker plate to the correct position for that latch, the tool is operated to clamp the striker plate in that position, the door is opened and the striker plate tightened in that position before releasing the tool.

In the mass production of items such as motor vehicles, manufacturing tolerances exist and in the final assembly of, for example, car doors, the sum of all the relevant tolerances can lead to small inaccuracies in the positioning of the door latch for satisfactory door operation. It is important that the striker plate, which is fitted on the fixed part of the vehicle body is in the correct position relative to the latch, which is fitted to the door edge.
It is customary to provide some degree of adjustability of either the latch or the striker plate so that the two can be correctly set relative to one another during final assembly. It is known to use a jig which fits between the edge of the door and the door pillar and which will set the position of the latch members correctly relative to one another. Such jigs however are awkward to use and are relatively delicate. If they are not handled carefully, they can easily themselves go out of alignment and become worse than useless.
It is normal practice for all the striker plates on a mass production line to be set at a mean position which has been determined as being in the centre of the range of tolerances. During vehicle inspection it is found that this is satisfactory for the majority of vehicles, but that a few vehicles still require to have the striker plates manually adjusted to achieve the correct closing effort. This is labor intensive and requires skilled operatives.

Method of aligning a striker plate with a latch body of a door latch mechanism


The present invention relates to a fan assembly for a refrigerator. The fan assembly of the present invention is used in a refrigerator which includes a refrigerating chamber formed at a relatively lower portion of a main body of the refrigerator, a freezing chamber formed at a relatively upper portion of the main body and a heat exchange chamber partitioned behind at least the freezing chamber for producing cold air. The fan assembly comprises a fan motor, a blow fan driven by the fan motor for producing a cold air flow supplied to the refrigerating and freezing chambers, a fan guide through which the cold air flow passes and on which the fan motor and the blow fan are installed, at least two mounting leg which are formed on one side of the fan guide and coupled to a rear wall of the heat exchange chamber with fastening screws, a fixing hook which is formed on the fan guide at a side opposite to the mounting leg and hooked into a ceiling of the heat exchange chamber, and at least one wire hanger which is provided on the fan guide and on which a lead wire through which electrical signals for driving the fan motor are transferred is hung and supported. According to the present invention, there are advantages in that the fan assembly can be easily mounted or detached, its mounting state can be firmly maintained, and the damage of the lead wire can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a fan assembly for transferring cold air produced in a heat exchange chamber to a storage space in a refrigerator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 shows main components of a general refrigerator. As shown in this figure, a refrigerating chamber 52, a vegetable box 53 and a freezing chamber 54 are defined sequentially from above in a main body 51 of the refrigerator. On a rear wall of the main body 51 of the refrigerator is formed a projection wall 55 protruding forwardly at a middle height of the vegetable box 53. A heat exchange chamber 56 in which cold air is produced is formed below the projection wall 55, while a cold air passage through which the cold air is supplied into the refrigerating chamber 52 is formed above the projection wall 55. To allow the cold air passage 57 and the heat exchange chamber 56 to communicate with each other, a communication hole 55a is formed vertically through the projection wall 55.
An evaporator 58 for producing cold air and a fan assembly 59 for transferring the produced cold air to the vegetable box 53 or the refrigerating chamber 52 are installed within the heat exchange chamber 56. For the installation and maintenance of parts in the heat exchange chamber 56, the components required in partitioning the vegetable box 53 and the freezing chamber 54 is divided into two parts, i.e. a first partition wall (not shown) and a second partition wall 60. In a state where the second partition wall 60 is removed, the installation or maintenance works for the evaporator 58 or the fan assembly 59 are made. The second partition wall 60 is connected to the projection wall 55.
Above the projection wall 55 is provided a damper assembly 61 which defines one side of the cold air passage 57 and includes a damper 61a for regulating cold air flow through the cold air passage 57. A duct-forming member 62 is provided above the damper assembly 61 to define the cold air passage 57 on a side of the refrigerating chamber 52.
In the meantime, FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the fan assembly 59. The fan assembly 59 is configured in such a manner that a fan motor 59m is installed on a fan guide 59g and a blow fan 59f is provided at an output shaft of the fan motor 59m. The fan guide 59g is formed with fastening holes 59h at opposite ends thereof such that it can be fastened to an inner side of the main body 50 of the refrigerator.
However, the related art fan assembly has the following problems.
The installation or maintenance works for the related art fan assembly 59 are very troublesome, because there is no additional configuration for temporarily fixing the fan assembly 59. That is, an operator should couple fasteners into the fastening holes 59h with a tool held by one hand while securing the fan assembly at the inner wall of the refrigerating chamber 54 of the refrigerator body 51 with another hand. In particular, since the fastening holes 59h are provided at the opposite ends of the fan guide 59g of the fan assembly 59, an available space cannot be obtained between the adjacent parts. Thus, coupling or decoupling of the fan assembly through the fasteners becomes more difficult.
Further, one side of the fan assembly 59 where the fastening holes 59h are located is fixed to the main body 51 of the refrigerator, whereas the other side thereof is not supported as if it behaves as a free end of a cantilever. Therefore, the other side of the fan assembly 59 where the fastening holes 59h are not located may be lowered due to its own weight. Accordingly, there is a problem in that air streams are not correctly produced by the fan assembly 59 and thus air leakage can occur.
Furthermore, according to the prior art, one end of a lead wire (not shown) for applying electric power to the fan assembly 59 is connected to the fan assembly 59, and the other end thereof is connected to a control unit while passing through an insulating layer of the main body 51 of the refrigerator. However, since additional components for fixing or hanging the lead wire is not provided in the heat exchange chamber 56, a portion of the lead wire sags under its own weight and accordingly may come into contact with the evaporator 58.
In such a case, since cooling fins of the evaporator 58 generally takes the shape of a plate made of a metallic material, edges of the fins are relatively sharp. Therefore, if the lead wire comes into contact with the cooling fins of the evaporator 58, an electric leakage may occur due to the damage of insulating coating of the lead wire. Further, since a temperature of the lead wire is lowered by the evaporator 58, there is another problem in that a withstanding voltage of the lead wire may be reduced.


A method for restructuring the debt of a debtor who has an interest in a distressed property by a third party including the steps of comparing a present appraised value of the property to a total cost for purchasing the property from the debtor by the third party, satisfying the personal debt of debtor by the third party, and reselling the property back from the third party to the debtor based upon a present appraised value of the property, and if the present appraised value of the property exceeds the total cost to the third party by a preselected value then the third party purchases the property from the debtor, satisfies the personal debt of the debtor and resells the property back to the debtor at the present value of the property.

The vast majority of homes purchased are purchased on a the basis of loan instrument which includes a promissory note that specifies a principal amount borrowed from a lender and an interest rate, and is secured by a mortgage or deed of trust on the property. The promissory note establishes the borrower's obligation to make periodic payments to the lender and the mortgage or deed of trust establishes a the lender's right to foreclose on the property in the event the borrower fails to make the scheduled period payments.
Under most circumstances the borrower completes the loan obligation by making a lump sum payment before the end of the period to satisfy the loan. However not all borrowers can consistently make loan payments. Often times an acute event or circumstance may cause the borrower to stop making payments. For example, unexpected medical bills, a layoff from a job, a sudden downturn in business, or any other number of other unforeseen financial hardships may cause the borrower to suddenly stop making payments and default on the loan.
As a result of the borrower's default the lender may foreclose on the property. Foreclosure is a legal process by which the lender will ultimately obtain title in property and resell the property. From the borrower's perspective foreclosure is traumatic both from a financial as well as emotional standpoint. From a financial standpoint, the borrower not only loses the equity which has been established in the property but even after the property has been foreclosed continues to suffer in the sense that the borrower's credit has been irrevocably damaged. This damage to the borrower's credit may ultimately prevent the borrower from purchasing a subsequent home. From an emotional standpoint the borrower suffers from the loss of a home. This loss may further exacerbate the difficulties (e.g. sickness, loss of job) that caused the financial difficulties to begin with.
From the lender's perspective foreclosure is also undesirable. The foreclosure process is costly and thus further increases the lender's interest in an already distressed property. In addition unless the ultimate sale price of the home after foreclosure is substantially higher than the original value of the home the lender's return may be compromised.
Prior to foreclosure or subsequent thereto the borrower may file for bankruptcy. Ultimately however the result is the same, i.e. the bank will foreclose on the property once the payment schedule has not been met. Accordingly foreclosure and its resultant hardships discussed above are not avoided by the borrower filing for bankruptcy. Moreover, by filing for bankruptcy, the borrower's credit will likely be damaged to point where obtaining any future loan will be extremely difficult thereby preventing the homeowner from purchasing a future home.
From the lender's perspective bankruptcy is also not a desirable alternative since the lender may be forced to "get in line" with other creditors and may only be able to obtain only a fraction of the loan amount. Further, bankruptcy is a rather complicated legal proceeding and thus has associated legal fees and costs.
In view of the above it is desirable to seek techniques which would enable the borrower to satisfy his loan obligations, as well as his other financial obligations, and at the same time maintain residence in his home while meeting such obligations. Similarly it is desirable to seek techniques which would ensure payment of the loan to the creditor in full without the need to rely upon either foreclosure and/or bankruptcy proceedings.

Business method for acquisition of debtor real-estate and restructuring of debt


A method includes, in a receiver, computing soft decoding metrics for decoding a received signal. The soft decoding metrics are stored in compressed form in a memory buffer. The soft decoding metrics in the compressed form are retrieved from the memory buffer, the retrieved soft decoding metrics are decompressed, and the received signal is decoded using the decompressed soft decoding metrics.

Some communication receivers decode received signals using soft decoding metrics, and buffer the soft decoding metrics for later use. For example, Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) systems use a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) retransmission mechanism in which the receiver buffers soft decoding metrics in a buffer. Buffering capabilities for E-UTRA User Equipment (UE) are specified, for example, in "Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); User Equipment (UE) radio access capabilities (Release 9)," version 9.2.0, June, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,526,889, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a method in a receiver including receiving from a transmitter an aggregated-spectrum signal including at least first and second component carriers in respective spectral bands. Information related to processing one or more of the component carriers is buffered in at least one shared buffer, such that storage locations in the shared buffer are selectably assignable for storing at least first information related to the processing of the first component carrier and second information related to the processing of the second component carrier. The one or more of the component carriers are processed in the receiver using the information buffered in the shared buffer.
The description above is presented as a general overview of related art in this field and should not be construed as an admission that any of the information it contains constitutes prior art against the present patent application.

Enhanced buffering of soft decoding metrics


A sensor device includes a sensor for sensing amounts of a physical quantity, such as an environmental attribute, and providing sensor signals formed in response to the sensed physical quantity. A diagnostic test circuit provides multiple diagnostic test signals each representing a desired response to a particular amount of the physical quantity. A signal circuit selects the sensor signal or the diagnostic test signal and forms a signal circuit output. A reference circuit provides a calibrated reference signal corresponding to a threshold amount of the physical quantity. A comparator receives and compares the calibrated reference signal and the signal circuit output to form a comparison signal. A control circuit controls the signal circuit, reference circuit, and diagnostic test circuit and receives the comparison signal to output a sensor device sensor signal or sensor device diagnostic signal.

Sensors are widely used in electronic devices to measure physical quantities (for example attributes of the environment) and report a measured sensor value. In particular, magnetic sensors are used to measure magnetic fields, for example in transportation systems such as automobiles. Magnetic sensors can incorporate Hall-effect sensors that generate an output voltage proportional to an applied magnetic field or magneto-resistive materials whose electrical resistance changes in response to an external magnetic field. In many applications, it is desirable that magnetic sensors are small and are integrated with electronic processing circuitry so as to reduce the overall magnetic sensor size and provide improved measurements and integration into external electronic systems. For example, U.S. Patent Publication No 20160299200 describes a Hall-effect magnetic sensor for measuring magnetic fields incorporating an integrated circuit formed in a semiconductor material on a substrate, together with insulation and adhesive layers.
Measurement results from magnetic sensors can drift over time, providing varying measurement results even when exposed to the same magnetic field. For example, the magnetic field measurement results can be offset from a desired nominal value, the sensitivity can vary so that the measurement results are a multiple (either greater or less than one) of the desired value, or both. Such variation can be the result of changes in environmental conditions, for example temperature or humidity, or operational factors, such as vibration or aging. Moreover, devices can fail over time for similar reasons.
It is important, therefore, to include diagnostic capabilities to detect faults or failures in complex, safety-critical systems, such as automotive systems, so that repairs can be performed, or replacements can be provided for any faulty or failed devices. For example, WO2015038564 describes a method for verifying measurements from a magnetic Hall-effect sensor in a Hall-effect sensor system. In this approach, the Hall-effect sensor is excited with an excitation current having a first value. A first measurement corresponding to a voltage output of the Hall-effect sensor when the Hall-effect sensor is excited with the excitation current having the first value is obtained. Additionally, the Hall-effect sensor is excited with the excitation current having a second value, the second value different than the first value. A second measurement corresponding to a voltage output of the Hall-effect sensor when the Hall-effect sensor is excited with the excitation current having the second value is obtained. Operation of the Hall-effect sensor is then verified based at least on the first measurement and the second measurement.
Another approach to managing diagnostics in a magnetic field sensor is described in US20160252599A1. This design uses switches associated with a magnetic field sensor that provide error information. In particular, a device is provided that includes a magnetic field sensor, a plurality of switches associated with the magnetic field sensor, and a control circuit configured to control the plurality of switches and to provide at least one signal indicative of a fault based on operation of the switches.
However, these approaches and others like them do not necessarily operate the system under critical conditions, for example for operation close to a sensor system switching point or switching threshold and can therefore provide a false positive result under such critical conditions.
There is a need therefore, for circuits and methods in sensor systems that operate and test the sensor systems to provide more reliable diagnostics under critical test conditions.


A radiant energy collecting apparatus including a fluid reservoir, a platform floating on said fluid reservoir, a drive structure for moving the platform on the reservoir, radiant energy collectors supported on the platform, reflectors for concentrating radiant energy on the radiant energy collectors, and means for selectively submerging the concentrating means beneath fluid from the reservoir for protection against inclement weather conditions. Fluid feed impellers are supported beneath the platform within the reservoir and communicate with ports through the platform for pumping fluid onto the platform and reflectors. Opposing fluid impellers are associated with each fluid feed impeller, the opposing impellers being operable with the feed impellers to force fluid in an opposing direction to the feed impellers, with deflectors being disposed between the feed impellers and the opposing impellers. A duct is associated with at least one impeller and is configured so as to direct fluid adjacent the at least one impeller in a vertical direction and direct fluid through its other end at least partially in a horizontal direction. Flotation devices secured to the platform support the platform when the reflectors are submerged beneath fluid from the reservoir, the buoyancy of the flotation devices per unit height increasing from bottom to top of the flotation devices. Alternatively or in addition, a low pressure is established beneath the platform to restrain the platform against the buoyant force on the platform.

To utilize solar energy for heating and ultimately for electricity generation it is generally necessary to concentrate the solar radiation to obtain higher temperatures in the energy storage and transport medium.
There are various methods used to concentrate the solar radiation. One method utilizes a circular mirror of parabolic section with the center line of the dish pointing at the sun. The parabolic mirror must be suitably mounted to permit constant movement to follow the arc of the sun through the sky.
Additionally, the alignment of the arc of the sun through the sky will change from day to day as the declination of the sun changes from summer solstice to the winter solstice. Complex mechanisms are required to fulfill these requirements.
In the above method, the solar energy is concentrated into a small single focus point where a suitable heat absorber is mounted and it is difficult to transport this energy to a utilization point.
In another system, long parallel mirrored troughs having a parabolic cross section are aligned with the sun. In this system, the concentration occurs at a focus line parallel with the alignments of the collecting troughs.
The collecting troughs may be aligned in a North-South direction and the troughs are so mounted as to permit them to follow the movement of the sun through the course of the day. Complex mechanisms are also required to fulfill this requirement.
The solar energy is then generally collected in a pipe containing a suitable heat absorbing liquid, the pipe being mounted at the focus line of the parabolic reflecting troughs.
In the trough collecting system, the troughs can also be mounted in an East-West alignment and it is then necessary to align the troughs to the arc line of the sun once each day to allow for change in declination. Complex mechanisms are also required to control this alignment.
In mounting parabolic reflecting troughs in either the North-South or the East-West configuration, the troughs are adjusted to maintain their focus on the sun by pivotally mounting on an axis parallel to the focus line of the collecting mirrors and generally requiring a multiplicity of rotating bearings and associated mounting structures.
It is, of course, important to properly support the reflecting troughs so that they do not bend or break, since such deformations will reduce their ability to reflect the solar energy to the focus line. However, due to the large size of such solar collectors (the amount of energy collected being essentially directly related to the area of the reflectors), such supports can be cumbersome and thereby not only expensive to build but also more difficult to move to maintain proper alignment of the reflectors such as previously discussed.
Also, it is generally necessary to arrange the reflecting surfaces of solar energy collecting apparatus so that they are not subject to the possibility of damage caused by such things as hail. This is often achieved by the use of high quality and consequently expensive toughened glass in the construction of the reflecting mirrors. Further protection against hail could be achieved by turning the mirrored surfaces away from the direction of on coming hail, or the use of large screens which may be moved over the top of the whole mirror system. However, either structure is necessarily complex and expensive, and can require considerable structural support to withstand strong winds.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above-described disadvantages.

Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast City, QLD 4217