An extendable baton has a base section, at least one extendable section and a control rod. The base section may be tubular and have a lengthwise axis and an annular recess on an inner surface of a distal end and a release button on a proximal end. The extendable section may be tubular and nest inside the base section. The extendable section includes a locking clutch including a single slot disposed on the proximate end, a clutch plate disposed at least partially within the slot, the clutch plate including a locking portion, which engages the annular recess and a control aperture portion having an aperture, and at least one spring disposed to bias the clutch plate outwardly from the slot of the extendable section. The control rod is insertable through the aperture to retract the clutch plate when the release button is depressed.

Batons for use by the police and military are well known. Such batons can be of great value in close quarters or where non-lethal force is necessary or warranted. In many cases, batons used by the police or military are compact to carry and easy to deploy. Such batons may be constructed of one or more telescoping sections including a handle and more or more sections that slide into the handle.
A three-section telescoping baton with locking clutches and a button release is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 9,677,843, which is incorporated by reference. These batons are advantageous because they may be deployed to an extended and locked position and unlocked and stowed with one hand. Referring to FIG. 5, in such designs, an inner baton section 1 includes a locking clutch comprising two opposing semi-circular clutch plates 3 that fit into slots which have been cut into opposing sides of one end of the inner baton section 1. When collapsed, the clutch plates are kept retracted by clutch alignment rod. As each inner baton section is extended, the clutch alignment rod is withdrawn from the clutch plates, which are then biased outward by springs. When the baton section is fully extended, the clutch plates extend outwardly from the slots and into recesses in the next outer section to lock the two sections together. To collapse an extended and locked baton, a user pushes a button which extends the clutch alignment rod through apertures in the clutch plate coaxially with the baton section, which thereby aligns the clutch plates and withdraws them from the recess of the next outer baton section, allowing the baton to be collapsed while pushing on the ends of the baton.
While very convenient to deploy and stow, there are some disadvantages with such locking clutch designs. The ends of the baton sections where the locking clutches are located may be weakened by the slots for the clutch plates. Referring to FIG. 6, after cutting the slots 5, the remaining section portions 7 are relatively thin. Also, the clutch plates nest against each other where the alignment rod goes through, requiring those annular portions 9 of the locking plates to be at half thickness relative to the semi-circular portions, creating another potential area of weakness. Such weak spots may result in failure. When a baton is used to strike an object, forces from the most extended section of the baton may be propagated through one or more intermediate extended sections to the handle. Due to the forces, the extended sections may deflect within the next larger section. When this happens, the relatively thin section portions 7 and/or annular portions 9 of the locking plates 3 may fail, breaking the locking clutch. Accordingly, a need exists for more durable extendable extended sections.
Another issue with known designs is that elastomeric O-rings are used to reduce play between sections. Such elastomeric O-rings must be treated with oil or other lubricant to provide a low friction interface. However, the oil or lubricant may attract dirt and contamination, or be wiped off the mating surfaces completely. If left unserviced, the oil or lubricant may dry up, seizing the baton sections against each other, rendering the baton inoperable, to the detriment of the user.

Extendable baton with damage resistant locking mechanism


Systems and methods for automated monitoring of automated server control components are provided. Embodiments may include transmitting a request for state information associated with a component of the automated server control system. At least one of a reception of the state information for the component and a threshold time period without reception of the state information for the component may be detected. Some embodiments may include determining if the received state information for the component comprises an error condition. In some instances, an alert may be output based on at least one of detecting the threshold time period without reception of the state information for the component and determining that the received state information comprises an error condition.

Computer networks have become backbones of companies throughout the world. Even if a company does not provide products or services over the interact, computer networks within the company improve employee productivity by providing employees with instantaneous access to millions of bytes of data. In fact, many companies are unable to function when the company's computer network fails. Thus, it is imperative that companies have reliable computer networks with 99.999% up time.
Conventionally, a computer network may be provided with additional resiliency to failures by having a disaster recovery (DR) plan. That is, when a failure in the computer network occurs, a plan is available to quickly bring the computer network back to functional status, Disaster recovery plans may include actions taken by one or more actors. For example, a recovery plan may include switching to backup systems at the location of the failure. More drastic disasters may call for switching to backup systems at a location remote from the site of the failure.
To improve response to disaster events within the computer network, control over servers and partitions within a computer network may be automated. This may be referred to as Server Control Automation (SCA). SCA may be executed on one or several control systems and conventionally uses secure connections to communicate with the many separate systems associated with a DR plan. Each connection involves initial login and status inquiries to determine the current state of the separate systems and storage. Once the state is determined, however, many changes may occur that cause the DR plan to malfunction when it is needed.
For example, the connected system may have its security parameters changed. Security groups within many organizations may change system and networking parameters in order to prevent hacking, such as by evolving best practices over time. This security tightening affects the capability of control systems to perform SCA, and this failure situation may not be noticed until a DR plan takes effect.
As another example, the profile used by a control system to perform SCA by logging on to each monitored system may have been disabled, may have had its password changed, or may have been affected in other ways. Without a correctly logged on user, the control system is not able to detect failures or orchestrate DR. In addition, because the control systems may log on and poll the system for the current state, the utilities and components it relies on (such as an underlying Software Development Kit (SDK) or Secure Shell (SSH) server) may have been uninstalled, set to a disabled state, or become nonfunctional for many other reasons. Furthermore, a monitored system may hang in such a way that the "frozen" state of the system cannot be detected.

Automated monitoring of server control automation components


Phase shift key modulators (100, 500, 1000, 1400, 1700) are provided in which a multiphase signal source (108, 1402, 1406-1412,1702) is used to generate a plurality of phases of a carrier signal. A selector (110) is used to select one phase or a sequence of phases of the carrier signal to represent each bit pattern that is received from a binary data source (102, 1422). The multiphase signal source preferably comprises a multiphase oscillator that includes a phase locked ring of variable propagation delay inverters (202). Preferably, a phase sequencer (502) is used to select a monotonic sequence of phases to represent each bit pattern. Preferably two phase selectors (110, 1004) are used to simultaneously select two phases of carrier signal, and a phase interpolator (1106) is used to generate a sequence of phases from the two phases selected by the two phase selectors (110, 1004).

Presently there is an interest in developing low cost, highly integrated transceivers. Such transceivers may for example be used in consumer electronic devices such as laptop computers, wireless telephones and personal digital assistants for establishing connectivity between such devices so as to permit interoperability. Alternatively, such transceivers may form a part of so called system-on-a chip devices, which may incorporate sensors, signal processing and communication circuits on a single semiconductor die. One use of systems-on-a-chip is in asset tracking transponders that are affixed to capital equipment to be tracked.
The great increases of late in the use of wireless communication has necessitated increased efforts to conserve and reuse portions of the radio spectrum. Furthermore, given the increase in wireless communication, wireless devices must be designed so as to be able to tolerate increased levels of interference.
Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) has proven to be a spectrum efficient signal method that is capable of operating in high interference communication environments. DSSS is for example used in code division multi-Access (CDMA). In conventional DSSS, a binary data stream consisting of ones and zeros is transformed into a bipolar data signal in which ones are represented by a positive signal level (+1) and zeros are represented by a negative signal level (−1). Such a bipolar data signal is characterized by a data rate. The bipolar data signal is mixed with (multiplied by) a higher rate bipolar spreading code signal that includes bit aligned repetitions of a spreading code. The mixed bipolar signal that results from the mixing operation is used to phase shift key modulate a carrier signal.
A variety of phase shift key modulation techniques are known. One technique that is used in conjunction with DSSS is binary phase shift key (BPSK) modulation. In an exemplary implementation of BPSK for every appearance of one in the mixed bipolar signal a carrier signal is transmitted with zero phase shift, and for every appearance of negative one the carrier is transmitted with a phase shift of Pi radians.
Another technique known as quadrature phase shift key (QPSK) modulation offers twice the data rate of BPSK modulation. In an exemplary implementation of QPSK modulation the mixed bipolar signal is parsed into first and second channel bipolar signals. The first channel bipolar signal is used to BPSK modulate a zero phase (i.e. cosine or in-phase component) of a carrier and the second channel bipolar signal is used to BPSK modulate a Pi/2 phase (i.e. sine or quadrature phase) of the carrier signal. The two BPSK modulated carrier signals are summed before being amplified, filtered and transmitted. Because the two phases of the carrier are orthogonal (sine and cosine being orthogonal), the two channels bipolar signals may be transmitted and recovered without interfering with each other.
In QPSK, there are four possible permutations of the signal values of the first and second channel bipolar signals (00, 01, 10, and 11). The four possible permutations lead to four possible phases when the resulting signals are viewed on a complex plane (or phasor diagram) with the result of the first BPSK operation corresponding to the real axis, and the result of the second BPSK operation corresponding to the imaginary axis. One drawback of QPSK is that simultaneous signal level transitions in the first and second channel bipolar signals will result in a Pi radian jump in the phase of the transmitted signal. Such a large abrupt jump in phase can lead to undesirable out of band signal components.
Another phase shift key signaling technique that is a modification of the QPSK method is known as offset quadrature phase shift key (OQPSK). OQPSK addresses the problems caused by large abrupt phase jumps by offsetting the first and second channel bipolar signals so that only one changes signal level at a time, and consequently phase jumps are limited to Pi/2 radians. OQPSK is useful to some extent in reducing out of band signal components.
Aside from the matters of increasing interference tolerance, and reducing the generation of interference, another matter that must be addressed in order to foster the proliferation of wireless connectivity in electronic devices is the cost of modulators. Unfortunately, traditional transmitters that implement phase shift key modulation, use analog mixers to mix baseband signals with one or more phases of a carrier signal in order to phase shift the carrier.


A diesel engine having cylinders disposed in a V shape is constructed as compact as possible so that it can be adapted to either vertical and horizontal use without changing many parts. To this end, intake and exhaust cams and a fuel injection pump driving cam are disposed on a single camshaft to thereby obviate the necessity of a plurality of camshafts. In addition, a fuel pump, which has conventionally been disposed in a separate fuel injection pump case outside a cylinder block, is disposed inside the cylinder block. Furthermore, a fuel injection nozzle is disposed on an inner side of a pushrod and the pushrod and fuel injection nozzle are disposed between the cylinders, whereby a compact construction is obtained. Moreover, a governor device and a fuel injection pump are disposed on a side opposite to a crankshaft of the camshaft.

The present invention relates to a V type diesel engine having cylinders disposed in a V shape as seen from a front view, which is so constructed as to be adapted to either a vertical type having a vertical crankshaft or a horizontal type having a horizontal crankshaft.
There are conventional constructions of V type diesel engines disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Gazette No. Hei 6-299862 and the German Patent No. 966708, for example.
The V type diesel engine in the Japanese Laid-Open Gazette No. Hei 6-299862 has a camshaft for intake and exhaust cams which are apart from a fuel injection pump. Particularly, a camshaft for the fuel injection pump driving cams is different from the camshaft for intake and exhaust cams. Accordingly, the V type diesel engine, which requires two camshafts, tends to be excessively large in the total height thereof.
In the V type diesel engine shown in the German Patent No. 966708, a single camshaft is provided for both fuel injection pump driving cams and intake and exhaust cams. However, a governor device is not disposed between cylinders which are disposed in a V shape.


An ad hoc network organizes itself to provide communications without need for an a priori designated central control mechanism or base stations. Such self-organization is challenging in a multihop ad hoc network having member nodes that are highly mobile and widely distributed. A Synchronous Collision Resolution (SCR) protocol is well suited to provide efficient medium access control is such networks. SCR is an access protocol that archives high capacity collision free access using a signaling approach that creates a random cellular-like network after each signaling period. In use, the present invention provides quality of service and supports energy conservation for the mobile nodes.

The invention relates generally to wireless communications. More particularly the present invention is a protocol for use with ad hoc mobile networks that distributively controls medium access thereby avoiding collisions of communications and providing quality of service in a synchronous communications system.
Ad hoc mobile networks have been proposed as a solution to wireless networking where nodes are mobile, the range of their mobility exceeds the transmission range of any single transceiver, and there is no existing network infrastructure such as that which exists in a more traditional fixed wireless network having transmission towers and base stations. Typical proposed applications for such ad hoc networks include military command and control, search and rescue, sensor, and disaster relief networks. However, ad hoc networking may find broader application as a networking approach in offices, across college campuses, in homes, and even possibly as the architecture of a future generation of mobile wireless data networks. Indeed, the increasing availability of high frequency transceivers (i.e. high bandwidth) will allow simultaneous support of multiple connections at different qualities of service (QoS). However, the increased attenuation associated with such high frequencies will make cellular architectures centered on nodes communicating directly with base stations impractical. The natural alternative is for nodes to communicate with their peers rather than with a base station and to cooperate to support connectivity as is envisaged by the ad hoc networking approach.
Ad hoc networks have no base stations and are quite volatile. The performance of these networks is contingent on the ability of access protocols to allocate bandwidth and the ability of routing protocols to determine and to maintain routes among the nodes. Extensive research has been directed toward this issue and numerous protocols have been proposed for medium access.
Three major challenges confront ad hoc access protocols: providing fair access onto a single channel to multiple contending nodes (i.e. all contending nodes have the same opportunity to gain access), achieving spatial reuse of the channel, and providing a mechanism that allows nodes to reserve bandwidth on the single access channel.
Fair access is typically achieved either by scheduling accesses or by introducing temporal randomness so that nodes may gain access at different times. Due to the distributed nature of ad hoc networks, temporally random access techniques improving on the principles underlying the Aloha and Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) protocols have dominated.
The IEEE 802.11 and the ETSI HIPERLAN MAC protocols exemplify the state of the art in standardized protocols. The 802.11 MAC is based on a distributed CSMA like protocol that seeks to avoid collisions when the channel is congested. Nodes schedule packet transmissions to start in randomly selected time slots within a contention window. Nodes transmit the packets after sensing the channel to be idle for that selected number of time slots. If the packet is not received successfully, a back off algorithm randomly schedules retransmission in a larger contention window. The contention window increases exponentially with each failure, thus reducing the probability that nodes, which collide, will subsequently collide. However, the protocol's performance still degrades with congestion.
The HIPERLAN protocol takes a different approach. Nodes first attempt to send packets as they arrive. If a packet arrives when the channel is busy, the node waits until the channel is free again and then contends immediately using the signaling protocol Elimination Yield Non-Preemptive Multiple Access (EYNPMA). When multiple nodes within range of each other contend simultaneously, this protocol is better than 96% effective at isolating a single winner. By contrast with 802.11, the performance of this access mechanism is robust. However, as the density of nodes increases, so does the susceptibility of the protocol to hidden node effects. This susceptibility occurs because the timing of EYNPMA is based on the release of the channel by a transmitter. Only nodes within range of this transmitter can achieve the appropriate synchronization.
RICH-DP offers a variation to slotted Aloha. All nodes follow a common frequency hopping sequence. Access attempts occur on these hops as in slotted aloha but they are receiver initiated. Nodes poll their peers in these hops to determine if their peer has a packet to send them. If so, the two nodes exchange data stalling at that hop frequency and thereby avoiding collisions with future polls and data exchanges, which will occur on other hop frequencies. The use of request-to-receive (RTR) messages sent by destinations results in collision avoidance as collisions occur at destinations. Unique to this approach is that not only do the access attempts occur at random times, they may occur when the sources have no data to send. Nevertheless on account of a dedicated collision free channel for the subsequent data exchange and the concurrent use of multiple channels in the same space it is a very competitive protocol. Its limitations are that it is sensitive to high node densities on account of the finite number of frequencies and (typical of the slotted aloha access mechanism) is subject to congestion collapse as collisions may still occur in the RTR polls.
The dispersion of nodes in networks offers the potential to spatially reuse the radio channel so that more than one pair of nodes can exchange data at a time but also results in the pesky hidden node phenomena where distant nodes transmitting simultaneously unbeknownst to each other interfere at one or both destinations. The challenge to access protocols is to resolve from a spatial distribution of transmitters a set that can use the channel simultaneously without interfering with each other.
The deleterious impact of the hidden node problem is a significant issue for CSMA protocols. In fact, when "wireless" CSMA was first presented, it was noted that CSMA's performance could degrade to that of Aloha. Subsequently, it was demonstrated that a two-way handshake prior to data transmission could suppress collisions. The principle is for the source to first transmit a short "request-to-send" (RTS) packet to the destination implicitly directing all nodes within range to back off while the data exchange takes place. Upon receiving the RTS, the destination replies with a "clear-to-send" (CTS) packet, which simultaneously directs its neighbors to back off while giving the source the go-ahead to transmit the data packet. Collisions may still occur during RTS-CTS exchanges but they only interfere with these short transmissions rather than the longer data transmissions. In fact, modeling of the present invention demonstrates that a successful RTS-CTS exchange is a sufficient condition to assure no collision in the subsequent data transmission.
The RTS-CTS exchanges are currently used by 802.11. By contrast, HIPERLAN takes a different approach in dealing with hidden nodes. A node assumes a collision has occurred when it fails to gain access but then does not detect a packet transmission. When this is the case the node identifies this as the "hidden elimination" condition and foregoes attempting to gain access for at least 500 ms. Unfortunately, various studies reveal HIPERLAN's performance degrades significantly with an increase of hidden nodes.
RICH-DP avoids the channel sharing challenge by segregating transmissions on different frequencies.
Access protocols must enable the reservation of resources if they are to achieve bandwidth or delay QoS constraints.
The 802.11 protocol supports two types of coordination functions built upon its distributed access mechanisms, a distributed coordination function (DCF) and a point coordination function (PCF). The DCF is the default. The PCF enables a central node, the point coordinator (PC), to schedule transmissions; however, the standard provides no guidance on how this should be done. The PCF can be used to support multimedia traffic in certain situations, but this assumes that all nodes are within range of the PC. In a widely distributed network, this approach would require multiple PCs working together to manage access. Currently no work attempting such a solution for an ad hoc network appears to exist. In fact, the DCF remains the predominant coordination function used in ad hoc networking. Attempts have been made to add signaling to the DCF so as to enable it to support constant bit rate services; however, this work again requires all nodes to be within range of each other. The 802.11 protocol does not simultaneously support resource reservation and spatial reuse.
HIPERLAN's method of supporting QoS is to give priority to packets based on their residual lifetime. The EYNPMA protocol has five levels of priority, all based on the residual lifetime of a packet. Unfortunately, experiments demonstrate that this priority scheme is not effective at supporting QoS since there are no mechanisms to distinguish between packets associated with real time services and old data packets. The problem is, of course, more pronounced in congested networks where more nodes would contend to transmit old, i.e. higher priority, data packets.
Spread spectrum (SS) technology has frequently been proposed as a method to multiplex signals within the same geographic region. Spread spectrum also offers other very attractive features such as resistance to detection, resistance to multipath induced fades, and resistance to jamming. Multiple transmissions can coexist in the same frequency band when using orthogonal spread spectrum codes. This is a key technology in cellular phone systems and is the basis of code division multiple access (CDMA).
Unfortunately, several complications are introduced by the distributed nature of ad hoc networks. First, the question arises, "which code to use and when to use it?" Synchronizing the codes transmitters use to those that receivers are using to receive is not trivial. Second, in a channel with only a finite number of codes available, the network needs to assign codes such that they are spatially distributed. In a dynamic network, keeping track of codes can be as complicated as keeping track of routes. Third, unlike CDMA cell phone systems, it is possible that a destination will be closer to an interfering transmitter than its source transmitter.
Even with a different spreading sequence the relative power of the interfering signals can raise the effective noise level of the channel such that the desired signal is lost. Finally, when codes are used, networks become packet sensing as opposed to carrier sensing. Receivers must synchronize with the transmitter from the beginning of the packet transmission or else the transmission appears as noise. To avoid interfering with an ongoing exchange at a destination a source must know that the destination is idle and is ready to receive its transmission. The only way to be certain that the destination is idle is to monitor the exchanges to and from the destination. This is difficult, since it may be impossible to monitor an incoming transmission to this destination on account of separation from the distant source. Not knowing who this source is also prevents knowing the code that would be used in the destination's acknowledgement. Not sensing a destination is busy is no guarantee that it is idle.
There are four approaches to selecting codes: transmitter-based, receiver-based, pair-wise oriented, and common code shifted in time. In transmitter-based schemes a unique code is assigned to each transmitter. The problem with this approach is determining which transmitter's code a potential receiver should use at a given time.
In receiver-based schemes a unique code is assigned to each receiver. In this approach, there is no confusion at either the receiver or the transmitter as to which code to use but there is the question as to when the transmitter should start transmitting. Transmitting to a destination that is already receiving a packet from another source can interfere with that reception.
With transmitter-based codes the problem associated with an adjacent node interfering with a destination's reception is not as severe since it is precluded from using the same code.
In pair-wise oriented schemes unique codes are assigned to pairs of nodes. Pair-wise coding presents the same challenge to destinations as transmitter-based codes. Each potential destination needs to determine which code it should use in receiving.
Common code systems rely on the offset of the phase of codes used in transmissions that occur concurrently. The offsets may either occur randomly or be deliberate. In the latter case, the selection of the offset is no different than the selection of the spread spectrum code in the first three approaches. Additionally, despite the presence of an offset when using common codes there is still an increased likelihood that signals may interfere with each other. However, using a common code has an advantage in that it is the only approach that can support broadcast transmissions.
Proposed solutions to the problem of selecting codes normally involve the use of hybrid protocols. In one hybrid, all nodes monitor and contend using a common code but after the addresses of the source and destination are transmitted the transmitter uses a transmitter-based code to send the data packet. The destination knows which code to use since it receives the source address before the transition to the use of the transmitter-based code. In a second protocol, every node is assigned two codes, one to receive on and one to transmit on. When a node is idle it listens using its receive code. A source will use the receive code of the destination of a packet to send the source and destination address portion of the packet but will again transition to the source's transmit code to send the data portion.
Both approaches attempt to limit the time that another node may interfere with the exchange. In the first, other nodes will only interfere during the initial transmission of the addresses and in the second the potential interference occurs during the same period but is further reduced on account that interfering nodes must be transmitting to the same destination. The disadvantage of the second protocol over the first is its inability to broadcast packets.
The assignment of codes is also a problem in spread spectrum ad hoc networks. Normally there are a finite number of codes that must be distributed to a larger number of nodes. Random selection of codes may not assure the required physical separation of nodes using the same codes. Various algorithms have been developed for the assignment of codes. Most methods of assigning and distributing codes are associated with the hierarchical organization of networks.
Code assignment does not eliminate the unwanted interference from transmitters in close proximity to the destination end of other exchanges. In other words, the interfering source is closer to a destination than its intended source. Ideally, an access protocol would deliberately select transmitting nodes that do not interfere at the destinations.
Although there has been much work on the use of spread spectrum in ad hoc networks there are no protocols that completely integrate within a medium access control protocol the assignment of codes, the scheduling of a spatially distributed set of transmissions, and a method used by nodes to select codes for transmission and reception. In turn there are no methods that support the use of CDMA technology to transmit different messages from one node to many.
Mobile nodes in ad hoc networks frequently rely on batteries for energy and therefore have a finite lifetime. Conserving energy is therefore important to extending the lifetime of both individual nodes and the network. This is especially difficult in ad hoc networks since energy conserving actions must be made in a distributed manner. In fact, the continuous participation of the mobile nodes to create a fabric of connectivity is critical to the overall performance of the network. Typically, this results in a choice of either operating at peak performance at the expense of a shortly lived network or choosing sub optimum performance for network longevity. Additionally, most energy conserving protocols focus on the implementation of a single energy conserving approach.
Protocols may use four sets of mechanisms to reduce energy consumption: 1) help nodes enter low energy states; 2) choose routes that consume the least energy; 3) selectively use nodes based on their energy status; 4) reduce overhead.
Access protocols reduce energy consumption by coordinating the use of low energy states. Using low energy states has great potential for conserving energy since these state use less than a tenth of the energy used by radios when receiving or transmitting. The default state of nodes is receiving since signal processing is required to detect and to synchronize to an incoming signal. Entering a low energy state requires the node to cease sensing the channel and to stop participating in the network's activities. The objective of type 1 energy conserving protocols is to assist nodes that are not participating in data exchanges to enter a low energy state without degrading overall performance of the network. Proposed methods for managing nodes entering the doze state may be one of two kinds. In the first, nodes doze and then wakeup on a periodic basis according to network wide parameters. The 802.11 standard provides this kind of mechanism. The second requires the node desiring to doze to specifically coordinate a dozing cycle with another supporting node that agrees to act as a surrogate destination for the dozing node's traffic while it is dozing. The ETSI HIPERLAN standard uses this approach.
In both the 802.11 and HIPERLAN protocols, the decision to doze is initiated by the individual nodes desiring to conserve energy. In the ad hoc version of an 802.11 network, the node that first forms the network decides whether it permits energy conservation by establishing an "ATIM Period." A node that desires to conserve energy may doze so long as it wakes each ATIM Period to listen for ad hoc traffic indication messages (ATIM). ATIMs are transmitted during a short window at the beginning of each ATIM period, called an ATIM Window. If the node wakes and hears an ATIM directed to itself, it acknowledges the ATIM and remains awake for the rest of the ATIM period prepared to receive traffic. If it receives no ATIM directed to itself, the node returns to the doze state at the conclusion of the ATIM window. Note that there is no method for a node's intent to doze to be disseminated. Other nodes assume this state after failing to transfer data through regular contention.
The energy conserving mechanism in HIPERLAN requires a node desiring to doze, a "p-saver," to coordinate with another to serve as its surrogate, a "p-supporter". As part of this coordination the two nodes agree to a period at which the p-saver will awaken to receive unicast messages and a period at which the p-supporter will transmit multicast messages. The p-supporter node collects transmissions intended for the p-saver and then attempts to forward them to the p-saver during the coordinated transmission periods.
The critical deficiency of both the 802.11 and HIPERLAN techniques is that they do not account for the repercussions of a single node's decision to enter the doze state. These repercussions are more congestion as nodes attempt to send traffic to nodes that are dozing and complications for other protocols higher in the stack such as routing. To minimize these adverse effects, access protocols must be able to make dozing more predictable.
In view of the above, what would be truly useful is an access protocol that can be used with wireless ad hoc networks. Such a protocol would arbitrate medium access such that it provides quality of service, manages the use of low energy states, coordinates the use of multiple channels, all while allowing maximum use of wireless channels minimizing collisions of concurrent communications.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Access protocol for wireless ad hoc networks using synchronous collision resolution


A system information configuration method and device are provided, related to the field of communications. The method includes: determining, based on a target parameter which is predetermined, a frequency offset configuration parameter of a Remaining Minimum System Information (RMSI) Control Resource Set (CORESET) with respect to a System Synchronization Block (SSB), where the target parameter includes one or more of a channel bandwidth parameter, a Subcarrier Spacing (SCS) parameter of RMSI, an SCS parameter of SSB, a System Synchronization (SS) Raster parameter, and a RMSI CORESET bandwidth parameter; and performing a frequency offset configuration of the RMSI CORESET with respect to the SSB according to the frequency offset configuration parameter.

In the 5G NR (New Radio) system, the minimum system information (MSI, Minimum System Information) is the system information necessary for the terminal to make the initial access. A part of the minimum system information is transmitted through PBCH (Physical Broadcast Channel, Physical Broadcast Channel), and the remaining minimum system information (RMSI, Remaining Minimum System Information) is transmitted through PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel, Physical Downlink Shared Channel). In addition, the PDSCH transmitting the RMSI is scheduled by using a PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel, physical downlink control channel). The PDCCH (PDSCH used to schedule the bearer RMSI) is indicated by RMSI control resource set (CORESET, Control Resource Set) configuration information. The RMSI CORESET configuration information belongs to the minimum system information and is transmitted on the PBCH channel.
Each RMSI CORESET is associated with a system synchronization block (SSB, System Synchronization Block). The RMSI CORESET and the SSB have two multiplexing modes, frequency division multiplexing (FDM, Frequency Division Multiplexing) or time division multiplexing (TDM, Time Division Multiplexing), respectively. Here, the time division multiplexing means that the RMSI CORESET and the associated SSB are transmitted on different OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) symbols in the time domain. The time division multiplexing mode must be supported when the system cannot support the frequency division multiplexing mode.
NR supports different multiplexing modes between SSB and RMSI CORESET. The time division multiplexing mode is also referred to as "Mode 1"; [1, and 2] refers to a multiplexing mode in which SSB and RMSI CORESET occur at different times. For time division multiplexing "Mode 1", the time division multiplexing manner of the RMSI CORESET and the associated SSB is shown in FIG. 1, where "A" is the carrier bandwidth and has a granularity of RMSI RB (Resource Block); "B" is the bandwidth occupied by the RMSI CORESET at a granularity of RMSI RB; "C" is the bandwidth occupied by the SSB at a granularity of SSB RB; "D" is a frequency domain offset indication of RMSI CORESET relative to SSB, with a granularity of RMSI RB. The carrier bandwidth used in designing frequency offset settings for a radio frequency band will be greater than or equal to the minimum bandwidth specified for that radio frequency band. Each RMSI RB and SSB RB uses a bandwidth equal to 12 times the bandwidth of their respective SCS. For example, when SCS=15 kHz, one RB uses a bandwidth of 180 kHz. The SCS of the RMSI may be the same as or different from the SCS of the associated SSB.
A key point in the RMSI CORESET configuration design is how to configure the frequency offset between the RMSI CORESET and the associated SSB, i.e. how to configure the difference between the minimum RB index of the SSB and the minimum RB index of the RMSI CORESET, corresponding to parameter D in FIG. 1.
In the 3GPP RAN1 #91 meeting, it has been determined that the following combinations of SSB SCS and RMSI CORSET SCS are supported:                combinations under 6 GHz include: {SS SCS, RMSI SCS}={15,15} kHz, {15,30} kHz, {30,15} kHz, {30,30} kHz;        combinations above 6 GHz include: {SS SCS, RMSI SCS}={120, 60} kHz, {120,120} kHz, {240, 60} kHz, {240,120} kHz.
For any combination of SSB subcarrier spacing (SCS, Subcarrier Spacing) and RMSI CORESET SCS, it is desirable to support as many RMSI CORESET configurations as possible from a system design point of view. However, the NR protocol specifies that only 4 bits in the PBCH can be used to indicate the frequency offset between the start position of the RMSI CORESET and the start position of the associated SSB, i.e. a total of only 2{circumflex over ( )}4=16 cases can be indicated.
Tables 13-1 to 13-8 in 3GPP protocol standard TS 38.213 [2] have given the frequency offset configuration between the RMSI CORESET and the associated SSB supporting the combination of SSB SCS and RMSI CORSET SCS above.
However, due to the limitation of meeting time in the related art, the consideration of the frequency offset configuration for RMSI CORESET with respect to SSB in Tables 13-1 to 13-8 in TS38.213 [2] is not comprehensive. In particular, the effects of factors such as a SS Raster and a minimum channel bandwidth are not considered for 6 GHz or less.

System information configuration method and device

DATANG MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.


An object of the present invention is to reduce force acting, when an ink-jet head moves, on a distal end portion of an ink supply pipe connected to a brancher, to thereby prevent damage to the ink supply pipe as much as possible. An ink supplier, which supplies ink to respective ink introduction ports of at least one ink-jet head, has an ink supply pipe connected to an ink cartridge, a brancher to which a distal end portion of the ink supply pipe connected, and branch pipes extending from the brancher to the respective ink introduction ports. The brancher and the branch pipes are adapted to move integrally with the at least on ink-jet head, and in addition the distal end portion of the ink supply pipe and the brancher are connected to each other in a relatively rotatable manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink-jet printer that performs recording by ejecting ink to a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is widely known a serial-type ink-jet printer including an ink-jet head that ejects ink to a recording medium such as a recording paper while moving in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the recording medium is conveyed. Among such ink-jet printers, in particular, an ink-jet printer disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2005-288753 (FIG. 3) for example includes ink cartridges (ink supply sources) that are fixedly provided and an ink-jet head that can move reciprocatingly in a widthwise direction of a recording paper conveyed. The ink cartridges and the ink-jet head are connected via a flexible tube. Ink supplied from the ink cartridge through the tube is ejected to a recording paper from a nozzle of the ink-jet head that is moving reciprocatingly.
In a case where several ink-jet head eject the same type (color) of ink, a brancher that branches an ink supply path, which is formed of a single tube, into several paths is required in order that ink is supplied from one ink cartridge to several ink-jet heads, respectively. However, when the brancher is provided in an ink-jet head side and moves integrally with the ink-jet head, a distal end portion of the tube connected to the brancher repeatedly receives stress while the ink-jet head is moving.
On the other hand, a diameter of the tube is preferably as large as possible, for the purpose of smooth ink supply from the ink cartridge to the ink-jet head. In general, a tube is often made of a synthetic resin material or the like, which may sometimes cause air to penetrate through the tube and mix into ink in the tube. Therefore, in order to prevent air from penetrating through the tube as much as possible, a wall thickness of the tube is preferably as large as possible. However, when the diameter and the wall thickness of the tube are made large like this, rigidity of the tube is accordingly increased. This makes it difficult that the tube absorbs, by its bending deformation, force acting thereon during movement of the ink-jet head. As a result, the distal end portion of the tube receives larger stress, and therefore a cracking due to fatigue failure or the like is more likely to occur in the tube.


An online system matches a user with a user of a third party system by comparing user identifying information maintained by the online system with user identifying information maintained by the third party system. To determine how accurately different types of user identifying information identify an online system user, types of user identifying information maintained by the online system are compared to types of user identifying information maintained by the third party system. A score is associated with various online system users based on the number of types of user identifying information associated with the user by the online system matching types of user identifying information associated with a third party system user. Based on the scores associated with different users, a measure of accuracy in identifying an online system user is determined for each type of user identifying information.

This disclosure relates generally to identifying users of an online system, and more particularly to identifying accuracies with which different types of user identifying information identify online system users.
Users interact with content provided by a variety of online systems, and multiple online systems may exchange limited information associated with a user to allow each online system to provide a user with more personalized content. Providing more personalized content enhances user interaction with an online system, increasing the amount of user interaction with the online system. Different online systems maintain user identifying information associated with each user, user identifying information associated with a user including different types of user identifying information.
To retrieve information associated with a user from an additional online system, an online system communicates one or more types of user identifying information associated with the user by the online system to the additional online system. The additional online system compares the received type of user identifying information to user identifying information associated with users of the additional online system an identifies a user of the additional online system associated with types of user identifying information matching the received types of user identifying information. However, different online systems may use different types of user identifying information to identify specific user, so an online system may be unable to accurately identify a user based on user identifying information received from an additional online system.

Determining accuracies with which types of user identifying information identify online system users


In order to determine extrinsic parameters of a vehicle vision system or an aspect of a vehicle vision system, road lane markings may be identified in an image captured by a camera and provided to the vehicle vision system. For one or more of the identified road lane markings, a first set of parameters defining an orientation and a position of a line along which a road lane marking extends in an image plane may be determined. Also, a second set of parameters defining an orientation and a position of a line along which a road lane marking extends in a road plane may be determined. A linear transformation that defines a mapping between the first set of parameters and the second set of parameters may be identified. The extrinsic parameters may be established based on the identified linear transformation.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle vision system that may include a calibration system.
2. Related Art
Use of image sensors in vehicle systems has become widespread. Such image sensors may be used as components of a driver assistance system in which the image sensors capture images of a vehicle's surroundings. The captured images may be processed to perform object recognition. Also, the images may be displayed, possibly after processing, to a user. Automatic warning and assistance functions may be performed to warn the driver of potentially dangerous situations or to actively control operation of the vehicle, such as actuating breaks of the vehicle. Image sensors may also be employed as rear view or side view cameras that may help the driver with operating the vehicle, such as parking the vehicle.
With the use of image sensors in vehicle systems becoming increasingly popular, the complexity and time involved to calibrate the vehicle vision system can be an important consideration. Calibrating a vehicle vision system involves extrinsic and intrinsic parameters to be known. While intrinsic parameters may remain constant over time, this may not be the case for extrinsic parameters. For example, orientation of a camera may change over time for various reasons, such as continued operation of the vehicle may cause the orientation of the camera to vary. Because extrinsic parameters change, it may be desired to calibrate a vehicle vision system periodically.


A computer system for use in load testing a service-oriented architecture (SOA) service has a processor and a memory storage device in communication with the processor. The processor is adapted to receive an XML message, an address for a service to be tested, an action compliant with a protocol for exchanging structured information in a decentralized, distributed environment and associated with the service; create and store in memory a template message package compliant with the protocol; create a populated message package compliant with the protocol by incorporating in the template message package the XML message, the address and the action; establish a connection to the service and furnish one or more documents and attachments to the service; and receive a response from the service.

Server software that interfaces with numerous users, such as software running on web servers that are used in retail, financial services and other fields, are conventionally load tested prior to deployment by scripts that emulate the actions of numerous users. The scripts are run on computer systems in communication with the server software deployed in a test environment. Such server software may include service-oriented architecture (SOA) services. In some applications, data is conveyed between user systems and a server using documents compliant with an XML extension suitable to the particular type of data involved.
For emulation of users providing simple XML documents, automated tools are available to develop scripts. However, in certain applications, XML documents may include attachments. By way of non-limiting example, attachments to XML documents may include image files, such as jpg, tiff, pdf or other file formats. XML documents may be relatively complex for some applications. Scripts that are able to emulate users generating complex XML documents and XML documents with attachments are developed by experienced programmers.
Similarly, load testing of software running on servers using message queues, in which requests from users are placed in a queue and later responded to, is desirable. However, such load testing has generally not been performed because of the time of experienced programmers that would be required in order to generate scripts required to emulate numerous users.

Computer system and computer-implemented method for service and application load testing


A belt tensioning device for a continuous belt drive. The device includes a torsion spring assembly (20) with a longitudinal axis (A2) and with at least one torsion bar or torsion tube (32). The torsion spring assembly (20) can be clamped axially and in a rotationally fast way into a rack. A tensioning arm (19), at one end, is arranged at the torsion spring assembly (20) so as to be aligned approximately radially relative to the longitudinal axis (A2). A tensioning roller (15) is rotatably fixed at the other end of the tensioning arm (19). The axis of rotation (A1) of the tensioning roller (15) extends substantially parallel relative to the longitudinal axis (A2) of the torsion spring assembly (20), and the tensioning arm (19) can be resiliently supported relative to the rack so as to oscillate around the longitudinal axis (A2).

The invention relates to a belt tensioning device for a belt drive having at least two belt pulleys and a continuous belt, and a torsion spring assembly.
A typical belt drive application is the drive of auxiliaries of an internal combustion engine, wherein a first belt pulley is positioned on the crankshaft and drives the belt drive, with further belt pulleys being positioned on auxiliaries such as a water pump, generator, air conditioning compressor etc. and being driven by the belt drive. In the direction of rotation, behind the driving belt pulley, there exists a slack strand whose slack has to be balanced by a tensioning roller to ensure that the belt does not slip off the belt pulleys. The belt length changes in the course of the operating period and under the influence of temperature, so that the tensioning roller has to be resiliently displaceably held in guiding means or, preferably, it has to oscillate at a resiliently suspended tensioning or rocker arm.
In the case of belt drives for driving auxiliaries of an internal combustion engine, which include a starter generator, between the engine operation on the one hand and the starter operation on the other hand, there occurs a change between the pulling strand and the slack strand on both sides of the belt pulley of the starter generator. In such a case, it is necessary to provide spring-loaded tensioning rollers for both the above-mentioned strands. One tensioning roller is effective at the slack strand under spring force, whereas the other one is optionally pushed back by the tensioned pulling strand against the spring force of same.
As a rule, the pre-tensioning forces acting on the tensioning rollers are applied by sprint assemblies which are positioned in the region of the bearing of a tensioning arm and contain stirrup springs, i.e. helical or hairpin springs with two radially projecting stirrups in the case of which there can occur a change in angle of the two projecting stirrups relative to one another against resilient spring forces. The stirrup spring either contracts or widens. Spring units of this type require a relatively large installation diameter which is not available in all applications.
From DE 39 12 944 A1, there is know a belt tensioning device wherein the spring element is provided in the form of a rotary bar spring which is composed of a plurality of rotary bars and whose longitudinal axis extends parallel to the axis of rotation of the tensioning roller. The tensioning roller is supported in a tensioning lever which is arranged at the free end of the rotary bar spring. The fixed end of the rotary bar spring is firmly clamped into holding means provided with bolting means for being fixed to a fixed housing. In order to prevent the rotary bar spring from bending under load, it is arranged in a guiding tube, with the rotary bar spring and the guiding tube, at the end carrying the tensioning lever, both being connected in a rotationally fixed way to the tensioning lever. The guiding tube, in turn, is rotatably supported in the engine block.
Thus, there exists a need for a compact belt tensioning device suitable for standard drives with an unchanging driving pulley and belt drives with changing driving pulleys.


A cable (302) has (8) fibers (304) are encapsulated by a UV curable layer (306) having a diameter of approximately (1010) microns, and (16) outer fibers (316) arranged in a circular formation around the inner fibers (304). The optical fibers (304) are held in position by means of the UV curable layer (306) so that the UV curable material of the layer (306) does not penetrate into the gaps between the optical fibers (304) and the outermost optical fibers (304) are restrained by the layer from moving axially. It is found that such an arrangement provides surprisingly favorable bending properties, making the cable particularly suitable for installation in a tube by means of blowing.

Optical fibres have traditionally been installed into underground ducts by attaching a pulling member to one end of the cable, and winching the cable into the duct. As a result, such cables were large and heavily reinforced to protect the relatively delicate optical fibre elements from damage during installation.
Traditional cables were constructed by first manufacturing sub-assemblies comprising tubes manufactured from thermoplastic materials and containing typically twelve fibre optic elements. A number of these tubes were then assembled together by stranding them around a central strength member. The stranding process, and the fact that the tube is large relative to the space occupied by the fibre optic elements, means that all fibres experience the same strain when the cable is bent during installation, and the loose tube construction allows the fibres to move and accommodate the strain, resulting in minimal signal losses.
More recent techniques for cable installation involve blowing the cable into a duct by means of compressed air, for example as described in EP 0108590. This blowing process distributes the installation force along the entire length of the cable within the duct, as a result of which the installation force at the leading end of the cable can be reduced, and much of the reinforcement can therefore be removed from the cable. This provides significant advantages, since there is an increasing requirement for cables to become more compact, primarily because city networks are congested and providing new underground ducts in cities is expensive and involves substantial disruption.
Installation of cables by blowing involves both the use of fluid drag operating on the sheath of the cable, and a pushing force, usually generated by drive rollers or a caterpillar pushing device which forms part of the blowing equipment. At the initial stages of installation, there is very little cable installed in the tube, and the effect of fluid drag is therefore small compared to the pushing effect. As more of the cable is installed, the installation force derived from the fluid drag becomes more significant.
It is therefore desirable for cables designed for installation by blowing to have adequate stiffness to facilitate the initial pushing requirement. In the case of cables constructed from sub-assemblies, the fibres are loosely contained in an outer sheath of the sub-assembly. Because the individual fibres are not constrained, they do not provide the cable with sufficient stiffness, and it is therefore desirable that the cable be constructed with a central strength member, typically manufactured using a glass-reinforced polymer. The strength member is sufficiently stiff that it dominates the stiffness of the assembly and, because of its central location, ensures that the cable does not preferentially bend in one direction rather than another.
However, the use of a central strength member undesirably increases the size of the cable.
An attempt to produce a cable for installation by blowing without the use of a central strength member is disclosed in EP 0521710, which describes a cable in which 2, 4 or 8 individual optical fibres are in touching contact and are encapsulated in an outer layer, typically a UV cured acrylate. Encapsulation of the fibres in a UV cured acrylate results in the individual fibres being restrained from moving relative to each other, and the cable derives its stiffness from this, eliminating the requirement for the central strength member. However, the fact that the fibres are locked together means that when the assembly is bent, the fibres impose a strain on the outer coating of the cable. The larger the diameter of the fibre unit, the greater the tensile stress applied to the outer surface for a given bend radius. Fibre optic cables containing 4 or 8 fibres are found to create such a high load that a phenomenon known as fibre breakout is experienced, and which has a detrimental effect on cable performance.
EP 0521710 discloses a process which produces satisfactory results on cables with fibre counts of 2, 4 and 8 fibres by changing the coating arrangement to ensure that fibres do not break out of the coating, even with larger diameter cables containing 8 fibres. However, it is desirable to manufacture cables having more than 8 fibres, but attempts to manufacture such cables have had difficulty in overcoming the problem of fibre breakout. An attempt to overcome this problem is disclosed in EP 0422764 in which 12 fibres are provided, the fibres being accurately located and locked in position relative to each other by first assembling sets of 4 fibres into a ribbon sub-assembly by edge bonding the 4 fibres to each other, and laying 3 such sub-assemblies on top of each other to form a basic construction which is then encapsulated in an outer layer.
Compact ribbon cable assemblies of this type suffer from the drawback that the surfaces of the ribbons in such cables are smooth, and the ribbons are therefore free to slide relative to each other. In addition, because the fibres are bonded in a flat arrangement, when the cable is bent in a direction which imposes a sideways moment on the flat ribbons, the force generated is high and the central ribbon, which is free to slide between the two outer ribbons, is then forced to break out through the outer acrylate coating, producing micro bending and unacceptable signal losses.
An attempt to overcome this problem is disclosed in DE 4211489 by reducing the diameter of the individual optical fibres. An individual fibre is provided with a protective outer layer of 25 microns or less, instead of the 60 micron coating usually applied. This reduces the overall diameter of the individual fibres by approximately 30%, which has the effect of making the assembly smaller and therefore reducing the strain imposed on the coating. However, this arrangement is inconvenient because most commercially available fibres have the same dimensions, and equipment for splicing and terminating fibres is therefore adapted to these standard dimensions. Furthermore, DE 4211489 describes an arrangement in which adjacent fibre ribbons are offset to reduce the height of the assembly. Such ribbon constructions produce assemblies with a very high preference to bend in one direction, and are therefore not suitable for cables designed for installation by blowing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,212 discloses an arrangement of 7 fibres of equal diameter in which 6 fibres are disposed in a circular pattern in touching contact with each other and around a central fibre. When the fibres are coated with resin curable by UV radiation, the touching fibres ensure that resin does not enter the spaces between the fibres, which minimises the problem of UV light not adequately penetrating the outer fibres and inadequately curing resin located between the fibres. Uncured resin has the potential to break down and generate agents which may damage the glass fibres, adversely affecting their long-term signal transmitting performance.
Although the arrangement of U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,212 has very good bending properties, since it is completely balanced with no preferential bending characteristics, and strain imposed on one fibre is partially distributed into the other fibres by virtue of the touching contact, groups of 7 fibres are not used commercially, since fibres are almost always deployed in pairs and it is desirable to manufacture cables with higher fibre counts suitable for installation by blowing. Traditional cables almost exclusively contain 12 fibres or multiples thereof.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to overcome the above disadvantages of the prior art.


A duplex stainless steel has a chemical composition consisting essentially, on a weight basis, of: C: 0.03% or less, Si: 1.0% or less, Mn: 1.5% or less, P: 0.040% or less, S: 0.008% or less, sol.Al: 0.040% or less, Ni: 5.0-9.0%, Cr: 23.0-27.0%, Mo: 2.0-4.0%, N: 0.24-0.32%, W: greater than 1.5% and at most 5.0%, optionally at least one element selected from the group consisting of Cu: 0.2-2.0% and V: 0.05-1.5% and/or the group consisting of Ca: 0.02% or less, Mg: 0.02% or less, B: 0.02% or less, and one or more rare earth metals: 0.2% or less in total, and a balance of Fe and incidental impurities. The chemical composition has a value of at least 40 for PREW defined by the following formula (a): EQU PREW =[%Cr]+3.3([%Mo]+0.5[%W])+16[%N] (a). where the percent of each element is by weight. The steel exhibits high strength and excellent corrosion resistance which can be categorized as a super duplex stainless steel.

The present invention relates to a duplex stainless steel which has improved strength and corrosion resistance in chloride-containing environments and which is particularly suitable for use in applications where conventional duplex stainless steels may undergo corrosion such as in heat exchanger tubes, line pipes, and similar products, and in applications where high strength is required for reduction of material cost or weight.
Duplex (ferritic-austenitic) stainless steels have good corrosion resistance, particularly in sea water and they have been used for many years in various industrial equipment including heat exchanger tubes. Many attempts have also been made to improve duplex stainless steels, as proposed in Japanese Patent Applications Laid-Open Nos. 50-91516(1975), 52-716(1977), 56-142855(1981), 62-50444 (1987), 62-180043(1987), and 2-258956(1990).
In recent years, as the environments in which corrosion-resistant metallic materials are used become more severe, these materials are required to have higher levels of corrosion resistance and superior mechanical properties. Duplex stainless steels are no exception. In order to meet such requirements, the so-called super duplex stainless steels have recently been developed. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,953; Vernhardsson, S., Corrosion 90, Apr. 23-27, 1990, Paper No. 164; and Lefebvre, G. et al, Proceedings of the First (1991) International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, pp. 224-232.
Pitting resistance equivalent (abbreviated as PRE or P.I.) of a duplex stainless steel which is defined by the following formula (b) is known as a parameter indicating resistance to localized corrosion, particularly to pitting corrosion: ##EQU1## where the percent of each element is by weight.
In general, the Cr, Mo, and N contents of a duplex stainless steel are adjusted in such a manner that the steel has a PRE of 35 or higher. The super duplex stainless steels have a PRE above 40 by further increasing their Cr, Mo, and N contents and they are attracting interest as materials having excellent corrosion resistance, especially in sea water. The increased Cr, Mo, and N contents of super duplex stainless steels lead to an increase in strength. Therefore, the strength of super duplex stainless steels is even higher than conventional duplex stainless steels which inherently have a higher strength than ferritic or austenitic single-phase stainless steels, which is another prominent feature of super duplex stainless steels.
As described above, the basic concept of alloy designs for super duplex stainless steels, which surpass conventional duplex stainless steels in respect to corrosion resistance and strength, resides in increased contents of Cr, Mo, and N. However, when added in increased amounts, these elements give rise to the following problems.
The addition of Cr and Mo to a duplex stainless steel in increased amounts tends to cause the formation of hard and brittle intermetallic compounds called .sigma.-phase, .chi.-phase, Laves phase, and the like (hereinafter referred to as .sigma.- and similar phases). As a result, the steel becomes difficult to work and flaws and cracks may be formed during working, thereby making it difficult to industrially manufacture steel products such as tubes in a stable manner. An excessive increase in the N content causes a deterioration in mechanical properties due to the formation of nitrides and generation of blowholes. Furthermore, when a duplex stainless steel having increased Cr and Mo contents is welded, intermetallic compounds (.sigma.- and similar phases) are precipitated in the steel by the effect of heat generated during welding, resulting in a deterioration in not only corrosion resistance but also in mechanical properties such as toughness and ductility in heat affected zones. Since the thermal structural stability of the steel is degraded in this manner, strict control of heat input during welding and heat treatment after welding are necessary in order to avoid such degradation, leading to a decrease in operating efficiency when steel tubes or other products made of the steel are installed.

Duplex stainless steel having improved strength and corrosion resistance


Processes for the preparation of Axitinib in good yield (generally greater than 80%) are provided that avoid the use of a palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction.

Axitinib (1) is a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor. These kinds of antagonists have been recognized as an important class of pharmaceutical agents for development due to their efficiency in controlling the growth and proliferation of cancer cells. INLYTA®, containing Axitinib as its active ingredient, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012 for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

WO 01/02369 A2 describes indazole compounds that modulate and/or inhibit the activity of certain protein kinases. These compounds, and pharmaceutical compositions containing them, are capable of mediating tyrosine kinase signal transduction and thereby modulate and/or inhibit unwanted cell proliferation. The invention is also directed to the therapeutic or prophylactic use of pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds, and to methods of treating cancer and other disease states associated with unwanted angiogenesis and/or cellular proliferation, such as diabetic retinopathy, neovascular glaucoma, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis, by administering effective amounts of such compounds.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,232,910 B2 relates to methods for preparing indazole compounds, which are useful as modulators and/or inhibitors of protein kinases. U.S. Pat. No. 7,232,910 also relates to intermediate compounds useful in the preparation of such compounds.
WO 2006/048745 A1 relates to methods for preparing indazole compounds or pharmaceutically acceptable salts or solvates thereof. Such compounds are useful as anti-angiogenesis agents and as agents for modulating and/or inhibiting the activity of protein kinases, thus providing treatments for cancer or other diseases associated with cellular proliferation mediated by protein kinases.
Org. Process Res. Dev., 2008, 12(4), 637-645 describes that AG13736 (Axitinib), an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) under investigation as an oncology drug, is currently manufactured via a three-step process that utilizes two palladium-mediated cross-couplings. Historically, removal of residual heavy metals from the active pharmaceutical ingredient has been a persistent issue. The development of a much improved process for palladium removal and a useful screening technique developed to rapidly identify the most efficient reagents for this purpose are outlined. The performance of the new endgame process in pilot-plant scale-up is also discussed.
US 2009/062347 A1 describes deuterium-enriched Axitinib, pharmaceutically acceptable salt forms thereof, and methods of treating using the same.
Org. Process Res. Dev., 2014, 18 (1), 266-274 describes a manufacturing process of Axitinib involving two Pd-catalyzed coupling reactions, a Migita coupling and a Heck reaction. Optimization of both of these pivotal bond-formation steps is discussed, as well as approaches to control the impurities present in the prepared Axitinib. Essential to the control strategy was the optimization of the Heck reaction to minimize formation of impurities, in addition to the development of an efficient isolation of crude Axitinib to purge impurities.
CN 103570696 relates to a method for preparing an intermediate of Axitinib and the application of this intermediate in the preparation of Axitinib. The preparation method for the intermediate of Axitinib, 3-iodo-6-nitro-1-(tertrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)-1H-indazole, comprises the following steps: first, 6-nitroindazole and 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran are reacted under the action of a catalyst to protect the indazole at its N—H site; and, second, the iodination occurs at the 3-position. The intermediate may then be used in the preparation of Axitinib as follows: first, a Heck coupling reaction is carried out on the intermediate with 2-vinyl pyridine; second, the 6-nitro group is reduced and converted to an iodo group; and finally, Axitinib is obtained after the docking of 2-sulfydryl-N-methyl benzamide at the 6-position and deprotection of the indazole nitrogen. The initial raw materials for the process are available commercially and the method provides a high yield and high molecule economic efficiency, is efficient, environment-friendly, and is suitable for industrial mass production. However, the process of CN 103570696 still relies on the use of palladium-catalyzed reactions, which necessitates removal of the palladium before the product can be used as a pharmaceutical.

Processes for the preparation of axitinib


An optofluidic platform is constructed so as to comprise a planar, liquid-core integrated optical waveguides for specific detection of nucleic acids. Most preferably, the optical waveguides comprises antiresonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROWs). A liquid solution can be prepared and introduced into the optofluidic platform for optical excitation. The resulting optical signal can be collected at the edges of the optofluidic platform and can be analyzed to determine the existence of a single and/or a specific nucleic acid.

Nucleic acid testing (NAT) is an essential part of the rapidly growing field of molecular diagnostics (MDx). It allows for patient specific diagnostics on the genome level as well as for perfect identification of pathogens, e.g. discrimination between different virus strains.
The current gold standard for nucleic acid testing of viruses and other organisms is real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) followed by sequencing. RT-PCR requires highly skilled operators, expensive reagents and tightly controlled reaction environments. This is largely due to the need for amplification of viral nucleic acids to generate large enough signals for readout. These limitations suggest a critical need for a new type of diagnostic instrument for amplification-free viral detection that is rapid, sensitive, reliable, and quantitative.

Method for amplification-free nucleic acid detection on optofluidic chips

The Regents of the University of California


Wires are coiled by rotating about a main axis a curved laying tube having an upstream end opening generally at the axis and directed axially upstream and a downstream end opening radially offset from the axis and directed generally tangentially and feeding a leading end of the wire into the tube upstream end so that the wire issues from the downstream end of the tube in a curved condition and is laid in a succession of turns on a surface below the downstream end. Passage of a trailing end of the wire through the laying tube is detected and a drum having an inner surface directed toward and centered on the axis at the tube downstream end is closed around the downstream end of the tube to confine the wire inside the drum as passage of the trailing end through the laying tube is detected. The drum is opened from around the downstream end of the tube after passage of the trailing end through the tube and the drum is held open until detection of passage of another trailing end through the tube.

Wire or rod (hereinafter termed "wire" only) is formed at high speed in a rolling or drawing mill and is delivered in straight condition to a coiler that forms it into a succession of large-diameter turns that it deposits on a surface, normally a conveyor of some type. Thence the coiled wire is moved through subsequent treatment steps such as heat treatment, descaling, pickling, or simply cooling. It is critical that the wire be deposited in uniformly shaped and spaced coils so that the subsequent treatment stage is effective.
The typical coiling system comprises a so-called laying tube twisted in three dimensions and having an upstream end opening axially in line with an axis about which the tube is rotated and a downstream end which opens at a location radially offset from the axis and is directed generally tangentially. The straight wire is fed into the upstream end of the laying tube as it is rotated about its axis so that as the wire passes through the tube it is bent into an arcuate shape and will fall in a coil when leaving the downstream end of the tube.
Two main factors influence the operation of the coiler, wire diameter and wire speed. As wire diameter increases the friction inside the tube increases, creating substantial drag on the wire. As speed increases the wire is urged with greater centrifugal force against the inside wall of the tube so that once again friction inside the tube increases along with drag on the wire. Normally wire speed is, however, inversely related to wire diameter with thick wire moving much more slowly than thin wire. It is therefore standard to provide a drive engaging the rod just upstream of the upstream end of the laying tube to accelerate the trailing ends of thick wires and slow the trailing ends of thin wires, which may move at 100 m/sec.
The incoming workpiece is not endless and a problem occurs as the trailing end of a wire workpiece passes through the coiler. Due to the lack of upstream drag such a trailing end is likely to whip through the tube and not be sufficiently formed, that is to be laid on the conveyor in turns that are of excessive diameter. This can cause substantial problems so that frequently this section is cut away and must be recycled.
It has been suggested in German patent document 1,814,280 of G. Bollig to provide a bending roller at the downstream end of the laying tube which presses the exiting wire against the inner surface of a stationary laying drum coaxially surrounding the laying tube. This ensures accurate forming of like-diameter turns but represents extra equipment subject to substantial wear.
Old East German patent 229,314 of N. Brennecke proposes a complex control system that controls the rotation rate of the laying tube and the advance rate of the wire drive while monitoring the position of the wire end so that like-diameter turns are produced right to the trailing end of the wire. While relatively effective, this system is quite complex and not easily retrofitted to an existing wire mill.


A memory control apparatus for compression or expansion of data includes an input end for receiving a signal indicating the data rate of the original data and a second signal indicating the data rate of the target data, a first unit for generating an addressing control signal and a select control signal which vary a write or read address of the memory, in response to the first data rate and the second data rate, and a second unit for generating, in synchronization with the addressing control signal of said first unit, a write enable signal of the memory for controlling compression of the input data or a read enable signal of the memory for controlling expansion of the input data, according to the select control signal and first and second data rates. Thus, the input data can be freely compressed or expanded at any desired ratio.

The present invention relates to a memory control apparatus for compression and/or expansion of data.
Generally, a write operation of data in a predetermined memory device is controlled to compress input data, and a read operation of data from the memory device is controlled to expand the compressed data into a desired ratio. An apparatus for generating a control signal to control a memory device in order to compress or expand data as described above can be implemented using a digital circuit. However, data can be usually compressed or expanded only with a fixed compression ratio or a fixed expansion ratio.
However, difference broadcasting systems have been employed in respective countries. With the advent of satellite broadcasting services, the standards of image pictures have been diversified. Receivers for displaying images have been diversified from cathode ray tubes (CRTs) to liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Thus, an apparatus for compressing or expanding images of various standards to be adapted in signal processing and image display of the receivers is needed, and demand for such apparatus is expected to increase.

Memory control apparatus for compression and expansion of data


Receive band filtering between the last two stages of an N-stage power amplifier can reduce the Rx band noise. There are Nxe2x88x921 interstage matching networks interposing N stage amplifiers, where Nxe2x89xa72. The interstage matching networks and stage amplifiers are electrically connected in series. The Nxe2x88x921th interstage matching network includes a receive band reject filter positioned proximate to the output of the Nxe2x88x921th stage power amplifier.

The invention is related to the field of power amplifiers, particularly towards noise reduction in the power amplifiers.
In a full duplex transceiver, both the transmitter and the receiver can operate simultaneously. This results in two forms of interference. The first interference is the Tx (transmit) band power getting into the receiver. The second interference is noise generated in the Rx (Receive) band by the Tx portion of the radio, and leaking into the Rx portion of the transceiver. Both types of interference are mitigated by using a duplexer. In this instance, a duplexer is a three port, passive element consisting of a pair of bandpass filters and supporting components. One filter passes the Tx frequencies and rejects the Rx, the other passes the Rx and rejects the Tx.
As the transmit (Tx) power is not completely blocked by the duplexer, the power can enter the receiver thus causing distortion. In a filter-based duplexer, this is a measure of how well the receive (Rx) filter rejects the transmit Tx band power. The Tx filter has no effect because the leakage is in the pass-band of the Tx filter.
The second interference is caused by noise in the Rx band, generated by the Tx circuitry getting by the duplexer into the receiver. This causes a loss of sensitivity. In a filter-based duplexer, this is a measure of how well the Tx filter can reject the Rx band power. The Rx filter has no effect upon this leakage because it is in the pass-band of the Rx filter. This type of crosstalk drives the design of the Tx chain. The sensitivity required of the receiver dictates how much leakage is acceptable. The rejection of the duplexer dictates how much noise power the Tx chain can be allowed to generate.
The noise figure of an amplifier is a sum of all of its noise sources, referenced to the input of the amplifier. The noise power at the output of that amplifier is the sum of the gain of the amplifier and the noise figure. Since the sensitivity required by the Rx branch of the transceiver is set, the allowable noise power out of the Tx branch effectively sets the maximum gain of the power amplifier.
In full duplex handsets, there is another constraint. The gain setting routine discussed above relies upon the Rx noise at the input to the power amplifier be at or near the noise floor available at that temperature. The noise generated in the Tx chain previous to the power amplifier must be sufficiently rejected to not increase the noise power at the output of the power amplifier. This is accomplished by inserting a Rx band reject filter just in front of the power amplifier, in the Tx band signal path. The difficulty of building this type of Rx rejection filter is such that many handsets rely upon two filters in parallel, each filter dealing with half the signal bandwidth, adding half the pass-band to the reject band frequency. This makes each filter of the pair much easier than a full band implementation. The input signal is routed through a switch, then into one of the filter pair. After the filter, the signal is then recombined with a switch.
One prior art implementation, shown in FIG. 1, includes a Rx rejection filter in front of a two-stage power amplifier. Given that this node is at or near the noise floor, and given the amount of noise generated in the power amplifier, the amount of Rx rejection required in the duplexer can be specified. The duplexer filter that implements the required rejection has an associated insertion loss. This loss is in the Tx band, and is dependent upon the Rx band rejection. Hence, the more rejection required, the higher the loss in the Tx band.
Since the power output of the handset is constant, higher loss in the duplexer requires more power out of the power amplifier. At the high power levels required, higher power requires more current, thus, reducing battery life.
Receive band filtering between the last two stages of an Nxe2x88x92stage power amplifier can reduce the Rx band noise. There are Nxe2x88x921 interstage matching networks interposing N stage amplifiers, where N greater than or equal to 2. The interstage matching networks and stage amplifiers are electrically connected in series. The Nxe2x88x921th or ultimate interstage matching network includes a Tx band filter positioned proximate to the output of the penultimate or Nxe2x88x921th stage power amplifier.

Method for reducing noise generated in a power amplifier


A modular patient monitor has a docking station configured to accept a handheld monitor. The docking station has standalone patient monitoring functionality with respect to a first set of parameters. At least some of the first parameter set are displayed simultaneously on a full-sized screen integrated with the docking station. The handheld monitor also has standalone patient monitoring functionality with respect to a second set of parameters. At least some of the second set of parameters are displayed simultaneously on a handheld-sized screen integrated with the handheld monitor. The docking station has a port configured to accept the handheld monitor. While the handheld monitor is docket in the port, the docking station functionally combines the first set of parameters and the second set of parameters, and at least some of the combined first and second sets of parameters are displayed simultaneously on the full-sized screen.

Pulse oximetry is a widely accepted continuous and non-invasive method of measuring the level of arterial oxygen saturation in blood. A typical pulse oximetry system has a sensor, a patient monitor and a patient cable. The sensor is placed on a patient fleshy tissue site, usually on the fingertip for adults and the hand or foot for neonates and connected to the patient monitor via the patient cable. The sensor provides a sensor signal detected from the patient tissue site to the patient monitor. The patient monitor displays the calculated data as a percentage value for arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2), as a pulse rate (PR) and as a pulse waveform (plethysmograph or "pleth").


A vehicle-side circuit for supplying power in an electrically driven vehicle is provided. The power circuit includes an external AC voltage terminal; at least one DC/AC converter having an AC voltage side; and an electrical machine having a plurality of windings, each of which has a first tapping. The electrical machine is connected to the AC voltage side of the DC/AC converter. A switching device is connected to the plurality of windings and to a signal shaping filter having a plurality of first capacitors. The signal shaping filter is connected between the DC/AC converter and an external AC terminal. The switching device may interconnect the windings within the electrical machine or may connect the first tappings of the plurality of windings within the signal shaping filter to the plurality of first capacitors to form an at least third-order low-pass filter.

Firstly, a power supply in an electrically driven vehicle (i.e., a vehicle driven purely electrically or in a hybrid manner) must ensure the power supply of an electrical machine for driving the vehicle, and, secondly, the possibility of charging the vehicle from external electrical energy sources must be possible. It is generally known that inverters are used in such vehicles in order to convert electrical energy from an electrical energy store into a rotary magnetic field by the electrical machine of the vehicle. Furthermore, power converters are known which ensure that electrical energy is exchanged between vehicle and external supply network, whether for charging or else for feeding energy back from the vehicle into the supply network.
Since a DC energy store (in the form of a rechargeable battery or a capacitor) is used on the vehicle side and supply networks usually use AC voltage, high-frequency interference components occur during the process of conversion between alternating current and direct current. It is furthermore generally known that such interference components are filtered out by an EMC filter (EMC stands for electromagnetic compatibility), which in principle are embodied as a low-pass filter.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 8,415,904 B2 describes an electric motor whose windings can be connected to capacitors in a switchable manner to form an LC filter, in order to implement a first filter followed by an EMC filter followed by an AC terminal.
The filter effect of the LC filter thus formed is not completely satisfactory and the downstream EMC filter has to be configured with a high filter effect.
The power circuit described here represents a possibility as to how this can be at least partly improved.

Vehicle-side power circuit for supplying power in an electrically driven vehicle


A fuel vapor leak check module has a pump discharging an air through an outlet. When the fuel vapor check module is mounted on a vehicle, an outlet of the pump is opened downwardly in the gravity direction. A housing has an opening provided above the outlet. The foreign particles discharged from the outlet of the pump are deposited on the inner surface of the housing. The foreign particles hardly reach to the opening even if the discharged air pushes up the foreign particles. Thus, the foreign particles are separated from the discharged air by the gravity to avoid the scatter thereof.

In view of protecting the environment, fuel vapor has been controlled besides the exhaust emission control. According to the regulation established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resourced Board (CARB), a leak detection of the fuel vapor from a fuel tank is required.
A conventional leak check system shown in JP-10-90107A, which is a counterpart of U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,474, has a pump which generate a pressure gradient between an inside and an outside of a fuel tank. When a leakage of fuel vapor from the fuel tank, a load of a motor driving the pump fluctuates. The detection of fuel vapor leakage is conducted by checking the fluctuation of the motor load.
The pump has sliding portions such as a piston and a cylinder or a vane and a housing in order to generate a pressure gradient. When the pump is operated, foreign particles due to an abrasion in the sliding portion may be produced. The foreign particles may be scattered to cause some electric problems, such as short circuit, in a control circuit for the motor. Furthermore, the foreign particles may cause the motor to be stuck.


A silicon carbide semiconductor device includes a low-concentration n-type drift layer deposited on a silicon carbide substrate to form a semiconductor substrate. A first front surface metal layer, which forms a Schottky contact with the semiconductor substrate, is formed on a front surface of the semiconductor substrate. An outer circumferential end of the first front surface metal layer extends on an interlayer insulating film which covers an edge portion. A second front surface metal layer which forms a front surface electrode is formed on the first front surface metal layer. When a portion of the second front surface metal layer is formed by dry etching, the entire first front surface metal layer, which will be Schottky contact metal, is covered with the second front surface metal layer. Thus, generation of an etching residue is prevented and a device with a front surface electrode structure with high reliability is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device using silicon carbide, and more particularly, to a silicon carbide semiconductor device with a high-reliability front surface electrode structure which covers the entire Schottky contact metal of an edge portion with front surface electrode metal to prevent the generation of an etching residue.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, semiconductor devices using silicon (Si) as a semiconductor material have been mainly used as power devices. However, silicon carbide (SiC) which is a wide band gap semiconductor has the following physical property values: thermal conductivity that is three times more than that of silicon; maximum electric field intensity that is ten times more than that of silicon; and an electron drift speed that is two times more than that of silicon. Therefore, in recent years, each institute has conducted research on the application of power devices which have a high breakdown voltage and low loss and can operate at a high temperature.
In a structure of such a power device, a vertical semiconductor device has been mainly used in which a rear surface electrode including a low-resistance ohmic electrode is provided on the rear surface side of a substrate. The rear surface electrode is made of various materials and has various structures. As an example of the structures, for example, a laminate of a titanium (Ti) layer, a nickel (Ni) layer, and a silver (Ag) layer, for example, see JP 2007-184571 A (Patent Document 1), or a laminate of a titanium layer, a nickel layer, and a gold (Au) layer, for example, see JP 2010-86999 A (Patent Document 2), has been proposed.
In a vertical semiconductor device using SiC which is typified by a Schottky barrier diode, the following device has been proposed. For example, an n-type drift layer with low impurity concentration is deposited on one main surface of a SiC substrate having a (0001) plane as the main surface. The n-type drift layer includes a region A with a structure in which only a first conductivity type region is provided or a structure in which the first conductivity type region and a second conductivity type region are periodically provided, a region B of the second conductivity type which surrounds the region A, and a region C of the second conductivity type which surrounds the region B and has a different impurity concentration from the region B. In the front surface electrode, a metal layer which is made of aluminum (Al) or aluminum alloy is formed on a Schottky contact to form an electrode structure.
In addition, a method has been used which forms a nickel layer on the other main surface of a SiC substrate, heats the nickel layer to form a nickel silicide layer, and forms an ohmic contact between the SiC substrate and the nickel silicide layer, for example, see JP 2007-184571 A (Patent Document 1) and JP 2010-86999 A (Patent Document 2). Furthermore, as a method for forming an ohmic electrode, a method has been proposed which forms a plurality of metal films on a SiC substrate and then performs a heating process at a temperature of 700° C. to 1100° C., more preferably, about 800° C. to obtain good ohmic characteristics, for example, see JP 2005-277240 A (Patent Document 3). Further, JP 2008-135611 A (Patent Document 4) discloses a technique which radiates a laser beam to form an ohmic electrode.
In a process for manufacturing a Schottky barrier diode according to the related art, the front surface electrode is formed by a so-called lift-off method which forms a metal film on a resist having a window portion formed therein and then removes the resist, for example, see JP 2010-165838 A (Patent Document 5). However, in the lift-off method, a burr is likely to be generated in a pattern edge portion, which causes an element defect. Therefore, the lift-off method is not preferable. It is preferable to pattern the metal layer using a dry etching method, instead of the lift-off method.
When the metal layer is patterned by the dry etching method, a residue which is generated during dry etching is attached to a portion of the metal layer and the Schottky contact which is not covered with the metal layer is exposed to plasma and is damaged, which is likely to cause an element defect.
The invention has been made in order to solve the problems of the related art and an object of the invention is to provide a silicon carbide semiconductor device which does not cause an element defect and has high quality.