A foldable mirror device for a vehicle, in which a case is mounted on a support shaft erected from a base. The case includes a ring-shaped support portion for supporting the shaft, a motor connected to a transmission for swinging the mirror, and a clutch portion for disengageably engaging with the base. The support portion can be strengthened by ribs between the support portion and other portions of the case. A worm gear of the transmission can be mounted on a motor output shaft to be freely movable therealong, and supported and constrained by supporting a bottom end of the worm gear on the case and accommodating an upper end of the worm gear in a cylindrical projection from a motor base which supports the motor. End portions of convexities and concavities at the engagement portion can be formed in a concave or convex screw shape.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mirror device for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
PRIOR ART 1
In a mirror device for a vehicle, such as an electrically powered housable-type door mirror device, a mirror stay is fixed to a side of the vehicle body so as to extend in a substantially transverse direction from the vehicle, and a mirror main body portion is supported by the mirror stay such that the mirror main body can swing between a housed position and a position for viewing. This type of conventional door mirror device 100 is illustrated in FIGS. 18 to 21 and a brief description thereof follows.
As illustrated in FIG. 18, a stand 104 whose axial direction is a substantially vertical direction of a vehicle, is fixed on a mirror stay 102 which is fixed at a side of the vehicle. An electrically powered housing unit 106 is provided on the rotation shaft 104A of the stand 104, so as to be rotatable about the axis of the shaft. A mirror main body portion 110 comprising a mirror 108 and the like is connected to and supported by the electrically powered housing unit 106.
When a driving motor inside the electrically powered housing unit 106 operates, it works to rotate a gear plate 112 (See FIG. 20), which is axially supported by the rotation shaft 104A, via a gear mechanism. However, the gear plate 112 is always held so that it does not rotate with respect to the rotation shaft 104A. Thus, the electrically powered housing unit 106 itself rotates around the rotation shaft 104A. Since the mirror main body 110 is connected to and supported by the electrically powered housing unit 106, the mirror main body 110 rotates, along with the electrically powered housing unit 106, between the housed position and the position for viewing.
The schematic structure of a case 114, which forms the exterior of the electrically powered housing unit 106, will be described with reference to FIGS. 19 and 20.
FIG. 19 shows a schematic plan view of the case 114, which forms the exterior of the electrically powered housing unit 106 in the door mirror device 100. FIG. 20 shows a longitudinal section view of the case 114. A cylindrical support shaft portion 116 is erected at the left side, in the drawing, of the top surface of the case 114, and a circular concave portion 118 is formed around the support shaft portion 116. The rotation shaft 104A of the stand 104 is inserted inside the support shaft portion 116, and the case 114 is axially supported by the rotation shaft 104 so as to be rotatable. In addition, the gear plate 112, which applies anti-drive force to the electrically powered housing unit 106 and the mirror main body 110, is held so as to be fixed at the top end side of the support shaft portion 116.
In the electrically powered housing unit 106 having the above-described structure, the load of the electrically powered housing unit 106 and the mirror main body 110 must be supported by the support shaft portion 116 of the case 114. However, the strength of the support shaft portion 116 of the case 114 may be insufficient. Thus, external forces such as vehicle vibrations act on the door mirror device 100 and, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 21, the mirror main body 110 vibrates in a substantially longitudinal direction of the vehicle, about a center in the vicinity of the support shaft portion 116 (the vicinity of the base of the stand 104). In order to limit this type of vibration, increasing the rigidity of the support shaft portion 116 has been considered. In order to do this, the plate thickness of the case 116 and/or the bottom portion 114A of the case 114 can be increased, thereby reinforcing the case 114. However, if this is done, there is the possibility that problems will be caused such as the generation of shrinkage and warping on a surface of the mirror. Also, it may be necessary to increase the number of cycles in the production process, leading to increased production costs.
PRIOR ART 2
Door mirror devices are usually equipped with a housing mechanism, and the housing mechanism includes a stand which is fixed to the vehicle side. The stand is provided so as to be integral with a support shaft.
The housing mechanism is equipped with a case member, and the case member is supported by the support shaft so as to be rotatable. The case member is connected to a mirror for viewing the rear of the vehicle and the case member always swings together with the mirror.
A motor base is fixed in an inner portion of the case member and a motor is fixed to the upper side of the motor base by screws. A motor output shaft passes through the motor base, and a worm gear is press-inserted onto the motor output shaft through the lower side of the motor base. As a result, the worm gear is swung by the motor being driven.
A helical gear meshes with the worm gear and the helical gear is rotated by the rotation of the worm gear. Thus, a rotational force is applied to the support shaft and the case member is rotated by anti-rotational force. The mirror can thus be housed or swung out for viewing.
However, with this type of door mirror device, the worm gear is press-inserted onto the motor output shaft, and is not movable in an axial direction with respect to the motor output shaft. As a result, there is a problem that the motor output shaft receives a sliding force from the worm gear, and this reduces the life span of the motor.
In order to solve this problem, door mirror devices are provided in which the motor output shaft and the worm gear are separate, and the worm gear is not rotatable with respect to the motor output shaft, but is movable in the axial direction thereof.
However, in this type of device, there is a tendency for the worm gear to displace in a perpendicular direction with respect to the motor output shaft. As a result, the sound of the operation between the worm gear and the helical gear becomes very loud and in some cases the worm gear may skid.
PRIOR ART 3
Further, in the door mirror device described above, the stand has a pair of stand concavities which are provided on a circle having the support shaft at the center thereof. The respective end portions of the stand concavities project upwards and face each other.
A gear plate is rotatably disposed around the support shaft which rotatably supports the case member, and a rotational force is applied to the gear plate by the motor being driven. The upper surface of the gear plate is provided with insertion convexities, which project upwards.
A clutch plate is disposed around the support shaft above the gear plate, and the clutch plate is not rotatable with respect to the support shaft. Insertion concavities are provided at a lower surface of the clutch plate, and end portions of the insertion concavities project downwards. The insertion convexities of the gear plate are inserted into these insertion concavities and as a result, the clutch plate meshes with the gear plate.
A compression coil spring is penetrated by the support shaft above the clutch plate, and push nuts are fixed on top of the compression coil spring. The compression coil spring is anchored by the push nuts, and the compression coil spring urges the clutch plate.
A pair of case convexities, formed on a circle having the support shaft at the center thereof, are provided at a lower portion of the case member. Each of the case convexities projects downwards, and they face each other.
When a rotational force is applied to the gear plate by the motor being driven, the clutch plate blocks the rotation of the gear plate. As a result, the case member is rotated by anti-rotational force exerted at the gear plate, and the mirror swings in a housing direction or in a viewing direction. Also, when the end portions of the case convexities engage with the end portions of the stand concavities, the case member is anchored, and the mirror can be stopped at the housed position or at the position for viewing.
On the other hand, if an external force exceeding a predetermined value acts on the case member, the urging force of the compression coil spring is resisted and the insertion convexities are disengaged from the insertion concavities. By the gear plate and the case member swinging with respect to the clutch plate, impact of the force can be ameliorated and damage to the gear plate is prevented.
However, in this type of door mirror device, end portions of all of the case convexities, the stand concavities, the insertion convexities and the insertion concavities are inclined surfaces having an upper area and lower area which are co-planar with each other. As a result, when the end portions of the case convexities engage with the end portion of the stand concavities, if the case convexities and the stand concavities undulate, they are connected linearly. Also, when the insertion convexities are inserted into the insertion concavities, or when insertion convexities and insertion concavities are disengaged, if the end portion of the insertion convexities and the end portion of the insertion concavities undulate, the insertion convexities and the insertion concavities are connected linearly. As a result, the case convexities, the stand concavities, the insertion convexities and the insertion concavities become worn and the durability of the mirror device is poor.
Since two sets of the case convexities and stand concavities are arranged on the same circle, whose center is the support shaft, when the end portions of the case convexities are engaged with the end portions of the stand concavities, the pressure which both the case convexities and the stand concavities receive is large and thus durability is poor. Also, when the end portions of the case convexities are engaged with the end portions of the stand concavities, the case member may rattle on the stand and as a result the mirror also tends to rattle.


A method of implementing access control requirements to control access to a plurality of system resources. The requirements are modeled as contents of security policies. The security policy contents are integrated into a policy set. Representations of the integrated policy set are generated, each representation corresponding to a target system that controls access to the resources. The policy set representation(s) are integrated with the corresponding target system(s) to implement the policy set. This method makes it possible to implement high-level security requirements correctly and consistently across systems of a system-of-systems (SoS) and/or distributed system.

For a business or other enterprise that utilizes large computer systems, implementing large-scale integration (LSI) of its computer systems can increase efficiency and reduce costs. Integrating the operation of mechanisms that control access to system resources, however, can pose challenges. Security authorization requirements need to be incorporated systematically so that they may be implemented adequately and accurately. It can be difficult to implement security requirements coherently over a plurality of functionally different end environments and applications.

Implementing access control policies across dissimilar access control platforms


A method and apparatus for scheduling processing jobs is described. In one embodiment, a scheduler receives a request to process one or more computation jobs. The scheduler generates a size metric corresponding to a size of an executable image of each computation job and a corresponding data set associated with each computation job. The scheduler adjusts a priority of each computation job based on a system configuration setting and schedules the process of each computation job according to the priority of each computation job. In another embodiment, the scheduler distributes the plurality of computation jobs on one or more processors of a computing system, where the system configuration setting prioritizes a computation job with a smaller size metric than a computation job with a larger size metric. In another embodiment, the scheduler distributes the computation jobs across a network of computing systems with one or more computation jobs distributed over one or more computing systems, where the system configuration setting prioritizes a computation job with a smaller size metric than a computation job with a larger size metric.

A job (or a process) commonly refers to a single instance of a program in computing systems. The software responsible for managing this is known as a job scheduler. Because such computing systems tend to have many jobs active at any one time, the scheduler provides a management setting that allow the user to stop/pause/restart jobs, and to set priorities on jobs (so that job A might get more 'timeslices' per cycle than other jobs).
The scheduling algorithm of a scheduler is the method by which processes are given access to system resources, usually processor time. This is usually done to load balance a system effectively. The algorithm used may be as simple as round-robin in which each process is given equal time (for instance 1 ms, usually between 1 ms and 100 ms) in a cycling list. So, process A executes for 1 ms, then process B, then process C, then back to process A. More advanced algorithms take into account process priority, the importance of the process, or the prior resource utilization of a job. This allows some processes to use more time than other processes. For example, a job that used a lot of processing time in the recent past may likely need a lot of processing time again in the near future.

Scheduling network distributed jobs based on observing an allocated memory size and open files of a running computation job


A lift pin insert assembly is releasably mounted upon a mold member for casting a manhole section. The mold is filled with concrete, which surrounds and embeds the insert assembly in the cast member. The insert is configured to receive a lift pin, which is automatically moved to a locked position when lifting tension is applied. A reinforcing support assembly includes at least a face plate and a metal rod of suitable thickness at least partially encircling the insert, and anchored either to the face plate or an additional support plate. The support assembly distributes the forces applied by the lifting force to the cast member substantially uniformly over a large surface area, significantly increasing the weight load capable of being lifted by a given lift pin without increasing the size and/or diameter of the lift pin.

In the construction industry, it is not only well-known, but it is preferred that concrete structures and/or components be precast at the factory, and delivered to a job site for installation. Precasting has many advantages over in situ casting, the primary factors of which include the casting of components having greater precision and tighter tolerances, the consistency of product's specifications and reduced costs, which go hand-in-hand with use of mass assembly techniques as compared with one-at-a-time in situ casting.
Nevertheless, precast concrete structures of sizable dimensions are quite heavy, in many cases weighing thousands of pounds. For example, conventional precast manhole sections typically range in weight from 2,000 to 8,500 pounds each, necessitating the use of mechanical lifting and moving equipment.
Apparatus employed in one preferred technique for handling precast manhole sections is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,361, which is incorporated herein by reference thereto. As is described therein, precast manhole sections are each provided with plastic inserts, which are releasably mounted upon an outer wall of a mold assembly in which a manhole section is cast so as to be embedded into the cast member.
The plastic insert has a cavity of a predetermined shape configured to receive a lift pin. Two such insert assemblies are provided in each cast member, being arranged diametrically opposite one another.
A lift pin is inserted into each insert. A lifting apparatus for lifting and moving the precast section, applies lifting tension to the lift pins, which cause the pins to rotate 90.degree. from an initial horizontal position to a vertical position where they become locked within the inserts and hence the cast member to assure that the pins are not dislodged during lifting and movement of the precast member to assure that these operations are performed in a safe manner.
When the precast member is delivered to the desired location, for example, upon the flat bed of a truck for delivery from factory to installation site, the lifting mechanism, after depositing the cast member upon the flat bed, is lowered, which relaxes the lifting tension at which time the lift pins may be rotated from the vertical to the horizontal position for easy removal.
Although concrete has a maximum compressive strength of 4,000 PSI, as the diameter and wall thickness of manhole sections increases, the cantilever forces developed by the lift pin and exerted upon the lift pin insert and hence the cast member increase in magnitude due to the increased weight of the cast member which causes the cast material to fracture.
One technique which has been employed by the Applicant for increasing the structural supporting strength of the insert is to wrap a rebar about the periphery of the plastic insert so that the rebar forms a substantially V-shaped configuration with a loop being provided about the plastic insert at the apex of the V-shaped rebar. This arrangement has provided only a small improvement in the amount of load which a cast member can withstand before fracturing.
In addition, it is extremely advantageous to provide lift pin and insert assemblies which are usable in cast members having a wide range of weights and sizes, thereby reducing, if not substantially eliminating, the need to provide a large inventory of lift pins of different sizes to accommodate the lifting and handling of cast members of different sizes and weights.

Lift insert assembly and fabrication assembly method


The present invention relates to an impeller blade for turbomachine formed by molding, comprising a blade, at one end of which is provided a heel formed of a single piece with the blade, to which it is joined at the level of a connection area, the heel comprising a platform on which is provided at least one sealing plate, a first bath being provided in the platform, characterized in that a second bath is provided in the first bath, at the level of the connection area between the blade and the heel.

A turbomachine, for example a jet engine, generally comprises a fan, one or more compressor stages, a combustion chamber, one or more turbine stages and a nozzle. The gases are driven by rotors of the fan, of the compressor and of the turbine, thanks to radial impeller blades fixed to the periphery of the rotors.
The concept of an internal, external, radial, upstream or downstream position or arrangement is defined relative to the main axis of the turbomachine and in the direction of flow of the gases in the latter.
A moving turbine impeller blade comprises a foot, by which it is fixed to the rotor disk, a platform, forming one element of the internal wall delimiting the gas artery, and a blade, which extends globally along a radial axis and is swept by the gases. Depending on the motor and the turbine stage, the blade ends, at its end remote from the foot, in an element transversal to the general (main) axis of the blade, called heel, which forms one element of the external wall delimiting the gas artery.
The external surface of the heel supports one or more radial plates—or tabs—adapted to form, with the facing stator wall, a labyrinth seal, ensuring gas-tightness; to this end, said stator wall is generally formed by a ring made of abradable material, on which the plates rub. The plates comprise an upstream face and a downstream face which extend transversely to the flow of gas.
The impeller blade can be of monoblock construction, the foot, the platform, the blade and the heel being formed of a single piece. The impeller blade is formed by molding, by a so-called "lost wax" method, well known to those skilled in the art. In such a method:                a model of the impeller blade is previously formed in wax;        this model is dipped in a slip of refractory ceramic material which, once baked, forms a shell;        the wax is melted and evacuated, leaving a "shell mold" formed of the ceramic material, and whose internal volume defines the shape of the impeller blade;        molten metal is introduced into the shell mold, a plurality of shell molds generally being assembled in a cluster with a common supply of metal;        the shell mold is broken, leaving the metal impeller blade.
The metal supply points of the shell mold generate, on the metal impeller blade formed in the mold, metal pilot points, relatively thick, that must be machined once the impeller blade is formed. The supply is generally at the level of the heel of the impeller blade. The diameter of the supply duct, and consequently of the heel formed, is great, even though this supply is close to the plates of the labyrinth seal, which are of low thickness; there follows, if just one supply is provided, a poor distribution of the metal in the shell mold, leading to problems of porosity of the impeller blade, in particular at the level of its plates.
This problem can be resolved by providing two supply inputs, the diameter of the supply ducts being reduced accordingly. Thus, instead of a high diameter supply, two low diameter supplies, but distant from each other, are provided, which provides for a better distribution of the metal and avoids the problems of porosity.
Nevertheless, it would be desirable to resolve the problems of porosity while keeping a single supply.

Metal impeller blade manufactured by molding and method of manufacturing the impeller blade


In one aspect, the disclosure herein provides an apparatus that in one configuration includes a first hydraulic power unit for supplying a first fluid under pressure to a first chamber for controlling motion of a first movable member and a second hydraulic power unit for supplying a second fluid under pressure to a second chamber for controlling motion of a second movable member, an input device configured to provide an input signal for controlling the motions of the first and second movable members and a processor configured to: receive the input signal from the input device; and independently set, in response to the input signal from the input device, a first electrical actuator to control an amount and flow rate of the first fluid to the first hydraulic power unit and a second electrical actuator to control an amount and flow rate of the second fluid to the second hydraulic power unit for controlling the motion of the first and second movable members.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to apparatus and methods for controlling hydraulic apparatus, including vehicles, such as zero turn radius vehicles and movable members.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of hydraulic apparatus utilize a variety of mechanical linkage systems to control fluid supply to pumps for controlling motion of work members. Examples of such hydraulic apparatus include zero turn radius (ZTR) machines, such as lawn machines or vehicles and movable members that perform industrial operations or move other elements or devices. In the case of ZTR machines, the hydraulic driven wheels are controlled by a mechanical linkage system. Such linkage systems provide linear motion to a hydraulic bi-directional pump/motor that rotates a wheel at a given rotational speed (revolutions per minute). Such vehicles are typically fitted with custom swash plates to provide a certain "feel" to the operator (driver) of the vehicle. The swash plate restricts or provides variable flow of a hydraulic fluid to the hydraulics at different points in a linear mechanical linkage system. Typically, such vehicles require adjustment to the swash plate prior to shipping to minimize the effects of mechanical tolerances in the system and to provide a specific feel to the operator.
The mechanical linkage and lever used to rotate the swash plate on each hydraulic pump is mounted so as the operator can apply a large amount of stroke to an arm (lever) to operate the vehicle. This allows a smooth control by limiting movement with a ratio-reducing lever to the wheels, as the lever moves forward and backward. As a result, the lever requires a moderate amount of work from the operator when used for long hours of operation. Such machines typically require the operator to use separate levers for each wheel of the vehicle. Such machines also do not offer adequate speed and acceleration control options for different skill levels of the operators and thus adequate safety for relatively inexperienced operators. Such vehicles typically do not include adequate in-situ calibration methods and thus can remain out of calibration until a service is performed.
Thus, there is a need for an improved apparatus and methods that address at least some of the above-noted needs.

Apparatus and methods for controlling hydraulically-powered apparatus


A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with a computer-readable program which, when executed by a processor, will cause a computer to execute a method of authenticating a 3-D object with a 2-D camera, the method including building a pre-determined database. The method additionally includes registering the 3-D object to a storage unit of a device comprising the 2-D camera, thereby creating a registered 3-D model of the 3-D object. Additionally, the method includes authenticating a test 3-D object by comparing the test 3-D object to the registered 3-D model.

This section introduces aspects that may help facilitate a better understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, these statements are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is or is not prior art.
Facial authentication mechanisms are gaining traction on smartphones because of the convenience with which human faces can be captured via smartphone cameras. However, the mainstream facial authentication systems use traditional 2D face recognition technologies, which are vulnerable to various spoofing attacks. Existing systems perform 3D face authentication via specialized hardware, such as infrared dot projectors and dedicated cameras. Although effective, such methods do not align well with the smartphone industry's desire to maximize screen space and minimize resource-consumption.

System architecture and method of authenticating a 3-D object


A test signal is injected on the line (L) and the corresponding return signal produced by the line itself as an effect of the echo is detected. A signal having lenticular envelope is used as test signal and is generated preferably starting from a first sinusoid with a first given frequency modulated in amplitude with a second sinusoid having a second given frequency, lower than the aforesaid first given frequency.

The present invention tackles the problem of measuring echo parameters on a telephone line.
The echo phenomenon, and in particular the echo to the speaker, can occur, for instance, when the telephone line connecting two users exceeds a certain length. The phenomenon causes a degradation of the communication quality, which degradation is less and less tolerable as the return time and the level of the echo increase. For this reason, over the years, the use of echo suppressors, particularly on satellite connections, has gradually become widespread, and eventually the international standardizing bodies have prescribed it. In order to operate correctly, those echo suppressors must know the characteristic parameters of the negative phenomenon to be contrasted and the suppressing action is all the more effective the more precise and accurate is the measurement of the characteristics of the echo.
For this purpose, measuring the round-trip propagation time and the residual level of a test signal injected into the line is generally known in the art.
The problem of identifying the most important information to be extracted from the received echo, i.e. the time interval between the echo and the test signal (or stimulation signal) sent onto the line, would be easily solved if the transmission channel were ideal, i.e. with unlimited band and without noise. Actually, in such case all that needs to be done is to determine the instant at which the received echo reaches its peak value with respect to the stimulation signal sent into the line. The availability of an unlimited band, or at least a very broad band, would also allow conferring to the test signal the nature of an impulsive signal, with very steep front, with the subsequent possibility of measuring with high precision the instant of arrival of an essentially identical return signal.
The need to operate on a telephone channel (thus a channel whose band is essentially limited from 300 to 3400 Hz) makes the measurement much more critical, also in consideration of the fact that the line is affected by noise, so that the simultaneous presence of echoes and of a high level of background noise often occurs.
A solution often adopted for measuring echo parameters on a telephone line is using, as a test signal, a sinusoidal signal which is injected into the line for a certain time interval and then stopped. The measurement of the echo is then compared to the measurement of the duration of the time interval elapsed between the instant which the test signal was stopped and the instant at which the corresponding return signal detected on the line ceases.
This solution is found to be unsatisfactory for several reasons.
First, the duration of the aforesaid time interval is determined not only by the echo phenomenon but also by the distortion (in the sense of a prolongation of the time duration, since a narrow band channel is dealt with) the test signal undergoes as an effect of its propagation along the line.
The test signal used in such solution can be seen as the product of a sinusoid by a rectangular window of a duration equal to the time interval between the instant wherein the test signal starts being injected into the line and the instant wherein that signal is interrupted.
The width of the window must preferably be a multiple of half the period of the sinusoid, and in phase therewith, in order to limit the harmonic content originated by the signal fronts. The response to such a stimulation signal by a real telephone channel comprises a train of sinusoids distorted by the effect of the channel, also in the form of a sort of offset (translation of the received signal with respect to an ideal vertical amplitude scale). This phenomenon, which can be ascribed to the cut off of the low frequencies, below about 300 Hz, typical of the telephone channel, makes it even more critical to detect correctly the transitions of the return signal. The aforesaid phenomenon can be recovered, but the related recovery time constant is too long with respect to the normal measurement time required to perform an effective intervention. In this respect it should be noted that the propagation delay (the quantity that in fact identities the echo phenomenon) typically does not exceed 30 milliseconds for a terrestrial telephone connection, and is about 260 milliseconds (in one direction, thus with a round-trip time of the signal of about 520 milliseconds), if the connection comprises a satellite link.
There is therefore a need to provide a solution that allows measuring in a precise and accurate manner the echo that may be present on a telephone line, taking into account the following requirements:
the test signal should occupy a limited band, compatible with the template of the telephone channel, in order to avoid the signal alteration phenomena mentioned above;
the test signal must have a limited time duration, in order to allow discrimination of echo times even with reduced duration without overlapping of the test signal and of the return signal;
an echo signal of acceptable amplitude must be obtained, with the consequent possibility of measuring its level (to be referred to the level of the test signal, which should preferably present a maximum level) so as clearly to discriminate the echo signal above the noise level.
The object of the present invention is to provide a solution capable of meeting the requirements mentioned above in an excellent manner, and in particular of meeting the first two requirements described, which in fact are mutually contrasting.
According to the present invention, this object is attained thanks to a method of measuring echo parameters on telephone lines which comprises the operation of injecting into the line (L) a test signal and detecting the corresponding return signal produced by the line (L) itself as an effect of the echo. The invention uses, as the test signal, an impulse (pulsed) sinusoidal signal with a lenticular envelope, with a limited time duration (a) such that a local maximum of the envelope can be identified both in the test signal and in the return signal, and having zero value at the beginning and at the end of its duration.
The test signal is generated starting from a first sinusoid with a first given frequency (xcfx89p). The duration (a) is linked to the period of the second sinusoid and can be equal to half the period of the second sinusoid.
The test signal (x(t)) can be expressed in the form:
x(t)=sin (xcfx89pt)xc2x7sin (xcfx89mt)xc2x7xcexc(t)xc2x7xcexc(ta),
where: xcfx89p is the first given frequency, xcfx89m is the second given frequency, and xcexc(t) is the unitary step function.
The return instant of the return signal is determined by detecting the rising edge of the envelope of the return signal. The return signal is subjected to full wave rectifying.
The test signal can be varied in an adaptive manner. The device for measuring echo parameters on telephone lines can comprise means for injecting on the line a test signal as well as means for detecting the corresponding return signal produced by the line itself as an effect of the echo. The device includes signal generating means arranged to generate, as test signal, an impulsive signal with lenticular envelope with a limited time duration (a) such that a local maximum of the envelope can be identified both in the test signal and in the return signal, and having zero value at the beginning and at the end of its duration.
The means for generating the test signal can comprise:
a first generator for generating a first sinusoid at a first given frequency (xcfx89p),
a second generator for generating a second sinusoid at a second given frequency (xcfx89m), lower than the first frequency, and modulating means for amplitude modulating the first sinusoid by the second sinusoid.
The means for generating the test signal can comprise means for generating a window signal, as well as means for applying the window signal to the test signal to confer it with a duration (a) related to the period of the second sinusoid.
The means for generating a window signal can comprise a divider element to confer to the window signal a duration (a) equal to half the period of the second sinusoid. The means for generating a window signal can comprise a control circuit to control the repetition rate of the test signal. Receiving means responsive to the return signal and arranged to detect the rising edge of the envelope of the return signal itself. The receiving means can comprise a rectifier circuit, preferably a full wave rectifier, acting on the return signal. The receiving means comprise filter means to reduce the noise content of the return signal. The filter means can comprise a first filter and a second tuneable filter in cascade. This filter means can be positioned upstream of the rectifier circuit.
The device can comprise a clipping circuit to transform the return signal into a square-wave signal. A low-pass filter can be interposed between the rectifier circuit and the clipping circuit.
A counter element can be started upon emission of the test signal and stopped upon detection of the return signal (R), the count value of the counter element at the stop being indicative of the return time of the echo to be measured. The counter element can be started in correspondence with the rising edge of the envelope of the test signal. The counter element is stopped in correspondence with the rising edge of the envelope of the return signal. Preferably the signal generating means are selectively adaptive to make selectively variable the test signal.

Method of and device for measuring echo parameters on telephone lines


The pressure medium drive is provided for opening and closing the contacts (e.sub.1, e.sub.2) of an electric circuit-breaker. It contains a pressure medium reservoir (r), a drive piston (t) which slides in a drive cylinder (c) and acts on a mechanism (j) for displacing a movable contact (e.sub.1) of the circuit-breaker, and a reversing valve (s) for the selective connection of the pressure medium reservoir (r) to the drive cylinder (c) or of the drive cylinder (c) to an outlet volume for the pressure medium.. This pressure medium drive is of simple, inexpensive construction and can open the contacts of the circuit-breaker considerably faster than it can close them.. This is due to an interposed valve (v) which is disposed between the pressure medium reservoir (r) and the reversing valve (s) and has a flow cross section determined by the closing time of the contacts (e.sub.1, e.sub.2), and to the much larger flow cross section of the reversing valve (s). This interposed valve (v) is open when closing the contacts (e.sub.1, e.sub.2) and passes pressure medium from the pressure medium reservoir (r) via the reversing valve (s) into the drive cylinder (c). After closing of the contacts (e.sub.1, e.sub.2), it is closed and then establishes the connection between the drive cylinder (c) and the outlet volume by reversing the reversing valve (s).

1. Field of the Invention
The starting point of the invention is a pressure medium drive for opening and closing the contacts of a circuit-breaker, containing a pressure medium reservoir, a drive cylinder, a drive piston sliding in the drive cylinder, a mechanism, acted on by the drive piston, to move one of the circuit-breaker contacts which is movable, and a reversing valve for connecting the pressure medium reservoir to the drive cylinder when closing the contacts and for connecting the drive cylinder to an outlet volume when opening the contacts.
2. Discussion of Background
A pressure medium drive of this kind is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,384,801 A. This pressure medium drive has a piston 17 which is guided in a cylinder 15 and via a piston rod 49 and a linkage 50 acts on a movable contact of a circuit-breaker. To close the contacts of the circuit-breaker, compressed air is fed to the cylinder 15 via an electromagnetically operated reversing valve 21 and a throttle valve 23 from a compressed air reservoir connected to a chamber 186 of the reversing valve 21. The compressed air passed into the cylinder 15 displaces the piston 17 and thus closes the contacts and loads a restoring spring 52 which opens the contacts in the switching-off operation. The reversing valve 21 contains an inlet valve 185, via which the compressed air is passed into the cylinder 15 in the switching-on operation, and also an outlet valve 193, via which air is vented to the atmosphere from the cylinder 15 when opening the contacts with the inlet valve 185 closed. The flow cross sections of the inlet and outlet valves are roughly equal in size and adapted to the period of time needed for closing the contacts and loading the restoring spring 52. In the event of short-circuit switch-off, the time allowed for the opening of the contacts is however substantially shorter than for closing. The pressure medium drive according to the prior art therefore has additionally another electromagnetically operated valve 25 which has a substantially larger flow cross section than the inlet or outlet valve. The time required for opening the contacts is thus substantially shortened. However, a valve of this kind is expensive because of its large flow cross section.

Pressure medium drive for closing and opening the contacts of a circuit-breaker


A stent or graft stent energized from an external power source is provided with one or more sensors to sense a parameter, producing a signal that is transmitted outside a vessel in which the stent is implanted. At least a portion of a body of the stent or an insulated electrical conductor comprises a plurality of turns that serve as an RF antenna. An expandable mesh or helical coils that form the stent body may serve as the antenna or it may comprise a separate insulated conductor. The RF antenna receives energy electromagnetically coupled to the antenna from an external (or implanted) coil and conveys a data signal corresponding to the parameter sensed by the sensor(s) on the stent or stent graft to a monitor disposed outside the patient's body. In one form of the invention, a plurality of conformal array transducers are used to produce and sense ultrasonic waves that are affected by a fluid flowing through a lumen of the stent. This transducer determines fluid flow or fluid velocity. In other embodiments, one or more integrated circuit (IC) sensors are used to sense other physical or biological parameters in the proximity of the stent, producing signals that are multiplexed by an electronics circuit and transmitted to the external monitor/power supply.

In the 1970s, the technique of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) was developed for the treatment of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the build-up of fatty deposits or plaque on the inner walls of a patient's arteries; these lesions decrease the effective size of the artery lumen and limit blood flow through the artery, prospectively causing a myocardial infarction or heart attack if the lesions occur in coronary arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the heart muscles. In the angioplasty procedure, a guide wire is inserted into the femoral artery and is passed through the aorta into the diseased coronary artery. A catheter having a balloon attached to its distal end is advanced along the guided wire to a point where the sclerotic lesions limit blood flow through the coronary artery. The balloon is then inflated, compressing the lesions radially outward against the wall of the artery and substantially increasing the size of its internal lumen, to improve blood circulation through the artery.
Increasingly, stents are being used in place of or in addition to PTCA for treatment of atherosclerosis, with the intent of minimizing the need to repeatedly open an atherosclerotic artery. Although a number of different designs for stents exist in the prior art, all are generally configured as elongate cylindrical structures that can assume two different states, one having a substantially greater diameter than the other. A stent is implanted in a patient using an appropriate delivery system for the type of stent being implaced within the patient's arterial system. There are two basic types of stents--those that are expanded radially outward due to the force from an inflated angioplasty type balloon, such as the Palmaz-Schatz stent, the Gianturco-Roubin stent, and the Strecker stent, and those that are self expanding, such as the Maass double helix spiral stent, the Nitinol stent (made of nickel titanium memory alloy), the Gianturco stent, and the Wallstent. Problems with the Maass double helix spiral stent and the Nitinol stent have limited their use.
Stents are sometimes used following a PTCA procedure if the artery is totally occluded or if the lesions have occluded a previously placed surgical graft. Typically, a stent constrained within an introducer sheath is advanced to a site within the patient's artery through a guide catheter. For the balloon expanded type, after the introducer sheath is retracted, a balloon disposed inside the stent is inflated to a pressure ranging from about six to ten atmospheres. The force produced by the inflated balloon expands the stent radially outward beyond its elastic limit, stretching the vessel and compressing the lesion to the inner wall of the vessel. A self expanding stent expands due to spring force following its implacement in the artery, after a restraining sheath is retracted from the compressed stent, or in the case of the Nitinol version, the stent assumes its expanded memory state after being warmed above the transition temperature of the Nitinol alloy (e.g., above 30.degree. C.). Following the expansion process, if the balloon type is used, the balloon is removed from inside the stent and the catheter and other delivery apparatus is withdrawn. The lumen through the vessel should be substantially increased, improving blood flow.
After a stent or other endoluminal device is implanted, a clinical examination and either an angiography or ultrasonography morphological procedure is performed to evaluate the success of the procedure in opening the diseased artery or vessel. These tests are typically repeated periodically, e.g., at six-month intervals, since restenosis of the artery may become necessary. Due to the nature of the tests, the results of the procedure can only be determined qualitatively, but not quantitatively with any degree of accuracy or precision. It would clearly be preferable to monitor the flow of blood through the stent after its implacement in a vessel, both immediately following the stenosis and thereafter, either periodically or on a continuous basis. Measurements of volumetric rate and/or flow velocity of the blood through the stent would enable a medical practitioner to much more accurately assess the condition of the stent and of the artery in which the stent is implanted. Currently, no prior art mechanism is available that is implantable inside a blood vessel for monitoring the flow conditions through a stent.
Other parameters measurable within a stent or other type of endoluminal implant are also of interest and could be monitored using one or more appropriate sensors or transducers. For example, monitoring pressure at the distal and proximal end of the lumen in the implant and determining the differential pressure can provide an indication of fluid velocity through the lumen. Temperature can also be used to monitor fluid flow based by applying heat to the fluid within the lumen and monitor the rate at which the temperature of the fluid decreases as the fluid flows from the lumen of the implant. Integrated circuit (IC) transducers are currently known and available for sensing the levels of many different types of biochemical substances, such as glucose, potassium, sodium, chloride ions, and insulin. Any of these IC sensors could be provided in an endoluminal implant to monitors these parameters.
Since it is impractical to pass a conductor through the wall of an artery or vessel for long periods of time, use of a conventional sensor that produces signals indicative of flow through a stent, which must be conveyed through a conductor that extends through the wall of the vessel and outside the patient's body is not a practical solution to this problem. Also, any active flow indicative sensor must be energized with electrical power. Again, it is not practical to supply power to such a sensor through any conductor that perforates the vessel wall or that passes outside the patient's body. Battery power for such a sensor would quickly be exhausted and a battery would likely be too bulky to include inside an artery.
In addition to stents, the generic term endoluminal implant encompasses stent grafts, which are also sometime referred to as "spring grafts." A stent graft is a combination of a stent and a synthetic graft that is typically endoscopically implanted at a desired point in a vessel. Helically coiled wired comprising the stent are attached to the ends of the synthetic graft and are used to hold the graft in position. Sometimes, hooks are provided on the stent to ensure that the graft remains in the desired position within the vessel. Clearly, it would also be desirable to monitor the status of flow and other parameters through a stent graft, just as noted above in regard to a stent.
Endoluminal implants are used in other body passages in addition to blood vessels. For example, they are sometimes used to maintain an open lumen through the urethra, or through the cervix. A stent placed adjacent to an enlarged prostate gland can prevent the prostate from blocking the flow of urine through the urinary tract. Tracheal and esophageal implants are further examples of endoluminal implants. In these and other uses of an endoluminal implant, provision for monitoring parameters related to the status of flow and other conditions in the patient's body would be desirable. Information provided by monitoring such parameters can enable more effective medical treatment of a patient.

Endoluminal implant with fluid flow sensing capability


A multiple loader, also adapted to operate as a magazine for storing vertically arranged panels, comprises, at a front head portion thereof, a step-by-step pushing device including a carriage driven by pneumatic cylinders causing the carriage to slide with a rectilinear reciprocating horizontal movement, to provide a pushing action on a first of a series of separating elements, arranged at a top sliding platform.

The present invention relates to a 24-position loader for vertically arranged panels, which is also adapted to operate as an accumulating magazine and plenum element to be applied to machines for processing panels for making furniture pieces.
Multiple loaders for the above mentioned applications are already known; however, they have the drawback of requiring the use of several separating elements, which are arranged, in a like number, on a top platform and on a bottom platform.
Accordingly, the number of the useful separating elements arranged on the top platform being the same, and between pair of which are arranged vertically stored panels, said loaders require to use a like number of separating elements, arranged on the bottom platform, and which, in such a step, are operatively inactive.
In fact, the latter separating elements, upon unloading each panel, which is stored on the top platform, are conveyed onto the bottom platform, thereon they are caused to be fed with a small feeding speed, without providing any useful functions, and being then reconveyed to the top platform.

Multiple loader adapted to operate as a magazine for vertically arranged panels


hYAK3 polypeptides and polynucleotides and methods for producing such polypeptides by recombinant techniques are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for utilizing hYAK3 polypeptides and polynucleotides in the design of protocols for the treatment of bone loss including osteoporosis; inflammatory diseases such as Adult Respiratory Disease Syndrome (ARDS), Rheumatoid arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), psoriasis, dermatitis, asthma, allergies; infections such as bacterial, fungal protozoan and viral infections, particularly infections caused by HIV-1 or HIV-2; HIV-associated cachexia and other immunodeficiency disorders; septic shock; pain; injury; cancers including testicular cancer; anorexia; bulimia; Parkinson's disease; cardiovascular disease including restenosis, atherosclerosis, acute heart failure, myocardial infarction; hypotension; hypertension; urinary retention; angina pectoris; ulcers; benign prostatic hypertrophy; and psychotic and neurological disorders, including anxiety, schizophrenia, manic depression, delirium, dementia, severe mental retardation and dyskinesias, such as Huntington's disease or Gilles dela Tourett's syndrome., among others, and diagnostic assays for such conditions.

A number of polypeptide growth factors and hormones mediate their cellular effects through a signal transduction pathway. Transduction of signals from the cell surface receptors for these ligands to intracellular effectors frequently involves phosphorylation or dephosphorylation of specific protein substrates by regulatory protein serine/threonine kinases (PSTK) and phosphatases. Serine/threonine phosphorylation is a major mediator of signal transduction in multicellular organisms. Receptor-bound, membrane-bound and intracellular PSTKs regulate cell proliferation, cell differentiation and signalling processes in many cell types.
Aberrant protein serine/threonine kinase activity has been implicated or is suspected in a number of pathologies such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, septic shock, bone loss, many cancers and other proliferative diseases. Accordingly, serine/threonine kinases and the signal transduction pathways which they are part of are potential targets for drug design.
A subset of PSTKs are involved in regulation of cell cycling. These are the cyclin-dependent kinases or CDKs (Peter and Herskowitz, Cell 1994: 79, 181-184). CDKs are activated by binding to regulatory proteins called cyclins and control passage of the cell through specific cell cycle checkpoints. For example, CDK2 complexed with cyclin E allows cells to progress through the G1 to S phase transition. The complexes of CDKs and cyclins are subject to inhibition by low molecular weight proteins such as p16 (Serrano et al, Nature 1993: 366, 704), which binds to and inhibits CDK4. Deletions or mutations in p16 have been implicated in a variety of tumors (Kamb et al, Science 1994: 264, 436-440). Therefore, the proliferative state of cells and diseases associated with this state are dependent on the activity of CDKs and their associated regulatory molecules. In diseases such as cancer where inhibition of proliferation is desired, compounds that inhibit CDKs may be useful therapeutic agents. Conversely, activators of CDKs may be useful where enhancement of proliferation is needed, such as in the treatment of immunodeficiency.
YAK1, a PSTK with sequence homology to CDKs, was originally identified in yeast as a mediator of cell cycle arrest caused by inactivation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase PKA (Garrett et al, Mol Cell Biol. 1991: 11, 4045-4052). YAK1 kinase activity is low in cycling yeast but increases dramatically when the cells are arrested prior to the S-G2 transition. Increased expression of YAK1 causes growth arrest in yeast cells deficient in PKA. Therefore, YAK1 can act as a cell cycle suppressor in yeast.
Frequently, in disease such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, patients have established lesions of bone or cartilage, respectively. Treatment of such lesions requires an agent that will stimulate new bone or cartilage formation to replace that lost to the disease; therefore, there is a need for drugs that increase the number of osteoblasts or chondrocytes, the cells responsible for bone or cartilage forration, respectively. Similarly, replacement of heart or skeletal muscle depleted by diseases such as myocardial infarction or HIV-associated cachexia requires drugs that stimulate proliferation of cardiac myocytes or skeletal myoblasts. The present invention describes a novel human homolog of yeast YAK1 termed hYAK3, which is expressed predominantly in testis and skeletal muscle. The sequence of hYAK3 shares homology with predicted PSTK's from C. elegans, S. pombe and S. cerevisiae and has motifs associated with known protein kinases. Inhibitors of hYAK3 are expected to stimulate proliferation of cells in which it is expressed.
This indicates that these serine/threonine protein kinases have an established, proven history as therapeutic targets. Clearly there is a need for identification and characterization of further members of the serine/threonine protein kinase family which can play a role in preventing, ameliorating or correcting dysfunctions or diseases, including, but not limited to, bone loss including osteoporosis; inflammatory diseases such as Adult Respiratory Disease Syndrome (ARDS), Rheumatoid arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Infammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), psoriasis, dermatitis, asthma, allergies; infections such as bacterial, fungal, protozoan and viral infections, particularly infections caused by HIV-1 or HIV-2; HIV-associated cachexia and other immunodeficiency disorders; septic shock; pain; injury; cancers including testicular cancer; anorexia; bulimia; Parkinson's disease; cardiovascular disease including restenosis, atherosclerosis, acute heart failure, myocardial infarction; hypotension; hypertension; urinary retention; angina pectoris; ulcers; benign prostatic hypertrophy; and psychotic and neurological disorders, including anxiety, schizophrenia, manic depression, delirium, dementia, severe mental retardation and dyskinesias, such as Huntington's disease or Gilles dela Tourett's syndrome.


A method and system are disclosed in which, when the load of a processor in a given computer is high, a processor is borrowed from another computer. The computer from which the processor is borrowed is selected based on an acquired load state of the other computer, and a processor lending request is issued to the selected computer. The computer which received the processor lending request selects a processor for lending, and causes the selected processor to execute a process of the computer which issued the lending request. This distributes the load on the processor by utilizing the processor resources of other computers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing system and method, in which a plurality of computers are connected via a high-speed communication line, memories (or their portions) arranged in the respective computers constitute a single memory space as a whole, and the entire system can operate in the form of an NUMA (Non Uniform Memory Access) type multi-processor system (in the form that although an access to a memory arranged in a subject computer is made at high speed and an access to memories arranged in other computers is made at low speed when viewed from a given computer, since these memories form a single memory space as a whole, the computers can also be used as a multi-processor system).
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, in a computer system in which computers are connected via a low-speed communication line such as a LAN (Local Area Network), when a program is executed in large amount on a subject computer, and the processor in the subject computer becomes busy, an OS (operating system) having a process migration function can migrate the process in execution to another computer connected via the communication line, thus effectively utilizing the processor on the other computer.
However, in the case of the process migration function, in order to migrate and re-execute a process, the memory contents (text, data, or stack) required for executing the process, the process management table in the OS, and the like must be transferred to the memory on the computer as the migration destination, resulting in a large overhead.
In migrating and re-executing a process, the following limitations are often imposed. That is,
1. Migration can only be made upon generation of a process. PA1 2. The parent/child relationship of the migrated process cannot be maintained. PA1 3. The migrated process cannot generate a new child process.
This is because it is very hard to maintain consistency between process management information in the destination OS and that in the source OS.
Conventionally, in a computer system in which a plurality of computers are connected via a low-speed communication line such as a LAN, upon generation and start of a user program as a process, if the physical memory on a computer which is to generate the process is insufficient, the OS having a virtual memory function performs a page-out operation of the contents of physical pages with a low use ratio to a secondary memory device of the subject computer or another computer.
In this case, even when the physical memory on the other computer connected via the communication line has a sufficient memory space, the physical memory cannot be directly utilized. This is because no hardware arrangement which can directly disclose the physical memory of another computer can be adopted due to the low-speed communication line.
However, in recent years, the advent of communication media such as an optical cable, which has high reliability and performance relatively close to that of the internal bus of a computer allows to adopt an arrangement which can directly disclose the physical memory to another computer. Thus, a system in which memories (or their portions) arranged in computers constitute a single memory space and the memory space can be directly accessed by any computer is proposed. In this system, if a memory on another computer has a sufficient memory space, it can be assured or secured and directly utilized without executing the above-mentioned page-out operation.
However, when the physical memory on the computer which is to generate a process is insufficient, if physical pages are secured without rules from a plurality of computers upon securing of pages from another computer, memory pages required for executing the process are distributed to a plurality of computers. If execution of the process proceeds in such a state, the processing efficiency of the system is impaired.
This is because if the processor on which the process runs and the physical memory to be used are present on the same computer, a high processing speed of the process can be secured due to a high-speed memory access. However, if the processor and the physical memory are present on different computers connected via the communication line, the processing speed of the process becomes low due to a low-speed memory access.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present applicant has proposed a computer system in U.S. Ser. No. 334,373 filed previously. In this system, when a process is generated and started, and secures physical pages, if no more pages cannot be secured on the computer on which the process is running, the remaining pages are secured from a single computer as much as possible in place of randomly securing the pages from a plurality of computers. It is then checked which is more efficient to execute the process on the subject computer or on another computer. If it is determined that the process is to be executed on the other computer to obtain high efficiency, the OS of the source computer migrates context information required for executing the process to the computer which is determined to assure high efficiency, and the destination computer proceeds with execution of the process, thereby improving the processing efficiency of the process.
However, in the case of the process migration technique for migrating the context information to proceed with the execution of the process, when the process migrates, limitations which are not imposed in normal processes are imposed. For example, the parent/child relationship of processes cannot be maintained, the migrated process cannot generate a new child process. This is because it is very hard to maintain consistency between process management information in the destination OS and that in the source OS.
Although the memory contents (program, data, or stack) need not be transferred, the context information (the register values of a processor, the allocation information of a page memory in use, and the like) must be migrated, and depending on the transfer amount of context information, the load on the communication line, and the load on the transfer processing of the processor pose other problems.

Information processing system and method in which computer with high load borrows processor of computer with low load to execute process


Disclosed is a bath lift with a rotating seat assembly to assist an individual with decreased mobility in and out of a bathtub. The rotating seat includes an assembly that can be raised or lowered using a DC powered linear actuator. The linear actuator will also move a backrest from an upright position to a reclined position. A controller includes logic to prevent operation should the batteries have insufficient power to raise the seat assembly. Slip resistant padding is comprised of medical-grade, closed cell, molded polyurethane padding that does not absorb water and reduces the risk of skin tears.

Loss of independence and privacy in the bathroom can be extremely difficult for the disabled and elderly population. A particularly hazardous endeavor in the bathroom is bathing. Bathtubs are likely the most popular fixture for bathing. Modern bathtubs come in a variety of shapes and may be constructed of porcelain, thermoformed acrylic, enameled steel, fiberglass reinforced polyester, or porcelain enameled cast iron. While the bathtub has proven to be one of the best devices for bathing, the materials of construction are often extremely slippery and the bathtub shape typically requires stepping up and over an upper rim of the tub in order to get in. Many people with diminished mobility will resort to holding on to the slippery rim of the tub, or towel bars, shower curtains and other bathroom fixtures. The problem is that the bathtub coating may be slippery as it is designed for easy cleaning, and most bathroom fixtures are not sturdy enough to support the weight of a person, and that assumes that the individual even has the strength and capacity to hold themselves up when grabbing onto one of these fixtures. Slip and falls in the bathtub are major problems for the disabled and elderly population.
Avoidance of a slip and fall resulting in serious injuries is a top priority to protect the disabled and elderly population when bathing. Currently, there are many bath lifts in the marketplace that assist a person in getting in and out of the bathtub. Existing bath lifts consist of a seat that is placed in the tub and can be raised and lowered by the individual in the chair. However, it can be difficult for many disabled and elderly people to initially get into the chair. Rigid chairs can be slippery and can also cause skin tears as a person maneuvers to properly position themselves upon the bath lift seat in the tub.
Accordingly, what is needed to improve safety in the bathtub, for the most vulnerable members of society, is a bath lift with a soft, slip resistant rotating seat.


A protective guide sleeve structure of a pulling type faucet including a protective guide sleeve. An upper end of the guide sleeve is disposed with a trumpet-shaped opening. A long restricting plate and two short restricting plates upward extend from a rear lateral edge of the opening. When assembled, the guide sleeve is fitted into an adapter from a cut section thereof with the trumpet-shaped opening abutting against a lower edge of the cut section. An extensible guide tube of a sprinkling head is passed through the cut section of the adapter and the protective guide sleeve. When the extensible guide tube is Pulled outward or retracted inward, the trumpet-shaped opening of the guide sleeve guides the extensible guide tube to smoothly move outward or inward and the protective guide sleeve protects the extensible guide tube from abrasion.

The present invention relates to a protective guide sleeve structure of a pulling type faucet in which a protective guide sleeve in fitted in an adapter of the faucet and an extensible guide tube of a sprinkling head is passed through the protective guide sleeve. When the extensible guide tube is pulled outward or retracted inward, the trumpet-shaped opening of the guide sleeve guides the extensible guide tube to smoothly move outward or inward. Also, the protective guide sleeve protects the extensible guide tube from directly abrading a lower edge of a cut section of the adapter.
The pulling type faucet has been widely used in a kitchen or a toilet for providing more convenient washing operation. However, the extensible guide tube of the sprinkling head of the faucet is directly attached to a lower edge of a cut section of the adapter. Therefore, when the extensible guide tube is pulled outward or retracted inward, a considerably great frictional force is exerted onto the extensible guide tube. This shortens using life of the extensible guide tube and makes it difficult and laborious to pull and extend the extensible guide tube.

Protective guide sleeve structure of a pulling type faucet


Methods for forming flip chip interconnection, in which the bump interconnect is defined at least in part by an underfill. The underfill includes a material that is thermally cured; that is, raising the temperature of the underfill material can result in progressive curing of the underfill through stages including a gel stage and a fully cured stage. According to the invention, during at least an early stage in the process the semiconductor chip is carried by a thermode, which is employed to control the temperature of the assembly in a specified way. Also, flip chip interconnections and flip chip packages made according to the methods of invention.

This invention relates to semiconductor packaging and, particularly, to flip chip interconnection.
Flip chip packages include a semiconductor die mounted onto a package substrate with the active side of the die facing the substrate. Conventionally, interconnection of circuitry in the die with the substrate is made by way of bumps which are attached to an array of interconnect pads on the die and bonded to a corresponding (complementary) array of interconnect pads (often referred to as "capture pads") on a patterned metal layer at the die attach surface of the substrate. Typically an underfill between the active side of the die and the die mount surface of the substrate protects the interconnections and mechanically stabilizes the assembly. Underfill materials are known; typically they include a resin, which may be a curable resin, plus a filler, which is typically a fine particulate material (such as, for example, silica or alumina particles). The particular resin and the filler (type of filler material, the particle size(s), e.g.), and the proportion of filler in the resin, are selected to provide suitable properties (mechanical and adhesion) to the underfill material, both during processing and in the resulting underfill. Conventionally the underfill is formed after the interconnection has been made between the interconnect sites on the substrate and the bumps on the die, by applying the underfill material in a liquid form to the narrow space between the die and the substrate near an edge of the die, whereupon the underfill material is permitted to flow by capillary action into the space ("capillary underfill"). Alternatively the underfill can be formed by applying a quantity of underfill material to the active side of the die or to the die mount side of the substrate, then moving the die toward the substrate and pressing the bumps against the interconnect sites ("no-flow underfill").
Conventionally a flip chip interconnection using a no-flow underfill is made by: dispensing the underfill material onto the substrate, positioning the die onto the substrate (with the bumps on the interconnect sites) using a pick-and-place tool, and heating the assembly to reflow the bumps. Challenges using this conventional method include trapping of filler (which is a component of the underfill material) between the bumps and the metal at the interconnect sites, resulting in an electrically compromised connection; die "float" during reflow, also resulting in poor connection; and formation of voids in the resulting underfill.
Flip chip technology is gaining increasing interest in semiconductor packaging by virtue of compelling advantages in miniaturization and electrical performance over conventional wire bonding technology. However, many entry barriers exist in the areas of infrastructure, manufacturing cost and design.
One major impediment to acceptance of flip chip technology has been an inability to reduce the interconnection pitch. This limitation results primarily from the propensity of adjacent solder bumps to short during the reflow bonding operation.
The areal density of electronic features on integrated circuits has increased enormously, and chips having a greater density of circuit features also may have a greater density of sites for interconnection with a package substrate. Accordingly another impediment to acceptance of flip chip technology has to do with limitations in substrate technology. In conventional flip chip package substrates the capture pads corresponding to the respective solder bumps on the die are relatively large. Additionally, conventional flip chip package substrates include a "solder mask" consisting of a layer of an insulating material over the patterned circuitry on the substrate, having openings formed to expose the capture pads (known as a "solder mask"); the solder mask confines the solder when the bump melts. Techniques for defining the openings have relatively poor resolution, and the design dimensions of the capture pads and additional tolerance dimensions are conventionally provided for the distances between capture pads and adjacent circuitry, to accommodate errors in the positions and sizes of solder mask openings. These two limitations adversely affect the routing efficiency of the substrate to which the die is attached.
The flip chip package, including a die mounted on a substrate, is connected to underlying circuitry, such as a printed circuit board (e.g., a "motherboard") in the device in which it is employed, by way of second level interconnects (e.g., pins) between the package and the underlying circuit. Another limitation in flip chip substrate technology relates to the fact that the second level interconnects have a significantly greater pitch than the flip chip interconnects, and so the routing on the substrate conventionally "fans out" from the interconnect pads to the second level interconnects. Significant technological advances have enabled construction of fine lines and spaces; but in the conventional arrangement space between adjacent pads limits the number of traces that can escape from the more inward capture pads in the array, and the fan out routing between the capture pads beneath the die and the external pins of the package is conventionally formed on multiple metal layers within the package substrate. For a complex interconnect array, substrates having multiple layers may be required to achieve routing between the die pads and the second level interconnects on the package. Multiple layer substrates are expensive, and in conventional flip chip constructs the substrate alone typically accounts for more than half the package cost (about 60% in some typical instances). The high cost of multilayer substrates has been a factor in limiting proliferation of flip chip technology in mainstream products.
Moreover, in conventional flip chip constructs the escape routing pattern typically introduces additional electrical parasitics, because the routing includes short runs of unshielded circuitry and vias between patterned metal circuit layers in the signal transmission path. Electrical parasitics can significantly limit package performance, particularly at higher frequencies (such as radio frequencies).
A further limitation of conventional flip chip technology is that it requires expensive process apparatus with associated high financial investment levels and manufacturing costs.


A wrist-mounted terminal for use in electro-optically reading bar code symbols, includes a main body having a display, and a strap for securing the body on and around a wrist of an operator. The terminal includes a detector for detecting light reflected off a symbol. A keypad is mounted on the body for movement between a concealed position in which manually depressible keys are hidden by the body, and an exposed position in which the keys are accessible. The keypad is preferably slidingly received within the body, or hinged to the body.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to portable optical scanners for reading indicia of varying light reflectivity, and in particular to such scanners which are adapted to be worn on the person. The invention further relates to optical scanning systems in which the optical module for generating and emitting the light beam is physically separate and apart from the detector module.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various optical readers and optical scanning systems have been developed heretofore for reading indicia such as bar code symbols appearing on the label or on the surface of an article. The symbol itself is a coded pattern of indicia comprised of, for example, a series of bars of various widths spaced apart from one another to bound spaces of various widths, the bars and spaces having different light reflecting characteristics. The readers in scanning systems electro-optically transform the graphic indicia into electrical signals, which are decoded into alphanumeric characters that are intended to be descriptive of the article or some characteristic thereof. Such characteristics are typically represented in digital form and utilized as an input to a data processing system for applications in point-of-sale processing, inventory control and the like. Scanning systems of this general type have been disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,251,798, 4,369,361, 4,387,297; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,409,470; 4,760,248; 4,896,026, all of which have been assigned to the present applicant. As disclosed in the above patents, one embodiment of such scanning systems includes, inter alia, a hand held, portable laser scanning device supported by a user, which is configured to allow the user to aim the scanning head of the device, and more particularly, a light beam, at a targeted symbol to be read.
Such prior art hand held devices generally incorporate a light-receiving module which receives the light that has been reflected from the bar code symbol and determines, from the reflected pattern, the sequences of bars and spaces within the symbol. The unit may also incorporate decoding circuitry to decode the received information and to recover the underlying data (for example the alphanumeric data) which the bar code symbol represents.
A "heads up" display unit comprising a head band and a bar code reader and visual display mounted thereon is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,449 for inventory management operations. The display allows cross-checking of commands issued orally by the operator into a microphone and speech recognition circuit and of codes read by the bar code reader.
It may in some circumstances be disadvantageous for the light generating and emitting module to be housed within the same unit as the light-receiving module and the decoding circuitry. In the first place, locating everything within the main housing requires that the bar code to be read is positioned so that most or at least a substantial proportion of the reflected light returns to the unit along the same path as the emitted light. It might not always be convenient for a user to position the bar code reading and/or the bar code so that the light is reflected back along the same path in that way. Secondly, locating everything within the same unit means that the unit has to be physically rather large and relatively heavy. Users may not find it easy to operate for long periods.
It is a general object of the present invention at least to alleviate some of these problems of the prior art.
It is a further object to provide a portable optical scanning system with improved ergonomics, and which will be easier for a user to operate for long periods.
It is a further object of the present invention to reduce the weight of a portable optical scanning system adapted to be held in the hand of a user, or mounted to the user's body.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure, including the following detailed description, as well as by practice of the invention. While the invention is described below with reference to preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those of ordinary skill in the art having access to the teachings herein will recognize additional applications, modifications and embodiments in other fields which are within the scope of the invention as disclosed and claimed herein and with respect to which the invention could be of significant utility.

Wrist-mounted optical scanning and pointing systems


An information processing apparatus includes a content storage unit storing a plurality of pieces of content; a background-image storage unit storing a background image corresponding to the plurality of pieces of content stored in the content storage unit; an attribute-information storage unit storing attribute information for each of the plurality of pieces of content in association with the plurality of pieces of content, the attribute information including a corresponding position in the background image; a classification unit classifying the plurality of pieces of content into one or more clusters on the basis of the attribute information; and a rendering unit rendering images indicating the classified pieces of content in a predetermined order on a cluster-by-cluster basis and rendering an area of the background image, the area including the corresponding position included in the attribute information of content corresponding to at least one of the images rendered.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information processing apparatuses, and more particularly, to an information processing apparatus that arranges and renders images at predetermined positions on a map, an image display apparatus, control methods therefor, and programs for causing a computer to perform the methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
To capture an image of an object, such as a landscape or a person, image capturing apparatuses, such as digital cameras, that can record an image of the object and position information regarding a place where the image is captured are available in the related art. To display the image captured using the image capturing apparatuses, information processing apparatuses, such as personal computers, that can superimpose and display the image at a position on a map corresponding to the place where the image was captured on the basis of the position information recorded in association with the image are available in the related art.
For example, an image reproducing apparatus capable of mapping and displaying thumbnail images generated on the basis of captured images on a map on the basis of position data for each of the captured images and selecting a desired thumbnail image from among the thumbnail images displayed on the map has been proposed (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-110111, FIG. 1).

Information processing apparatus, image display apparatus, control methods therefor, and programs for causing computer to perform the methods


A channel state reporting method based on a channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS) in a wireless communication system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, may comprise the steps of: receiving a CSI-RS configuration associated with a partial band occupying a frequency band configured with a single numerology; and when CSI-RS configurations for multiple partial bands are included in the CSI-RS configuration, configuring the respective multiple partial bands with numerologies that are different from each other, and according to the CSI-RS configuration associated with the partial band, transmitting CSI information derived from a CSI-RS transmitted from the partial band.

As more and more communication devices require larger communication capacities, there is a need for more enhanced mobile broadband communication (eMBB) than legacy radio access technologies (RATs). In addition, massive machine type communications (mMTC) which connects multiple devices and objects to one another to provide various services at any time in any place is one of main issues to be considered for future-generation communications. Besides, a communication system design which considers services sensitive to reliability and latency is under discussion. As such, the introduction of a future-generation RAT in consideration of eMBB, mMTC, ultra-reliable and low-latency communication (URLLC), and so on is under discussion. In the present disclosure, this technology is referred to as New RAT, for the convenience's sake.

Channel state reporting method in wireless communication system and device therefor


A welding apparatus is provided with a lamp unit having a light source such as a halogen lamp and a multiple reflection surface. The light source applies incoherent electromagnetic waves that belong to a visible region and a near-infrared region in which a wavelength is 500 nm (nanometer) or more. The multiple reflection surface reflects and collects the light from the light source in the shape of a desired dot or line. The housing and the transparent cover are superimposed, and the light from the light source is collected by the multiple-reflection surface on the portion where the housing is superimposed on the transparent cover.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a welding apparatus and a welding method. Specifically, the present invention relates to a welding apparatus and a welding method of welding a housing of a vehicle lamp and a transparent cover, in which the apparatus is structured at a low cost and a welding work can be performed in a short time.
2. Related Art
There is a method of joining a housing of a vehicle lamp and a transparent cover by welding, by applying laser beams through the transparent cover to the housing so as to weld the housing and the transparent cover.
However, in a scan type in which a laser gun is moved along a welding line by use of a robot thereby to perform welding, a machining time becomes long, so that there is a problem that efficiency is bad.
Further, in a so-called flash type in which many laser guns are arranged over a full length of the welding line and perform welding simultaneously in order to shorten the machining time and increase the efficiency, the machining time can be reduced. However, the immense cost of equipment is required, which causes a problem of the increase of the vehicle lamp cost.


In a fine processing method for forming a silicon substrate, first, an oxynitride layer is formed on the silicon substrate. Thereafter, a silicon nitride layer is formed on the oxynitride layer and patterned into a predetermined shape to cause it to function as an etching mask. The silicon substrate is etched through the etching mask. In this case, because of the oxynitride layer formed between the silicon substrate and the silicon nitride layer, an interface between the silicon substrate and the silicon nitride layer is not easily eroded in the etching process. As a result, processing accuracy of the substrate is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fine processing method including an etching process suitable for producing a semiconductor device.
2. Related Arts
To produce a semiconductor device, for example used as a semiconductor pressure sensor, conventionally, a silicon nitride (SiN) layer is formed on a silicon substrate, and etched by a photo-etching process into a predetermined shape to cause it to function as an etching mask. The silicon substrate on which the etching mask is formed is immersed in an etching solution (for example, a water solution of potassium hydroxide (KOH)), and etched through the etching mask. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 9, a recess portion 22 of a predetermined shape is formed on the silicon substrate 21 so that a thin silicon diaphragm 24 is formed at the bottom of the recess portion 22.
In the etching process, because the SiN layer 25 functioning as the etching mask has sufficient strength and adhesive property to the silicon substrate 21, the etching mask is not easily cracked or separated from the silicon substrate 21. As shown in FIG. 9, however, inadequate erosion portions 23 are generated on the silicon substrate 21 exposed to the recess portion 22. Consequently, variation in the geometry of the recess portion 22 occurs, whereby dimensional accuracy of the diaphragm 24 is deteriorated.


An expander for the lower part of the body is provided with a lumbar band (1) having corresponding catching members (2), an elastic strip (7) insertably fitted into and woven with the lumbar band (1), and a sole contact plate (6) having inserting portions (3) for both feet mounted thereon. The elastic strip (7) is woven around a substantially back half of the lumbar band (1), and coupling rings (7b) mounted at the opposite outer ends of the elastic strip (7) pulled out from the opposite sides of a front part of the lumbar band (1) are coupled to corresponding upper-end hooks (20a) of length-adjustable straps (20) connected with side portions (6a) of the sole contact plate (6) in a looped state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an expander for the lower part of the body which expander can be easily used at home and other places by anybody for straightening the lumbar to prevent lower back pains and strengthening the leg and abdomen muscles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Exercise assisting equipments and health equipments for home use such as a hanging health equipment, a walker, a rowing machine and a cyclista are on the market. Since an installation space needs to be secured for any of these equipments, they stand in the way when being not used due to the recent housing situation apart from cases where a specified gym can be provided and they are, of course, not suited to being carried out. Further, after being continuously used for a certain period of time, they are sometimes bored and left unused.
The same applies to health equipments for preventing lower back pains such as lumbago.
No health equipment has not been available yet which can simultaneously accomplish the sure traction stretch of the lumbar, particularly the sacra which are fourth and fifth vertebrae regarded to be difficult to pull by conventional health equipments and the strengthening of the leg and abdomen muscles.
On the other hand, equipments for training the lower back and the legs by fastening a belt around the lower back are proposed in Registered Japanese Utility Model No. 20818, Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 55-72971 and Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 57-123167. The waist belt is merely used to fix the lower back and has a little effect on the traction of the lumbar because these equipments are designed for the leg exercise.
A lumbar band of an expander for the lower part of the body according to the present invention has a double structure by being woven with an elastic strip, and a horizontal force (see A in FIG. 6(A)) necessary to hold the lumbar and a vertical force (see B in FIG. 6(B)) necessary for the traction and straightening, i.e. a composite traction force, can be created by the elastic strip. As far as the inventor knows, there has been no expander which can simultaneously perform the traction of the lower back necessary for the prevention of lower back pains and the strengthening of the leg and abdomen muscles combined with the movements of the legs by one exercise.
In view of the above problems existing in the prior art, an object of the present invention is to mainly simultaneously perform the traction and straightening of the lumbar and the strengthening of the abdomen and leg muscles and to provide an expander for the lower part of the body which can be easily stored and carried around, can be simply used at home by anybody, and can prevent lower back pains.


Provided is a novel lithium secondary battery comprising a positive electrode comprising a compound capable of occluding and discharging lithium, a negative electrode composed mainly of a carbon material which comprises a graphite as an only or as a principal component, a separator between said positive electrode and said negative electrode; and an electrolyte solution of an electrolyte solute dissolved in a solvent comprising at least one specific cyclic compound. The lithium secondary battery has a large capacity, small self-discharge rate and excellent cycle characteristics and high charge-discharge efficiency.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a lithium secondary battery, and more specifically to improvement of a carbon material for a negative electrode of a lithium secondary battery, or to improvement of both a negative electrode and an electrolyte solution of a lithium secondary battery.
2. Description of the prior art
In recent years, carbon materials have been studied, instead of conventional lithium alloys, for the use of negative electrode material for lithium secondary batteries because 1 they have high flexibility and 2 they do not cause mossy-shaped lithium to precipitate by electrolysis.
The carbon material that has principally been studied for this purpose is coke (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,422), and graphite has hardly been studied. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,422 discloses a secondary battery comprising for the negative electrode a carbon material having the spacing of (002) planes, d.sub.002. of at least 3.37 .ANG. and the crystallite size in the direction of c axis, Lc of not more than 220 .ANG.. The above carbon material is a kind of coke.
Coke, however, hardly provides large-capacity batteries, since the amount of lithium introduced with coke negative electrode is not sufficiently large.
To the best of the knowledge of the present inventors, the literatures that propose a secondary battery having a negative electrode comprising graphite are only U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,125 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,211.
The above U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,125 discloses a secondary battery comprising for the negative electrode a carbon imaterial having occluded lithium as an active material and as an electrolyte solution a solution of an electrolyte solute of LiAsF.sub.6 dissolved in a solvent of 1,3-dioxolane.
According to the USP, a secondary battery having excellent cycle characteristics can then be obtained.
The above known secondary battery is, however, inferior in many features such as capacity per unit weight of graphite (mAh/g), initial charge and discharge efficiency (%), battery capacity (mAh), self-discharge rate (%/month) and charge and discharge efficiency (%), not to mention cycle characteristics (cycle life), as shown by the data for the "conventional battery" in the later-described Examples. The battery therefore is not sufficiently satisfactory for practical purposes.
This is considered to be due to polymerization of 1,3-dioxolane in the negative electrode side (reduction side).
The above U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,211 discloses a secondary battery comprising for the negative-electrode a carbon material having a degree of graphitization greater than about 0.40 .ANG., i.e. the spacing of (002) planes, d.sub.002 smaller than about 3.412 .ANG.. The above known secondary battery , however, is not necessarily excellent in the features mentioned above.