A heat press includes a clutch and a linkage that moves the upper platen relative to the lower platen from a first position to a second position. The distance between the upper and lower platen is less in the second position than in the first position. The clutch is coupled to the linkage and mounted to the upper platen. The clutch is configured to adjust the distance between the upper and lower platens in the second position in response to movement of the upper platen from the first position to the second position being impeded by a work piece positioned between the lower platen and the upper platen.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Heat presses for heat and pressure printing and transfer applications typically include a lower platen and an upper platen that is generally above the lower platen and configured to press down on the lower platen. Typically, a work piece (e.g., fabric or garment) and a heat-activated article (e.g., letters, logos, images, graphics) are positioned on the lower platen while the upper platen is separated from the lower platen. Once the work piece and article are properly positioned, the upper platen is moved vertically down over the lower platen to sandwich the work piece and article between the upper and lower platens. One or both of the platens typically contains a heating element and the platens are typically configured to apply heat and pressure to the work piece and article for a predetermined amount of time (i.e., cure time). After the cure time is completed, the upper platen is lifted up so that the operator can remove the finished product and repeat the steps for the next work piece and article.
On a typical manual heat press, the lower platen is attached to a base structure and the upper platen is attached to a handle and clamping linkage mechanism which is pivotably attached to the base structure to move the electrically heated upper platen between a clamped position, precisely aligned above the lower platen, and an open position spaced apart from the lower platen to allow the operator access to the lower platen. The upper platen is typically moved vertically relative to the lower platen by an operator manipulating the handle. In typical heat presses, the clamping linkage has an over-center locking condition to compress the platens together in the clamped position, bending the steel structure of the press to provide repeatable and predictable clamping force. The handle and linkages can serve to mechanically amplify the operator's strength and can clamp a garment between the upper and lower platen with a clamping force that can be pre-set based on a predetermined thickness of a workpiece and article. Since a specific clamping pressure can be required for each heat transfer application, a mechanical adjustment is typically required to alter the total deflection of the press structure when clamped, thus altering the applied force between the two platens. Automated (i.e., non-manual) heat presses can have similar clamping mechanisms. Thus, typical heat presses require periodic adjustment to maintain a constant clamping force between garments of differing thickness, which can increase operating time and costs.

Heat press with self-adjusting clamp force


A printer provided with a printer controller and a printer engine, wherein the printer controller includes a user interface control unit with a function for grouping together parameters associated with the paper, overlay and so on and recording this group of parameters under a desired name.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer used in combination with a computer, such as a personal computer or workstation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there have been printers such as the Hitachi Laser Printer HT-4559 702/705 and the like that enable a user operating a control panel to set printing parameters, such as a printing position, paper weight, and the like.
However, while conventional printers can enable a user operating a control panel to set the various parameters described above, these printers cannot record such parameters for each printing operation or print job. Hence, when a user transmits different print operations or job data to the printer to be printed, the user must operate the control panel each time to reset all of the plurality of parameters, entailing a complex operation of confirming the values.

Printer facilitating settings of parameters on print paper


The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the administration of alcohol to a person, and therapeutic treatments utilizing the method and apparatus. The invention provides an alcohol “patch” in the form of an adhesive patch or bandage-like structure bearing a quantity of alcohol for transdermal delivery to the user. Permeation enhancers, either chemical or structural, may be included to facilitate the penetration of the alcohol through the skin, and for increased efficacy of delivery of the alcohol to the bloodstream of the user.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,379 to Sanders, et al. discloses a transdermal drug delivery device with dual permeation enhancers. A dosage form coadministers a drug and two percutaneous adsorption enhancers to a defined area of the skin. The dosage form comprises a body that contains supplies of drug and enhancers and has a basal surface that contacts the area of skin and transmits the drug and enhancers to the area for absorption thereby.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,541 to Nichols discloses a method, composition, and article for use in transdermal or percutaneous administration to humans of systemically active medicaments in the form of a solution in benzyl alcohol.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,856 to Schoendorfer, et al. describes a dermal patch detecting long-term alcohol consumption and method of use. A non-occlusive dermal patch for collecting vapor phase perspiration from a subject's skin and retaining an analyte such as ethanol in the perspiration is disclosed. In addition, a method of collecting vapor phase perspiration containing an analyte such as ethanol over a period up to several days and detecting the analyte to determine the wearer's consumption of the analyte during the period when the patch was worn is disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,433 to Burton, et al. teaches transdermal patches, including a backing layer, a liner layer, and a monolithic adhesive and drug-containing layer between the backing layer and the liner layer. The drug-containing adhesive layer includes polyisobutylene, a plasticizer for the polyisobutylene in which the ratio of the plasticizer and the polyisobutylene is less than about 0.8 and at least 5% of a filler. The drug so utilized is moderately soluble in the plasticizer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,992 to Brooke, et al. discloses a Cannabinoid patch and method for cannabis transdermal delivery. A transdermal structure is provided for delivering cannabis chemical(s) to one's bloodstream. The structure comprises a backing layer which carries the cannabis chemical(s). The chemicals are contained in a film on the backing layer or within a cavity formed in the backing layer. Alternatively, an opening in a secondary layer that overlies the backing layer may be used to create the cavity. The structure is applied to one's skin so that the cannabis chemicals are in contact with the skin. A polymer material which is mixed with the cannabis and placed in the cavity or a membrane over the cavity may be used to control the flow of cannabis chemical (s) into the bloodstream. In an alternative embodiment, a porous material impregnated with cannabis chemical (s) may be used to hold the chemical(s) in the cavity. Because of the relatively slow transdermal flow rate of cannabis materials, it is preferred to utilize permeation enhancers in conjunction with the cannabis carrier or reservoir matrixes or skin contacting adhesive layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,974,588 to Miranda, et al. describes a transdermal patch for administering a volatile liquid drug, such as nicotine, transdermally to a patient comprising a four-layer laminated composite of: a top drug impermeable backing layer; a pressure sensitive silicone adhesive layer containing the drug; a pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive layer also containing the drug; and a removable siliconized release liner layer. Also disclosed is a method for treating a person for nicotine dependence and particularly for treating a woman for nicotine dependence.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,611,481 to Cleary, et al. teaches a dermal, transdermal, mucosal or transmucosal delivery device includes a backing layer overlying an ingredient containing reservoir, and having a microprotrusion array attached thereto, a cover for the reservoir having at least one opening therethrough, an adhesive layer and a liner layer. Upon removal of the liner layer, the device may be placed over the desired area of the skin or mucosa and adhesively applied thereto allowing the ingredients to flow from the reservoir through the at least one opening to the skin or mucosa.
The foregoing patents reflect the current state of the art of which the present inventor is aware. Reference to, and discussion of, these patents is intended to aid in discharging Applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be relevant to the examination of claims to the present invention. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the above-indicated patents disclose, teach, suggest, show, or otherwise render obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein.

Method and apparatus for alcohol administration and therapeutic treatments using same


A method for designing and analyzing a wireless network located at terrestrial environments by using a method based on an algorithm utilizing a 3D stochastic multi-parametric (3DSM) model of a terrain area designated for the wireless network. The algorithm is used for designing a wireless network operable in the area and analyzing the performance of the wireless network. The 3D model methodology is applicable for calculating average field intensity in different outdoor environments which is derived for a three-dimensional geometry model and yields higher precision calculations for the mixed residential or sub-urban areas by considering the wide range of vertical and horizontal dimensions of houses and trees.

Existing Approaches of Link Budget Design
A main characteristics of any type of wireless network performance is a Link Budjet that based on average path loss evaluation according to reaction and response of the corresponding terrestrial propagation channel, rural, mixed residential, sub-urbanm and urban. Existing approaches for average path loss prediction were fully described during recent decades [1-14]. Thus, the empirical Okumura-Hata model [1, 2], Bertoni approach [3-6], Walfish-Ikegami approach [7], and 2-D stochastic approach [8-10], require signal intensity decay law versus the range r between the terminal antenna, transmitter and receiver, ofL(I)∝d−γ,γ=2.6−4.0  (1)Further, the abovementioned approaches were relevant only for specific scenarios, with accuracy of 10-15 dB relative to experimental data.
Approximate concept of link budget estimation were described, based on numerous experimental data obtained for various terrestrial communication links such as in Steele, R., Mobile Radio Communications (called the Steele's approach [11, 12]). According to this predicting concept, the expected median signal power at the moving vehicle/subscriber (MV/MS) must be derived, first of all, for determining the radio coverage of a specific base station (BS) and the interference tolerance for the purpose of cellular map construction. As suggested by Steele's approach, the total signal power at the receiver, PRX, is also subjected to slow fading or shadowing and fast fading, which are mainly caused by the characteristic terrain features in the vicinity of BS and MV. Usually, when designing the network power budget and the coverage area patter, the slow and fast fading phenomena are taken into account, introducing a shadow fading margin LSF=2σSh, where σSh is the standard deviation of shadowing, as suggested in Steele's approach and in Rappaport, T. S., Wireless Communications [13], and a fast fading margin, LFF, as functions of the range between BS and MV.
In other words, a shadow fading margin, which usually predicted to be in the range of about 1% to 2% of the slow fading lognormal PDF, and a fast fading margin, which is typically predicted to be the in the range of about 1% to 2% of the fast fading Rayleigh or Rice PDF, may be taken into account simultaneously or separately in link budget design depending on the worst-case scenario in the concrete communication channel. This situation is often referred to as "fading margin overload" resulting in a very low-level received signal almost entirely covered in noise. The probability of such worst cases determines the event of how rapidly the signal level drops below the receiver's noise floor level (NFL). The probability of such an event was predicted in Steele's approach as a sum of the individual margin overload probabilities, the slow and the fast, when the error probability is close to 0.5, since the received signal is at the NFL.
According to Steele's approach and Rappaport technique, one has a slow fading margin of LSF=2σSh=10−15 dB. There assuming the Rician fast fading PDF, as more general PDF for multipath channel prediction, with the Rician parameter K=5−10 and a fast fade margin overload probability of 1%, we can obtain a fast fading margin, using so-called the Rappaport's approach as LFF=5−7 dB.
Another, concept of how to obtain the slow and fast fade margins was proposed in Saunders, S. R., Antennas and Propagation for Wireless Communication Systems (called also the Saunders' approach [14]). According to the proposed concept, the effect of slow fading or shadowing can be described as a difference between the median path loss, as predicted by any standard propagation model. To obtain the shadow fade margin, one needs information of PDF distribution of slow fading, also defined as a Gaussian process with a zero-mean Gaussian variable LSF and with a standard deviation of shadowing σL.
Using concept described in Saunders' approach, one can also estimate the fast fade margine, LFF, using well-known Ricean PDF distribution of such parameter. We will rewrite it using a new notation as
                              P                                                              D                                                                          F                                      (                              L                FF                            )                                      =                                            2                                            L                FF                                                                    (                rms                )                            2                                          exp                                              {                              -                                                      L                    FF                    2                                                                              (                      rms                      )                                        2                                                              }                        ·                          exp                                            (                                  -                  K                                )                                      ·                                          J                0                                                          (                                                                            2                                                                    L                        FF                                                              rms                                                                          K                                                  )                                                                        (        2        )            where, as in prior researches, rms=√{square root over (2)}·σF, σF is the variance of fast fading, which can be defined as following:
                              σ          F                =                                            ∫              0              ∞                                                                                x                  2                                ·                                  p                                                        (                    x                    )                                                                                ⅆ                x                                              -                                    (                                                ∫                  0                  ∞                                                                  x                  ·                                      p                                                              (                      x                      )                                                        ·                                      ⅆ                    x                                                              )                        2                                              (                  3                    a                )            Using derivations carried out in Wireless Communication Systems, in Handbook of Engineering Electromagnetics [10], we finally get:
                              σ          F                =                                            [                              2                ·                                                      (                    rms                    )                                    2                                ·                                  ⅇ                                      -                    K                                                              ]                        ·                          [                                                                                1                      2                                        ·                                          ⅇ                      K                                                                                ∫                      0                      ∞                                                                                y                        3                                            ·                                              ⅇ                                                  -                                                      y                            2                                                                                ·                                                                        I                          0                                                                                (                                                      2                            ·                                                          K                                                        ·                            y                                                    )                                                                    ·                                              ⅆ                        y                                                                                -                                                      (                                                                  ∫                        0                        ∞                                                                                y                          2                                                                                ⅇ                                                                                -                                y                                                                                2                                                                                ·                                                                                I                              0                                                                                (                                                              2                                ·                                                                  K                                                                ·                                y                                                            )                                                                                ·                                                      ⅆ                            y                                                                                )                                    2                                            ]                                                      1            /            2                                              (                  3                    b                )            So, as above for slow fading, we have here the loss due to fast fading, which can be expressed as:LFF=10·log10(σF)[dB]  (4)Here in (3b) the Ricean parameter K is presented as the ratio of LOS component (deterministic part of the total signal) and NLOS component (random part of the total signal), i.e.,
                    K        =                                                            L                                                                                O                                                                                S                            -              component                                                      N                                                                                L                                                                                O                                                                                S                            -              component                                =                                    〈                              I                co                            〉                                      〈                              I                inc                            〉                                                          (        5        )            In (5), Ico and Iincc are the coherent and incoherent parts of the total field intensity, respectively. When parameters rms and K a-priori are known, one can, by use of results presented in [10], find LFF.
According to the scenario of how to obtain the link power budget proposed in Saunders' approach [14] one has two variants of link-budget design prediction. The first variant describes Estimation of the slow fade margin, z, deriving the median path loss, L, by using well-known propagation models, and using the maximum acceptable path loss, Lm, as well as the range between concrete terminal antennas, the knowledge of which is done for the performed wireless system. Estimation of fast fade margin can be done, if the standard deviation and the Ricean parameter K are known for the concrete propagation channel and wireless system. The second variant describes estimation of the slow fade margin, z, and the range between concrete terminal antennas using derivation of the median path loss, L, through well-known propagation models, and using the standard deviation of slow fading, σL, as well as the percentage of the success communication for the concrete wireless system performed.
As for the fast fade margin, LFF, it can be obtained if the standard deviation of fast fading, σ, or rms, as well as the probability of the successful communication are known for the concrete wireless system. These approaches are not precise and require a great amount of measurements and statistical analysis.
Existing Approaches for Cellular Maps Design
To arrange the effective splitting of tested built-up area at cells, the designers need strict information about the law of signal power decay for the concrete situation in the site of service, i.e., need strict link budget analysis of propagation situation within each communication channel, as well as full radio coverage of each subscriber located LOS or NLOS conditions in areas of service, giving exact clearance between subscribers within each cell. Based on precise knowledge of propagation phenomena inside the cellular communication channels, it is easy to optimize cellular characteristics, such as radius of cell, reuse factor Q, channel interference parameter C/I, etc [12-14].
Standard Definition of Radius of Cell. As follows from prior researches [15-25], a better clearance between the base station (BS) and moving subscribers (MS) in clutter conditions may be reached only for LOS conditions (or direct visibility) between them. In this case, as follows from the two-ray model and the waveguide street model (see above), the cell size, Rcell, cannot be larger than the break point range, rB, at which the decay of the signal is changed from γ=2 (as in free space propagation) to γ=4 (propagation above flat terrain). If so, the law of signal decay between BS and each MS in the cell of radius Rcell≦rB is Rcell−2. Generally speaking, beyond the break point the law of signal decays versus the range between terminal antennas, describing by path-loss slope parameter γ, depends on the concrete situation in the urban scene and may be proportional to R−γ with γ>2 (γ=4−6, see standard propagation models presented above).
As follows from other models in rural and mixed residential areas with a rare buildings' distribution the path-loss slope parameter γ describing the received signal decay is changed from γ=2.5 to γ=4.0, which in a good agreement with existing propagation models (see above). In other words, in such areas field attenuation is faster than that in LOS conditions of free space.
Co-channel Interference Parameter Definition. Using standard methods of C/I evaluation, one can easy estimate this ratio based on the classical formula:
                              C          I                =                  10                                log                                      [                                                1                  6                                                                  (                                                            D                      γ                                                              R                      cell                      γ                                                        )                                            ]                                                          (        6        )            where, according to strategy of cellular pattern design described in [10-14], D is the reuse distance between co-interferer cells operated with the same frequency bands and γ is a factor of signal strength attenuation inside and outside the cell, as is illustrated by these figures.Existing Methods of Channel (Frequency) Assignment
Let us briefly introduce a well-known heuristic approach on how to obtain C/I-ratio based on mathematical models by accounting the Walfisch-Ikegami model (WIM) [7, 10] of signal power decay in urban environment.
The frequency assignment problem, was represented in the form of the heuristic algorithm developed in [15-17] based on cell configuration, which does not follow the classical hexagonal-cell homogeneous concept with a periodic frequency reuse pattern. This algorithm is based on the binary constraints between pair if transmitters presented in the following form:|fi−fj|>k,k≧0  (7)where fi and fj are the frequencies assigned to transmitters i and j, respectively. Different configurations of the cellular pattern were analyzed for channel (frequency) assignment purposes with applications to real non-regular non-uniform radio networks, mobile and stationary, considering:                cellular maps with different dimensions of cells,        cellular maps with irregular shapes of cells,        cellular maps with certain level of intercell overlapping. For such configurations of cells we need, instead of classical formulation of carrier to interference ratio (C/I) for various γ, to use the following formula [10-14]:
                                          (                          C              I                        )                    i                =                              R            i                          -              4                                                          ∑                              j                ∈                                  M                  i                                                                                d              ij                              -                4                                                                        (        8        )            Here, we take a simple two-ray propagation model (called also the "flat terrain" model) with γ=4. Notice that all notations are changed here from those used in to be unified with those used in this patent presentation. Here Ri is a radius of cell i; Mi is the set of all the cells (excluding cell i) which use the same bandwidths (channels) as cell i; dij is the worst case distance between interfering cell j and cell i. The latter can be found asdij=√{square root over ((xi−xj)2+(yi−yj)2)}−Ri  (9)where (xi,yi) and (xj,yj) are the Cartesian coordinates of base stations (BSs) of cells i and j, respectively. Using this simplest propagation model, in the co-channel interference constraint was obtained for C/I threshold α=1/β=18 dB [18-25]:
                                          ∑                          j              ∈                              M                i                                                                                d              ij                              -                4                                                    R              i                              -                4                                                    ≤        β                            (        10        )            Sufficient improvements of model were obtained by introducing adjacent channel interference adj_factork=−a(1+log2 k), where k is the bandwidth separation (in number of channels) between the adjacent channel frequency and central frequency of the corresponding filter. Typical value for a is 18 dB (as α=18 dB in [21]), and for k=1 an adjacent channel is attenuated by a factor equal to 0.015 [22-25].Existing Methods of Grade-of-Service (GoS) Performance
The fixed (FWA) or mobile (MWA) wireless access systems, unlike the wire-line systems, may have degraded quality of service (QoS) due to low link reliability caused by propagation characteristics (such as shadowing, multipath or multi-carrier interference and sensitivity of receivers) and by degradation of grade of service (GOS), due to high service demand and a low number of call resources. The most elementary stage of a system deployment is the link budget design, which is the main parameter of wireless communication links. It is based on propagation characteristics of the channel and describes signal power distribution along the radio path between the base-station antenna and terminal. The link budget is a balance sheet of gains and losses. As was mentioned above, by calculating the link budget, we evaluate the link performance.
The fixed (FWA) or mobile (MWA) wireless access systems, unlike the wire-line systems, may have degraded quality of service (QoS) due to low link reliability caused by propagation characteristics (such as shadowing, multipath or multi-carrier interference and sensitivity of receivers) and by degradation of grade of service (GOS), due to high service demand and a low number of call resources.
As for the GOS, a classical GOS analysis for circuit-switched (voice) traffic uses the Erlang-B or Erlang-C formulas, which is a special case of the birth and death (B&D) equation for calculating the total system capacity and the probability of working without call congestion [26-28]. Other models are used for other types of traffic, however most used in the literature classical approach is based on these formulas. So, we will focus on the Erlang B model. This, finally, the estimated total grade of service (GoS), which is the probability that a user tries to initiate a call and the call is either blocked or drops is calculated by both of those procedures together. However, Erlang-B formula is justified only in cases where all users have access to all resources of the system (a situation of full-availability). In wireless systems, due to propagation limitations, such as obstacles and wave attenuation, one user has limited access to the system resources. This is referred to as limited-availability and, thus, we cannot use the classical approach of using Erlang-B formula according to [26-29].
Moreover, in FWA systems, one user gets service from one cell. The user is part of a user group that is covered by one or more cells. If one user has optional access to more than one cell, the system has to allocate the user to one of these cells in order to achieve an optimal grade-of-service; this refers to load-balancing. The decision rule of user allocation refers to the load-balancing algorithm.
Therefore, to cover existing limitations, we propose below a new approach and methodology, as an extension of the existing classical approach mentioned above. As in other sections above, in our novel stochastic multi-parametric approach we take into account two types of areas, following [30-34]: mixed residential area having low buildings with trees and vegetation and urban area containing mostly high buildings in a dense built-up area.
Existing Approaches of Quality of Service (QOS) Performance
QoS is defined by characteristics called the capacity, as a maximum rate of data stream via the communication channel. The capacity of a communication channel is defined as the traffic load of data in bits per second. It is accepted to use Shannon-Hartley formula, in order to calculate the capacity of the channel [26-28]:C=Bw log2[1+SNR]  (11)where SNR is the signal-to-noise ratio for the channel with the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN). Here, we will define SNR as a measure of the signal strength relative to the noise. The ratio is usually measured in dB.
                              S                                                              N                                                              R                =                              10                                      log                                            (                                                      P                    R                                                        N                    R                                                  )                                              =                                    P                              R                                                  [                  dB                  ]                                                      -                          N                              R                                                  [                  dB                  ]                                                                                (        12        )            The classical approach is usually used to estimate the data capacity of the communication link using (11)-(12). According to its definition, the capacity of an AWGN channel of bandwidth Bw, wherein the signal to noise ratio is ρ, is given by:C=Bw log2[1+ρ]  (13)and the spectral efficiency is given by:
                              C          ~                =                              C                          B              w                                =                                    log              2                                                  [                              1                +                ρ                            ]                                                          (        14        )            In the first approach only the Gaussian noise (called additive) density N0 inside the channel with a large bandwidth Bw of noise spectrum is taken into account, i.e.,
                    C        =                              B            w                                                        log              2                                                  [                              1                +                                  S                                                            N                      0                                                                                B                      w                                                                                ]                                                          (        15        )            Here C is the channel capacity in bits per second, Bw is the one-way transmission bandwidth of the channel in Hz, S is the signal power in W=J/s, and N0 is the single-sided additive (white) noise power spectral density also in W/Hz, that is, Nadd=N0Bw. Practical channels are compared to the ideal channel by selecting detection error probability of 10−6 and finding the SNR necessary to achieve it. Another criterion of efficiency of the communication channel can be defined by use other data stream parameter such as the bit error rate (BER). The BER usually is achieved at a practical communication system. For example, for an encoded BPSK system, the BER is given by:BER(ρ)=Q(√{square root over (2ρ)})  (16)Here Q(·) is the tabulated classical Gaussian function. For BER in the percentage of bits that have errors relative to the total number of bits received in a transmission another formula can be used [29]:
                              B                                                              E                                                              R                =                              1            2                                                        ∫              0              ∞                                                                  p                                                  (                  x                  )                                                                          erfc                (                                                                            S                                                                                N                                                                                R                                                              2                                                                    2                                                                                x                                )                                                          ⅆ                x                                                                        (        17        )            where p(x) is the probability density function and erfc(·) is the well-known error function [13, 26-29].
Using these parameters, each designer of wireless networks can easily predict data stream parameters within each communication link with AWGN. Effects of interference can be regarded as another source of effective noise, which raises the noise level for calculating the error rates. In this case we must introduce in (8.4) together with Nadd also the noise caused by interference Nint.
As was shown by Rappaport [13], each Gaussian-like noise can be additively taken into account in the denominator of formula (11). Thus for K-carrier system each carrier/subscriber of number i can affect the desired subscriber as an additional interferer which can be described by a Gaussian-like noise. Then, according to Rappaport, we can write:
                    C        =                              B            w                                                        log              2                        [                          1              +                              S                                                                            N                      0                                                                                B                      w                                                        +                                                            ∑                                              i                        =                        1                                                                    K                        -                        1                                                                                N                      i                                                                                ]                                              (        18        )            where Ni is the power of i-subscriber which affects as a additive white noise for the desired subscriber.

Method of optimizing operational parameters of wireless networks in terrestrial environment

NOVEL TECHNOLOGIES OF TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEMS


A random bit generator and a method thereof are provided. The random bit generator includes an amplifier, a comparing circuit, an oscillator, a sampler, and a storage circuit. The amplifier amplifies a difference between input signals generated based on thermal noise. The comparing circuit compares an alternating current (AC) signal output from the amplifier with a direct current (DC) signal obtained by low-pass filtering the AC signal and outputs a signal according to the comparison result. The oscillator may be implemented with a resistor-capacitor (R-C) oscillator. The oscillator consumes lower current and occupies a smaller layout area than a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and outputs an oscillation signal. The sampler samples the oscillation signal output from the oscillator in response to the output signal of the comparing circuit. The storage circuit stores an output signal of the sampler in response to a clock signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a random bit generator and a method thereof, and more particularly, to a low-power random bit generator and a method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the increasing importance of information security, the importance of a random number generator (RNG) generating a key used for encryption and decryption also increases. The RNG includes a random bit generator (RBG) for generating a random bit and a post-processor for increasing the randomness of the random bit generated by the random bit generator.
When the RNG is installed in a mobile system such as a smart card, it is desirable for the operating current of the RNG to be low and the layout area of the RNG on a chip to be small. Accordingly, it is desired to provide an RNG circuit having a simple structure and a small layout area with a low operating current, as well as an included random bit generator.

Low-power random bit generator using thermal noise and method thereof


A first control may be for setting a tempo upon which a performance position, which may be set with a second control, may be based. Circuitry may be selectively passing inputted musical tone signal. A processor may be configured for processing data for controlling an output signal of the circuitry based on the performance position.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to effect device systems and methods for applying an effect to a musical tone and, in specific embodiments, to effect device systems and methods for applying enhanced effects to a musical tone.
2. Related Art
Effect devices for applying an effect to an inputted musical tone have been widely used. For example, guitar effect devices for applying effects, such as a distortion, or the like, to an output of an electric guitar have been popular among musical instrument players.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application (Kokai) Publication Number 2003-208173 discloses a device for altering a first musical tone with a second musical tone one octave lower than the first musical tone. The input signal (i.e., the first musical tone) is divided into a plurality of band components by use of a plurality of bandpass filters having frequency bands that are different from one another. Then an output of each bandpass filter is further divided in frequency. As a result, a musical tone signal waveform that is one octave lower is produced. As such, even if the first musical tone is a chord (i.e., a musical tone generated with multiple notes of the chord voicing), it is possible to obtain an individual musical tone signal that is one octave below each of the constituent notes of the chord.
An effect device, known as a slicer, may turn on and off a musical tone in a rhythm pattern. Thus in a case where a sound from a guitar is produced continuously, an output of the sound is interrupted in accordance with the rhythm pattern. The rhythm pattern is a pattern that has, for example, a length of one or two bars, and is repeatedly performed. Moreover, the output is turned on and off for each beat at the down beat or at the divided timing of the beat. Accordingly, the pattern is repeated based on the tempo set.
However, such effect devices are monotonous and can easily bore a user. For example, with the effect device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application (Kokai) Publication Number 2003-208173, the second musical tone being one octave lower than the first musical tone (i.e., the inputted musical tone) is produced based on the pitch detected from the fundamental tone (the first harmonic) of the musical tone extracted by each bandpass filter. However, the components of the second harmonic and the third harmonic, which characterize the good timbre (realistic character of the sound or high-fidelity sound) of the first musical tone, are not included. Therefore, it is difficult to produce a high-fidelity sound being one octave lower and having the characteristics of the timbre of the first musical tone signal. As a result, there is a tendency for the timbre to resemble a tone color of a sine wave, which does not reflect the timbre of the first musical tone.
With respect to the slicer, the output is turned on and off according to the stored rhythm pattern. However, even if the inputted musical tone is generated with a chord, the on and off pattern is always applied to the musical tone that comes with integrated chord voicing. As a result, it is not possible to apply enhanced, rich effects, for example, to carry out an arpeggio performance of the chord voicing in which each on and off for each of the constituent notes of the chord occurs respectively at different timings.


A computer detects a connected voice or video call between participants and records a brief media sample. Speech recognition is utilized to determine when the call is connected as well as to transcribe the content of the audio portion of the media sample. The recorded media sample and transcribed content is associated with the connected voice or video call such that a user may reference it at a later point. The computer additionally suggests creating or editing contact information associated with the participants of the connected voice or video call based on the transcribed content.

Caller identification makes saving and identifying contacts extremely convenient. However, it is not always worthwhile for a user to add every person with whom the user communicates to the contact list of the user. In fact, not only is it common for a user to forget adding the unknown caller to their contacts list, many times a user disregards the unknown caller only to find that they need to contact the caller several days or weeks later. In such cases, the user must search through their call history and may even try several incorrect numbers until they determine the correct number and reach the intended recipient.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Generating call context metadata from speech, contacts, and common names in a geographic area

International Business Machines Corporation


A padlock-type lock for suitcases and us of the type constituted by a first half-shell and a second half-shell which are mutually articulated, comprising at least one padlock in which the locking bar is engaged, in a closed configuration, in a first through hole and in a second through hole, which are coaxial and are provided respectively in the first edge and in the second edge of the first half-shell and the second half-shells the padlock forming surfaces for mating with the first first edge and with the second edge, so that in the closed configuration the padlock is retained in a preset safe and minimum-protrusion position.

Many commercially available suitcases and trunks, for example those intended for professional uses, have locks provided with at least one padlock of the key-operated, combination or other type, in which the locking bar is engaged in a respective through hole formed through the edges of the first and second articulated half-shells of the suitcase.
Due to the unavoidable coupling clearance provided between the locking bar and the hole through the edges of the suitcase, the padlock can move accidentally, for example rotate about the locking bar, during ordinary use, handling and transfer of the suitcase.
This phenomenon is absolutely unpleasant and unwelcome, since it can cause damage to the surface of the suitcase or to other items, and can also constitute a potential danger for the user, since the padlock constitutes, in this situation, a blunt object that can cause injuries.

Padlock-type lock for suitcases, trunks and the like


A device for detecting energy theft from a utility network configured to access energy data for utilities, generate energy results, identify an outlying utility in the energy results, access behavioral data, determine whether there is a likelihood of energy theft associated with the outlying utility, generate descriptive results from the behavioral data indicating the likelihood of energy theft, receive a response of whether the energy theft occurred, and refine operation of the detecting of energy theft of the device.

Non-Technical Loss (NTL), also known as energy theft, is the illegal practice of stealing electrical power. Energy theft involves interfering with an electric meter device and/or associated supply equipment to avoid or reduce the true payment due for energy supplied. Energy theft goes by several names but typically occurs in two ways-diversion and tampering. Meter diversion involves bypassing energy around the meter such as tapping into utility conductors before the meter or jumpering around a meter. Tampering causes the meter to create false consumption information. Examples include impeding the meter from making an accurate reading, meter swaps, or turning the meter upside-down (inverted) temporarily to make it run backwards. As of 2016 NTL/energy theft presented a 90 billion dollar loss to utilities world-wide. NTL burdens the country's economy, energy customers, taxpayers, and the productive sector (services, commerce and industry) by increasing energy costs and degrading the quality of energy. What would be desirable is an approach to detect NTL to allow a user to inspect the premises to stop the NTL. The user may then provide feedback whether the NTL actually occurred that can then be used to enhance the NTL detection capability.


Conventionally, when compressing data, since data (words) are sequentially retrieved from the head of a dictionary, a large amount of time is required for compression processing. Particularly when compression/expansion processing is performed a plurality of times, a large amount of processing time is required. In order to solve such problems, input data is dealt with as a set of words having a specific number of bytes, and a word retrieval table having a size equal to or larger than the size of a dictionary for registering words is provided. By storing the position of each word registered in the dictionary in the word retrieval table, it is unnecessary to sequentially retrieve data (a word) from the head of the dictionary, so that compression/expansion processing can be promptly performed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a data compression apparatus, method and system for compressing input data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional data compression apparatuses for compressing input data, data is compressed by dealing with data as a set of words having a specific number of bytes, and allocating a code having a short bit length and a code having a long bit length to a word of high frequency of appearance and to a word of low frequency of appearance, respectively, by utilizing deviation in the frequency distribution of words. Huffman coding is well-known as such a compression method.
In such a compression method, however, it is necessary to first form the frequency distribution of data. As a result, data cannot be processed through a single path.
In order to solve such a problem, a universal encoding method called a Bentley-Sleator-Tarjan-Wei (BSTW) algorithm has been developed as a method for processing data through a single path. In this encoding method, a dictionary of words in data is shared by encoding and decoding. When a word provided in the dictionary appears in data, the dictionary is updated according to processing called head movement in which the word is moved to the head (or a leading portion) of the dictionary. Accordingly, as head movement is continued, words having high frequencies of appearance are collected to a leading portion of the dictionary. Since information relating to the position of each word registered in the dictionary is output as an code output, a word having a high frequency of appearance is output as information relating to a position close to the head of the dictionary. If short code lengths and long code lengths are allocated to information relating to positions close to the head and to information relating to positions separated from the head, respectively, short code lengths and long code lengths are allocated to words having high frequencies of appearance and to words having low frequencies of appearance, respectively, so that compression of code lengths in the entire information is realized.
The above-described Huffman codes, areas codes and the like are used as variable-length codes.
In the above-described conventional methods, however, in order to change the position of an existing word in the dictionary, it is necessary to retrieve the word in the dictionary. Since the arrangement of a word within the dictionary depends on the state of appearance of the word and words are not sorted, the retrieval must be performed by comparing the word with each word in the dictionary. Accordingly, when retrieving the word starting from the head of the dictionary, it is necessary to compare the word with almost all words in the dictionary if the word has a low frequency of appearance, resulting in a large amount of time for encoding processing.
Furthermore, when outputting image data including a plurality of objects to be drawn (depicted) in a printing apparatus, it is necessary, in some cases, to repeat compression and expansion of the image data a plurality of times. Hence, if a large amount of time is required for encoding processing, an output time becomes a time required for compression and expansion multipled by the plurality of times.

Data compression apparatus, method and system


A fluid-structure interactive analysis is performed while n types of wing structure models are caused to flap in accordance with a prescribed model of flapping manner. Based on an analysis, data 1, data 2, . . . data n of physical values related to fluid behavior and physical values related to structural behavior are calculated. Among data 1, data 2, . . . data n, a data having a prescribed parameter such as the lift force optimized is extracted. A prototype of a wing portion is formed, which has such a structure that is specified by various parameter values of the numerical model of wing structure corresponding to the extracted data. A driving unit 905 drives the prototype of the wing portion in a manner of flapping that is represented by the flapping motion model equivalent to the manner of flapping of an insect. At this time, the wing has a stiffness that is suitable for flapping flight so that prescribed parameters come to have optimal values.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rising and moving apparatus that is capable of rising and moving by flapping motion of wings, and to a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
Recently, studies have been made vigorously to realize technical implementation of flapping flight that is superior in maneuverability to ordinary flight of a conventional airplane. This largely depends on development in methods of analysis in the field of unsteady aerodynamics. Further, it has become possible, by using an enlarged scale model measuring technique, to analyze behavior of a fluid caused by a very quick motion such as flapping motion of an insect, as the motion of a frequency as high as several tens Hz to 1 kHz can be replaced by a motion of a frequency as low as several mHz. This much contributes to the methods of analysis in the field of unsteady aerodynamics.
In an article entitled "Wing Rotation and the Aerodynamic Basis of Insect Flight" (SCIENCE 1999 June VOL 284 pp. 1954–1960), M. Dickinson et al. reported the following experiment.
M. Dickinson et al. first prepared an enlarged scale model of wings of a fly. Then, in a fluid including floating particles, the enlarged scale model of the fly wings was moved in a flapping motion similar to the flapping motion of the fly. Here, the flapping motion similar to the flapping motion of the fly refers to a motion represented by a graph time-sequentially representing the flapping motion of the fly with only the time axis enlarged or reduced.
From the observation of the motion, particle motion when the enlarged scale model was flapped in the fluid is extracted as images. Further, by a force sensor provided at a root of the wing, a lift force was measured. Here, the Reynolds number in a situation that the enlarged scale model flaps in the fluid is equivalent to the Reynolds number in a situation that the fly flaps in the air. From the measurements of the enlarged scale model flapping in the fluid, the behavior of the air and the stress exerted by the air on the wings of the fly when the fly conduct a flapping flight and flies were clarified.
The article mentioned above describes that, as a result of analysis of interaction between the fluid and the structure at the time of hovering, at which it is most difficult to attain lift force, it was clarified that three principles related to generation of lift force, that is, 1. delayed stall, 2. rotational lift and 3. wake capture were to be well utilized in flapping flight, as will be described in the following.
1: Delayed Stall
A vortex referred to as a leading edge vortex generates around the wing of an ordinary airplane. The leading edge vortex may sometimes be separated from the wing, possibly resulting in a stall. In the flapping flight of a fly, the wings are moved reciprocally forward and backward, and the wing stroke is reversed before occurrence of a stall in the reciprocal motion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the stall of the wing resulting from the leading edge vortex. Further, in the flapping flight of the fly, the lift force can be increased by utilizing the leading edge vortex.
2: Rotational Lift
The directions of motion of the wing before and after the stroke reversal of the flapping motion are opposite to each other. Therefore, immediately before and immediately after the stroke reversal, the velocity of motion of the wing decreases considerably. At this time, the wing rotates (is twisted) about an axis that extends along the longitudinal direction (direction of the wing span) as the central axis of rotation and makes a translational motion (motion in the forward/backward direction). Thus, the absolute velocity of the fluid flowing above the wing along the surface of the wing becomes larger than that of the fluid flowing below the wing along the surface of the wing.
Therefore, the pressure exerted from above to the wing surface becomes lower than the pressure exerted from below to the wing surface. As a result, a lift force acts on the wing. The lift force is referred to as rotational lift. The rotational lift compensates for the decrease in velocity of the wing immediately before and immediately after the stroke reversal in the flapping motion. Even when the direction of motion in the forward/backward direction of the wing is reversed by the twist of the wing in timing of the stroke reversal, the angle of attack of the wing can assume an appropriate angle with respect to the flow of the fluid.
3: Wake Capture
After the stroke reversal of the wing in the flapping motion, the flow of the fluid that is generated by the flapping motion before the reversal, that is, the wake, collides against the wing surface at a prescribed angle of attack. Specifically, after the stroke reversal, the wing collides against the fluid flowing in a direction opposite to the direction of motion of the wing. Accordingly, the wing after stroke reversal can obtain the lift force that is equivalent to the lift force generated when the wing is moved at a velocity equal to the sum of the velocity of motion of the wing and the velocity of the wake mentioned above. The collision of the wake and the wing surface as such is referred to as wake capture. The wake capture compensates for the decrease in lift force before and after the stroke reversal in the flapping motion.
The authors of the article above propose a method of obtaining an almost uniform lift force in flapping flight, utilizing the three mechanisms for generating the lift force described above.
In the study by M. Dickinson et al., interaction between the fluid and the structure is analyzed, assuming that the wing is a rigid body that does not substantially deform. The wing as a rigid body, however, has an aerodynamically adverse effect on the flapping flight of the rising and moving apparatus. This will be specifically described in the following.
In the following, "fluid velocity" means the relative velocity of the fluid between the wing and the fluid, unless specified otherwise. Namely, the fluid velocity refers to the relative fluid velocity. In this respect, the velocity of the fluid with respect to a coordinate system fixed in the space will be referred to as an absolute velocity.
1: Decrease in Efficiency in Utilizing the Delayed Stall when a Wing as a Rigid Body is Used.
The wing makes a rotational motion about the root of the wing as a center. Thus, the velocity of motion at the root of the wing is different from the velocity of motion at the tip end of the wing. Generally, when the angle of attack is constant, the velocity at which stall occurs is also constant. Further, the angle of attack is constant over the entire region of the wing, if the wing is flat.
Therefore, when the delayed stall is to be effectively utilized at the tip end portion of the wing, the delayed stall cannot be effectively utilized at the root of the wing. It may be possible to change the angle of attack portion by portion of the wing, in order to effectively utilize the delayed stall at the root of the wing. The wing having different angles of attack portion by portion, however, is suitable for a motion in one direction of progress of the forward/backward reciprocal motion of the wing but not at all suitable for a motion in the other direction of the forward/backward reciprocal motion of the wing.
2: Instability of Flapping Motion Caused by Reaction Generated at the Wing when Wing as a Rigid Body is Used
In the flapping motion, it is necessary to attain a lift force for supporting the weight of the rising and moving apparatus itself. Therefore, a force approximately the same or larger than the weight of itself acts on the wing. According to the article mentioned above, as the direction of motion of the wing changes and the angle of attack of the wing with respect to the fluid changes, the direction of the force exerted on the wing changes from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction.
Further, the force exerted to the wing as a rigid body is directly propagated from the driving unit to the wing. Therefore, the phase of the force applied to the wing is the same as the phase of the force applied to the driving unit. As a result, the rising and moving apparatus has its attitude or position changed considerably, because of the reaction of the force exerted on the wing.
At this time, the driving unit (actuator) must realize such a manner of flapping that compensates for the change in attitude of the rising and moving apparatus. Further, as the attitude of the rising and moving apparatus changes, the behavior of the fluid changes. Accordingly, it may also be necessary to change the manner of flapping itself. This makes the state of rising more instable, and the manner of flight would be complicated.
In order to solve the above described problems, a control unit is necessary that can exactly detect the change in attitude of the rising and moving apparatus caused in association with the flapping motion and that can perform high-speed information processing for calculating the new manner of flapping of the wing reflecting the change in attitude of the driving unit.
3: Increase in Mass and Cost of the Wing Resulting from the use of the Wing as a Rigid Body
Even when the adverse effects associated with the problems above are negligible, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the wing or to use a material having a very high stiffness for the wing, in order to manufacture a wing that is not much deformed by the flapping motion. This poses a new problem that the mass or the manufacturing cost of the wing increases.
On the contrary, when the wing is too soft, the following problems arise.
1: Decrease of Lift Force Caused by Decreased Angle of Attack
When the wing is too soft, the wing excessively turns aside the fluid that collides against the wing, and hence, the lift force generated at the wing decreases.
2: Decrease of Efficiency in Generating Rotational Lift
In order to generate rotational lift, it is necessary to generate a large difference between the absolute velocity of the fluid flowing above the wing along the wing surface and the absolute velocity of the fluid flowing below the wing along the wing surface. The wing having low stiffness, however, is easily deformed by the flow of the fluid. Therefore, when the wing having a low stiffness is used, the difference between the absolute velocity above the wing and the absolute velocity below the wing mentioned above becomes small. Accordingly, when the wing has a low stiffness, the rotational force of the wing decreases as compared with the wing having a high stiffness.
3: Timing Mismatch Among Motions of Various Portions of the Wing in Wake Capture
Wake capture occurs when the direction of translational motion of the wing is reversed. When the stiffness of the wing is excessively low, the amount of deformation of the wing becomes large. Thus, the timing of motion at the tip end of the wing lags behind the timing of motion of the root portion of the wing. Because of this timing delay, the timing of wake capture at the tip end portion of the wing lags behind the timing of wake capture at the root of the wing. Consequently, when the stiffness of the wing is too low, the efficiency of wake capture lowers.
The considerations above lead to the following.
There is an optimal value of stiffness of the wing. Therefore, different from the conventional example in which the wing is assumed to be a rigid body, it is necessary to analyze the manner of motion of the wing assuming that the wing passively deforms because of the fluid force. For the analysis including the interaction of the fluid and the structure using a wing that passively deforms, a technique of estimating stiffness of the wing suitable for flapping flight becomes necessary. The dynamical equivalent model of M. Dickinson et al. above, however, does not establish the technique.
The study discussed above is based on a principle that when two states are compared that structures which are similar are placed in different types of fluids and the Reynolds numbers of these two state are the same, behaviors of the fluids generated in these two states are similar. It is noted, however, that the governing rule of a structure such as a wing and the governing rule of a fluid such as the air differ, and hence the principle described above that governs the behavior of the fluid does not apply to the structure such as the wing.
By way of example, let us consider a corrugated plate or a wave plate used as a member of the wing. It is assumed that the plate has a tetragonal shape.
First, it is assumed that the wave plate is cantilevered, with a prescribed cross section along the direction orthogonal to the extension of ridges or valleys being a fixed end. Namely, the wave plate is assumed to be a cantilever extending in a direction parallel the direction of extension of the ridges or valleys. When there is an equally distributed vertical load on one side of the wave plate constituting the free end of the assumed cantilever, the amount of displacement of the free end of the cantilever is in inverse proportion to the thickness of the wave plate.
In contrast, assume that the wave plate is cantilevered with a prescribed cross section along the direction parallel to the direction of extension of the ridges of valleys being a fixed end. Namely, the wave plate is a cantilever extending in a direction orthogonal to the direction of extension of ridges or valleys. When there is an equally distributed vertical load on one side of the wave plate constituting the free end of the assumed cantilever, the amount of displacement of the free end of the cantilever is in inverse proportion to the cube of the thickness of the wave plate.
From the assumptions above, it is understood that even a structure having a very simple shape such as a wave plate has different stiffness to resist fluid force dependent on the manner how the fluid force acts on the structure. Therefore, it is not possible, by simply considering the manner of deformation of the wing when a fluid force is exerted on the wing in one prescribed manner, to determine the stiffness of every portion of the wing. Thus, it is difficult to produce an enlarged scale model of a wing that is similar to the wing of an actual insect and deforms in a manner similar to that of the actual wing of the insect.
When the enlarged scale model of the wing of an insect is not used, it is necessary to measure fluid flow behavior that is smaller than the order of mm (millimeter), while a wing model of the same size as the actual wing of the insect is in motion at a frequency as high as several tens Hz or higher. It is difficult, however, to form a wing model that is smaller than the mm order and experiences deformation similar to that of the wing of an insect, and to form a mechanism that drives such a wing model. Further, a sensor for measuring the lift force and pressure distribution on the wing model has the size of about a few millimeters, and the presence of the sensor itself causes variations in the behavior of the fluid. Thus, exact measurement of the fluid behavior is practically impossible by the method described above.
Numerical calculation employed for designing airplanes is also based on a precondition that the wing is a rigid body. There has been no method of calculation that can handle passive deformation of the wing.
In short, the wing as a rigid body that has been conventionally used for analyzing the behavior of the wing is not suitable for flapping flight as compared with a wing having an appropriate softness. Conventional studies of rising and moving apparatuses have not provided any method of manufacturing the wing having an appropriate softness for the flapping flight.

Rising and moving apparatus and manufacturing method thereof


A switching unit includes a pawl and a pawl spring, embodied such that, when a switching lever of the switching unit is moved from an ON position into a TRIP position and/or from the TRIP position into a RESET position, the pawl spring is bent by contact with a lateral face of the pawl. An electrical switching device, such as a circuit breaker, including at least one such switching unit is also disclosed.

Electrical switching devices, such as circuit breakers, have the task of decoupling one or a number of consumers from a power supply network if a specific fault occurs. The classical fault is the occurrence of a short-circuit current, and the circuit breakers are usually configured to move a switching unit during such a short-circuit current and thus to decouple the connection between consumers and the power supply network.
After an electrical switching device of this type has tripped, the switching unit of the electrical switching device is reset. This means that the switching unit is moved from a TRIP position into a RESET position by means of a swivel lever. This reset process forms part of a switching process of an electrical switching device and it is therefore necessary, after tripping the switching device, to reset the switching device by way of a reset process in order then to be able switch on the same.
During the reset process, in other words the movement of the swivel lever of the switching device from the TRIP position into the RESET position, the spring element or elements, which press or presses the pawl of the switching unit of the electrical switching device against a tensioning lever of the switching unit, are tensioned. This is necessary since large forces are required in order to close the contacts of the electrical switching device when switching on the electrical switching device.
One of the main problems during the reset process is the friction of components in the switching unit, in particular between the surfaces of the tripping mechanism, in particular the tripping shaft, and the pawl, which are in contact with one another during the reset process, in other words the movement of the switching unit from the TRIP position into the RESET position. If the friction between the pawl and the tripping mechanism is too great for instance, it may ensue that the pawl cannot slide from the contact surface of the tripping mechanism and can therefore not pivot. In this case, the pawl cannot be moved or reset and the electrical switching device, for instance a compact circuit breaker, cannot be switched on after the reset process. If the pawl cannot be released from the contact surface of the tripping mechanism, in particular the tripping shaft, the switching unit is not correctly reset, so that during the subsequent switch-on of the electrical switching device or switching unit of the electrical switching device, the pawl cannot hold the tensioning lever of the switching unit in the RESET position and the switching unit is therefore not transferred into the ON position, but instead into the TRIP position.
With the Modeion-3VT1 circuit breaker by Siemens AG, the problem was hitherto solved as follows: FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a part of the switching unit of this known circuit breaker. In this FIG. 1, the circuit breaker is tripped, in other words it is in the TRIP position. An operator of the circuit breaker can reset the switching unit of the circuit breaker by actuating the tensioning lever 5.
The switching unit comprises a pawl 2 and a tripping mechanism 1. The pawl 2 and the tripping mechanism 1 are mounted in a pivotable and rotatable manner on a side wall 10 of the circuit breaker. A pawl spring 9 is clamped between the pawl 2 and the tripping mechanism 1, which exerts a required torque on the pawl 2 and also on the tripping mechanism 1. The force exerted by the pawl spring 9 or the torque exerted by the pawl spring 9 generates contact forces and frictional forces between the tripping mechanism 1 and the pawl 2.
During the reset process, it should be ensured that the frictional forces between the pawl 2 and the tripping mechanism 1 do not prevent the pawl 2 from pivoting or rotating in the direction toward the tensioning lever 5 of the switching unit. The pawl 2 must pivot or rotate in order to jump onto the tensioning lever 5. If the operator relinquishes control of the tensioning lever 5 in the RESET position, spring elements, in particular also the pawl spring 9, of the switching unit, generate a torque which pivots the tensioning lever 5, so that the tensioning lever 5, in particular the contact surface 7 of the tensioning lever 5, comes into contact with the pawl 2, in other words the contact surface 8 of the pawl 2.
Subsequently the pawl 2 pivots and is stopped in the RESET position by the contact surface 6 of the tripping mechanism 1. After the RESET position of the switching unit is reached, the circuit breaker can be switched on. In order to implement the switch-on process, the frictional torque between the pawl 2, in other words the contact surface 8 of the pawl 2, and the tripping mechanism 1, in other words the contact surface 7 of the tripping mechanism 1, must be smaller than the torque available to rotate the pawl 2 in the direction of the tensioning lever 2. This is ensured in the Modeion-3VT1 circuit breaker by different timing sequences of different parts of the pawl 2 and of the tripping mechanism 1.
The pawl 2 has a curved region 11 with a chamfer 12. The tripping mechanism 1 accordingly comprises an additional hook 3. These two elements or surfaces 12, 3 are in contact during the reset process in order mainly to reduce the frictional forces and also to protect sensitive surfaces of the tripping mechanism 1 and the pawl 2, in particular the contact surface 4 of the pawl 2, which is in contact with the tensioning lever 5 when the circuit breaker is switched on and which has to fulfill its function if the circuit breaker is tripped.
An additional hook 3 or an additional surface is provided for the movement of the tripping mechanism 1, which is/are in contact with the pawl 2 and therefore rotates the same. This prevents the contact surface 12 of the pawl 2 from coming into contact with a corner of the tripping mechanism 1. Accordingly, there is no friction between these two parts, which means that lower forces are needed to move the tripping mechanism 1.
The Modeion-3VT1 circuit breaker is disadvantageous in that additional elements, such as the hook 3 of the tripping mechanism 1 and the curved region 11 of the pawl 2 are needed in order to ensure the functionality of the switching unit. These additional elements are especially cost-intensive. More material is required on the one hand and on the other hand these elements must be manufactured very precisely and calibrated to one another in order to ensure the functionality of the switching unit and thus of the circuit breaker, in particular of the reset process of the switching unit of the circuit breaker.

Switching unit for an electrical switching device and electrical switching device


Example methods and apparatus to recognize metered devices connected to proprietary WiFi extenders are disclosed herein. In some examples, a first device comprising at least one memory including a table, and at least one processor to broadcast a first message to a network extender, the first message including a first address associated with a second device and a message identifier, identify, in response to obtaining a second message including the message identifier, a second address embedded on a data link layer of the second message, and store the second address in the table in association with the second device.

Wireless networks are relied on by devices, such as mobile devices (e.g., smart phones, tablets such as iPads™), smart TVs, gaming consoles, set-top boxes, Internet of things devices (e.g., thermostats, Internet appliances), etc. The devices connect to wireless networks via access points such as, for example, WiFi routers and WiFi extenders. A WiFi router produces a wireless signal to provide wireless network access for the devices. However, the devices may be located outside of a range of sufficient wireless signal produced by the WiFi router. For example, the devices connected to the WiFi router may be in areas that have weak wireless signal or no wireless signal. However, the devices can have access to sufficient wireless signal by connecting to a WiFi extender. The WiFi extender expands the range of wireless network access by rebroadcasting the wireless signal produced by the WiFi router, which creates a new wireless signal.
The figures are not to scale. Instead, the thickness of the layers or regions may be enlarged in the drawings. Although the figures show layers and regions with clean lines and boundaries, some or all of these lines and/or boundaries may be idealized. In reality, the boundaries and/or lines may be unobservable, blended, and/or irregular. In general, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.
Unless specifically stated otherwise, descriptors such as "first," "second," "third," etc. are used herein without imputing or otherwise indicating any meaning of priority, physical order, arrangement in a list, and/or ordering in any way, but are merely used as labels and/or arbitrary names to distinguish elements for ease of understanding the disclosed examples. In some examples, the descriptor "first" may be used to refer to an element in the detailed description, while the same element may be referred to in a claim with a different descriptor such as "second" or "third." In such instances, it should be understood that such descriptors are used merely for identifying those elements distinctly that might, for example, otherwise share a same name.

Methods and apparatus to recognize metered devices connected to proprietary WiFi extenders


An agricultural vehicle includes a chassis, wheels supporting the chassis for moving the vehicle, an application boom coupled to the chassis and configured to deliver agricultural product to an agricultural field. The application boom has a boom arm including a longitudinal mount. In embodiments, the longitudinal mount includes a first projection, a second multi-lip projection, and a third projection. The second multi-lip projection has a first lip and a second lip. The agricultural vehicle further includes a first mounted attachment fastened to the first projection and the first lip of the second projection, and a second mounted attachment fastened to the second lip of the second projection and the third projection.

Various types of agricultural vehicles (e.g., sprayers, floaters, applicators, collectively referred to herein as applicators) are employed to deliver fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides, or other products to the surface of a field. Such agricultural vehicles typically include an application boom configured to facilitate product delivery over wide swaths of soil.
Modern sprayers are increasingly controlling the spray pattern on an individual nozzle basis, thereby increasing the amount of control to each nozzle. Exemplary attachments for assisting the application system can include nozzle clamps, radar units, sonic sensors, smart sensors, and cameras. Additional attachments are being developed over time to replace old technology. For example, radar units are replacing sonic sensors to help determine boom height. It would be beneficial to have a simpler way of adding and removing attachments to the boom. It would also be beneficial to allow for a simpler way to remove and add attachments of differing sizes and weights.

Agricultural vehicle having an improved application boom for mounting attachments


Techniques for managing fast path evaluation of Boolean predicates are provided. In some examples, the fast path evaluation may be based at least in part on received queries and/or query statements associated with a database and/or streaming data. In some examples, a first instruction for enabling execution of a subset of logical operators of the query may be determined. The determination may be based at least in part on the logical operators of the query. Additionally, based at least in part on the first instruction, logical instructions for implementing the query may be generated. Further, the logical instructions may be compiled into machine-readable instructions for implementing only the subset of the logical operators of the query.

Data associated with a database or streaming data may be stored, managed, and/or processed in many different ways. Currently, there are many different types of database languages, methods, and/or functions for managing such data. Additionally, as data storage becomes increasingly less expensive over time, more and more data is being backed-up, stored, or otherwise managed. However, some databases are so populated with data that performing queries can be very time consuming and/or processor intensive. Additionally, service providers may provide data management services to users for data stored or managed on the user's behalf. Other resources of the service providers may be strained when complex queries are processed. Additionally, in some examples, executing instructions for performing a particular database query or query statement may involve an excessive number of processor cycles and/or instructions due to the complexity of the query and/or the amount of data of the database or stream. For example, some queries may include complex predicates with Boolean operators, conditions, or the like. However, managing queries with such complex predicates may pose challenges to the service providers.

Fast path evaluation of Boolean predicates


A dose detector includes a semiconductor radiation detector; a dose counter; and a check counter. The dose detector detects that the semiconductor radiation detector is outputting white noise even in a radiation shielded area and judges that the semiconductor radiation detector is working in a normal manner when dose count data from the dose counter is smaller than predetermined dose boundary data and check count data from the check counter is greater than predetermined lower limit checking data. The dose detector and a dosimeter provided with the dose detector are simple in structure and capable of checking a status of the semiconductor radiation detector safely.

The present invention relates to a dose detector having a function of checking a semiconductor radiation detector for measuring a radiation; dose in a radioactive isotope handling facility such as a nuclear facility and a laboratory, and in a natural environment. The present invention also relates to a dosimeter provided with the dose detector.
A dosimeter measures and, displays radiation doses (an exposure dose or a dose) in real time to find that a nuclear personnel is exposed during work, and generates an alarm when the exposure dose exceeds a predetermined limit, thereby preventing the nuclear personnel form being overexposed to radiation. The nuclear personnel always carries the dosimeter while working in a radiation controlled area, and often carries the dosimeter in a pocket of a work clothe.
In an environment in which the dosimeter is used, there are low level radiations other than the radiation to be measured. The low level radiations include naturally existing radiations, low level radiations from a radioactive material on the earth, in-vivo radioactivity, and cosmic rays. The nuclear radiations other than the nuclear radiations to be measured are referred to as background. The dosimeter detects the unnecessary background, and the background is generally removed as a noise before detecting the nuclear radiations to be measured. In the specification, an output of the semiconductor radiation detector based on the background will be referred to as background noise.
A conventional dosimeter has a noise removal function for removing the background noise. The noise removal function for removing the background noise will be explained with reference to FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is a block circuit diagram showing a conventional dose detector mounted in the conventional dosimeter. The conventional dose detector shown in FIG. 15 has the noise removal function.
As shown in FIG. 15, a dose detector 100 includes a semiconductor radiation detector 101, an amplifier 102, a pulse height discriminator 103, and a counter 104. The dose detector 100 also includes a central processing unit (CPU; not shown) and a unit for processing data (not shown). The semiconductor radiation detector 101 outputs a detection signal according to detected nuclear radiations. The amplifier 102 amplifies the detection signal with a predetermined gain to adjust an amplitude voltage (wave height) of the detection signal appropriately.
The pulse height discriminator 103 is a discriminator circuit for inputting a reference detection wave height voltage (a reference detection voltage) determined by voltage dividing resistors 103a and 103b to a comparator circuit 103c, and discriminates a signal with a wave height voltage higher than the reference detection voltage from the detection signal, so that the discriminated signal is output as a pulse signal. Through the discrimination according to the wave height, it is possible to remove the background noise below the reference detection voltage. The counter 104 counts the pulse signal after the background noise is removed, thereby counting the radiation dose.
In the dose detector 100, when the pulse height discriminator 103 is not provided, the counter 104 may output a large number of count values including the background noise below the reference detection voltage, as shown as a count value to wave height voltage characteristic in FIG. 16. When the pulse height discriminator 103 discriminates the detection signal according to the wave height, the signal with a voltage above the reference detection voltage is output as the pulse signal, and the background noise below the reference detection voltage is removed as an object not to be detected, thereby detecting only the dose of the nuclear radiations to be detected.
Such a conventional device has been disclosed in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 2 has disclosed a structure in which a semiconductor radiation detector has a self-check function.
Patent Document 1; Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 09-33660
Patent Document 2; Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 59-46573
In the conventional dosimeter having the dose detector 100, it is checked whether the dose-detector 100 is working properly at specific intervals. For example, in the dosimeter shown in FIG. 15 or a beta- or β-ray dose measuring instrument disclosed in Patent Document 1, the dose detector is exposed to a detector calibration radiation source (a checking source) 200 with a specified distance in between. After the dose detector is exposed to a predetermined irradiation dose of radiation from the checking source 200 for a predetermined period of time, when a count value is a predetermined value, the dose detector is judged to be normal. When the count value is smaller than the predetermined value (0 or close to 0) or too large, the dose detector is judged to be abnormal.
It is necessary to carefully handle the checking source 200 due to radioactive isotope, thereby making is difficult to check the dosimeter safely. Also, it is troublesome to handle the checking source 200 due to history management, a strict facility for storing the radioactive isotope and access record management. It is necessary to interrupt use of the dosimeter for checking whether the dosimeter is functioning, thereby taking long time.
The semiconductor radiation detector disclosed in Patent Document 2 is capable of self-checking. A light emitting device irradiates the semiconductor radiation detector to check an operation thereof, thereby making it possible to check the detector without the checking source 200. However, it is necessary to provide the light emitting device, a driver circuit for driving the light emitting device, and a judging unit in the semiconductor radiation detector, thereby limiting a design of the semiconductor radiation detector. It has been desired to obtain a checking function with a simple structure based on a different concept.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a dose detector in which it is possible to safely check the dose detector with a simple structure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a dosimeter provided with the dose detector.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.


A computer enabled secure method and apparatus for generating a cryptographic key, to be used in a subsequent cryptographic process, where the key is to be valid only for example during a specified time period. The method uses a polynomial function which is a function of an input variable such as time, and dynamically computes the key from the polynomial. This is useful for generating decryption keys used for distribution of encrypted content, where the decryption is to be allowed only during a specified time period.

In the field of computer software and data security (which are typically cryptography related), it is often necessary to condition cryptographic key access to the result of an evaluation function. Known methods to solve this problem are based on secure conditional tests, often using hash functions.
For open computing platforms (such as personal computers) the problem is more difficult. In this case, a known solution is called branch protection. The idea is to modify the program execution flow to complicate it such that it is hard for an attacker to understand when a test is conducted, how many tests are applied, what kind of tests are done, where the tests are processed, and what is the right configuration to force the acceptation of the test. These techniques of modifying the execution flow of a program and thereby protecting the tests are part of the field of code obfuscation and code enforcement, but have the drawback of requiring many patches (at different locations) to redirect/modify the execution path.

Discrete key generation method and apparatus