A camshaft adjuster (1), which has a cover element (4), which has at least one deformation zone (7), which, when the cover element (4) is assembled with the input element (2) or the output element (3), is deformed in such a way that a preloading force acts, pressing the cover element (4) and the input element (2) or output element (3) against one another.

Camshaft adjusters are used in internal combustion engines to vary the timing of the combustion chamber valves in order to be able to vary the phase relation between a crankshaft and a camshaft in a defined angular range between a maximum advanced and a maximum retarded position. Adapting the timing to the current load and engine speed reduces consumption and emissions. For this purpose, camshaft adjusters are integrated into a drive train via which a torque is transmitted from the crankshaft to the camshaft. This drive train can be designed as a belt, chain or gear drive, for example.
In the case of a hydraulic camshaft adjuster, the output element and the input element form one or more pairs of opposing pressure chambers, which can be supplied with hydraulic fluid. The input element and the output element are arranged coaxially. By filling and emptying individual pressure chambers, a relative motion between the input element and the output element is produced. The spring acting for rotation between the input element and the output element urges the input element in a preferential direction relative to the output element. This preferential direction can be the same as or opposed to the direction of rotation.
One type of hydraulic camshaft adjuster is the vane cell adjuster. Vane cell adjusters have a stator, a rotor and a drive wheel with external teeth. The rotor is designed as an output element, generally in a manner which allows it to be connected for conjoint rotation to the camshaft. The input element comprises the stator and the drive wheel. The stator and the drive wheel are connected to one another for this purpose. The rotor is arranged coaxially with the stator and within the stator. The rotor and the stator, with their radially extending vanes, define oppositely acting oil chambers, which can be supplied with oil pressure and allow a relative rotation between the stator and the rotor. The vanes are either formed integrally with the rotor or the stator or are arranged as "inserted vanes" in grooves provided for that purpose in the rotor or the stator. Moreover, vane cell adjusters have various sealing covers. The stator and the sealing covers are secured to one another by a plurality of screw connections.
Another type of hydraulic camshaft adjuster is the axial piston adjuster. In this case, a sliding element is moved axially via oil pressure, producing a relative rotation between an input element and an output element by way of helical teeth.
Another type of camshaft adjuster is the electromechanical camshaft adjuster, which has a three-shaft mechanism (e.g. a planetary gear). In this case, one of the shafts forms the input element and a second shaft forms the output element. Via the third shaft, rotational energy can be fed to or removed from the system by a positioning device, e.g. an electric motor or a brake. A spring can be provided in addition, assisting or reversing the relative rotation between the input element and the output element.
DE 10 2007 020 524 A1 discloses a hydraulic camshaft adjuster of the vane-cell construction. For axial delimitation of the working chambers, this camshaft adjuster has two side covers or thrust washers, which are connected to the internal wheel and the camshaft by a screwed connection. For sealing, first and second sealing elements are provided and arranged between the respective thrust washer and the drive wheel, together with the integrally formed sleeve portion.
DE 198 30 100 A1 discloses a camshaft adjusting device having an impeller. The pressure chambers are sealed off by a sealing cage, which is also intended, inter alia, to seal off the pressure chambers with respect to the side walls of the drive wheel in a pressure tight manner.
DE 10 2008 019 745 A1 discloses a hydraulic camshaft adjuster, the housing of which is sealed off with respect to side covers arranged on the axial end faces thereof by second, O-ring-type sealing means, thus ensuring that no leakage occurs at the joint.


Described is a kaleidoscope for attaching with a video monitor. The kaleidoscope includes a housing and a monitor holder. The housing includes an interior, a first end, and a second end. The first end has an image receiving hole for receiving light from a video monitor. The interior includes multiple light surfaces for receiving the light from the video monitor and projecting the light toward the second end. The second end includes a viewing hole to allow a user to view the projected light. Through the monitor holder, the housing can be attached with a hand held video monitor. When the video monitor is in operation, images from the video monitor are received through the first end and projected within the interior of the housing between the light surfaces to provide a kaleidoscopic effect of the images, which can be viewed through the viewing hole in the second end.

(1) Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a kaleidoscope and, more specifically, to a kaleidoscope for connecting with a video monitor for receiving an image from the video monitor and generating a kaleidoscopic effect of the image.
(2) Description of Related Art
Kaleidoscopes have long been known in the art. Traditional kaleidoscopes are hand held devices that have an open end and a viewing end. The open end typically includes multiple mirrors or reflecting surfaces that are perpendicular to a fixed surface to generate a kaleidoscopic image that can be viewed at the viewing end. In some cases, kaleidoscopes find movement by turning wheels of stained glass at the end of the scope. In other cases, beads or other movable objects are included in the kaleidoscope to enhance and/or provide an image for the kaleidoscope.
In another art, video monitors are often used to portray a variety of video images. For example, music videos are popular forms of video images in which visual media is presented to a user in conjunction with the audio media. As can be appreciated by one skilled in the art, there is in infinite number of forms visual media that can be portrayed as a video image.
Although kaleidoscopes exists, none heretofore devised have been configured to operate with a video image. Thus, a continuing need exists for a kaleidoscope that is capable of connecting with a video monitor for generating a kaleidoscopic effect of the image provided by the video monitor.

Kaliedoscope for attaching with a video monitor


A process for independently and concurrently cracking at least two different hydrocarbon feedstocks to olefins. The process is carried out in a furnace for cracking hydrocarbon feed which has at least a first and second independent radiant cracking zone to produce a first cracked product and second cracked product that are separately withdrawn from the furnace.

The petrochemical industry has long used hydrocarbon feedstocks for the production of valuable olefinic materials, such as ethylene and propylene. Ideally, commercial operations have been carried out using normally gaseous hydrocarbons such as ethane and propane as the feedstock. As the lighter hydrocarbons have been consumed and the availability of the lighter hydrocarbons has decreased, the industry has more recently been required to crack heavier hydrocarbons, such as naphthas and gas oils.
A typical process for the production of olefins from hydrocarbon feedstocks is the thermal cracking process. In this process, hydrocarbons undergo cracking at elevated temperatures to produce hydrocarbons containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, especially the corresponding olefins. Typically, the hydrocarbon to be cracked is delivered to a furnace comprised of both a convection and radiant heating zone. The hydrocarbon is initially preheated in the convection zone to a temperature below that at which significant reaction is initiated; and thereafter is delivered to the radiant zone where it is subjected to intense heat from radiant burners. Examples of conventional furnaces and processes are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,121 (Hallee), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,511 (Woebcke).
Illustratively, in the prior art, process fired heaters are used to provide the requisite heat for the reaction. The feedstock flows through a plurality of coils within the fired heater, the coils being arranged in a manner that enhances the heat transfer to the hydrocarbon flowing through the coils. The cracked effluent is then preferably quenched either directly or indirectly to terminate the reaction. In conventional coil pyrolysis, dilution steam is also employed to assist in reducing coke formation in the cracking coil.
In recent times, industry is requiring the building of larger plants which have increased capacity but which require less numbers of reactors. Thus, there has developed a need in the art to provide larger furnaces which are also flexible enough to handle a variety of different feedstocks to produce a variety of different olefin products. Because each different feedstock and desired product slate entails the use of different reaction conditions, primarily, reaction temperature and reaction residence time, none of the currently available furnace technologies are suitable. Previous attempts in the prior art to meet these increased capacity and flexibility requirements in a single furnace have proved insufficient.
It would therefore represent a notable advance in the state of the art if a furnace were developed which solved the problems of the prior art furnaces as described above.

Hydrocarbon cracking in a multi-zone cracking furnace


Disclosed is a radio frequency (RF) switch branch having a reduced nonlinearity and an associated method for reducing nonlinearity in a RF switch branch. The RF switch branch includes a primary transistor, a first transistor having power terminals electrically connected between a drain node and a body node of the primary transistor, and a second transistor having power terminals electrically connected between the body node and a source node of the primary transistor. The RF switch may further include a body resistor electrically connected between the body node of the primary transistor and ground, and a gate resistor electrically connected between a gate of the primary transistor and a gate voltage source. A gate of each of the first transistor and the second transistor is electrically connected to the gate voltage source such that the first transistor and the second transistor are ON only when the primary transistor is ON.

As semiconductor technologies advance, radio frequency (RF) applications require increasing standards of linearity in the transmission and amplification of high frequency signals. For example, applications such as RF switching, attenuation and antenna tuning require switch branches capable of transmitting high-power RF signals in the 0.5 GHz to 6 GHz range with a high degree of linearity. To accommodate high power levels, conventional approaches include stacking several low voltage NMOS transistors drain-to-source while isolating the gate and body nodes of each of the transistors using high value resistors.
However, in practice, isolation of the body node in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technologies is challenging due to the formation of a parasitic conduction layer (PCL) at the interface between the base oxide layer and the substrate. Such a PCL may be neutralized by employing expensive manufacturing techniques such as polysilicon passivated substrates. However, even with such manufacturing techniques, further improvement in switch branch linearity will result in better end-system performance.

RF switch branch having improved linearity


A staple driver actuator for a surgical stapler includes a base having at least one bottom surface. The bottom surface defines a plane and is configured to slide longitudinally relative to a stapling assembly of the surgical stapler. The staple driver actuator also includes at least one rail extending upwardly from the base. The at least one rail includes at least one rail cam surface, and the rail cam surface is inclined relative to the plane. The staple driver actuator further includes a first surface texture on a first portion of the staple driver actuator, and a second surface texture on a second portion of the staple driver actuator. The second surface texture is smoother than the first surface texture.

Examples of surgical instruments include surgical staplers, which may be configured for use in laparoscopic surgical procedures and/or open surgical procedures. Some such staplers are operable to clamp down on layers of tissue, cut through the clamped layers of tissue, and drive staples through the layers of tissue to substantially seal the severed layers of tissue together near the severed ends of the tissue layers. Examples of surgical staplers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,404,508, entitled "Surgical Stapling and Cutting Device," issued Jul. 29, 2008; U.S. Pat. No. 7,434,715, entitled "Surgical Stapling Instrument Having Multistroke Firing with Opening Lockout," issued Oct. 14, 2008; U.S. Pat. No. 7,721,930, entitled "Disposable Cartridge with Adhesive for Use with a Stapling Device," issued May 25, 2010; U.S. Pat. No. 8,408,439, entitled "Surgical Stapling Instrument with An Articulatable End Effector," issued Apr. 2, 2013; and U.S. Pat. No. 8,453,914, entitled "Motor-Driven Surgical Cutting Instrument with Electric Actuator Directional Control Assembly," issued Jun. 4, 2013. The disclosure of each of the above-cited U.S. Patents is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
While various kinds of surgical stapling instruments and associated components have been made and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventor(s) has made or used the invention described in the appended claims.
The drawings are not intended to be limiting in any way, and it is contemplated that various embodiments of the invention may be carried out in a variety of other ways, including those not necessarily depicted in the drawings. The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown.

Surgical stapler end effector sled having multiple surface finishes


Data processing apparatuses and methods for performing an iterative determination of a key schedule are provided. A set of registers initially receives an input data item and data processing is then performed using the content of the set of registers as an input. The result of this data processing is then used to update a value stored in a predetermined register of the set of registers at each iterative round of the determination of the key schedule. Dependent on whether the data processing apparatus is in a reverse key expansion mode or a forwards key expansion mode determines which register in the set of registers is that predetermined register. Further, the set of registers is arranged to shift values contained in the set of registers in a direction which depends on whether the data processing apparatus is in a reverse key expansion mode or a forwards key expansion mode. The directions for the two modes are opposite to one another.

Key expansion, i.e. the process by which an initial key value is iteratively transformed into a sequence of updated key values, may form part of the implementation of an encryption algorithm. Moreover, this key expansion may be implemented as an iterative process by which a key schedule is determined, the key schedule comprising sequence of key values each determined from a previous key value. Support for the implementation of an encryption algorithm, including such a key schedule determination, may be required to be supported in a wide variety of data processing apparatuses, yet with the ever greater pressure for ever smaller and simpler devices to be able to support such encryption algorithms, their implementation needs to be ever more efficient.


The present invention relates to, inter alia, methods and apparatuses for electron transfer dissociation (ETD) that vary the internal energy of precursor ions for ETD. The methods and apparatuses are particularly useful in mass spectrometry.

Electron capture dissociation (ECD) of multiply charged protein cations is a well established process and technique (see, e.g., Syka et al., 2004). In this method multiply protonated peptide or proteins are confined in the Penning trap of a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometer and exposed to electrons with near-thermal energies. Capture of an electron then takes place. The capture of a thermal electron by a protonated peptide is exothermic (˜6 eV; 1 eV=1.602×10−19 J), and causes the peptide backbone to fragment by a nonergodic process (i.e., one that does not involve intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution). In addition, one or more protein cations can be neutralized with low energy electrons to cause specific cleavage of bonds to form c, z products, in contrast to b, y products formed by other techniques such as collisionally activated dissociation (CAD; also known as collision-induced dissociation, CID), infrared mulitphoton (IRMPD) and UV dissociation.
ECD has become the technique of choice using FTICR mass spectrometers. This is largely because the fragmentation occurs along peptide backbones in a sequence-independent manner, preserves posttranslational modifications and can be implemented on a millisecond time scale with precursor-to-product ion conversion efficiencies that approach 30%. Unfortunately, ECD in its most efficient form requires the precursor sample ions to be immersed in a dense population of near-thermal electrons. Emulating these conditions in instruments used for peptide or protein analysis that trap ions and use radio frequency (RF) electrostatic fields remains a significant technical challenge. For instance, thermal electrons, if introduced into the RF fields of RF 3D quadrupole ion trap (QIT), quadrupole time-of-flight or RF linear 2D quadrupole ion trap (QLT) instruments, maintain their thermal energies for only a fraction of a microsecond and are not trapped. In addition, the technique is difficult to implement in ion guides and ion traps. To date, proposals to circumvent this problem have been largely unsuccessful. Therefore, the technique remains exclusively useful with expensive MS instruments, such as FTICR mass spectrometers.
For the above described reasons, development of an ECD-like dissociation method for use with widely accessible and low-cost mass spectrometers, such as the QLT, would have obvious utility. Because storage of thermal electrons in RF ion containment fields seems problematic, scientists investigated the possibility of using anions as vehicles for delivering electrons to multiply charged peptide cations. It was determined that anions with sufficiently low electron affinities could function as suitable electron donors. Hence the technique of electron transfer dissociation (ETD) was developed (see, e.g., Syka et al., 2004). ETD in most cases is easier to implement on various mass spectrometers and results in similar advantages as ECD, without the added cost.
However, both ETD and ECD suffer from the problem that the precursor ions are cooled by supersonic expansion as they flow out of the ion source and the (internally) cold ions may exhibit low fragmentation efficiencies. While fragmentation quantities and patterns can be controlled to some extent by ion kinetic energies in the case of CID, fragmentation efficiencies and patterns tend to be fixed for ETD. It would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus that addresses these deficiencies.

Efficient electron transfer dissociation for mass spectrometry


Insertion of a wax guard with a bridge into the receiver tube of a hearing instrument may be accomplished with a tool that grasps the wax guard securely, inserts the wax guard into the tube, and then slides off of the wax guard, leaving the wax guard within the tube.

Wax guards prevent cerumen or ear wax from entering the shell of a hearing instrument through the receiver tube, the conduit that passes the sound generated by the receiver to the outside and ultimately towards the ear drum of the person wearing the instrument. One type of wax guard comprises a cylinder with a flange and a bridge that spans the flange, covering the opening of the cylinder. Over time however wax does work its way under the bridge and into the cylindrical portion of the wax guard and at some point the wax guard must be replaced to insure the passage of sound.
Since the wax guard is a fairly small component, a tool is provided to transfer the wax guard from its packaging to the receiver tube of the hearing instrument. A tool having a pair of opposing, spaced-apart elements exhibiting a degree of spring-like action is placed on the top of the bridge of the wax guard. The tool is then pushed downwardly to force apart the opposing elements so that they will slip under the bridge. Protrusions on the opposing elements of the tool enhance the tool's ability to maintain a grasp underneath the bridge. Next, the tool is lifted, pulling the wax guard out of the holder and then guides the wax guard into the end of a receiver tube. The tool can then be removed from the wax guard by sliding the tool laterally along a line defined by the span of the bridge. The spring action of the tool allows the elements move apart and clear the bridge while insuring that the wax guard remains seated in the receiver tube.

Method for inserting a wax guard into the receiver tube of a hearing instrument


A gallium nitride based monolithic microwave integrated circuit includes a substrate, a channel layer on the substrate and a barrier layer on the channel layer. A recess is provided in a top surface of the barrier layer. First gate, source and drain electrodes are provided on the barrier layer opposite the channel layer, with a bottom surface of the first gate electrode in direct contact with the barrier layer. Second gate, source and drain electrodes are also provided on the barrier layer opposite the channel layer. A gate insulating layer is provided in the recess in the barrier layer, and the second gate electrode is on the gate insulating layer opposite the barrier layer and extending into the recess. The first gate, source and drain electrodes comprise the electrodes of a depletion mode transistor, and the second gate, source and drain electrodes comprise the electrodes of an enhancement mode transistor.

Power semiconductor devices are widely used to carry large currents, support high voltages and/or operate at high frequencies such as radio frequencies. A wide variety of power semiconductor devices are known in the art including, for example, power switching devices and power amplifiers. Many power semiconductor devices are implemented using various types of Field Effect Transistors including, for example, High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMT) and Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs).
Modern power semiconductor devices are generally fabricated from wide bandgap semiconductor materials. For example, power HEMTs may be fabricated from gallium arsenide (GaAs) based material systems or, more recently, from gallium nitride (GaN) based material systems that are formed on a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate. Power semiconductor devices may be formed as discrete devices or as a plurality of devices (which may include transistors and other circuit devices such as resistors, inductors, capacitors, transmission lines and the like) that are formed on a common substrate to provide a so-called Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC). A MMIC refers to an integrated circuit that operates on radio and/or microwave frequency signals in which all of the circuitry for a particular function is integrated into a single semiconductor chip. An example MMIC device is a transistor amplifier that includes associated matching circuits, feed networks and the like that are all implemented on a common substrate. MMIC transistor amplifiers typically include a plurality of unit cell HEMT transistors that are connected in parallel.
Field effect transistors such as HEMTs and MOSFETs may be classified into depletion mode and enhancement mode types, corresponding to whether the transistor is in an ON-state or an OFF-state at a gate-source voltage of zero. In enhancement mode devices, the devices are OFF at zero gate-source voltage, whereas in depletion mode devices, the device is ON at zero gate-source voltage. HEMTs are typically implemented as depletion mode devices, in that they are conductive at a gate-source bias of zero due to the polarization-induced charge at the interface of the barrier and channel layers of the device.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Monolithic microwave integrated circuits having both enhancement-mode and depletion mode transistors


An apparatus and a method for aiding the transmission of intent enables a severely physically-handicapped person, who has lost muscular energy due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), muscular dystrophy or the like, to transmit his/her intent through an electroencephalogram wave. A mechanical switch and an electroencephalogram wave switch are used in combination to allow the transmission of intent over the entire period of such a disease.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for aiding the transmission of intent, which enable a severely physically-handicapped person, who has lost muscular energy due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), muscular dystrophy or the like, to transmit his/her intent through an electroencephalogram wave.
2. Related Background Art
The number of physically-handicapped persons, who lose motor functions while retaining their brain function, is expected to increase in the coming aged society. In the case of such diseases as ALS or muscular dystrophy, which are known as incurable diseases, patients' losing the means for transmitting their intent in medical care environments is leading to a significant increase in the medical care cost for medical treatment, medical attendance, and nursing. Further, there is strong demand for mutual transmission of intent between patients, who still retain human intelligence and senses, and people who attend on the patients over a long period.
A disease such as ALS and muscular dystrophy causes the muscular function of a human body to be lost slowly and no aiding apparatus is available for transmitting intent, which can be used over the entire period of the progressive disease of a patient.
A conventional apparatus, however, limits an input device to an external mechanical switch, whereas the mechanical switch is not suited to a patient suffering from the advancement of muscular anergic disease. The present invention combines a mechanical switch and an electroencephalogram wave switch to meet the demand for transmission of intent over the entire period of such a disease.
There is a human body feedback switch apparatus which employs the alpha wave among brain waves. The emergence of the alpha wave, however, varies greatly from one person to another, making it unsatisfactory as a control signal in the aspect of reliability accuracy; therefore, the switch apparatus is not used as a control switch for transmitting intent.
The conventional apparatus applies a general-purpose computer for non-handicapped persons and it is therefore disadvantageous to the physically-handicapped in that the operation is complicated and it is too large for them to handle easily. There is demand for a dedicated apparatus designed with an emphasis placed on ease of operation with a minimum of functions provided.
FIG. 3 is a block configuration diagram of a conversation aid apparatus, which applies a conventional general-purpose computer.
In the conversation aid apparatus, a main unit employs a general-purpose computer, which is equipped with a keyboard input device 51, a mouse input device 52, a main controller 53, which controls the constituents, a sub controller 54, which controls a display device 55 and a speech synthesizer 58, an external storage 56, and a memory 57, and it has an external input terminal of a control switch 50, which is operated by muscular strength.
As for conversational language, 960 daily conversational sentences, which are frequently used by physically-handicapped persons, are registered in the external storage 56 through a floppy disk. The registered sentences are displayed in sequence by switching the screen and a desired sentence is selected by using the mouse input device 52, the mechanical switch 50 or the like. Thus, the conventional apparatus is operated in a manner similar to that for a regular computer.
The conventional intent transmitting apparatus presents the following problems:
(1) The apparatus fails to enable a patient, who retains normal brain function, to use electroencephalogram wave other than muscular strength or to use it in combination. PA0 (2) There is no interface available, which allows the apparatus to be used over the entire period of a progressive disease of a patient. The switch for confirming a selection is a mechanical switch, which is operated by muscular force and adapted to particular body movements. Therefore, the apparatus cannot be used when the patient loses his/her muscular strength, making it unsuitable for the physically-handicapped persons who are the target of the present invention. PA0 (3) The use of the general-purpose computer with a keyboard, which is unnecessary for the user, adds weight to the apparatus. Further, the apparatus is equipped with accessories such as a voice synthesizer, adding to the size and complication, making the apparatus difficult to handle. PA0 (4) The conventional software displays many different message sentences for daily conversation on a message display and allows selection of a desired message. For a severely physically-handicapped person, the more message selections they have, the more complicated and difficult operation they must execute. Hence, displaying a minimum of essential messages has become one of the requirements. PA0 1. Their use for transmitting patient's intent to the persons attending on or nursing the patient in medical care environments leads to higher efficiency in nursing. PA0 2. Permits the transmission of intent of a patient, which is neglected in the medical science today, thus bringing out socially meaningful results. The apparatus employs a highly durable input control interface to prolong the service life of the apparatus. PA0 3. The apparatus uses a dedicated system rather than a general-purpose computer; it features a minimum of required functions and easy operation, and it is ideally suited for clinical applications. Furthermore, it is compact and light-weight and it can be mounted on a post, thus saving installing space and exhibiting better portability. PA0 4. The electroencephalogram wave processing and switch units can be applied as controllers having other functions to general-purpose applications.

Apparatus and method for aiding transmission


An indicia for marking on an object, such as a cartridge case, for representing selected information, such as identification indicia identifying the firearm that discharged the cartridge, and methods and apparatus for generating, imprinting and reading the identification indicia. An indicia includes a multi-dimensional array of encoded marks, including encoded marks determined by spectral encoding variables representing the selected information wherein each spectral variable is spectrally distinguishable from others of the spectral variables representing variables, and an encoded pattern of the encoded marks is determined by algorithmic transformation of the selected information. An indicia may also include hologram related artwork. An indicia may be an encoded hologram multi-dimensional barcode, an encoded hologram or an encoded concentric circular barcode and may be formed of a single indicia or as an array of indicia.

Mechanical forensics and ballistics investigations are undertaken in crime investigations, accident reconstructions or other situations in which one or more weapons have been discharged and it is frequently essential to reliably establish an identification of a firearm that fired a given cartridge.
It is well known that bullets and cartridge cases that have been fired from a firearm will bear markings from contact between the bullets or cartridge cases and the surfaces of the firearm with which the bullets and cartridges come into contact. For example, the rifling of the barrel will emboss rifling and other marks on a bullet, and the firing pin, extractor, interior of the breach and face of the bolt will leave markings on the cartridge case. Certain such markings are general to a given type, manufacturer or model of firearm, and may this aid in identifying a firearm, while others are unique to each firearm and may thereby be used to identify a given firearm.
Firearms experts have frequently been able to compare the markings on cartridge cases and bullets, which are traditionally referred to as "scratches and dings" or "ballistic finger prints", with comparable markings made by a suspect firearm on a test bullet or cartridge casing, and have frequently been able to determine whether a specific firearm fired a given bullet or cartridge casing. In addition, there exist, for example, databases of "ballistic finger prints" or "scratch and ding" images of bullets and cartridges recovered from crime scenes, which may be subsequently used to match a firearm to a given crime scene by matching samples of fired cartridges and bullets with the archived "ballistic finger prints" or "scratch and ding" images.
Ballistic finger prints and scratch and ding markings, however, while traditionally the most useful and most used for identifying a given, specific firearm, are, however, pseudo-repeatable and largely random and non-specific in nature. That is, a cartridge case may be damaged in any of a number of ways before it is recovered for examination, and a bullet is often severely fragmented or deformed when it strikes an object, thereby obscuring the ballistic finger print or scratch and ding evidence on the bullet or cartridge case. In addition, the identification of a spent cartridge case or filed bullet to a specific firearm requires access to the firearm itself, either for direct examination or to fire test bullets and cartridge cases for comparison with the cartridge cases or bullets held in evidence. The firearm itself is also subject to influences between the time of firing a cartridge and bullet and the comparison of the markings on the cartridge or bullet to later fired test cartridges and bullets that may alter the markings made by it on cartridges and bullets. For example, the surfaces of a firearm that impose markings on a bullet or cartridge are subject to wear, corrosion, abrasion and intentional alterations, such as grinding, etching or filing of surfaces and the replacement of original parts with different parts.
In addition, investigators often have limited evidence to work with in order to determine the facts related to the situation at hand, such as when the suspect firearm is unavailable, missing, unrecoverable, damaged or intentionally altered or in instances in which numerous weapons were discharged. For example, it is very common for the perpetrator of a shooting to take a firearm away with him after committing a crime, and often the only evidence left behind is the discharged bullets themselves, if they can be found and are in adequate condition for examination, and spent cartridge cases, if the cartridge cases are available and in condition for examination. Therefore, while scratches, marks and/or other indicia on a spent bullet or cartridge case can assist an investigator with connecting the spent cartridge or bullet with a given firearm, the identification usually requires possession of the firearm itself, for comparison purposes, is often difficult even when the firearm is available.
Currently, such forensic investigations are expensive and time consuming and require personal training and sophisticated equipment that not every law enforcement department has or can afford.
A concept referred to as "Ballistic Tagging", however, may be used to mark cartridges or bullets or both with specially encoded geometric shapes, holograms, alphanumeric codes, barcodes and other specific coding techniques which are not random and are which are completely repeatable and which are unique to each firearm. Such methods would be more reliable and less expensive and time consuming than traditional methods, and would not require the costly apparatus, imperfect imaging algorithms, image acquisition technical problems, non-standardized procedures and cross jurisdictional procedures and data bases used to store and share "ballistic finger prints" or "scratch and ding" images.
There are currently available a variety of systems for forming or micro-engraving images, shapes or symbols in or on an surface of a component of a firearm that contacts a bullet or cartridge case in such a manner as to permit the imposition of an identifying indicia on a bullet or cartridge case. Examples include such firearm surfaces as the face of a firing pin, the interior of the chamber or barrel of a firearm, or a surface of an extractor or loading mechanism. Any firearm surface coming into contact with a cartridge case with sufficient force or pressure, for example, can result an image, shape of symbol being embossed or otherwise marked on a surface of the cartridge by the normal operation of the firearm, such as the loading, firing or ejection of the cartridge. Such images, shapes or symbols, hereafter referred to generally as "images" or "indicia", may take many forms, including abstract symbols or brands, letters or numbers, and so on, and are typically formed of raised or indented areas of a surface, such as holes, vias, blind vias or some other form of surface indentation, raised areas formed by etching or machining away of surrounding surfaces, or any combination thereof.
As a result, fired bullets or cartridge cases or both may be left with markings uniquely identifying the firearm from which they were fired as a result of forced contact between the bullets or cartridge cases and metal parts in the firearm bearing such identifying images. Such parts of a firearm may include, for example, an interior face of the chamber, bolt or barrel or an engraved "marker" embedded in or mounted on such a surface, and may be unique to given firearm by the engraving of an image unique to the firearm during manufacture or as a result of a subsequent refitting or retrofitting.
The advantages of such marking of bullets and cartridges can be realized, however, only if there exist suitable identifying indicia and methods, suitable apparatus for simply, inexpensively and reliably imprinting and reading the markings, and suitable apparatus for correlating the markings on a bullet or cartridge with a given firearm.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to simplify and therefore to improve the process of fired cartridge and bullet imaging and analysis, to eliminate the need for complex image algorithms, to reduce the chances of human error, and to eliminate at least some of the need for mapping "scratches and dings" and "ballistic finger prints" of fired cartridges and bullets.

Method and apparatus for reading firearm microstamping


In a method for producing a laser element, a brazing material is placed between a nitride-based semiconductor laser bar and a fixation surface of a heat sink, where the brazing material contains gold and one of tin and silicon as main components, the nitride-based semiconductor laser bar has at least three light-emission points formed on a substrate, the heat sink is made of copper or copper alloy, and the fixation surface has a predetermined shape. Then, the nitride-based semiconductor laser bar is fixed to the fixation surface of the heat sink by melting and solidifying the brazing material while pressing the nitride-based semiconductor laser bar toward the heat sink with a tool having a shape corresponding to the predetermined shape of the fixation surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laser element in which a laser bar being made of nitride-based semiconductor materials and containing a plurality of light-emission points formed on a single substrate is fixed to a heat sink. The present invention also relates to a process for producing the above laser element. The present invention further relates to a laser module containing the above laser element.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following documents (1) and (2) disclose information related to the present invention.
(1) U.S. patent Laid-Open No. 20020090172
(2) Roland Dichel (ed.), "High-Power Diode Lasers: Fundamentals, Technology, Applications, With Contributions by Numerous Experts," Springer-Verlag, 2000
In order to increase laser output power, laser modules which comprise at least one laser-light source for emitting a plurality of laser beams, an optical fiber, and an optical system have been proposed, for example, as disclosed in document (1). The optical system comprises a plurality of collimator lenses and a condensing lens for optically multiplexing the plurality of laser beams emitted from the at least one laser-light source. The at least one laser-light source can be realized by arranging on a heat sink a plurality of laser diodes each having a single light-emission point, or using a semiconductor laser bar in which semiconductor layers are formed on a single substrate so as to realize a plurality of light-emission points.
However, in semiconductor laser bars in each of which a plurality of light-emission points are formed by crystal growth on a single substrate, a so-called "smile", which is a curvature of the array of the plurality of light-emission points, is produced, and a portion of a plurality of laser beams are displaced upward or downward from positions at which the portion of the plurality of laser beams should be arranged, as explained in, for example, the aforementioned document (1). Conventionally, each of the above semiconductor laser bar is bonded onto a heat sink having a flat fixation surface while correcting the curvature by pressing a columnar collet to the center or its vicinity of the semiconductor laser bar in the direction in which the plurality of light-emission points are arrayed.
For example, in the case where the magnification power of an optical system in a laser module as mentioned before is about 10, and the light-emission-point displacement (defined later) in a semiconductor laser bar is about 2 micrometers, the light convergence point is displaced by a maximum of about 20 micrometers (=2 micrometers×10) at a light-entrance end of an optical fiber. That is, the light convergence spot is displaced by a maximum of about 20 micrometers from the center of an optical fiber. In the case of the typical optical fiber having a radius of 25 micrometers, the above displacement causes significant decrease in the coupling efficiency. The light-emission-point displacement is defined as the difference between the maximum and the minimum of distances from a fixation surface of a heat sink to the centers of light-emission points in a place perpendicular to the optical axis of lenses.
On the other hand, conventionally, indium, which has low rigidity (i.e., is soft), is used for bonding laser bars made of GaAs-based semiconductor materials to heat sinks made of copper. Since the thermal expansion coefficients of the copper heat sinks and the laser bars made of GaAs-based semiconductor materials are greatly different, heat generated by operation of the semiconductor laser bar causes internal strains in the semiconductor laser bars. However, when indium is used for the bonding, the internal strains can be relieved.
The nitride-based semiconductor laser bars which are formed by growing GaN-based compound semiconductors on a sapphire or GaN substrate so as to realize a plurality of light-emission points generally have higher rigidity than the GaAs-based compound semiconductor laser bars. Therefore, it is impossible to deform each nitride-based semiconductor laser bar so as to have a shape equivalent to the surface of a heat sink, even when an attempt is made to bond the nitride-based semiconductor laser bar to the heat sink by pressing, with a collet as mentioned before, only the center or its vicinity of the semiconductor laser bar in the direction in which the plurality of light-emission points are arrayed. In addition, when indium is used as a soft brazing material, it is impossible to fix the nitride-based semiconductor laser bar to the heat sink so that the nitride-based semiconductor laser bar has a shape equivalent to the surface shape of a heat sink, because the hardness of the nitride-based semiconductor laser bar is high.
Further, in the case where nitride-based semiconductor laser bars are used in laser modules as mentioned before, the aforementioned curvature decreases the coupling efficiency to the optical fiber. Furthermore, each nitride-based semiconductor laser bar tends to revert toward a shape having the original curvature. Therefore, due to heat generation during operation and other reasons, the coupling efficiency decreases as time elapses.

Laser element, method of producing the laser element, and a laser module employing the laser element


An information processing apparatus is disclosed which includes: a discrimination section configured to discriminate an object drawing the line of sight of a user viewing an image displayed on a display screen, the discrimination being based both on coordinate information indicative of where the line of sight of the user is positioned relative to the image and on object information including area information indicative of an image area including the object in the image; and a processing section configured such that when the discrimination section discriminates the object drawing the line of sight of the user, the processing section selectively performs a process corresponding to the object discriminated by the discrimination section.

The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing system.
Recent years have witnessed the development of techniques for using, on a display screen, an area that draws (or is expected to draw) the attention of the user viewing an image displayed on that screen. One such technique, disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-006111 (called the Patent Document 1 hereunder) for example, involves detecting an attention-drawing object in an image based on reference data (metadata) and trimming the image into a trimmed image in such a manner that the trimming coordinates established on the basis of the coordinates of the detected attention-drawing object determine the center of the trimmed image. Another technique, disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-117974 (called the Patent Document 2 hereunder) for example, involves recording, to a database, interest information based on information about those areas of content designated by users so that analyzers using the database may create information indicative of the trend of the users' interest.

Information processing apparatus and information processing system


To inexpensively and in a simple configuration provide a solid laser amplifier and a solid laser unit capable of generating a high output and high quality laser beam, the unit includes a solid laser medium 5A containing active solid media; a flow tube 14 or the like allowing a cooling medium 24 for cooling the solid laser medium 5A; and a laser array 12 so controlled in temperature as to emit an excitation light 9 for exciting the solid laser medium 5A, the wavelength of which lies within the absorption spectra of a solid laser medium 5A yet does not coincide with that of the absorption spectrum peak of a solid laser medium 5A.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid laser amplifier, a solid laser unit and a solid laser excitation method, capable of generating a high output and high quality laser beam.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 8 is a side view of a conventional semiconductor-laser excited solid laser unit (hereinafter, simply referred to as solid laser) disclosed, e.g., in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-240786. At the rear of a total reflection mirror 4 on the base 8, the solid laser unit comprises a diode 1, a semiconductor 2 and a semiconductor laser emitter section 3 as shown in FIG. 8. The photodiode 1, disposed at a position close to the semiconductor laser emitter section 3, comprises three types of photodiode regions 1a, 1b and 1c having predetermined different band-pass filter characteristics. The semiconductor laser 2 is provided on a temperature controller 7 for controlling its temperature. In front of the total reflection mirror 4, the solid laser unit comprises a solid laser medium 5 and a partial reflection mirror 6. The total reflection mirror 4 is so arranged as to have a high transmittance for the excitation light 9 emitted from the semiconductor laser emitter section 3 but almost totally reflect a laser beam 10.
FIG. 9 is a graph showing the comparison of the respective band-pass filter characteristics in the photodiode regions 1a, 1b and 1c with the absorption spectrum of a solid laser medium, e.g., made of Nd:YVO4. In FIG. 9, the respective band-pass filter characteristics in the photodiode regions 1a, 1b and 1c are indicated by broken lines, whereas the absorption spectrum of the solid laser medium is indicated by a solid line. As evident from FIG. 9, the wavelength regions of three types of band-pass filters are so designed as to overlap with the absorption spectrum of the solid laser medium. To be specific, the respective wavelength regions of three types of band-pass filters are allotted to the photodiode regions 1a, 1b and 1c from the short wavelength side and the peak of the filter of the photodiode region 1b among them in the wavelength region is so designed as to coincide with the peak wavelength of the absorption spectrum of the solid laser medium.
The conventional solid laser unit is so constituted as mentioned above wherein the excitation light 9 emitted from the semiconductor laser emitter section 3 is introduced into the solid laser medium 5 to convert the solid laser medium 5 into a laser amplification medium by exciting it. The natural emission light generated from the laser amplification medium is amplified while travelling and returning between the light resonator comprising a total reflection mirror 4 and a partial reflection mirror 6 to form a directional laser beam 10, and is emitted outward as laser beam 11 when its energy reaches or exceeds a predetermined magnitude.
Setting the oscillation wavelength of the semiconductor laser 2 can be accomplished by the temperature control of the semiconductor laser 2. Thus, with the conventional solid laser unit, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-240786, by monitoring the currents of the photodiode regions 1a, 1b and 1c while controlling the temperature of the semiconductor laser 2 with a thermocontroller 7 and maximizing the monitor current of the photodiode region 1b in which the peak of the band-pass filter in wavelength region is so designed as to coincide with the peak wavelength of absorption spectrum of the solid laser medium 5, the wavelength peak of oscillation of the semiconductor laser 2 and the peak wavelength of the absorption spectrum of the solid laser medium 5 are made coincident with each other.
With the conventional solid laser unit, as mentioned above, by an arrangement of setting the oscillation wavelength of the peak of the semiconductor laser in such a manner as to coincide with the peak wavelength of absorption spectrum of the solid laser medium 5, the excitation efficiency of the solid laser medium 5 is elevated.
With such an arrangement, however, excitation by a large power semiconductor laser to obtain a high output would lead to a strong excitation near the end face of the solid laser medium 5, thereby causing a phenomenon that the intensity distribution of light in the solid laser medium becomes nonuniform and the shape of a laser beam is broken. Consequently, the conventional arrangement had a problem that a high power and high quality beam could not be generated even though a higher excitation efficiency was possible.
Furthermore, since the monitor currents from three photo diodes 1a, 1b and 1c were compared and the thermocontrol of the semiconductor laser 2 was performed in such a manner that the monitor current of the photo diode 1b is maximized as mentioned above, the conventional solid laser unit also had problems that the need for constructing a complicated thermocontrol system did not only complicate the unit arrangement but raised the cost.

Photoexcitation solid laser amplifier photoexcitation solid laser unit and solid laser excitation method


A cosmetic carrier and a cosmetic container including the cosmetic carrier, the cosmetic carrier having a reinforcing flange which limits and/or prevents the cosmetic carrier from collapsing inwardly so as to dislocate the lugs from the helical channel of the outer sleeve. The cosmetic carrier includes a tubular sidewall defining a cosmetic receiving receptacle. The reinforcing flange is positioned within the cosmetic receiving receptacle of the cosmetic carrier. The cosmetic carrier also includes a pair of radially extending lugs extending outwardly from diametrically opposing surfaces of the sidewall. The reinforcing flange extends radially inwardly from the carrier sidewall so as to oppose the outwardly extending carrier lugs. Thus, the reinforcing flange is positioned within the cosmetic receiving receptacle. A plurality of ribs extend downwardly from the reinforcing flange, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cosmetic carrier, to limit and/or prevent movement, such as rotational movement, of the cosmetic relative to the cosmetic carrier.

Conventional lipstick containers include a cosmetic carrier, a tubular inner sleeve, a tubular outer sleeve and a decorative sleeve. The cosmetic carrier supports the lipstick and is generally configured as a cup having radially outwardly extending lugs on opposing sides. The inner sleeve includes a pair of longitudinally extending slots. An outer sleeve defining a continuous helical channel is positioned about the inner sleeve. The cosmetic carrier is concentrically positioned within the inner sleeve and the carrier lugs extend through the longitudinal slots of the inner sleeve and are received within the helical channel of the outer sleeve. This results in the cosmetic carrier being moved upwardly and downwardly as the lugs traverse the length of the helical channel when the inner sleeve is rotated relative to the outer sleeve. The decorative sleeve is provided for aesthetic purposes. In operation, a bottom portion of the inner sleeve extends beyond the bottom of the outer sleeve. The user rotates the bottom portion to cause the cosmetic carrier and, hence the lipstick, to extend from the container for applying the lipstick and to retract into the container for storage.
Conventional cosmetic carriers are typically defined by an annular sidewall and a base for forming a lipstick receiving cup. A pair of diametrically opposing lugs extend radially outwardly from the outer surface of the carrier sidewall. Vertical ribs extend longitudinally upward from the base, along the inner surface of the carrier to prevent and/or limit rotational movement of the lipstick within the cosmetic carrier.
A problem associated with conventional cosmetic carriers is that the lugs of the cosmetic carrier may collapse inwardly when torque is applied to the inner sleeve and, hence, the carrier. For instance, when the cosmetic carrier is fully extended or fully retracted, further rotational force applied to the inner sleeve's rotatable base may cause the lugs of the cosmetic carrier to be forced inwardly. The lugs thereby become dislocated from within the helical channel of the outer sleeve. The force required to cause the lugs to be removed from the channel is often referred to as the "ride-by force." This may occur either by the consumer or during the assembly of the cosmetic container. For instance, with bottom-fill cosmetic carriers, the lugs may become dislocated from the helical channel when automatic spin stations are used on fill lines during the manufacture and assembly of the cosmetic container.
Problems associated with lugs which have become dislocated from the helical channel may be numerous. For instance, the carrier lugs upon becoming dislocated from the helical channel are compressed radially inwardly, thereby damaging the cosmetic contained therein. This may also impair the components of the cosmetic container and render the cosmetic container difficult to operate, even if the lugs are realigned with the helical channel of the outer sleeve. Dislocation of the lugs from the helical channel may cause the dimension across the lugs to become smaller due to compression of the plastic material which typically forms the cosmetic carrier. This may further reduce the ride-by force on subsequent operation and in some cases make the lipstick inoperable. Thus, if the force required to dislocate the lugs from the helical channel is too low, rejects during manufacturing of the cosmetic container and customer dissatisfaction may result.

Lipstick container with increased carrier ride-by force


A fuse that includes an insulative housing, terminals extending through gaps in the bottom of the housing, and a fusible element having ends connected to both of the terminals. The housing includes a four-sided box that is closed at the top and open on the bottom, and a lid for closing the open bottom of the box that is smaller than the open bottom of the box so that, when the lid is in place, two gaps are formed in the bottom and at opposite ends of the housing.

The invention relates to current limiting fuses.
Current limiting fuses typically have one or more fusible elements connecting two conducting terminals within an insulative housing. Barricklow U.S. Pat. No. 973,250 describes such a fuse in which the insulative housing is made of porcelain or an equivalent insulative material. Jacobs, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,766,507 and Suuronen U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,977 describe fuses with box-shaped housings.


A silicone rubber composition is obtained by blending (A) 100 parts by weight of an organopolysiloxane composition of the organic peroxide or addition reaction curing type, with (B) 30-400 parts by weight of aluminum hydroxide which has been surface treated so as to bear 1.0.times.10.sup.-6 to 2.0.times.10.sup.-4 mol/gram of vinyl groups. The composition does not lose rubber strength even though it is loaded with large amounts of aluminum hydroxide. It cures into a silicone rubber having satisfactory physical properties and improved high-voltage electrical insulating properties and thus suited for use as high-voltage electrical insulators.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a silicone rubber composition which on heat curing provides silicone rubber serving as high-voltage electrical insulators. It also relates to polymeric bushings.
2. Prior Art
In general, high-voltage electrical insulating materials for use as insulators and bushings for power transmission lines are of porcelain or glass. Since these insulators are heavy and liable to breakage due to a lack of impact resistance, they require careful handling and impose a burden to workers. In a pollutive environment as in seaside areas and industrial areas, there is a tendency that dust, salts and mist attach to the surface of high-voltage electrical insulators, causing leakage currents and dry band discharge leading to flashover failure.
In order to eliminate the drawbacks of porcelain and glass insulators, a number of proposals have been made. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,698 discloses a weathering resistant high-voltage electrical insulator comprising a member of a thermosetting resin and a platinum catalyst-containing organopolysiloxane elastomer. JP-A 198604/1984 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,155 proposes a one-part room temperature curable organopolysiloxane composition which is applied to the outer surface of an electrical insulator of glass or porcelain so that the electrical insulator may maintain its high insulating properties even in the presence of moisture, air pollution, ultraviolet radiation and other outdoor stresses.
JP-B 35982/1978 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,065 discloses that a silicone rubber composition with improved electrical insulation is obtained by heating a mixture of an organopolysiloxane capable of heat curing into silicone rubber and aluminum hydroxide at temperatures above 100.degree. C. for more than 30 minutes. JP-A 57574/1995 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,080 describes that the blending of a methylalkylsiloxane fluid in silicone rubber is effective for providing contact angle recovery with time and preventing flashover failure.
However, the silicone rubber materials used in the prior art techniques mentioned above are not yet fully satisfactory in high-voltage electrical insulation. They must be loaded with large amounts of aluminum hydroxide in order to improve the electrical insulation. This raises a new problem that since aluminum hydroxide itself is not effective for reinforcing silicone rubber, the blending of aluminum hydroxide increases the modulus of elasticity, but forms brittle rubber having little strength.

Silicone rubber compositions for high-voltage electrical insulators and polymeric bushings


There is provided a non-contacting seal assembly for a gas turbine engine, having a housing that houses a sealing ring; and a counter component cooperating with the sealing ring. The sealing ring and the counter component are rotatable relative to each other about a central axis and define sealing faces circumferentially extending around the central axis. The sealing faces face each other and are spaced apart from each other by a controlled gap. At least one of the sealing faces is coated with a non-abradable material. A method of operating a non-contacting seal assembly is also provided.

Seals are typically used in gas turbine engines to partition a bearing cavity from a higher pressure environment. Seals typically have two complementary components, and it is common to refer to one of these as a sealing ring and to the other as a runner or counter component.
A non-contacting seal has a sealing ring spaced apart from the runner by a controlled gap during typical operating conditions. Accordingly, the sealing ring is typically a continuous annular component. To limit the generation of heat upon any occurrences of contact across the gap, the sealing ring is often made of carbon, which has a relatively low degree of friction against the runner. However, carbon does not have the same thermal expansion coefficient as the runner which was typically made of a metal, and for the gap to remain relatively constant during typical operating conditions, the carbon ring is surrounded by a metallic ring referred to as a shrink band and which limited the thermal expansion of the carbon ring relative to the runner. There remained room for improvement.

Non-contacting seal with non-abradable coating


A building management system controller of a local operating network controls a multi-air conditioner system having a different communications network protocol. The building management system includes a controller for centrally controlling subsystems in the building including an air conditioner system, and is connected to the local operating network and a gateway that converts data between the local operating network and a network of the multi-air conditioner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a building management system and an operating method thereof, and more particularly to a building management system and an operating method thereof, wherein a multi-air conditioner system can be integrally controlled by a building management system (BMS) controller of a local operating network (e.g., LONWORKS) without modification of a network structure of the multi-air conditioner system based on an RS-485 communication scheme.
2. Description of the Related Art
Corresponding to equipment modernization of buildings in recent years, a control system has become widespread that can automatically control various subsystems installed in the building such as power/lighting and fire/security subsystems. A building management system (BMS) has been actively developed that can integrally manage these subsystems.
FIGS. 1a and 1b are block diagrams illustrating the configurations of conventional building management systems.
The conventional building management system shown in FIG. 1a includes subsystems installed in the building such as lighting, power, and security subsystems, an air conditioner system 20 including a plurality of indoor and outdoor units, and a BMS controller 10 integrally controlling all subsystems including the air conditioner system.
In general, the building management system centrally controls each subsystem through the BMS controller 10 using LONWORKS network technology based on the local operating network (e.g., LONTALK) protocol.
LONWORKS network technology, where 'Lon' stands for Local Operating Network, is a communication scheme which enables lowest level devices such as sensors and actuators, and devices for communicating and monitoring/controlling functions to send and receive data according to the same protocol. This technology supports a master/slave or peer-to-peer connection between field devices and enables a distributed control sharing information needed for control.
In the building management system, each subsystem includes at least one Lon device 15 to analyze data received from the BMS controller 10 and to send data back to the BMS controller 10.
In particular, as shown in FIG. 1a, in the air conditioner system 20 including a plurality of indoor units, the Lon device 15 can be connected to each one of the indoor units or to a group of the indoor units.
In the building management system comprising the air conditioner system 20, each indoor unit is installed in an individual room of the building, in general. Hence, it takes a long time until data sent by the BMS controller 10 for separate control of an indoor unit reaches the Lon device taking charge of the indoor unit, and is analyzed and processed. Consequently, it is difficult to immediately control the operation of the indoor unit. Moreover, because the Lon device has to be connected to each indoor unit, the installation costs of the building management system rapidly rise as the number of indoor units that are to be integrally controlled by the building management system increases.
If a Lon device is connected to a group of indoor units to reduce the installation costs, there exists a problem in that it is difficult to separately control each member of the group because all indoor units connected to the same Lon device perform the same operation according to a control command received by the Lon device.
Namely, if a Lon device is connected to a predetermined group of indoor units, all of the indoor units of the group connected to the Lon device perform the same operation. Thus, it is difficult to obtain separate control of each indoor unit. If there is a temporary need to separately control some of the indoor units, each must be separately connected to a Lon device and then controlled. After the separate control, the connected Lon device must be removed. Consequently, there exists a problem of resource waste.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1b, if the air conditioner system is a multi-air conditioner system in which one outdoor unit is connected with multiple indoor units, and each outdoor unit is connected to a Lon device, then the outdoor unit and indoor units perform the same operation according to a command passed through the Lon device. Hence, it is difficult to separately control the outdoor unit and indoor units.

Building management system and operating method thereof including protocol conversion


A projection apparatus for projection in a liquid environment comprises a projection surface adapted to be positioned in the liquid environment and a projector adapted to be positioned in the liquid environment. The projector is adapted to project an image on the projection surface.

An increase in human underwater activities has led to the development of tools to assist humans in underwater environments. Underwater transportation systems (e.g. submarines), underwater exercise equipment (e.g., underwater treadmills), and underwater image capture equipment (e.g., waterproof cameras) are examples of tools to assist humans in underwater environments. Modern image projection systems are designed for operation in dry environments and are currently unsuitable for use in liquid environments. There exists a need for projection systems that provide quality image projection and robust display capability in a liquid environment.


A method for incorporating dynamic orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (“OFDM”) in wireless networks is provided. Information about a wireless channel between a transmitter and one or more receivers communicating according to a wireless protocol is acquired. Dynamic OFDM allocations are generated based on the acquired information about the wireless channel. The dynamic OFDM allocations are transmitted to the one or more receivers according to the wireless protocol.

Wireless local area networks ("WLANs") provide wireless access to network resources within a given coverage area. Users may connect to WLANs using any wireless-enabled device, such as computer desktops and laptops, personal digital assistants ("PDAs"), telephones, digital music players, game consoles, and other portable devices, providing virtually unlimited access to users. Because of their relatively low cost, ease of use, and the mobility that they provide, WLANs have become the preferred technology of choice for network access in homes, offices, and designated areas in airports, meeting rooms, coffee shops, and the like.
Most WLANs available today are governed by wireless protocols that establish the rules for coding, authentication and error detection required to send information over a wireless channel. These wireless protocols include, for example, the IEEE 802.11 family of protocols (e.g., 802.11a/b/g/) that have become ubiquitous across the WLAN market. The common set of protocols enables WLAN equipment to be highly interoperable, thereby providing increased flexibility and connectivity to users.
In the current implementations of IEEE 802.11a/g, for example, data rates of up to 54 Mbps are achievable by employing orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing ("OFDM") as their modulation scheme. OFDM works by splitting the wireless channel into multiple sub-channels and representing them with orthogonal sub-carriers that are each individually modulated. As a result, information may be divided into multiple symbols that are transmitted in parallel through the sub-channels rather than sequentially through one (very broad) channel. This leads to much longer symbol durations, such that the impact of inter-symbol interference is significantly reduced. With less symbols colliding, there is almost no need for additional measures like costly equalization.
Today OFDM is used as the foundation for several standards, including the digital video broadcasting ("DVB") standard and the WiMax wireless networking standard, while it is a strong candidate for several upcoming standards, such as for high-rate extensions to third-generation communication systems as well as for fourth-generation mobile communication systems. OFDM is also likely to remain the basis for future extensions of the IEEE 802.11 standards, including the IEEE 802.11n proposal for improved system performance.
The IEEE 802.11 architecture consists of two basic components: mobile stations ("STAs")—frequently called terminals—and access points ("APs"). Terminals may communicate directly with each other in an "ad-hoc mode" forming an independent basic service set or indirectly via an AP forming an infrastructure basic service set ("BSS"). Several BSSs may be connected via a distribution system ("DS") forming an extended service set ("ESS"). FIG. 1 illustrates the IEEE 802.11 architecture 100 in infrastructure mode.
The IEEE 802.11 protocols are based on a Medium Access Control ("MAC") sub-layer, MAC management protocols and services, and several physical layers ("PHY"). A medium access scheme referred to as the Distribution Control Function ("DCF") employs Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance ("CSMA/CA") and binary exponential back-off. STAs refrain from transmitting if they detect the wireless channel or medium ("WM") occupied.
In addition to this physical carrier sensing, the IEEE 802.11 protocols introduce a virtual carrier sensing mechanism: the network allocation vector ("NAV"). The NAV is a time period in which the WM must be treated as busy even if the physical carrier sensing does not indicate this situation. Stations are not, however, allowed to start transmitting immediately after they discover the WM idle after the NAV time period. They have to sense the WM idle for a deterministic time—the so-called Inter-Frame Space ("IFS")—before starting their transmission. The length of this interval allows granting prioritized medium access for certain transmissions. The smallest interval is called short IFS ("SIFS"), which is specified for each physical layer.
A two-way handshake between transmitter and receiver preceding the transmission of a data frame may be used to exclusively reserve the WM and set the NAV long enough to complete the desired transmission. This two-way handshake is achieved with a Request to Send/Clear to Send ("RTS/CTS") frame exchange. The RTS/CTS frame exchange is not mandatory but most commonly used by default if the length of a data packet exceeds a given threshold.
Data packets transmitted according to the IEEE 802.11 protocols are encapsulated in a Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit ("PPDU") depicted in FIG. 2. The PPDU 200 includes a header 205, referred to as the Physical Layer Convergence Protocol ("PLCP") header, following a PLCP initial preamble 210. The coded data is encoded in packets in a PLCP service data unit 215, referred to as "PSDU". Most of the PLCP header constitutes a separate single OFDM symbol 220, denoted SIGNAL, that is transmitted with the most robust combination of BPSK modulation and a convolutional coding rate of R=½. The SERVICE field 225 of the PLCP header 205 together with PSDU 215 form a unit denoted as DATA 230. DATA 230 is transmitted at the data rate described in the RATE field 235 of PCLP header 205 and may constitute multiple OFDM symbols.
The OFDM modulation scheme employs a total bandwidth of 16.25 MHz. This bandwidth is split into 52 sub-carriers, from which 4 sub-carriers are used exclusively as pilots. Therefore, 48 sub-carriers of bandwidth 312.5 MHz each are utilized for data transmission. The data is first convolutionally encoded. The resulting data block is transmitted via all 48 sub-carriers employing the same modulation type. Four modulation types are available for modulating the sub-carriers: BPSK, QPSK, 16-QAM and 64-QAM. The choice of the coding/modulation combination is crucial for the performance of a WLAN, i.e., its throughput, power consumption, error behavior, and so on.
The performance of a WLAN can be increased dramatically by dynamically adapting some or all of the OFDM parameters. Dynamic OFDM, as it is commonly referred, encompasses a family of approaches in which the transmitter adaptively controls the modulation type, the transmit power and/or the coding scheme applied on a per packet and/or per sub-carrier basis, in order to adjust itself in a best possible way to the actual values of the sub-carrier gains.
Dynamic OFDM is based on the observation that the gains of individual sub-carriers vary in time and are also frequency-dependent. Previous work has clearly demonstrated that the performance in terms of throughput, power consumption, error behavior, etc., of an OFDM-based WLAN can be significantly improved by adapting the transmit power and/or modulation type to the current gain of each sub-carrier.
Several different dynamic OFDM strategies can be applied, such as, for example, bit loading and adaptive modulation. Bit loading refers to the case where the transmitter maximizes the sum data rate over all sub-carriers by varying the transmit power and modulation type per sub-carrier. A somewhat simpler scheme to apply is adaptive modulation, in which the transmitter assigns each sub-carrier the same transmit power.
In contrast to these and other dynamic OFDM strategies, current IEEE 802.11-based WLANs may only apply link adaptation, in which the same transmit power and modulation type is applied to all sub-carriers, regardless of their individual gains. Previous work has shown that optimal link adaptation schemes have significantly lower performance than dynamic OFDM schemes that adapt the transmit power and/or the modulation type per sub-carrier.
Such dynamic OFDM schemes, however, have not yet been integrated into WLAN protocols, including the IEEE 802.11 protocols. The performance gain of these dynamic OFDM schemes come at such a system-wide cost that such schemes have not been adopted by the wireless protocols. For example, the transmitter must first be able to accurately estimate the sub-carrier gains before adapting the transmit power and/or modulation type per sub-carrier based on their gains. To do so, the transmitter must know the current state of the wireless channel, which consumes system resources such as time, power, and bandwidth.
Computational resources are also required at the transmitter to generate the dynamic OFDM allocations of transmit power and/or modulation type per sub-carrier. The transmitter has to be equipped with enough computational resources such that the generation time of the dynamic OFDM allocations is sufficiently smaller than the time span during which sub-carrier attenuations change significantly. In addition, the receiver has to be informed of all the transmit power and/or modulation type allocations per sub-carrier, otherwise it cannot decode the data correctly.

System and method for incorporating dynamic orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing into wireless network protocols


A transmitter includes a first wireless communication module, a second wireless communication module, a multiplexer, a digital-to-analog converter and a filter. The multiplexer selectively outputs a first digital signal derived from a digital output of the first wireless communication module or a second digital signal derived from a digital output of the second wireless communication module as a selected output. The digital-to-analog converter converts the selected output into an analog signal. The filter processes the analog signal and includes an adjustable resistive element. When the multiplexer selects the first digital signal as the selected output, the adjustable resistive element is adjusted to have a first resistance value such that the filter has a first bandwidth. When the multiplexer selects the second digital signal as the selected output, the adjustable resistive element is adjusted to have a second resistance value such that the filter has a second bandwidth.

The disclosed embodiments of the present invention relate to a transmitter, and more particularly, to a transmitter having an integrated design of multiple wireless communication modules.
Wireless communication technologies, such as Bluetooth (BT) and WiFi, are commonly applied to smart phones, tablets and personal computers. BT is a wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, and has high levels of security. It can connect several devices at the same time, thereby overcoming problems of synchronization. WiFi is a technology allowing an electronic device to exchange data or connect to the internet wirelessly using radio waves. Many devices can use Wi-Fi, such as personal computers, video-game consoles, smartphones, digital cameras, and digital audio players.
Due to the trend of increasingly slim handheld devices such as smart phones and tablets, when both the WiFi and BT modules are applied, the overall volume of handheld devices becomes too large to be acceptable to consumers, as well as increasing the overall cost. Since the transmission bandwidth and bit number of WiFi and BT are different, how to integrate WiFi and BT functions in a single structure becomes a difficult issue.

Transmitter having integrated design of multiple wireless communication modules


Described are apparatus and method for providing relief in a center bottom region of each of a plurality of recessed pockets for supporting a semiconductor substrates during epitaxial deposition. In a preferred embodiment, the relief takes the form of a rectilinear recess, or cutout, formed along the bottom periphery of each pocket to change the single-point, tangential contact to a double-point contact that stabilizes the substrate supported thereon and that reduces slip formation characterizing conventional, unrelieved pockets formed in barrel-type reactors such as susceptors. The invention lends itself to design and manufacture of such reactors as well as retrofit of an existing installed base of conventional reactors.

Typically, semiconductor wafers are placed within pockets formed in an outer surface of a hollow polyhedral susceptors, also referred to herein as barrel-type susceptors. Various diameters and numbers of wafers are accommodated by the pockets in which the wafers rest. The substrates are in contact with the susceptor pockets on their rear sides and with the pockets' recesses in their lower extremities. Stress results typically from such contact, particularly in the area of the pockets' recesses, and such stress forms slip that tends to migrate from the wafers' peripheries into the useful, circuit-worthy regions thereof.

Susceptor apparatus for epitaxial deposition and method for reducing slip formation on semiconductor substrates


An apparatus for a virtual turntable system for computer generated broadcast video streams for a multiple product sales display. The virtual turntable system collects data, including images and status information, and generates a video stream for presenting product information sequentially on a video monitor. In one embodiment, the virtual turntable system reads the data, including the turntable list, formats and updates the data, and then outputs the data in a video stream. In one embodiment, the virtual turntable system includes a data storage device for storing the data for the virtual turntable system, a computer system for accessing the data and creating item containers for the items on the current item list that are to be displayed on a monitor, and a video imager for creating a video stream for displaying a plurality of current items in a rotating or other sequential manner.

1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to a virtual turntable system for computer generated broadcast video streams for multiple product sales display. More particularly, this invention pertains to a replacement for the prior art system of placing multiple products on a rotating turntable in front of a video camera. The new system collects the data, including images and status information, and generates a video stream for presenting product information sequentially.
2. Description of the Related Art
In broadcast video, one method retailers use to sell multiple items is to place the items 106 on a rotating turntable 102 with a video camera 108 positioned to record images of each item 106 as it rotates past the camera 108. See FIGS. 1A and 1B. In practice, items 106 are placed on a circular tray attached to a motor. A number identifies each item 106 on the turntable 102. A viewer watches the broadcast video on a video screen 112 and can purchase one of the items 106 by calling a number displayed on the screen 112. The number is answered by a call center operator who can provide a price and a description of the item 106 based on the number displayed with the item 106.
The rotating turntable 102 allows viewers to see the current item 106-A for sale and to also see the previous item 106-H, thereby allowing the viewer time to call the call center operator. The turntable 102 also allows the items 106 to be repeatedly shown on the screen 112 with the items shown sequentially.
To create a turntable 102, at least one of each item 106 must be retrieved from stock, arranged on the turntable, and have its information entered into a computer that is accessed by the call center operator. As each item 106 is sold out, the item 106 must be returned to stock, a replacement item 106 must be retrieved from stock, arranged on the turntable 102, and have its information entered into the computer. Any changes or updates requires that the items 106 be replaced or rearranged manually.

Computer generated broadcast video stream for multiple product sale display


Digital image layout training is described using wireframe rendering within a generative adversarial network (GAN) system. A GAN system is employed to train the generator module to refine digital image layouts. To do so, a wireframe rendering discriminator module rasterizes a refined digital training digital image layout received from a generator module into a wireframe digital image layout. The wireframe digital image layout is then compared with at least one ground truth digital image layout using a loss function as part of machine learning by the wireframe discriminator module. The generator module is then trained by backpropagating a result of the comparison.

Digital content creation systems are implemented by computing devices to support creation of a wide range of digital content, such as book covers, webpages, magazine pages, blogs, digital marketing content, and so forth. To do so, digital content creation systems support inclusion and arrangement of a variety of graphic elements together as a digital image layout. For example, blocks of text, vector graphics, digital images, representations of executable functionality (e.g., media players, gifs), banners, advertisements, and so forth may be arranged together to form a digital image layout for a webpage.
Conventional techniques used to generate digital image layouts, however, rely on manual user interaction to specify arrangement of the graphic elements. This is, in part, due to the difficultly in obtaining representations of data for digital image layouts that are suitable for training as part of machine learning. Although techniques have been developed to employ machine learning to generate natural-looking digital images, for instance, these techniques fail when confronted with digital image layouts. This is because the processing of digital images using conventional machine learning techniques is performed at a pixel (e.g., bitmap) level, which does not capture subtleties of design of digital image layouts.
A digital image layout, for example, may be formed using graphic elements that are scalable and that have a variety of different shapes, such as polygons, curves, and ellipses instead of pixels arranged on a regular lattice. A visually correct arrangement of these graphic elements within the digital image layout is a crucial factor in design of the digital image layout. This is because misalignment of two graphic elements by even a few millimeters may be readily apparent to a user and thus ruin an overall effect of the digital image layout. Directly working on parameters of graphic elements using conventional machine learning techniques is difficult to capture these subtleties and therefore training of such a machine learning model at a parameter level may not be sensitive enough to achieve accurate arrangement and layout styles. This causes conventional machine-learning techniques to fail when confronted with digital image layouts and thus require manual user interaction.

Digital image layout training using wireframe rendering within a generative adversarial network (GAN) system


Pliers for cleaning a welding gun nozzle include a right and left handle. The right handle is configured to operate a top left gripping end and a bottom right nozzle cleaner. The left handle is configured to operate a top right gripping end and a bottom left nozzle cleaner. The right handle are hingedly fixed together about a connection point. When the left handle and the right handle are closed, the top left gripping end and the top right gripping end are configured to squeeze together and the bottom right nozzle cleaner and the bottom left nozzle cleaner are configured to spread apart. And, when the left handle and the right handle are opened, the top left gripping end and the top right gripping end are configured to spread apart and the bottom right nozzle cleaner and the bottom left nozzle cleaner are configured to come together.

Generally speaking, gas metal arc welding (GMAW), sometimes referred to by its subtypes metal inert gas (MIG) welding or metal active gas (MAG) welding, is a welding process in which an electric arc forms between a consumable wire electrode and the workpiece metal or metals, which heats the workpiece metals, causing them to melt and join. Along with the wire electrode, a shielding gas feeds through the welding gun, which shields the process from contaminants in the air. Originally developed in the 1940s for welding aluminum and other non-ferrous materials, GMAW was soon applied to steels because it provided faster welding time compared to other welding processes. The cost of inert gas limited its use in steels until several years later, when the use of semi-inert gases such as carbon dioxide became common. Further developments during the 1950s and 1960s gave the process more versatility and as a result, it became a highly used industrial process. Today, GMAW is the most common industrial welding process, preferred for its versatility, speed and the relative ease of adapting the process to robotic automation.
The typical GMAW welding gun has a number of key parts: a control switch, a contact tip, a power cable, a gas nozzle, an electrode conduit and liner, and a gas hose. The control switch, or trigger, when pressed by the operator, initiates the wire feed, electric power, and the shielding gas flow, causing an electric arc to be struck. The contact tip is connected to the welding power source through the power cable and transmits the electrical energy to the electrode while directing it to the weld area. It must be firmly secured and properly sized, since it must allow the electrode to pass while maintaining electrical contact. On the way to the contact tip, the wire is protected and guided by the electrode conduit and liner, which help prevent buckling and maintain an uninterrupted wire feed. The gas nozzle directs the shielding gas evenly into the welding zone. Inconsistent flow may not adequately protect the weld area. Larger nozzles provide greater shielding gas flow, which is useful for high current welding operations that develop a larger molten weld pool.
There are several shapes and sizes of welding nozzles available, including straight, bottleneck and short or long taper nozzles. Straight nozzles typically have larger inside diameters, but don't offer as good of joint access. If greater joint access is critical, a bottleneck nozzle may be the better option. These nozzles are particularly good for automated welding applications. Short and long taper nozzles are also common choices for gaining good joint access. Note, that long taper nozzles typically have a smaller inside diameters and may collect spatter more readily. When possible, using a short taper nozzle can help prevent such a problem. When selecting a nozzle, it is important to find one that provides the best joint access for the application. It is also imperative that the nozzle allows for the proper gas flow to the weld puddle in order to keep contaminants away. As such, the best choice may be to use as large of a nozzle as possible that still allows access to the weld joint. Doing so helps ensure the greatest shielding gas flow. Larger nozzles are also less prone to collecting spatter compared to those with smaller inside diameters. However, the instant disclosure recognizes that even with properly sized and shaped welding nozzle, spatter still occurs and builds up in the welding nozzle and tip.
Welding gun nozzles play a critical role in the welding operation. Having a clean properly sized nozzle for the job can help reduce weld defects, rework and associated downtime, while also extending consumable life. In any welding application, the cleanliness of the nozzle, can have a significant impact on the quality, productivity and overall cost of the welding operation. Storing and handling nozzles properly can also help improve their overall performance. In addition, the amount of time and effort it takes to clean a nozzle effects the associated downtime of the welding operation. All of these factors impact the bottom line. Unfortunately, like other welding consumables, the importance of selecting the right nozzle and keeping the selected nozzle clean is often overlooked.
Currently, welders use various combinations of standard pliers, files and screw drivers for handling and cleaning welding nozzles. However, the instant disclosure recognizes the need for a tool that helps with cleaning the nozzle, including, handling and replacing the welding nozzles.
The instant disclosure is designed to address at least certain aspects of the problems or needs discussed above by providing pliers for cleaning a nozzle of a welding gun.

Pliers for cleaning a nozzle of a welding gun


A powered parachute or pendulum flying machine which includes a mechanism for shortening the chord length of the parachute wing, a mechanism for shortening the distance between the upper and lower airflow surfaces of the parachute wing, and a mechanism for adjusting position of the pilot module relative to the wing so as to adjust the center of gravity of the powered parachute. The mechanism for shortening chord length includes a tube running along the trailing edge of the parachute wing and control lines running from the tube to the pilot module. Pulling in the lines draws the tube forwardly and shortens the chord length. Preferably at the same time as the chord length is decreased, wing height is decreased by the mechanism for shortening the distance between the upper and lower airflow surfaces. Such is accomplished by collapsing a wall disposed between the upper and lower airflow surfaces to the pilot module. When chord length and wing height are decreased, drag is reduced and the speed of the powered parachute increases. To slow down the flying pendulum machine, the chord length lines and wing height lines are slowly released and the release or letting out of such lines is aided by air pressure in air cells in the parachute wing. Further, preferably at the same time as shortening chord length and frame and decreasing wing height, the pilot module is advanced forwardly on the wing via the center of gravity adjustment mechanism, which includes a toothed drive wheel meshing with a toothed frame portion of the wing. The toothed drive wheel is operated by the pilot pulling on a line, which drives a pulley on the drive wheel. Additionally, large scale modified versions of this speed enhanced power parachute can be used on aircraft as a short field take off and landing augmentation which is stowable during regular flight.

A powered parachute is a pendulum style flying machine. A powered parachute conventionally has a parachute and a module suspended from and supported by the parachute. The module has an engine and propeller and in some cases a seat for a pilot and wheels on the module. A powered parachute is an ultralight flying machine. A powered parachute works well in mild weather and at low speeds where the primary purpose is pleasure flying. A conventional powered parachute may have a top speed of 25 to 30 miles per hour.