A portable refrigeration unit for cooling a refrigerated space, the unit comprising an evaporator unit that is separable from a condensing unit, the evaporator unit and condenser unit being connected by extended lengths of flexible hosing, such that the evaporator unit can be positioned within the space and the condenser unit positioned external to the space during cooling operations.

The present invention generally relates to the field of refrigeration and more specifically to devices, apparatuses and systems used to refrigerate enclosed structural spaces of the type often referred to as walk-in freezers or walk-in coolers. More particularly, the invention relates to such devices that are electrically powered and comprise compressor, condenser and evaporator components, wherein the compressor circulates a refrigerant such as Freon gas, delivering the refrigerant in liquid state at high pressure to the condenser where the temperature is reduced, typically by passing air over the condenser. The refrigerant is then drawn into the evaporator, where it evaporates or expands into a gas state and absorbs heat from the air to be cooled, before being drawn back into the compressor for condensing and recirculation.
Most refrigeration systems do not provide a backup mechanism or redundant means for cooling a space that can be utilized when the primary system fails. The cost of such backup systems is typically too prohibitive to provide such a system for each cooler or room. Where redundant systems exist, they are integral components of the cooler or room and are not portable in any manner. Furthermore, such backup systems rely on the same high power circuits as the primary system and are thus useless in situations where the problem is a failure of the power supply rather than a mechanical failure of the primary system.
In many circumstances failure of the refrigeration system for an extended length of time results in the loss of valuable commodities, such as for example food that must be destroyed due to defrosting or warming. Likewise, there are circumstances where hazardous materials, irreplaceable items or other valuable temperature-sensitive items must be maintained at reduced temperature.
Thus, there exists a need for a redundant or secondary refrigeration system that can be utilized to maintain a refrigerated space below a desired temperature when the primary refrigeration system fails or loses power. Ideally, the secondary system is portable and can be utilized with or without retrofitting the refrigerated space. Furthermore, it is desirable that the secondary system operates from standard 115 volt power sources, whether in the form of standard outlets located within or near to the refrigerated space or a gas powered generator.
Additionally, it is often desirable to temporarily cool a room or space that has no primary refrigeration means. Thus, there exists a need for a portable refrigeration system that can be utilized to create a refrigerated space.
It is an object of this invention to provide a modular portable refrigeration unit that addresses the expressed problems, needs and desires and well as possible additional problems, needs and desires that will become obvious after review of the following disclosure. It is a further object of this invention to provide such a refrigeration unit wherein the evaporator means of the refrigeration unit can be physically distanced from the condenser means comprising the compressor and condenser while remaining in fluid communication through lengths of flexible hoses, such that the evaporator means can be positioned within the refrigerated space to be cooled, while the condenser means remains external to the refrigerated space. It is a further object to provide such a refrigeration unit wherein the evaporator means can be temporarily disconnected from the condenser means during relocation into the refrigerated space without loss of refrigerant, then easily reconnected to perform the cooling operation.


A spherical rod end with a flexible fluid conduit is disclosed. The spherical rod end includes a housing having an outer region and a spherical inner race surface, with a fluid passageway extending between the outer region and the inner race surface. A spherical ball is included in the spherical rod end which pivotally mounts within the inner race surface. An elongated flexible fluid conduit, having an end adapted to be coupled to a source of pressurized water and an opposite end in fluid communication with the housing fluid passageway. Water from the pressurized source is used to lubricate the interface between the inner race surface and the spherical ball.

Spherical rod ends are often used when rotary motion is to be converted into reciprocating motion. One example is with a friction curtain apparatus of a vehicle wash, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,600. A motor is used to rotate a crank arm which is connected by a spherical rod end to a connecting rod whose other end is attached to the first ends of a pair of pivot arms. The pivot arms, in turn, are pivotally attached along their mid-lengths to a transverse rod or axis with the far ends of the pivot arms supporting a rack which has friction curtains suspended therefrom. When the crank arm rotates through 360.degree. , the ends of the pivot arms reciprocate forward and backward with the curtains imparting a sweeping, scrubbing or flicking motion to clean a vehicle passing through the vehicle wash.
The crank arm is affixed to a spherical ball on the spherical rod end with the ball pivoting within a race surface of a housing. Pivoting of the ball relative to the race surface may cause friction therebetween and annoying squeaking noise. To reduce friction and the associated noise problem, lubrication is provided to the spherical rod end.
Spherical rod ends are available with grease fittings which pass grease from a grease gun to the interface between the race surface and the ball. However, several problems exist if this type of lubrication is used with a friction curtain apparatus in a vehicle wash. First, only a small quantity of grease can be stored in the spherical rod end. Therefore, it is necessary that the grease fitting be repeatedly filled with grease. Also, as a vehicle wash is typically a soapy environment, the grease is easily broken down and lost. The motor and its crank arm are generally located in a position high above the floor, consequently it is inconvenient to reach the fitting. Further, it is necessary to stop the vehicle wash while the greasing operation is being performed, thereby increasing the downtime of the vehicle wash.
But, using grease within a grease fitting and spherical rod end may result in grease dripping upon the vehicle passing thereunder. The curtains may then actually rub grease into the vehicle, hindering the vehicle cleaning process. Therefore, care must be taken to provide only limited amounts of grease to the spherical rod end.
To avoid the above problems, an alternative lubrication method has been used which includes spraying water externally upon the spherical rod end as the crank arm rotates. A problem associated with this method is that spray striking the spherical rod end spreads over adjacent components of the car wash, which are generally metallic, increasing the rate at which these components rust and reducing their working lives. Also, if the spray is not accurately directed, adequate amounts of water may not be received between the ball-race surface interface with the spherical rod end thereby increasing the possibility of friction and noise because of the lack of lubrication.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned problems.


A display device including data lines, scan lines, data driver, and scan driver is provided. An image signal output from the data driver has a plurality of data sections respectively corresponding to the data lines. Each predetermined number of image sections is defined as a group, and each group of image sections has a first and second reset data. The scan driver sequentially drives the scan lines of first group according to a first start waveform. The data driver writes the first group of data sections into display units on the scan lines of first group respectively. The scan driver drives the scan lines of first group according to a second start waveform after a predetermined period. The data driver writes the first reset data and the second reset data into the display units on a first portion and a second portion of scan lines respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a driving method for a display device.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally speaking, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes a display array structure, and each display unit in the display array has a thin film transistor (TFT). Images displayed by LCDs have high contrast and wide linear grayscale. Moreover, the LCDs have the advantages of square display, low power consumption, and low radiation, so users can enjoy an optimal visual environment. The development of the technology of LCD devices meets the users' requirement. According to the requirements of the users, the size of the LCDs is increased, so it has been an important topic to develop a large-size LCDs.
It is known that the LCD device is a hold type display, which is different from the impulse type display of a cathode ray tube display device. Referring to FIG. 1, the hold type display refers that a display unit remains in a same tone when a frame is displayed. Considering the operation of the circuit, when a frame F11 is displayed, a voltage of a storage capacitor in the display unit remains constant until the LCD device displays next frame F12. However, according to the characteristics of the hold type display, when dynamic images are displayed, a user obviously views blur edges even in an ideal condition (R/T=0) due to visual integration of human eyes.
Therefore, in the conventional LCD device, the hold type display realizes the impulse type display of dynamic images through impulse-driving. FIG. 2 is an architectural view of the system of a conventional impulse type display. As shown in FIG. 2, gate output enable (OE) signals are divided into two groups, and scan driving units 11-14 match with independent vertical start signals STV1-STV4 respectively, so as to insert a black level image data between any two image data. FIG. 3 is a timing diagram of the system of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the writing of the image data and the writing of the black level data share the time of a same scan line (time division processing). Therefore, in case of high resolution and high frame rate, the charging will be insufficient, so the images cannot be displayed correctly.

Display device and driving method thereof


A reel seat includes a fixed hood for engaging one end of a reel foot, a movable hood for engaging the other end of the reel foot, and a seat base extending between the two hoods and surrounding a rod core in regions of the hoods. The seat base includes a recess in at least one side thereof indented between the two hoods toward the rod core as seen in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the rod core, so that the outer edge defining the recess has a smaller width around a middle portion than portions around opposite ends in plan view.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to reel seats, and more particularly to a reel seat having a fixed hood for engaging one end of a reel foot, a movable hood for engaging the other end of the reel foot, and a seat base extending between the fixed hood and movable hood and completely surrounding a rod core in regions of the two hoods.
2. Description of the Related Art
A reel seat as noted above is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication Kokai No. 4-35767, for example. This conventional reel seat has a seat base formed tubular and mounted on a rod core. A fixed hood is formed integral with the seat base, with a movable hood mounted to be movable axially of the rod core.
The above reel seat is mounted on a lure rod. Where the reel seat is used to attach a spinning reel, the angler holds the seat base in his or her hand, with a finger or fingers hooked on a foot of the reel. Where the reel seat is used to attach a small baitcasting reel, the angler controls the fishing rod while holding the reel seat and reel together in a mode known as palming.
With a lure rod having a relatively small diameter, the tubular seat base surrounding the rod core has the advantage of facilitating grip of the reel seat. With this structure, the angler grips the seat base which has a substantially uniform outside diameter from the fixed hood to the movable hood. Consequently, when the angler holds the fishing rod with his or her fingers hooked on the foot of a spinning reel or holds a baitcasting reel in the palming mode as noted above, the fingertips tend to slip on the seat base, thereby to hamper control of the fishing rod.
This inconvenience will be described more particularly in relation to the respective types of reels. In the case of a spinning reel, the angler holds the fishing rod with a thumb and fingers extending past the reel foot and gripping the seat base. Where the seat base has a circular outer configuration and a relatively large radius of curvature, the thumb and fingers contact and extend circuitously around side surfaces of the seat base. Consequently, the thumb and fingers tend to hold the reel foot only insufficiently. In the palming mode, the second and third fingers are passed around the seat base with the thumb placed on a thumb rest formed on an upper surface of the reel. In this way, the thumb and fingers grip the reel and seat base together. Where the seat base has a circular outer configuration and a relatively large radius of curvature, the second and third fingers tend to slip relative to the seat base. Thus, in each case, the angler must apply a strong force to the fingertips, thereby to become tired soon, while losing good control of the fishing rod.


A thermocouple vacuum sensor is provided, the thermocouple being surrounded by a gas or mixture of gases the pressure of which is to be measured. Cyclically the thermocouple is heated until its temperature reaches an upper temperature threshold. The thermocouple is subsequently cooled until its temperature reaches a lower temperature threshold. The heating time required to heat the thermocouple from the lower to the upper temperature threshold is measured. The cooling time required to cool the thermocouple from the upper temperature threshold to the lower temperature threshold may also be measured. The pressure surrounding the thermocouple may then be determined as a function of either the heating time, or the cooling time, or both.

Thermocouple measuring tubes are known in the art to measure pressure in a partial vacuum. A change in pressure in the measuring tube changes the molecular collision rate and therefore the thermal conduction of the gas or gas mixture surrounding the thermocouple. Such measuring tubes are typically operated using one of two alternative operating methods.
In a first operating method, an alternating voltage is continuously applied to the thermocouple, thereby heating the thermocouple. The resulting temperature shift depends on the pressure of the surrounding gas or gas mixture and causes a change in the thermocouple's DC output inversely with pressure changes. Unfortunately this operating method can only be used within a relatively small pressure measurement range. Examples utilizing this operating method are DV-4 and DV-6 thermocouple vacuum gauge tubes manufactured by Teledyne Hastings.
In a second operating method, the thermocouple's temperature is electronically controlled to maintain a predetermined temperature by continuously adjusting the electrical power applied to the thermocouple. The amount of power applied to the thermocouple is evaluated and used as a measure for the pressure of the partial vacuum. This operating method extends the measurement range of pressures in a vacuum, but not by much.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,002, hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, describes an operating method, in which a pulsed heating current is supplied to the thermocouple. In the "off" periods of the heating pulse the generated thermoelectric voltage (EMF) is measured using an amplifier. A comparator compares the measured, amplified thermoelectric voltage to a set-point value. If the amplified EMF deviates from the set-point value, the length of the heating pulse is adjusted to move the amplified EMF towards the set-point value. This maintains a constant temperature at the thermocouple while operated.
A similar method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,551, in which the constant temperature at the thermocouple is maintained by controlling the current of the heating pulse. U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,551 is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,727,709, hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, describes a thermal conduction vacuum gauge using a Peltier tip. The Peltier tip is part of a measuring bridge in a vacuum chamber. The measuring bridge may be operated at constant power or at constant temperature. A voltage signal obtained from the measuring bridge is a measure of the pressure.
DD 249 534 A1 describes a method and a system for measuring the pressure of gases. The partial vacuum is measured by use of a current-carrying electrical measuring resistor whose resistance changes with temperature. The measuring resistor is heated by high-voltage pulses. During the "off" periods of the heating pulse, low voltage is applied to the measuring resistor in order to determine its resistance upon cooling. The cooling time following a heating pulse is used as a measure of the pressure. A disadvantage is that the low voltage applied during cooling influences the cooling time.
EP 1 409 963 B1 by the same applicant, which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, describes sensors and methods for detecting measurement variables and physical parameters. Sensors, for example Pirani measuring elements, whose electrical resistance changes as the result of current flow and the associated temperature increase, are supplied with electrical pulses. The amplitude of these pulses is changed over time according to a mathematical function.
During a measuring cycle the voltage of the pulses may, for example, be increased linearly over time. Correspondingly, the power to the sensor measuring element increases quadratically over time. For a Pirani gauge operated in this manner, the time required to reach a specified temperature threshold value is used as a measure of the pressure. Since time can be measured very precisely at low cost, this method has major advantages, such as extension of the measurement range, greater accuracy, and low power consumption. The described operating method is used in model VSP-62 Pirani vacuum gauges manufactured by Thyracont Vacuum Instruments GmbH.
However, the described vacuum gauges only evaluate the time required to reach a specified temperature during heating. The cooling time is not evaluated, since measuring the resistance of the Pirani element requires applying a measuring voltage, which interferes with the cooling of the element.
Therefore, in light of the problems associated with existing approaches, there is a need for improved systems and methods for accurately measuring pressures in a vacuum over a wide range.


A method of reading machine-readable marks on a movable support and object of a sample instrument. The method includes capturing a first image of the moveable support as the moveable support moves from a first position to a second position using an image capture device; determining whether a first fiducial machine-readable mark on the moveable support is in the first image; determining, when the first fiducial machine-readable mark is in the first image, whether a first machine-readable mark on a first object coupled to the moveable support is in the first image at a predetermined position relative to the first fiducial machine-readable mark; and associating information decoded from the first machine-readable mark on the first object with a first location on the moveable support associated with the first fiducial machine-readable mark.

An assay instrument performs assays on fluid sample material. For example, in the clinical laboratory context, the analyzer system can be configured to perform multi-step analytical processes (for example, a nucleic acid test (NAT) designed to detect microbe, such as a virus or a bacterium) that involve adding substances (e.g., fluids), such as samples, solid supports, buffers, oil, primers, polymerases, nucleotides, labels, probes, or other reaction fluids, to and/or removing substances from receptacles, agitating receptacles to mix the contents thereof, maintaining and/or altering the temperature of the contents of the receptacles, heating or chilling the contents of the receptacles, altering the concentration of one or more content components of the receptacles, separating or isolating constituent components of the contents of the receptacles, detecting an electromagnetic signal emission (e.g., light) from the contents of the receptacles, deactivating or halting an on-going reaction, or any combination of two or more of such processes.
The assay instrument can be automated to perform the desired analytical process. In such applications, positively matching results of the analytical process to particular sample is needed. To do this, the assay instrument needs to know the locations of sample containers placed onto the instrument. It is also desirable to perform similar tracking of reagents and consumables used to generate results. This disclosure discusses a method to track samples, reagents, and consumables using a hand held or automatic image based barcode reader or similar imaging system. In a typical method of sample tracking, sample containers are labeled with a machine-readable label, e.g., a barcode. The sample container is placed into a holder or rack on an instrument and the instrument either automatically moves the container or monitors the location of a manually moved container. The instrument or operator moves the samples to a location where a built-in barcode reader reads the label on the sample container. The instrument "knows" the location of the sample because the instrument actively moved or monitored the position of a particular sample. The instrument can associate a sample in a particular location or slot in a holder with its barcode and now all processing of the particular sample can be positively tracked to that sample's barcode.
Actuators to move samples in front of an on-board barcode reader or mechanisms to allow the operator to move the samples to the reader while the instrument monitors position can add cost and size to an implementation of an instrument and can have possible negative affects on the reliability of the instrument. The method discussed in this disclosure shows an alternative where a hand-held barcode reader and a specially labeled rack or labeled positions in the instrument allow positive association of a sample with a position in a rack or positive association of a reagent or other consumable with a position in an instrument.

Method for reading machine-readable marks on racks and receptacles


A statistical delay simulation apparatus includes: a circuit simulator for simulating a circuit operation of a circuit cell constituting an LSI; a statistical delay library generator for driving the circuit simulator and generating, based on a process parameter and the like, a statistical delay library in which the dependency of a delay variation on a predetermined operation condition in each circuit cell is described; a delay calculator for calculating a delay amount of each circuit cell to generate a statistical LSI delay information file containing data on the calculated delay amount; and a static timing analyzer for simulating, based on data of the statistical LSI delay information file, an operation with a delay variation of the LSI to generate a statistical LSI delay analysis result file.

The present invention relates to a statistical simulation apparatus and a simulation method for estimating a variation in delay of an LSI circuit due to variation causes occurring in LSI fabrication processes or the like and utilizing a result of the estimation in simulation of LSI circuit delay.
With development of fabrication technologies, rapid improvements of transistors have been made in terms of size reduction and integration density increase. Accordingly, as for CMIS semiconductor integrated circuit devices (hereinafter, referred to as "LSIs"), devices in which various functions are formed on one chip have been developed in recent years.
When an LSI is developed, a design margin is normally provided during fabrication process steps. There are various factors requiring consideration of a design margin. For example, a variation in electric properties of each transistor constituting a circuit may be caused in fabrication process steps or such a variation may also be caused due to change in an operation environment such as voltage or temperature. Thus, a design margin has to be considered at any time.
As shown in FIG. 22, in general, an LSI can be decomposed into signal paths 200 each including 1st through nth (where n is 1 or an integer larger than 1) stage circuit cells 202 between two flipflops 201.
Each of the circuit cells 202 includes logic circuits such as inverter, NAND and NOR. The logic circuits are connected to each other by an interconnect. In this case, it is required to design an LSI so that a delay caused when a signal is propagated through a series of the circuit cells 202 included in a signal path 200 can be fit within a predetermined period which is determined based on a cycle time of a clock signal 203 (normally, the reciprocal of an operation frequency or a clock frequency, or a period obtained by integrally multiplying the reciprocal). This relationship will be expressed as Equation 1.tcycle≧Σti+K(where i=1, 2, . . . nth integer)  [Equation 1]
In this equation, tcycle indicates a cycle time which is a design target property to be achieved, Σti indicates the total sum of signal propagation delays ti between the input and output terminals of a circuit cell i located between flipslops 201, K indicates the sum of a set-up time of the flipflops 201, a skew of the clock signal 203 and the like.
A design margin is indicated by coefficients for various variation causes for delays which are called "derating factors". For example, as shown in the following Equation 2, there is a method in which a delay value under the worst condition is simply estimated from a standard (or typical) delay value to achieve a labor saving design. Herein, tworst indicates the worst value for each signal path delay, ttyp indicates a standard value for each signal path delay, P indicates a delay variation coefficient for a delay due to a variation in fabrication process steps, V indicates a delay variation coefficient for a delay due to a power supply voltage range, and T indicates a delay variation coefficient for a delay due to a temperature range. In this case, a standard value for delays of all signal paths in an LSI is first obtained, and then the obtained value is multiplied by each of the derating factors P, V and T to simply obtain a worst value for a design margin. Herein, the right side of Equation 2 corresponds to Σti in Equation 1.
An example for the derating factors is shown in FIG. 23. Assume that P, V and T in Equation 2 are substituted by values shown in FIG. 23. A worst delay value tworst can be obtained from a standard (typ) delay value ttyp based on Equation 3. Moreover, a best delay value tbest can be obtained based on Equation 4 in the same manner. Thus, the operation of an LSI under each of the best and worst conditions can be confirmed at the time of designing.tworst=ttyp×P×V×T  [Equation 2]tworst=ttyp×1.4×1.15×1.1  [Equation 3]tworst=ttyp×0.6×0.85×0.9  [Equation 4]
In an LSI, quality and performance trade off each other. Therefore, it is safe to provide an excessive margin for an LSI, but if so, useless part in a design is increased, so that performance (e.g., operation frequency) is deteriorated.
On the other hand, if a margin is too small, lack of quality increases possibility of causing malfunction. Therefore, unless an appropriate margin, i.e., a not excessive and not too small margin, can be evaluated and an designing environment which allows designing based on the evaluation is provided, it is difficult to effectively develop an LSI, such as recent digital signal processors, which allows great performance and high quality at the same time.
Moreover, with a method in which a design margin is provided based on delay calculation performed by using fixed derating factors for all of the LSI's signal paths, such as the method shown in FIG. 23 using worst conditions, an optimum margin for each signal path can not be evaluated and also can not be set. Therefore, in many cases, an excessive margin as a whole is produced.
Then, a method for statistically calculating delays of an LSI without using derating factors has been known (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,167). This is a method in which a variation in delay of a circuit cell included in an LSI, i.e., a delay probability distribution is expressed by a histogram, a delay probability distribution for each circuit cell located along a signal path in the LSI is obtained by operation using obtained histograms, and then precision of a design is evaluated by the obtained variation (probability distribution) in output delay of the signal path. With this method, delay variations according to signal paths can be individually evaluated. Therefore, a design margin can be designed so as not to be excessive or too small, compared to a method in which derating factors are used.
However, in the known LSI delay statistical simulation method described in the above-described United States Patent Publication, a variation in delay of a circuit cell is expressed by a histogram. Therefore, it is possible to give an arbitrary probability distribution (shape) but it is also required to perform operations by carrying out multiple superposed integrations using a histogram in a range of each probability distribution in order to obtain a variation in delay of a signal path. Thus, a problem in which the operation becomes complex arises.
Moreover, another problem is that since a circuit cell has a fixed value for a delay variation and changes in the connection state and layout state of each circuit cell in the LSI are not taken into consideration, reliability of finally obtained operation results is low.
Moreover, in an initial stage of LSI development, there is the demand of understanding of ranges of upper and lower limits for a delay variation even roughly. However, in the known method described above, the ranges of upper and lower limits for a delay variation can not be understood in a simple manner.
Moreover, in the known method, as shown in FIG. 23, a delay variation is assumed to have a symmetrical distribution about the typ value, i.e., variation amounts on either side of the best side and the worst side are the same. In fact, there are cases where the distribution of a delay variation is asymmetrical about the typ value. In such cases, variation amounts on the best side and the worst side are different from each other. This asymmetrical phenomenon can be dealt with by only the above-described complex calculation using a histogram, but it can not be dealt with in a simple manner by using other calculations.

Apparatus for statistical LSI delay simulation

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for providing an estimate of cost of a claim to a homeowner. One of the methods includes receiving information about damage to a home of a homeowner. The method includes retrieving a home insurance policy associated with the homeowner and home insurance claims that have been submitted by other homeowners. The method also includes analyzing the information about the damage, the home insurance policy, and the home insurance claims to determine an estimate of cost of a claim that would cover the damage. In addition, the method includes providing the homeowner with the estimate of cost of the claim.

Home insurance, or homeowners insurance, is an insurance policy that protects against losses occurring to one's home and its contents. The homeowners insurance can help to cover the cost of replacing or repairing the home in various events such as fire, theft, vandalism, or weather-related events. After the damage occurs, the homeowner can file a claim with an insurance company to receive a reimbursement for repair or replacement costs. However, in general, home insurance policies do not require the homeowners to file a claim when damage occurs, and in many cases, it is advantageous for the homeowner to not make a claim. As a result, homeowners are often faced with the challenge of determining whether or not to file a claim with an insurance company.

Recommendation engine for cost of a claim

United Services Automobile Association (USAA)


A leash according including an elongated lead having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, a first handle disposed at the proximal end portion, a collar attachment mechanism disposed at the distal end portion, and a second handle disposed intermediate the proximal and distal end portions, the second handle being adjustable in position along the elongated lead and adjustable in size.

A leash for restraining or tethering an animal such as a dog typically includes an elongated lead having a handle at one end and a clasp at the other end for attachment to the animal's collar. The handle allows the user some control of the animal while walking or standing.
Some leashes may also have second handles, which allow the user to have even more control of the animal. This is particularly useful in the case of relatively larger or stronger animals. However, even when using a leash with a second handle, the user's size and leverage relative to a larger and stronger animal may limit the ability of the user to control the animal. For example, a user may desire to keep a larger animal on a relatively short leash to have better control, which would require the user to wrap the excess leash portion around his/her hand so that the leash handles can be held closer to the user's body. However, the process of wrapping the leash is not particularly effective, especially when a user needs to cease immediate control of an animal that has suddenly began acting unruly. Wrapping the leash around the user's hand may also result in an injury if the animal pulls on the leash. Further, a user's hand may slip out of the leash handles if the handles are too large for the user. Similarly, if the leash handle is too small, the handle may not fit a user with a large hand.
Accordingly, there is a need for a leash that allows a user to control an animal without being limited by the size and location of the handles on the leash.


Systems and methods for dynamically managing the states (e.g., enabling/disabling) of telecommunication services/features are disclosed. To do so, the system associates parameters (e.g., timers) with the impacted services/features. For example, when a user experiences issues with voice calls, he/she calls the telecommunications service provider (carrier) to help resolve the issue. A customer care representative may ask the user to temporality turn off the VoNR service to help alleviate the issue. When the user turns off (or toggles off) the VoNR service on his/her mobile device, the system can start a configurable timer (parameter) for the VoNR service. In this manner, the system can replace the conventional toggle on/off feature with a time-based feature. The system monitors the timer's value and when the timers value reaches a target value (e.g., 24 hours, 1 week, etc.), the system alerts the user that the VoNR service will be turned on (or toggled on).

Various types of networks, including wireless networks, cellular networks, and other types of telecommunications networks, provide people across the world with communication services. For example, in most locations around the world, a user of a mobile device can access a network and communicate with other users or systems, either via voice calls, text messages, or data over the Internet. These networks, and their entrenched ubiquity, have connected users to many different users as well as to vast troves of information and services. Telecommunication networks, arguably, have made the world better for people.
The technologies described herein will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from studying the Detailed Description in conjunction with the drawings. Embodiments or implementations describing aspects of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and the same references can indicate similar elements. While the drawings depict various implementations for the purpose of illustration, those skilled in the art will recognize that alternative implementations can be employed without departing from the principles of the present technologies. Accordingly, while specific implementations are shown in the drawings, the technology is amenable to various modifications.

Dynamic management of telecommunication services at user equipment


Vehicle costs may be allocated between users of a vehicle, including autonomous vehicles. A vehicle cost allocation (VCA) computing device receives an anticipated trip report associated with an anticipated future trip, the anticipated trip report associated with at least one vehicle user including an anticipated driver of the vehicle and an anticipated passenger, the anticipated trip report including at least one of an anticipated destination and a distance of the anticipated future trip. The VCA computing device is also configured to determine one or more anticipated vehicle costs for the anticipated future trip. The vehicle costs may include usage-based or trip-based insurance. The VCA computing device is also configured to allocate a respective portion of the vehicle cost to the anticipated driver and passenger and transmit the anticipated vehicle costs to for review by the anticipated driver.

As car buyers become ever more finance and eco-conscious, vehicle manufacturers have responded by offering new buying options, including shared-ownership/shared-lease options. These options may offer car owners and lessors the opportunity to share responsibility and cost for the vehicle between multiple vehicle users, reducing the financial burden and the environmental impact of vehicle usage. However, these new options also present issues for these vehicle users in how they will split those vehicle costs—including insurance, fuel, and maintenance costs, among others—in the manner they find most equitable and fair. Even if these vehicle users can agree on one or more of these cost-sharing issues, even more problems arise when considering how to manage the actual allocation and subsequent payment of those costs.

Systems and methods for allocating vehicle costs between vehicle users for anticipated trips

STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY


Provided is a display device including: left and right displays that are spaced apart from each other; left and right lens groups respectively located at the rear of the left display and the rear of the right display; left and right display housings configured to surround the left and right displays and the left and right lens groups; a main frame provided between the left and right display housings; a connection structure capable of adjusting an angle between the main frame and a connector electrically connected to an external electronic device; and electronic components provided inside the main frame.

A user may view an image obtained by capturing a 3-dimensional (3D) space, by wearing a virtual reality (VR) device on his or her head. The user may turn his or her head while viewing the image and the VR device reproduces the image according to a direction in which the user's head is facing.
The VR device is manufactured to be wearable on the head, and the user may view a VR image while wearing the VR device on his or her head. The VR image is a 360° rotatable image.

Display device and method for providing VR image


This invention relates to a continuous process for incorporating additives into or onto polymer granules by high speed/high intensity mixing of entrained polymer granules and additive particles, wherein the additive is provided in the form of an additive dispersion.

The polymerization of lower .alpha.-olefins to produce polyolefins is an industry of substantial significance. In a conventional polymerization process, regardless of process type, the polymer product is removed from the polymerization reactor periodically or continuously and is separated from the other product mixture components. The polyolefin is typically recovered as granules whose size and shape depend in part upon the particular catalyst and process used. As a part of converting the initial polymerization product to a marketable commodity, it is usually necessary to provide one or more additives to the polymer product to improve stability or other characteristics which may be determined by the particular end use contemplated for the polymer. The applicable additives include thermo-oxidative stabilizers, ultraviolet light stabilizers, processing stabilizers, acid acceptors and other materials chosen to modify the processability and properties of the polymeric substrate. The provision of such additives to the polymer does present some difficulty on occasion.
One conventional method of incorporating additives such as stabilizers into a polyolefin polymer involves the extrusion step typically employed to produce the polymer in pellet form. Stabilizers are mixed with the polymer feed to the extruder and stabilized compositions are produced by the mixing associated with the extrusion. The resulting stabilized polymer is in the physical form of pellets and much of the commercial polyolefin, particularly polypropylene, is marketed in this form. The extrusion method, although widely practiced, has disadvantages in that the polymer and/or additive may degrade under the conditions of heat and shear encountered in the extrusion. Further, the extrusion process is energy-intensive.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,409 there is disclosed a method of coating resin particles which involves high intensity mechanical mixing of a polymer with additives and a binder. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,246 there is claimed a polymeric material which has been coated with additives and a binder through the use of a mechanical mixer. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,617, Chatterjee, there is disclosed a method of stabilizing polypropylene after passage from the polymerization reactor. This method involves application of additives dispersed in hot, molten wax. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,271,185 a process is described wherein vaporizable antioxidant is added to a fluidized bed of polymer. In Chatterjee, U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,772 a process is described for applying additives in the form of an additive aqueous dispersion to a fluidized bed of polymer granules. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,246 discloses the use of a batch-type mixer to produce a polyolefin molding material coated with organic binder and additive such as filler.
It would be advantageous to provide an improved method of applying additives to polymeric materials, as well as the additive-incorporating polymer compositions produced by that process.

Post-polymerization additive incorporation process


Photooxidation of cyclohexene or tetralin is effected preferably in the presence of a photosensitizer such as an aliphatic ketone by light of wave length of about 2000 .ANG.-7000 .ANG. to form hydroperoxide, alcohol, and ketone products in good photoconversion yield and selectivity.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, various hydrocarbons have been oxidized to produce desired products. Illustrative of disclosures setting forth such reactions are the following:
(i) German Patent DE 3,229,001 to Union Carbide as assignee of R. Wilson discloses oxidation of tetralin in the presence of a carboxyl-containing ion exchanger which preferably has been modified with Cr ions and an amine such as 5-ethyl-2-methyl pyridine.
(ii) USSR SN 924,032 to Terpugova et al (as reported at Chem. Abstr. 97: 182,013 q) discloses oxidation of tetralin to prepare alpha-tetralone at 60.degree. C.-120.degree. C. in the presence of polydehydrobutoxychrysoidine.
(iii) USSR 825,480 to Borisenkova et al (as reported at Chem. Abstr 95:115,134 a) discloses oxidation of tetralin at 80.degree. C.-150.degree. C. with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of Co or Fe phthalocyanine.
(iv) Japan Kokai 78 18,553 to Imamura et al (as reported at Chem. Abstr. 88:169,830 y) discloses oxidation of tetralin at 30.degree. C.-120.degree. C. with oxygen in various liquids in the presence of Co carboxylate or nitrate.
(v) Japan Kokai 76 48643 to Kudo et al (as reported at Chem. Abstr. 85:62,856 x) discloses oxidation of tetralin in the presence of catalyst comprising Cr salts of C.sub.5 -C.sub.25 organic acid plus aliphatic amines or quinolines.
(vi) Japan Kokai 75 58044 to Kudo et al (as reported at Chem Abstr 85: 114,075 x) discloses oxidation of tetralin in the presence of Cr oxide and lutidine.
Other references related to photooxidation may include:
(vii) K. Gollnick Photooxidation and its Application in Industry La Chimica E L' Industria, V 64, N.3, Mar. 20, 1982 and references cited therein.
(viii) M. Pasternak and A. Morduchowitz Photochemical Oxidation and Dimerization of Alkylbenzenes Tet. Let. Vol 24, 4275 (1983) and references cited therein.
Continuing attempts are being made to provide a process for oxidation of compounds such as tetralin and cyclohexene in order to permit attainment of desired products under more favorable controlled conditions.
It is an object of this invention to provide a novel process for oxidizing compounds such as tetralin and cyclohexene. Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.


A data correction apparatus, a data correction method and a tangible machine-readable medium thereof are provided. The data correction method comprises the following steps: receiving a plurality of packets; determining that all of the packets are erroneous packets according to cyclic redundancy check (CRC) information thereof; retrieving any number of pairs among the packets to proceed an exclusive-OR (XOR) logical calculation to generate a plurality of error patterns; obtaining an overall error pattern according to an OR logical calculation of the error patterns; and calculating a correct packet according to one or more of the packets and the overall error pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data correction apparatus, a data correction method and a tangible machine-readable medium thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a data correction apparatus, a data correction method and a tangible machine-readable medium thereof that use cyclic redundancy check (CRC) information to calculate a correct packet.
2. Descriptions of the Related Art
With the aid of network communications, users are able to exchange information, conduct voice communication or even conduct goods transactions. For this reason, networks have become indispensable in the daily life of modern people. Users can upload or download a wide variety of information via networks, and such information is transmitted via the networks in form of data packets. However, due to the noise in the network data transmission channel or communication interference from other data transmissions underway in the networks, errors or even corruptions usually occur in the data packets when being received at the receiving end, thereby causing degradation in the performance of the network communications.
To improve this problem, network equipment manufacturers have used the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) mechanism that has been practiced for many years. CRC is a kind of error detection mechanism which has found wide application in media access control (MAC) layers of wired and wireless networks. To use the CRC mechanism, a data transmitting end adds, in the data to be transmitted, a CRC remainder to generate a data packet with a CRC code, and then transmits the resulting data packet with the CRC code. When receiving the data packet with the CRC code, the receiving end checks the packet against the CRC code, and if an error is found in the received data packet, the receiving end will abandon the data packet that is determined to be erroneous.
In combination with the aforesaid CRC mechanism for error detection, the receiving end may further employ a retransmission mechanism, e.g., the automatic repeat request (ARQ) or hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) framework, to request the transmitting end to retransmit the previously transmitted data packet with the CRC code. In this way, the receiving end can filter out erroneous data packets and acquire the correct data packet through retransmissions, thereby decreasing the error rate of data transmissions in network communications.
Unfortunately, in case the network data transmission channel experiences very poor conditions or suffers from very serious communication interference, the data transmitting end has to retransmit the data packet many times to ensure that the correct data packet has been received without error at the receiving end. This is effective in decreasing the error rate of data transmissions, but wastes network bandwidth resources. Accordingly, decreasing both the error rate of data transmissions and usage of network bandwidth resources at the same time in the network communications is still a problem.

Data correction apparatus, data correction method and tangible machine-readable medium thereof


Provided is an organic light emitting display device. The organic light emitting display device comprises a substrate; a first electrode formed on the substrate and including a first sub-electrode and a second sub-electrode which have different reflectivities with respect to light wavelengths and are mutually stacked; an organic layer formed on the first electrode and including an organic light emitting layer; and a second electrode formed on the organic layer.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to an organic light emitting display device which can emit lights having desired wavelengths, respectively, and thus can emit white light with high efficiency.
2. Description of the Related Technology
An organic light emitting display device is a self-luminous display device which emits light through application of a voltage to an organic light emitting layer that is interposed between a positive electrode and a negative electrode.
In such an organic light emitting display device, one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is generally used as a reflection electrode and the other is used as a transparent electrode. Light emitted from the organic light emitting layer is generally provided in one direction.
For example, if a positive electrode that is used as a reflection electrode is formed on a substrate, an organic light emitting layer is formed on the positive electrode, and a negative electrode that is used as a transparent electrode is formed on the organic light emitting layer. Then, light emitted from the organic light emitting layer is provided in the direction of the negative electrode. An organic light emitting display device having such a structure is called a top-emission organic light emitting display device.
As another example, if a positive electrode that is used as a transparent electrode is formed on a substrate, an organic light emitting layer is formed on the positive electrode, and a negative electrode that is used as a reflection electrode is formed on the organic light emitting layer. Then, light emitted from the organic light emitting layer is provided in the direction of the positive electrode (or in the direction of the substrate). An organic light emitting display device having such a structure is called a bottom-emission organic light emitting display device.
When the positive electrode is used as a reflection electrode, it is typically formed of metal having high reflectivity.


A medication dispenser (2, 120) is used to directly fill a syringe (8, 134) with measured amounts of one or more liquid medications, typically two different types of insulin, from containers, such as vials (4, 6) and cartridges (230, 232, 234) each having a septum at one end; each cartridge has a pierceable piston (256) at the other end. The septum of each container is pierced by hollow liquid spikes (54) while hollow gas spikes (56) pierce the septum of the vial and the piston of the cartridge. Liquid is pumped out of the container and air is replaced into the container through the liquid and gas spikes. Two of the cartridges can contain a diluent (231) and a lyophilized component (233) respectively; the diluent in the first cartridge can be pumped into the second cartridge through a one-way valve to create a mixed pharmaceutical which is then pumped into the syringe, with or without another pharmaceutical.

Therapeutic insulin is of three basic types: fast-acting, intermediate-acting and long-acting. Insulin users often use a combination of two types of insulin depending on the user's blood sugar level, the time of day, nourishment intake and expected activity. For example, insulin injected at the beginning of an active day may have more of the fast-acting insulin, while the insulin injection given at the end of the day before going to bed would likely have more intermediate or long-acting insulin.
One of the problems with conventional insulin syringes is that they are designed to inject only one type of insulin, not a combination. Although insulin can be obtained as a mixture of the two types, the mixtures are generally a preset combination, such as 70% intermediate-acting and 30% fast-acting. Thus, the prior art limits the insulin user to a set mixture of the two insulins or the need to make two separate injections.
Another problem relates to pharmaceuticals which are kept in a lyophilized (dried) condition until use; they are then mixed with a diluent to reconstitute the pharmaceutical. This is conventionally done by syringe transfer.

Syringe-filling and medication mixing dispenser


An agricultural product delivery system having a controller with a non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store instructions and a processor configured to execute the instructions. The instructions may include instructions to determine a first time-to-target of a first metering section of an agricultural implement in a field, determine a second time-to-target of a second metering section of the agricultural implement in the field, control a first motor coupled to the first metering section to an ON state when the first time-to-target is less than or equal to a first delivery delay of the first metering section, and control a second motor coupled to the second metering section to the ON state when the second time-to-target is less than or equal to a second delivery delay of the second metering section.

The present disclosure relates generally to the control of metering systems for particulate agricultural products.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Generally, agricultural seeding implements are towed behind a work vehicle, such as a tractor. These implements generally contain a particulate agricultural products, such as seeds, fertilizer, and/or other agricultural products, which is distributed on or in the ground using various methods. An air cart may be towed with the agricultural implement to hold the agricultural product to be delivered to the field by the metering systems of the agricultural implement. The particulate material is distributed to the rows in a field from the metering systems. The metering systems of the agricultural implement are arranged on the agricultural implement to deliver the agricultural product to multiple rows. The path length from the air cart to the metering systems may vary based on the arrangement of the metering system and the seeding implement configuration (e.g. working width, row spacing, etc.). Unfortunately, this varied path length may lead to over-application or under-application of the agricultural product to the field due to the difference in travel time for the metered product to reach ground.

Look-ahead functionality tuning for independent sections


A supporting installation (1) for supporting a number of turns, extending helically one upon the other in a stack, of an at least partly self-supporting conveyor belt (2) comprises at least one bearing element (9) for supporting the conveyor belt (2), and a section (4) for supporting the bearing element (9). The section (4) is extended in an endless loop along which the bearing element (9) is movable. At least one bearing element (9) is a roller bearing element (10).

Supporting installations of the above type are used, for instance, in the foodstuff industry for supporting conveyor belts in compact air treatment plants, in which products arranged on the helically travelling conveyor belt are exposed to a flow of air. The flow of air can be adapted, for instance, to freeze or heat the product.
Air treatment plants of this type thus comprise a conveyor belt and a supporting installation. The conveyor belt is arranged in a helical path, the supporting installation being adapted to support the lowermost turn of the conveyor belt. In the contact surfaces between the conveyor belt and the supporting installation, relatively great, radially inwardly directed and vertically downwardly directed forces are applied, which cause frictional forces.
To reduce the frictional forces between the conveyor belt and the supporting installation it is known to arrange a slide bearing on the supporting installation, said slide bearing being capable of reducing the frictional forces caused by the vertical forces.
The drawbacks of such a solution are that it does not satisfactorily solve the problem with friction since relatively high frictional forces are still generated. Furthermore, this known solution is not capable of solving the problems that exist with regard to frictional forces caused by the radially inwardly directed forces which the conveyor belt exerts on the supporting installation.
SE 454,728 discloses a supporting installation, in which a bearing element containing balls is arranged between the conveyor belt and a section. The supporting installation comprises a chain on which the conveyor belt rests. The chain rests in turn on said balls, which thus are arranged in a channel defined by said chain together with the section, which forms a ball race. The balls act as a ball bearing between the conveyor belt and the section. Supporting installations comprising bearing elements in the form of balls are also known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,871 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,228.
There may in some cases be a need for supporting installations which have a higher capacity with regard to operating speed as well as load than the above-mentioned type of supporting installation with bearing elements in the form of balls.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,006,456 discloses a suspension device comprising a number of first and second pairs of wheels which are alternately arranged and connected to each other. The device is adapted to run in a square tube with a longitudinal slot. The first pairs of wheels each have an axle which via a link is adapted to be connected to an element that is to be suspended. The second pairs of wheels are perpendicularly arranged in relation to the first pairs of wheels.
It should be noted that the first and second pairs of wheels do not act as a bearing element.
A bearing element acts as a bearing between two parts, the bearing element being able to move independently of said parts.
There is thus a need for an improved supporting installation for supporting a helically travelling conveyor belt, said supporting installation having a higher capacity as regards operating speed and load.

Supporting installation and bearing element therefor


A priority encoder for generating a priority-encoded address which identifies the highest priority request line. According to one priority scheme, the active request line having the lowest address has the highest priority. The priority encoder is capable of generating the priority-encoded address by determining information corresponding to the most significant bits of the priority-encoded address and using this information in the computation of less significant bits of the priority-encoded address. Using purely combinatorial logic, including switch elements, the priority encoder is capable of computing lower order bits using feedback signals resulting from the computation of higher order bits, allowing successive computation of priority-encoded address bits, without necessitating the use of clocks or delay elements.

A content addressable memory ("CAM") is a memory device in which data is accessed and modified based upon the content of the stored data, rather than on the location in which that data is stored. A CAM generally includes multiple data storage locations comprising multiple memory cells. Unlike random access memory ("RAM"), all data words in the storage locations of a CAM may be simultaneously compared with a search word stored in a comparand register. As each stored data word is compared with the search word, a match line for that stored data word is activated if that stored data word matches the search word.
A CAM of 2.sup.N data words has 2.sup.N match lines, one match line for each data word. Each data word and match line combination has a unique N-bit address within the CAM. For any match cycle there may be zero, one, or up to 2.sup.N match lines activated. The function of a priority encoder is to generate an output address responsive to the state of the match lines. In particular, a priority encoder generates an output address corresponding to the address of the highest priority activated match line. Typically, a simple sequential priority scheme is used, the lowest address having the highest priority and the highest address having the lowest priority. In general, priority encoders may be used in both CAM and non-CAM applications, for providing a priority-encoded address of a highest priority active request line among a plurality of request lines.
FIG. 1 shows a priority encoder 10 according to the prior art using purely combinatorial logic without feedback. Priority encoder 10 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,105, entitled "Priority Encoder for a Content Addressable Memory," the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference into the present application. Priority encoder 10 uses purely combinatorial logic in that no delay elements are used. The priority encoder of FIG. 1 is without feedback in that the priority-encoded address bits A0, A1, and A2 are generated by circuits which operate independently of each other, and no feeding back of intermediate results from the computation of a first of these priority-encoded address bits is necessary in order to compute the value of a second of these priority-encoded address bits. For example, the logical value of lower order bit A0 does not depend on any results associated with the computation of higher order bits A1 or A2. Rather, lower order bit A0 is computed in parallel with higher order bits A1 and A2 as a direct boolean function of the input match lines or request lines D0-D7.
Priority encoder 10 priority-encodes eight input request lines D0-D7 into a 3-bit priority-encoded address having address bits A2, A1, and A0. To provide for expansion to a greater number of input request lines, three control signals are provided including an enable input signal EI, an enable output signal EO, and a group select signal GS. To expand the number of input lines, several of these priority encoders are daisy-chained using the EI, EO, and GS signals. For example, to accommodate 64 input lines D0-D63, eight priority encoders such as priority encoder 10 are used, a first priority encoder 10 receiving lines D0-D7, a second priority encoder 10 receiving lines D8-D15, a third priority encoder 10 receiving lines D16-D23, and so on, up to an eighth priority encoder 10 receiving lines D56-D63. In a serial fashion, the EO output of the first priority encoder 10 is connected to the EI input of the second priority encoder 10, the EO output from the second priority encoder 10 is connected to the EI input of the third priority encoder 10, and so on. The outputs A2, A1, and A0 of the eight respective priority encoders 10, which are designed to be in a high-impedance state unless enabled, are simply wired together to form an overall output A2, A1, and A0. Finally, the output GS of each of the eight priority encoders 10 is provided as a data line input into a ninth priority encoder 10, with the EO output of the eighth priority encoder 10 being connected to the EI input of the ninth priority encoder 10.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,105, supra, the signals GS and EO are complementary. When coupled as described above, the first eight priority encoders 10 form a first portion for generating bits A2, A1, and A0 of a six-bit priority-encoded address, while the ninth priority encoder 10 forms a second portion for generating bits A5, A4, and A3 of the six-bit priority-encoded address.
The priority encoder 10, as well as the above-described daisy chaining scheme for expanding the number of request lines, has several disadvantages. First, the number of gates required is excessive, requiring large amounts of power and integrated circuit chip area. Second, as the number of input lines grows, the overall response time, i.e., the time from when the first EI signal is activated until the priority-encoded address can be read from the output lines, grows enormously because of the series propagation of enable signals through the daisy chain. For example, if the EI-to-EO propagation delay of the priority encoder 10 is a typical value of 6 ns, which corresponds to the propagation delay of two logic gates at 3 ns each, the overall response time would exceed 24 ns for a 64-line configuration, 48 ns for a 128-line configuration, and 96 ns for a 256-line configuration. However, if the number of request lines for each of the priority encoders 10 were increased to reduce this propagation delay, the overall number of gates would become extremely and unrealistically excessive.
FIG. 2 shows a priority encoder 100 according to the prior art designed to solve some of the above problems, the priority encoder 100 using delay lines and having feedback. Such a priority encoder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,105, supra. The priority encoder 100 of FIG. 2 is a 16-line priority encoder having 16 input lines D0-D15, a node EN for receiving an enable signal, and four output lines A3-A0 for providing a priority-encoded output address.
Starting with the highest order priority-encoded address bit A3, the priority encoder 100 sequentially generates each priority-encoded address bit based on (a) the state of the input request lines D0-D15, and (b) results from previously generated output bits. When the signal EN is activated, the value of the most significant address bit A3 is computed by a first address bit generation circuit 150, and the remainder of the priority encoder circuit 100 remains disabled. Once A3 is determined, its value is provided at a node 242 for driving the gates of transistors 278-292. Intermediate signals at nodes 178-192 are thereby determined, these signals being provided to the remainder of the priority encoder 100. After a predetermined time, as dictated by the time constant of a delay element 300, a second address bit generation circuit 152 is activated for determining the value of the second-highest order bit A2. After a second predetermined time, as dictated by the time constant of a delay element 366, a third address bit generation circuit 154 is activated, and so on.
Unlike the priority encoder of FIG. 1, the priority encoder of FIG. 2 has feedback in that results from the determination of a higher order address bit is used in the determination of a lower order address bit. By using feedback, the priority encoder 100 of FIG. 2 is capable of generating a priority-encoded address using fewer elements and less integrated circuit chip area than the priority encoder of FIG. 1, especially as the number of address bits N and request lines 2.sup.N grows large.
The priority encoder of FIG. 2, however, contains several disadvantages. One disadvantage is the large amount of capacitance at major switching nodes such as nodes 246, 248, 328, and 344. This causes excessive propagation delays between successive computations of the priority-encoded address bits A-A0. For example, if all inputs D0-D15 are low and then input D3 rises, it may take in excess of 20 ns for node A3 to go from low to high. For proper functioning, the delay time assigned to each of the delay elements, such as element 300, must be greater than the slowest rise time of its associated priority-encoded address bit, such as bit A3. Because each delay element must have an exemplary delay of, for example, 25 ns, the overall response time of the priority encoder 100 may exceed 100 ns.
A second disadvantage of the priority encoder 100 is that it uses delay elements, which is a generally undesirable practice in integrated circuit design. This problem may be avoided by synchronizing the successive activation of circuit portions 150-156 by using clock signals. However, the synchronization of the circuit 100 adds its own complexities, and does not reduce the capacitance, the required computation time, and the serial triggering requirements of circuit portions 150-156, and thus does not appreciably reduce the overall response time of the priority encoder 100.
For the priority encoder 100 of FIG. 2, the above capacitance and propagation delay problems worsen as the number of request lines increases. In particular, as the number of input lines is increased, the number of NMOS gates at nodes 268, 344, etc., must increase approximately linearly with the number of request lines. The capacitance and propagation delay at each stage of the priority encoder 100 grows accordingly. As a result, an exemplary priority encoder designed in accordance with FIG. 2 and having 128 lines may have an overall response time in excess of 500 ns. Such response times become even more intolerable for larger priority encoders. Additionally, the larger capacitances also necessitate larger driving currents and greater power consumption.
It is therefore desirable to provide a priority encoder for reliably generating priority-encoded addresses for large CAM arrays.
It is also desirable to provide a priority encoder which has faster response times in the generation of priority-encoded addresses even for large CAM arrays.
It is also desirable to provide a priority encoder which uses acceptable amounts of integrated circuit chip space and power.
It is also desirable to provide a priority encoder which is reliable and stable and does not necessitate the use of clocks or delay elements.

Priority encoder for a content addressable memory system


A vibration transducer such as a geophone, comprising a central pole piece (110) with a magnet (112) and coil (118) concentrically arranged around it. The position of the magnet (112) is fixed relative to the pole piece (110) and the coil (118) is movable relative to the magnet (112). A method of manufacturing a vibration transducer is characterised in that a bobbin carrying the coils is formed from a substantially tubular body which is positioned on a mandrel and at least one coil is wound around its outer surface, the mandrel being removed from the bobbin when the coil is complete. Another method is characterised in that the coil is formed separately and the bobbin is formed from a substantially tubular body which is positioned inside the coil and expanded to contact the coil when in position.

In seismic exploration, the vibrations in the earth resulting from a source of seismic energy are sensed at discrete locations by sensors and the output of the sensors used to determine the nature of the underground formations. The source of seismic energy can be natural, such as earthquakes and other tectonic activity, subsidence, volcanic activity or the like, or man-made such as acoustic noise from surface or underground operations, or from deliberate operation of seismic sources at the surface or underground. Sensors fall into two main categories; hydrophones which sense the pressure field resulting from a seismic source, or geophones which sense vibration arising from a seismic source.
A prior art form of geophone is shown in FIG. 1. The geophone 10 consists of a moving coils 12, 13 mounted on a bobbin 14, a magnet 15, a pair of pole pieces 16, 18 with suspension springs 20, 22 and a housing 24 as shown in FIG. 1. The pole pieces 16, 18 and housing 24 are made of magnetically permeable material and form a magnetic field in which the moving coils 12, 13 are suspended.
When the earth moves due to the seismic energy propagating either directly from the source or via an underground reflector, the geophone, which can be located at the earth's surface or on the wall of a borehole which penetrates the earth, moves in the direction of propagation of the energy. If the axis of the geophone is aligned with the direction of motion, however, the moving coils mounted on the springs inside the geophone stay in the same position causing relative motion of the coils with respect to the housing. When the coils move in the magnetic field, a voltage is induced in the coils which can be output as a signal. The response of a geophone is frequency dependent and can be expressed as
                              e          g                =                                            Bl                                            (                                  ω                                      ω                    0                                                  )                                      2                                                              {                                  1                  -                                                            (                                              ω                                                  ω                          0                                                                    )                                        2                                                  }                            +                                                (                                      2                                                                                ζ                                                              ω                                              ω                        0                                                                              )                                2                                                                                tan                                (            φ            )                          =                              1            -                                          (                                  ω                                      ω                    0                                                  )                            2                                            2                                                                          ζ                                      ω                              ω                0                                                                                ω          0                =                              k            m                              Where    eg: induced voltage    B: magnetic flux density    l: length of the moving coil    ω: velocity of motion    ω0: natural frequency    k: spring constant    m: moving mass    ζ: damping factor
The internal damping is usually designed to be low and the total damping factor is adjusted by the use of a shunt resister externally attached and the factor is usually set to be about 70%.
One problem encountered with this design is how to increase sensitivity without dramatically increasing the size of the sensor, especially its diameter when considering use as a borehole sensor. Most prior art geophones use alnico magnets. To increase the sensitivity, a better magnetic material is needed. It is know that rare earth cobalt and/or neodimium iron boron (neogium) magnets produce larger magnetic flux than alnico; however, they have different characteristics and to obtain optimum flux density, the shapes of magnets need to be different for the different materials. A suitable shape for an alnico magnet is a relatively tall cylinder, whereas a rare earth cobalt magnet is preferably a relatively flat disc. To overcome the shape problem, a dynamic accelerometer was proposed as described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2-419184 and shown in FIG. 2. Flat, rare earth cobalt magnets 30, 32 are mounted face-to-face on a yoke 34 connected to the sensor housing 36 to achieve large flux density. A centre pole piece 38 is located in the space between the opposed magnets 30, 32 and a moving coil 40 is mounted on springs 42, 44 around the central pole piece 38. In this design, the natural frequency was chosen to be in the middle of the seismic frequency band and large damping is achieved by using imaginary short circuit connected across the coil output "40" of an operational amplifier 50 with appropriate resistors R1, R2 as shown in FIG. 3. While it is possible to attain a suitable size for such a sensor, the assembly cost has proved to be high.
Another problem with the prior art design of FIG. 1 is that the bobbin 14 should preferably be as light as possible. However, in the past this bobbin has been machined from metal which has proven both expensive and difficult to achieve the small thickness desired for size and mass limitations.

Geophone and method of manufacturing a geophone


A concentrate, system and low-temperature process for preparing a shelf-stable milk concentrate that does not require ultra-high temperature thermal processing for control of the microbiology of the product is disclosed herein. The method preferably incorporates aseptic technology and the enzymatic reduction of lactose to control water activity. The method preferably includes the enzymatic conversion of the lactose in the milk to its component sugars glucose and galactose, which preferably changes the colligative properties of the concentrate, decreases the amount of free water, and reduces the osmolarity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to processes for making shelf stable milk beverages.
2. Description of the Related Art
For millennia man has tried unsuccessfully to devise a method for preserving milk which would retain the nutrients and qualities of flesh milk. Roman soldiers subsisted on rations made from dried milk using primitive sun drying techniques. Later technology developed by Gail Borden (1858) resulted in sweetened condensed milk which could be preserved for years using simple concentration methods utilizing water activity as the microbiological control point. More modern milk processing and packaging technologies combine Ultra-High Temperature Processing with aseptic packaging to preserve the shelf-life of milk. The foregoing technologies achieved the preservation aspects but failed to preserve the fresh quality needed for ready to drink products. Sweetened condensed milk is made by concentrating milk 2.5× with added sucrose to control the water activity (α<0.85). Water activity is a measure of food dryness. aw=p/p0, where aw is water activity, p is the vapor pressure of water in the substance, and p0 the vapor pressure of pure water at the same temperature. Water activity as a value has no dimensions. Pure water has a water activity of 1. The resulting product is tan in appearance, has a distinct fat off-taste, coarse texture from lactose crystallization and cannot be reconstituted to a single strength beverage. Similarly, evaporated milk is a 2.1× concentrate which is placed in a can and thermally treated to produce a commercially sterile product (in compliance with 21CFR113). The resulting milk is tan in appearance and unacceptable when diluted to single strength.
Fluid single-strength milk requires a thermal treatment to control microbial growth, inactivate enzymes and stabilize the milk. The Pasteurized Milk Ordinance requires specific time-temperature combinations for the inactivation of infectious pathogens such as Coxiell burnetti, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Salmonella spp. in refrigerated milk products. Shelf-stable, UHT milk products require a thermal treatment which addresses not only the infectious pathogens but also the toxin producing, heat-resistant spore-formers like Clostridium botulinum or Bacillus cereus. Typical processes fir UHT milk require heating the milk to 286° F. for 6 seconds (or the equivalent process). UHT milk has a pronounced cooked taste and is not well accepted.
UHT/aseptic treatment of milk concentrates has been demonstrated commercially but is technically very difficult due to problems associated with the stability of the concentrated product. Lactose precipitation results in a graininess of the product and slows reconstitution. Hydrolysis of the milk sugar prior to UHT treatment results in increased Maillard reaction browning with noticeable changes in the color and flavor of the milk. Hydrolysis prior to UHT also results in decreased shelf-life for the product.
Hydrolysis of lactose prior to processing results in significant increases in Maillard browning reaction products and produces an unacceptable product. Dosing of lactase enzyme using sterile filtration significantly reduces the browning and extends the life of the product.
The prior art discloses ultra-high pasteurization of milk such as disclosed in Reaves et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,887,505, for Ultra-High Temperature Pasteurized Milk Concentrate, Package, Dispenser And Method Of Producing Same.
There is a need for a milk concentrate that upon rehydration tastes fresh.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Process for making a shelf-stable milk based beverage concentrate


A planetary gear set includes a slide bearing shell arranged on a planet gear axle, a planet gear mounted rotatably on the slide bearing shell and a planet carrier having a recess for receiving the planet gear axle. An axial disk is mounted in a floating manner between a web of the planet carrier and the planet gear in an axial direction and configured flat on an axially outer side facing the web of the planet carrier. A lubricant film between the axial disk and the planet gear ensures during normal operation hydrodynamic operation between the planet gear and the axial disk. A deficient lubrication is present between the axially outer side of the axial disk and the web of the planet carrier.

The invention relates to a planetary gear set with a planet gear which is received in an improved bearing arrangement. The invention also relates to a wind power plant, which is equipped with a corresponding planetary gear set.
EP 2 383 480 A1 discloses a planetary gear set for a wind power plant, which comprises a planet gear which is mounted rotatably on an axis received in a web of a planet carrier. An axial slide bearing is received between the planet gear and the web of the planet carrier. Such axial slide bearings are connected in a force-fit or form-fit manner with the webs of the planet carrier.
The publication EP 2 042 753 A1 discloses a hydrodynamic axial bearing for mounting a shaft of an exhaust gas turbo charger. The hydrodynamic axial bearing comprises a floating disk, which is provided with a profiling on both sides. The profiling comprises a number of wedge surfaces ascending in the peripheral direction, each with an adjoining locking surface. An oil groove is also embodied in the region of the wedge surfaces.
One significant disadvantage of the known bearing arrangements for planet gears consists in a force-fit or form-fit connection, for instance a screw connection, between an axial slide bearing and a planet carrier web requiring a significant assembly outlay. One significant disadvantage of profiled floating disks, in the case of low rotational speeds of below 100 rpm for instance, consists in these having a tendency to run dry on the side of the planet gear or the planet carrier, which results in increased wear. There is the need for a planetary gear set, which overcomes the disadvantages from the known prior art, which offers minimum wear and high reliability and at the same time is simple and quick to assemble. The need for a planetary gear set which is improved in this way consists in particular for the construction of wind power plants.

Bearing arrangement for a planet gear of a planetary gear set


A multifunctional pocket knife, in particular a Swiss knife, has lateral sides serving as a handle, and including at least one cigar cutter able to pivot or slide in a plane parallel to the inner faces of the lateral sides. The cigar cutter includes two rounded scissor elements pivoting, one with respect to the other, about a first axis pivot. One end of the first element is able to pivot about a second axis pivot enabling the first element to be pulled out of the knife. A spring blade, which can be pulled out, allows the scissor elements to be kept spaced open when they are pulled out of the knife. The spring blade limits the pivoting path of the second element about the second pivot axis. An elastic back blade transmits a constant force to the second scissor element through the agency of the spring blade.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a multifunctional pocket knife.
2. Description of Related Art
Multifunctional pocket knives of the "Swiss knife" type generally comprise one or more cutting blades and/or a plurality of implements pivoting between the two sides of the knife. The success of these knives stems in particular from the great variety of available implements allowing great versatility and numerous uses in diverse areas of application.


Footwear with an upper and a sole construction having an outsole, in which the upper is constructed with an outer material and with a waterproof functional layer at least partially lining the outer material on the inner side of the latter and having an upper end region on the sole side with an outer-material end region and a functional-layer end region, the outsole (19) is joined to the upper end region, the functional-layer end region has an overhang projecting beyond the outer-material end region and an adhesive zone which is closed in the direction of the sole periphery and comprises a reactive hot-melt adhesive which brings about waterproofness when in the fully reacted state is applied to the overhang.

There are shoes whose shoe upper is waterproof and water-vapor permeable because it is lined with a functional layer. A shoe upper of this type remains breathable in spite of being waterproof. Special efforts are required to ensure permanent waterproofness in the region between the end of the upper on the sole side and the sole construction.
To achieve this, sock-like inserts, also known among those skilled in the art as bootees, have been used between the upper and the sole construction on the one hand and an inner lining on the other hand. Since such bootees are shaped by fusing together cut-to-size parts, they need not have any stitching holes. However, the use of bootees is quite costly in production if the bootees are to correspond to some extent to the shape of the respective shoe.
Another known method is to use outsole material of a molded-on outsole to seal the lower region of the shoe construction, and consequently the lower region of the upper lined with the functional layer and possibly sewn to an insole. This cannot, however, prevent water from reaching the end of the upper on the sole side, and consequently the end of the functional layer on the sole side, on the outer material of the upper, which generally conducts water by capillary effects, and consequently reaching the generally very strongly water-absorbent inner lining located on the inner side of the functional layer, via water bridges, in particular in the form of textile fibers at the cut edge of the end of the upper on the sole side.
These problems have been overcome by a sole construction known from EP 0 298 360 B1, in which the functional layer has in the region of the end of the upper on the sole side an overhang with respect to the outer material, which is bridged by a gauze strip, of which one side is securely sewn to the outer material and the other side is securely sewn to the functional layer and to the insole. In this case, the overhang of the functional layer is sealed by the outsole material which has penetrated through the gauze strip during the molding-on, when it is liquid. The gauze strip represents a barrier to water which has penetrated along the outer material to under the region of the end of the upper on the sole side covered by the outsole, in particular if it is a monofilament gauze strip, so that such water cannot penetrate as far as the cut edge of the functional layer on the sole side and consequently not as far as the inner lining of the footwear.
This gauze strip solution has proven to be extremely successful. Since in this case the sealing of the end region of the functional layer on the sole side requires the molding-on of an outsole, this known method is restricted to shoes with a molded-on outsole and cannot be used for shoes with a cemented-on outsole. Consequently, it is also not available for shoes of a more elegant style. The molding-on of outsoles entails high costs, which lead to a long payback period and make it necessary to produce the respective type and size of shoe in large numbers.
DE-A-38 40 263 discloses a similar shoe construction in which an overhang of an end of a functional layer on the outsole side protruding with respect to an end of the outer material on the outsole side is bridged by a sealing strip, in which the strip is a textile strip which has a polyurethane coating on one or both sides and is intended to bring about a sealing connection between the functional layer overhang and an edge of a moulded-on outsole covering the sealing strip. This solution is also restricted to shoes with a moulded-on outsole.
WO-A-9641548 discloses footwear with a moulded-on outsole in which an outer-material end region on the outsole side is folded over outward and an functional-layer-lining end region on the outsole side is folded over inward, the outer-material end region which is folded over folded over outward being securely sewn on a frame-shaped first insole and the functional-layer-lining end region which is folded over inward being arranged between the first insole and a second insole, located above the functional-layer-lining end region. The functional-layer-lining end region is adhesively bonded to the second insole by means of a sealing compound or adhesive tape coated with polyurethane hot-melt adhesive and to the second insole by means of an adhesive of a type not specified any more precisely.
Shoe constructions in which the functional layer likewise has an overhang beyond the outer material in the end region on the sole side, but in which there is no gauze strip, are likewise known. In this case, the outsole material is molded directly onto the functional layer in the region of the overhang. This method is also suitable only for footwear with a molded-on outsole.

Footwear with sealed sole construction and method for producing same


A multiple disk drive storage apparatus that receives a plurality of removable disk drive modules. The removable disk drive modules comprise a disk drive and a carrier body. The carrier body is molded in one piece and may have a latch, an ejection spring, a light pipe, and a cavity for receiving the disk drive. The disk drive is retained in the cavity with a snap-fit connection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relate to a combination of a multiple disk drive storage apparatus having a plurality of removable disk drive modules.
2. Background Art
Computer systems are used to collect, analyze, and store data. Multiple disk drive storage systems are used to store vast amounts of data. Removable disk drives have been developed for such systems to allow large amounts of data to be easily transferred between computers. Recently, smaller disk drives have been developed that have greater storage capabilities that are called small form factor (SFF) drives. SFF drives are normally used in applications where the size of components is critical, for example in a laptop computer. Multiple disk drive storage systems, or disk drive array systems, are currently under development that utilize SFF drives because of their relatively low cost and general availability.
Removable disk drive storage systems may be designed to allow an operator to replace corrupt or defective disk drives. Guides and railings may be attached to an outer case of the disk drive with fasteners or screws. The guides and railings are required to align the disk drive with a slot for insertion into the disk drive storage system.
Some disk drives may incorporate a carrier to receive the disk drive. The combination of the disk drive and the carrier is called a disk drive module. The carrier can be a frame-like or tray-like structure that is attached to the disk drive with fasteners or screws. Such carriers may include a large number of component parts, such as rails, guides, and handles. Screws or other fasteners are generally used to assemble the component parts and disk drives to the carrier.
An operator generally removes the disk drive module from the disk drive storage system by pulling the disk drive module out of the slot against the retentive force of a multi-pin connector. Conventional carriers do not generally provide a simple mechanism for removing the disk drive module from the disk drive storage system.
A need exists for a cost effective disk drive carrier that is simple to manufacture. There is also a need for a disk drive carrier that integrates components like ejection springs, latches, and light pipes without burdensome assembly processes. There is also a need for a disk drive carrier that is adapted to receive and secure SFF disk drives, and the like, without fasteners or screws. There is a further need for a disk drive carrier that facilitates removing the disk drive module from the disk drive storage system.


A computerized system and method to detect phishing cyber-attacks is described. The approach entails analyzing one or more displayable images of a webpage referenced by a URL to ascertain whether the one or more displayable images, and thus the webpage and potentially an email including the URL, are part of a phishing cyber-attack.

Phishing is a growing problem on the Internet. Phishing is the attempt to obtain sensitive information from targets by disguising requests as legitimate. A phishing attack can entail the transmission of an electronic communication, such as an email, to one or more recipients that purports to be from a known institution, such as a bank or credit card company, and seems to have a legitimate intention; however, the email is actually intended to deceive the recipient into sharing its sensitive information. Often the email draws the recipient to a counterfeit version of the institution's webpage designed to elicit the sensitive information, such as the recipient's username, password, etc.
For example, a malware author may transmit an email to a recipient purporting to be from a financial institution and asserting that a password change is required to maintain access to the recipient's account. The email includes a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that directs the recipients to a counterfeit version of the institution's website requesting the recipient to enter sensitive information in a displayed form in order to change the recipient's password. Neither the email nor the URL are associated with the actual financial institution or its genuine website, although the email and the counterfeit website may have an official "look and feel" and imitate a genuine email and website of the institution. The phishing attack is completed when the recipient of the email enters and submits sensitive information to the website, which is then delivered to the malware author.
Current solutions for phishing detection include textual search and analysis of emails and image similarity analysis of the entirety of a displayed webpage. These solutions can be highly compute resource intensive and too often fail to detect phishing attacks. A new phishing detection technique is needed to more efficiently, efficaciously, and reliably detect phishing cyber-security attacks of this type.

Detection of phishing attacks using similarity analysis