A wastewater treatment system for treating wastewater effluent flowing through a sewer pipe from a sewage treatment plant, and specially designed chlorine tablets for use in the treatment system. In a preferred embodiment the wastewater treatment system is characterized by a wastewater flow conduit which is mounted in the sewer pipe and a tablet loading neck, closed by a removable lid, extends upwardly from the wastewater flow conduit. A tablet support rod extends downwardly through the lid and tablet loading neck into the wastewater flow conduit. Multiple treatment tablets, each having a central opening, are slidably mounted on the tablet support rod in stacked relationship, and as the tablets in the wastewater flow conduit are dissolved by the flowing wastewater, the tablets in the tablet loading neck descend on the tablet support rod into the conduit, to replace the dissolved tablets. In another embodiment the tablet support rod is slidably mounted in the lid and biased upwardly and as the tablets are dissolved, the tablet support rod moves upwardly through the lid and is either visually inspected or attached to an alarm switch which activates an alarm to indicate the need for replacing tablets on the rod.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for treating wastewater in a sewage treatment system and more particularly, to a wastewater treatment system for treating wastewater effluent flowing from a wastewater treatment plant through a wastewater or sewer line and specially designed chlorine treatment tablets for use with the wastewater treatment system. In a preferred embodiment the wastewater treatment system includes an elongated wastewater flow conduit which is inserted lengthwise in the wastewater or sewer line or pipe and a cylindrical tablet loading neck fitted with a removable lid and, optionally, with a tablet loading sleeve, extends upwardly in perpendicular relationship from the wastewater flow conduit. A tablet support rod extends through the lid and tablet loading neck or tablet loading sleeve and the flanged end of the rod terminates in the wastewater flow conduit. Multiple chlorine treatment tablets, each fitted with a central rod opening, are slidably mounted on the tablet support rod in stacked relationship in the wastewater flow conduit and tablet loading neck or sleeve. As the treatment tablets contained in the wastewater flow conduit are dissolved by the flowing wastewater, the tablets located in the tablet loading neck or sleeve descend by gravity on the tablet support rod into the conduit to replace the dissolved tablets. In another embodiment the tablet support rod is slidably mounted in the lid and a coil spring interposed between the lid and a nut threaded on the tablet support rod above the lid, biases the tablet support rod upwardly through the lid. When it is loaded with treatment tablets, the tablet support rod is weighted downwardly against the bias of the spring and as the treatment tablets are dissolved by the flowing wastewater in the wastewater flow conduit, the tablet support rod slides upwardly through the lid and the upwardly-displaced rod visually indicates the need for reloading the rod with tablets. In another embodiment an alarm switch element of an alarm system is attached to the upper end of the tablet support rod and upward displacement of the rod through the lid activates the alarm switch and alarm to indicate the need for reloading the treatment system with tablets. In still another embodiment the tablet support rod is biased upwardly by a deformable membrane which spans the lid and engages a nut threaded on the rod. In yet another embodiment, a tablet support tube extends downwardly through the lid and tablet loading neck and terminates in the wastewater flow conduit. A photoelectric sensor wired to an audible or visual alarm is inserted in the upper end of the tablet support tube, and that portion of the tube extending into the wastewater flow conduit is fitted with a transparent window. The stacked treatment tablets slidably mounted on the tablet support tube in the wastewater flow conduit initially cover the transparent window, and as they are dissolved in the flowing wastewater, the transparent window is uncovered, allowing light to enter the tablet support tube and activate the photoelectric sensor and alarm, thereby indicating the need for replacing treatment tablets in the treatment system. In still another embodiment a transparent window is also provided in that portion of the tablet support tube which extends through the tablet loading neck and the photoelectric sensor and alarm are activated as the tablets initially covering that part of the tube descend into the wastewater flow conduit to replace the dissolved tablets, thereby indicating the need for reloading tablets in the tablet loading neck.
Conventional sewage treatment systems include a primary treatment tank or plant which is designed to treat raw sewage flowing into the treatment plant from a structure such as a home or business. Effluent from the treatment plant is directed through a horizontal wastewater or sewer pipe into a vertical treatment riser, the upper end of which is closed by a removable lid and the bottom end of the treatment riser terminates in a holding tank for the effluent. Round chlorine tablets are typically dropped in the treatment riser to facilitate further treatment of effluent entering the treatment riser from the sewer pipe. One of the problems inherent in this method of loading the treatment riser, is that the treatment tablets frequently enter the treatment riser in tilted configuration, and this sometimes causes the treatment tablets to become lodged or jammed in the treatment riser, often causing backflow of effluent through the sewer pipe.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved wastewater treatment system and specially designed, perforated chlorine tablets for treating wastewater effluent flowing from a primary treatment plant.
Another object of this invention is to provide a wastewater treatment system characterized by a wastewater flow conduit which is inserted along the length or run of a wastewater or sewer pipe distributing wastewater effluent from a primary sewage treatment plant, a tablet loading neck extending upwardly from the wastewater flow conduit and a tablet support rod which extends downwardly through the tablet loading neck into the wastewater flow conduit, and upon which is slidably mounted multiple, perforated chlorine tablets in stacked relationship, wherein the chlorine tablets mounted on that portion of the tablet support rod extending into the wastewater flow conduit are dissolved by the flowing wastewater effluent and the treatment tablets contained in the tablet loading neck descend on the tablet support rod to replace the dissolved tablets.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a wastewater treatment system characterized by a wastewater flow conduit which is mounted in a wastewater or sewer pipe and a tablet loading neck optionally provided with a tablet loading sleeve, extending upwardly perpendicular relationship from the wastewater flow conduit. The tablet support rod is slidably extended through a lid provided on the upper end of the tablet loading neck and multiple treatment tablets are slidably mounted on the tablet support rod in stacked relationship in the wastewater flow conduit and tablet loading neck or sleeve. When loaded with treatment tablets, the upwardly-biased tablet support rod is weighted downwardly and as the treatment tablets contained in the wastewater flow conduit are dissolved, the treatment tablets contained in the tablet loading neck or sleeve descend by gravity on the tablet support rod and replace the dissolved tablets, and the tablet support rod moves upwardly through the lid and is either visually inspected or activates an alarm switch attached to the upper end of the rod to indicate the need for refilling the treatment system with tablets.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a wastewater treatment system characterized by a wastewater flow conduit which is installed in a wastewater effluent sewer pipe, a tablet loading neck extending upwardly from the wastewater flow conduit and a tablet support tube extending through the tablet loading neck and terminating in the waste water flow conduit. A photoelectric sensor is inserted in the upper end of the tablet support tube and a transparent window is provided in that portion of the tablet support tube which extends into the wastewater flow conduit. Multiple chlorine treatment tablets slidably mounted on the tablet support tube in stacked relationship, initially cover the transparent window and as the chemical treatment tablets are dissolved in the flowing effluent, the transparent window is uncovered, such that light enters the tablet support tube and activates the photoelectric sensor and alarm to indicate the need for refilling the treatment system with chlorine tablets.

Wastewater treatment system for loading tablets into wastewater conduit


The blending of control indicators of a non-linear seek mode control and settle mode is done in a transition period between a non-linear seek mode and settle mode of the arm actuator in a hard disk drive. Such a blended transition avoids acoustical clicking that can occur for short distance seeks.

Rotating media storage devices are an integral part of computers and other devices with needs for large amounts of reliable memory. Rotating media storage devices are inexpensive, relatively easy to manufacture, forgiving where manufacturing flaws are present, and capable of storing large amounts of information in relatively small spaces.
A typical rotating media storage device uses a rotatable storage medium with a head disk assembly and electronics to control operation of the head disk assembly. The head disk assembly can include one or more disks. In a magnetic disk drive, a disk includes a recording surface to receive and store user information. The recording surface can be constructed of a substrate of metal, ceramic, glass or plastic with a thin magnetizable layer on either side of the substrate. Data is transferred to and from the recording surface via a head mounted on an arm of the actuator assembly. Heads can include one or more read and/or write elements, or read/write elements, for reading and/or writing data. Drives can include one or more heads for reading and/or writing. In magnetic disk drives, heads can include a thin film inductive write element and a magneto-resistive (MR) read element.
An actuator, such as a Voice Coil Motor actuator, is used to position the head assembly over the correct track on a disk by rotating the arm. Typically, when the drive needs to move the head to a desired track, if the head is relatively far form that track, it starts out in a non-linear seek mode where the target velocity approximates a square root of the tracks to go (TTG). Once the head gets close to the target track, the drive typically switches over to a settle mode where the target velocity is a linear function of the tracks to go. Finally, once the head gets close enough to the target track for read/write operations, the drive then switches to a track-following mode. Typically, the same linear control law as in the settle mode is used, except with different parameters.

Method and apparatus for noise reduction during seeks using signal blending

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


The present invention provides processes for recovering alkanols from fluids comprising the alkanol and aqueous hydrobromic acid without forming excessive amounts of alkyl bromide. In certain aspects of the invention, there are provided distillation systems wherein a fluid comprising an alkanol and aqueous hydrobromic acid is introduced into a distillation column at a point between the bottom and the top of the column to thereby separate the alkanol and the hydrobromic acid without causing the production of a significant amount of alkyl bromide. A process for separating an alkanol from aqueous hydrobromic acid which comprises (a) refluxing aqueous HBr in a fractionating column (10) having a port (15) located between the top (19) and bottom (11) ends of the column and in fluid communication with the column; (b) feeding into the column through the port a first fluid comprising an alkanol and aqueous HBr; (c ) recovering from the top end of the column a second fluid comprising at least 50% of the alkanol; and (d) recovering at the bottom end of the column a third fluid comprising at least 50% of the aqueous HBr.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to processes for the recovery of alkanols from fluids comprising the alkanol, hydrobromic acid and water, without the formation of excessive amounts of alkyl bromide. More specifically, the invention relates to a distillation system wherein a fluid comprising an alkanol, hydrobromic acid and water is introduced into a distillation column at a point between the bottom and the top of the column to thereby separate the alkanol and the hydrobromic acid without causing the production of a significant amount of alkyl bromide.
2. Discussion of Related Art
It is known that lower alkyl bromides can be readily prepared from the reaction of hydrobromic acid with the corresponding alkanol. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,110 to Segall describes a process for the continuous production of lower alkyl halides from hydrogen halide and an alkanol in an aqueous acid solution. Indeed, when the acid is hydrobromic acid ("HBr"), and the temperature is elevated, it is difficult to prevent the reaction from occurring; however, lower temperatures and the presence of large amount of water are factors known to retard alkyl bromide formation. The water serves both to dilute the reactants and to drive the following reaction back to the alkanol: EQU HBr+R--OH.rarw..fwdarw.R--Br+H.sub.2 O
Certain operations in the chemical industry result in process streams comprising an aqueous solution of alkanol and HBr, and it is typically necessary to separate the components for recycle. The separation can be accomplished by simple distillation, but a large percentage of the components are lost to the formation of alkyl bromide during the procedure. The alkyl bromide formation occurs both in the distillation flask because of the relatively long residence time at elevated temperature, and probably also in the vapor phase until such time as the components are separated by rectification. In a process wherein the alkanol is methanol, large quantities of volatile methyl bromide can be produced. At one time this was advantageous because the methyl bromide could be advantageously sold as a valuable soil fumigant; however, methyl bromide has recently been classified as an ozone depleting chemical, and its production is becoming highly restricted. Due to the severe impact on production costs which would result if the methyl bromide is collected only to be destroyed by incineration, there is a great need for the development of processes which avoid or minimize alkyl bromide production.
An example of a process well known in the industry which produces streams of aqueous alkanol mixed with HBr, is the manufacture of tetrabromobisphenol-A ("TBBPA"), which is widely used as a flame retardant for synthetic resins. Typically, bisphenol-A is dissolved in an alkanol or aqueous alkanol (generally methanol, ethanol or propanol), and elemental bromine is added thereto and reacted to form TBBPA. One mole of hydrogen bromide is generated for each bromine atom that is inserted onto the aromatic rings. As the bisphenol-A is brominated, it becomes less soluble and begins to drop out of solution. Additional water is commonly added to further promote precipitation. The product is isolated by filtration and further treated to improve purity. For example, it may be washed with water or a water/alkanol solution, and the wash (now comprising HBr and alkanol) may be optionally added to the mother liquor for recycle. While alkanol solvents are the most useful and most economical solvents for use in TBBPA processes, a serious disadvantage of employing an alkanol solvent in a TBBPA process is that at least a portion of the generated HBr reacts with the alkanol to form alkyl bromide during bromination or during subsequent alkanol/HBr separation.
In the TBBPA process, options do exist for minimization of undesirable alkyl bromide formation, both during bromination, and during solvent recovery. With respect to the former, for example, it is well known that mixing water with the alkanol solvent retards alkyl bromide formation to a certain degree; however, high levels of water also reduce solubility and can cause underbrominated species to precipitate with the product, lowering assay. Further, the alkanol must still be separated from the HBr, and separation techniques known in the art cause additional alkyl bromide to be produced.
Other approaches to minimizing alkyl bromide formation during bromination involve avoiding the use of alkanols completely, or removing HBr from the bromination system as it is generated. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,728 to Brackenridge it is disclosed that TBBPA may be brominated in aqueous acetic acid rather than in methanol or other alkanol. This approach is not totally satisfactory, however, because it is often difficult to dry the last traces of acetic acid from the precipitate, resulting in an undesirable odor in the product. Further, alkanols are excellent solvents for the TBBPA process, being economical and having many of the necessary solvating properties to provide high quality product. Alternatively, U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,212 to Sanders et al. discloses that alkyl bromide formation may be reduced by removing HBr from the bromination system as it is generated via addition of an oxidizing agent, such as hydrogen peroxide, into the bromination system. Addition of the oxidizing agent results in conversion of HBr to elemental bromine: EQU 2HBr+H.sub.2 O.sub.2 .fwdarw.Br.sub.2 +H.sub.2 O
This approach is not completely satisfactory, however, because it is impractical to convert all of the HBr to bromine. Therefore, while this approach minimizes the amount of HBr in a mother liquor, it does not eliminate its presence therein.
As stated above, another processing step which results in the generation of alkyl bromides is the separation step performed after bromination to recover the alkanol solvent. There have been a number of processes described in the prior art for minimizing alkyl bromide production in the separation step. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,994 to Williams et al. discloses the neutralization of HBr prior to recovering the alkanol solvent, and German Patent DE 3341037 to Jenkner et al. discloses that the HBr in an ethanol-based mother liquor from the production of hexabromocyclododecane can be neutralized with an alkanolamine prior to distillation. While this may be an effective approach, it requires the use of large amounts of base and the addition of extra water. It is a significant disadvantage of this approach that the base and the water must be disposed of or treated for reuse.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,321 to Sato et al. discloses a method for addressing the problem by diluting the solution to less than 10% HBr by weight before distillation. This does reduce alkyl bromide formation, but, again, introduces a significant amount of water to the system which must be removed and disposed of or treated for reuse. Accordingly, there remains a need for a simple, economical process for separating lower boiling alkanols from aqueous solutions of HBr without excessive alkyl bromide formation.

Method for recovering alkanols from aqueous HBr-solutions


The present invention relates to a method for predicting the propensity for a RMT steer tire to have irregular tire tread wear. The method comprises the steps of: providing a RMT steer tire to be tested; placing measurement points upon a ground engaging surface of selected circumferential tread ribs of the tread of the RMT tire; progressively rolling the RMT steer tire across a first planar side of a transparent plate whereby the progressive movement of a footprint image of the RMT steer tire is imposed upon the first planar side of the transparent plate; recording the progressive movement of the marked measurement points in the footprint image of the RMT steer tire imposed upon the first planar side of the transparent plate; determining the amount of lateral movement of each of the marked measurement points in the footprint image; and if any measurement points exhibit lateral movement beyond 0.060 inches, predicting that the RMT steer tire will have irregular tire tread wear.

Radial medium truck (RMT) steer tires, in some cases, have been found to develop irregular internal rib wear. This undesirable condition can lead to early removal of tires from the vehicle. RMT steer tires typically have 4 to 6 solid ribs extending circumferentially about the tire. However, there can be any number of solid ribs. Internal rib wear generally happens very quickly if it is to be a problem. Steer tires that exhibit the irregular wear have been studied and compared to tires that have no history of developing such irregular wear in actual service. Data analysis has shown that internal rib wear on the RMT steer tires is related to high lateral slip and frictional energy acting upon the internal rib edges of the tire's tread at low severity conditions (zero lateral load). Lateral slip of the internal rib edges is believed to promote irregular wear mechanisms. The irregular wear begins as "river wear", where the edges of the rib start wearing rapidly The irregular wear later propagates across the rib until the whole rib is worn (resulting in depressed internal rib wear). However, while the underlying mechanism seems well understood, it is difficult to determine the point at which a tire reaches the borderline values of total slip and frictional energy that will develop into internal rib wear.

Prediction of internal rib irregular wear via rib edge lateral slip


A bush component force detection device detects a component force acting on a bush which is press-fitted into a hole provided in a frame of a vehicle. The bush component force detection device includes: a cylinder which is inserted into the hole with predetermined space therefrom and has strain gauges; elastically deformable outer-side projections that extend in an axial direction of the cylinder and project radially outward from an outer surface of the cylinder; and elastically deformable inner-side projections that extend in an axial direction of the cylinder and project radially inward from an inner surface of the cylinder.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a bush component force detection device that detects a component force acting on a bush which is provided in a connecting portion of a structural member of a vehicle.
2. Related Art
The suspension of a vehicle has an effect on riding comfort and driving stability of the vehicle, and so component forces of the suspension are measured to evaluate the riding comfort and driving stability of the vehicle. A vehicle is designed based on the evaluation of the riding comfort and driving stability of the vehicle. Therefore, the riding comfort and driving stability of a vehicle can be improved by accurately measuring dynamic change in each component force in portions of the suspension.
Various methods have been proposed to detect changes in component forces such as yaw, pitch, and roll which act on the portions of the suspension mechanism. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-85514 discloses a load measurement sensor which includes a plurality of strain gauges and is tightly fixed to a rod-like body such as a damper in the suspension mechanism of a vehicle.
Here, shafts, which serve as connecting portions between the frame of the vehicle and an arm member, are base points for allowing the arm member to be moved, and thus for the design and adjustment of the suspension mechanism, it is necessary to detect component forces in the connecting portions between the frame and the arm member with high accuracy.
However, even if a sensor is mounted on a damper, an arm member or the like as described above for measuring the behavior of each of the portions of the suspension, the behavior of each shaft (movable connecting portion of each member) may not be measured accurately. That is, in order to measure the behavior of each shaft of the suspension, calculation is performed based on a result of measurement made by a sensor which is mounted on an arm or a damper connected to the shaft to be measured, and thus the calculation gives only a predicted value. Particularly, when an elastic body is used for a bearing of the suspension, the distribution of the force acting on the bush varies depending on the position and the quality of material of the mounting member of the bush, and thus it is difficult to measure the distribution of the force acting on the bush accurately by the method of calculation as mentioned above.


An oven (1800) for use in conjunction with a dynamic thermal-mechanical testing system that exhibits both self-resistive and self-inductive heating whenever a sufficiently large alternating (AC) electrical current is passed through the oven. In one embodiment, the oven is fabricated from a material which undergoes self-resistive heating to radiantly heat an internal volume of the oven. The oven also includes appropriately shaped heating sections (1830), which undergoes self-resistive and self-inductive heating to compensate for heat losses into a support for the oven.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to dynamic thermal-mechanical testing systems, and more particularly to apparatus for use therein that provides both self-resistive and self-inductive heating whenever a sufficiently large alternating electrical current is passed therethrough, as well as to a self-resistively and self-inductively heated specimen to be tested therewith.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Metallic materials play an indispensable role as an essential component of an enormous number of different products. One crucial property of such materials is their ability to conduct electricity. Absent operation at superconductive temperatures, a metallic object possesses a resistance to electrical current flow based upon its cross-sectional size, length and resistivity. Owing to this resistance, the object will generate heat whenever an electric current is passed therethrough. This form of heating is the so-called "self-resistive heating". Self-resistive heating finds use in a wide number of diverse applications.
Different materials, including those that are metallic, possess widely varying mechanical, metallurgical and other properties. As such, the specific properties required of a material for use in a given application are first determined followed by selection of a specific material that exhibits appropriate minimum values of these properties. An essential step in selecting a specific material is first to determine its properties of interest by testing specimens of each such material being considered.
Materials are tested in a wide variety of different ways. One such way, which is experiencing substantially increasing use, is dynamic thermal-mechanical testing. Here, a specimen is gripped at each of its two ends in a jaw system. The specimen is typically in the form of a small cylinder or sheet section of a given material and has a substantially uniform circular, rectangular or square cross-sectional area. An electric current is serially passed from one jaw assembly to another and through the specimen to generate a rapid, but controlled, heating rate throughout the specimen. Simultaneously therewith, various measurements are made of the specimen. Depending upon the specific measurements being made, the specimen either may or may not undergo controlled deformation while it is being heated. If the specimen is to be deformed, then this deformation can be accomplished by moving one of the two jaw assemblies, at a controlled rate with respect to the other, in order to impart either a controlled tensile or compressive force to the specimen. Alternatively, the specimen can be controllably struck by one of the jaw assemblies in order to impart a forging force thereto while current is passing through the specimen to controllably heat it. Physical measurements, such as illustratively specimen dilation and temperature, are typically made while heating and deformation are simultaneously occurring. This testing not only reveals various static properties of the specimen material itself, such as its continuous heating transformation curve, but also various dynamic properties, such as illustratively hot stress vs. strain rates and hot ductility; the dynamic properties being particularly useful in quantifying the behavior of the material that will likely occur during rolling, forging, extrusion or other material forming and/or joining operations. One system that provides excellent dynamic thermal-mechanical testing is the GLEEBLE 1500 system manufactured by the Duffers Scientific, Inc. of Poestenkill, N.Y. (which also owns the registered trademark "GLEEBLE" and is the present assignee). This system advantageously heats the specimen self-resistively in order to generate transverse isothermal planes throughout the entire specimen. Specifically, since each specimen generally has a substantially uniform transverse cross-section throughout its length, then the current density will be uniform throughout the entire specimen which will cause uniform heating over the entire specimen cross-section.
The specimens used in dynamic thermal-mechanical testing usually fall within a fairly wide range of sizes. Tensile specimens are often cylindrical in shape and may be on the order of approximately 6 to 12 millimeters in diameter and approximately 10 to 20 centimeters in length. Tensile specimens having a rectangular cross-section are also used from time to time. Compression specimens also tend to be cylindrical in shape and may be on the order of approximately 8 to 15 millimeters in diameter and also approximately 10 to 20 millimeters in length. For simulating strip annealing, a suitable specimen will have a rectangular cross-section and may be on the order of approximately 1 millimeter thick and approximately 170 millimeters wide and approximately 300 millimeters long.
Regardless of the specific specimen that is to undergo dynamic thermal-mechanical testing, relatively high currents generally must be passed through the specimen in order to produce the requisite level of self-resistive heating therein. The amount of electrical current that is required to heat a specimen to a given temperature and/or at a given heating rate generally depends upon a number of factors, for example: the specific heat of the material; its resistivity; the geometric shape of the specimen, such as its cross-sectional area and length; heat loss from the specimen to its surroundings, principally including but not limited to the jaw system used to grip the specimen; and the value of the final temperature to be attained. In practice and owing to the low resistances of most specimens, generally only a few volts or less need to be applied across the specimen to conduct the required current therethrough.
As noted above, a specimen is securely held between two jaw assemblies within a dynamic thermal-mechanical testing system and specifically by a grip contained within each such assembly. A series path is established to route heating current from one jaw assembly through the specimen to the other jaw assembly. For several reasons, the grips and jaw assemblies must be substantially larger in size than the specimen itself. First, electrical connections must be made to opposite ends of the specimen to conduct the current required to heat the specimen but without causing an appreciable voltage drop across each jaw assembly. As such, the jaw assemblies must be sufficiently large to provide a very low resistance path for high levels of current flowing therethrough. Second, to prevent the jaw assemblies, particularly if they are not water-cooled, from adversely melting or softening during high temperature testing, the jaw assemblies must provide a sufficient mass so that for a given current level, the jaw assemblies will remain appreciably cooler than the specimen and will heat at a significantly lower rate. Third, mechanical loads, as noted above in the form of tensile, compressive or forging forces, are applied through the jaw assemblies to deform the specimen while it is heating. As such, the jaw assemblies must be of sufficient size to safely transmit these forces to the specimen without experiencing any deformation themselves.
A number of dynamic thermal-mechanical tests require that essentially no longitudinal thermal gradients exist along the mid-span of the specimen. However, in practice, thermal gradients often occur between the ends of the mid-span during heating. The reason for this stems from the fact that the jaw assemblies, being of considerably greater thermal mass than the specimen, tend to conduct considerable quantities of heat away from the ends of the specimen while that specimen is being self-resistively heated. This, in turn, causes the opposing ends of the specimen to be significantly cooler than its mid-span.
Either one of two well-known techniques is often used to remedy this heat loss; however, each of these techniques possesses one or more drawbacks which disadvantageously limits its utility. First, both jaw assemblies themselves can be heated to the specimen temperature to prevent heat from being conducted from the specimen to these assemblies. Not only does this technique require the addition of supplementary heating equipment to heat the jaw assemblies but also necessitates, along with the added cost of this equipment, that a substantial amount of energy be consumed to heat these assemblies. In addition, if the jaw assemblies are heated to a sufficiently high temperature, these assemblies may become too ductile and will themselves deform while mechanical forces are being applied therethrough to the specimen. Second, for a given current passing through the specimen, the temperature of each end of that specimen can be increased by appropriately reducing the cross-sectional area of the specimen material appearing at that end. While, this technique is very reproducible, it adversely limits the maximum rate at which the entire specimen can be heated. Specifically, this technique involves drilling a number of holes into each end of the specimen near its jaw contact area in order to reduce the amount of material present thereat. Inasmuch as the material is reduced at each end, the cross-sectional area of the specimen at that end is decreased which, in turn, locally increases the current density occurring thereat. For a given amount of current passing through the specimen, the increased current density in the ends locally increases the heating rate and the final temperature of each end. Unfortunately, to generate sufficient heat at the ends to adequately compensate for the heat being lost from the specimen to the grips, a sufficient amount of material must be removed from each end of the specimen which may adversely cause the heating rate thereat to rise too rapidly to the point where specimen material melts and burns off each end prior to the mid-span of the specimen attaining a desired final temperature. To prevent this effect, the self-resistive heating current must be appropriately reduced which, in turn, adversely reduces the rate at which the entire specimen can heat. For example, an adequate cross-sectional reduction may necessitate that the cross-sectional area of each end be reduced to approximately 1/4 of its original value. However, to avoid excessive end temperatures from occurring in the specimen, the current that will pass through the specimen will need to be appropriately reduced such that the maximum heating rate of the entire specimen is only 1/4 of the value that would otherwise be used if the specimen had a uniform cross-sectional area throughout. Unfortunately, limiting the heating rate in this fashion artificially limits the thermal behavior of the specimen that can be measured by the testing system. Furthermore, this technique also tends to decrease the mechanical strength of the specimen to the point where purely mechanical testing thereof (e.g. application of tensile, compressive or forging forces) may not be possible. Specifically, as material is removed from each end of the specimen, the mechanical strength of that end decreases below that of the mid-span which, during the application of an appropriate force is likely to cause the specimen to prematurely fail at its end(s).
Thus, a general need exists in the art for a technique for use in conjunction with, for example, a dynamic thermal-mechanical testing system that can compensate for conductive heat loss occurring from a specimen under test to the jaw assemblies without requiring the use of heated jaw assemblies and which does not appreciably limit the maximum rate at which the entire specimen can be heated or reduce the strength of a specimen to be used for purely mechanical testing.
In addition to metallic materials, ceramic and composite materials have begun to play an increasing role as essential components of an enormous number of different products. Ceramic and composite materials tend to have high strength, and many are capable of withstanding high temperature environments. However, typically these materials have poor ductility. As such, a ceramic or composite material can fracture when an extreme thermal gradient is established thereacross. For instance, if a thermal gradient is established across a ceramic or composite material specimen, such that one end of the specimen is maintained at a higher temperature than the other end of the specimen. The high temperature end of the specimen expands to an increased physical size when compared to the physical size of the other, i.e., cool, end of the specimen. As a result of this thermal gradient, the physical size of the specimen tends to transition from a larger, high temperature end to a smaller, low temperature end. This transition places a mechanical stress upon the specimen in the form of the larger end pulling apart the smaller end. An extreme thermal gradient can generate sufficient tensile forces to fracture the specimen. Additionally, ceramic and composite materials are susceptible to rapid changes in temperature known as thermal shock. As with extreme thermal gradients, thermal shock can fracture ceramic and composite specimens.
Presently, thermal testing of ceramic and composite materials is accomplished in conventional furnaces using induction or radiant heaters. Mechanical test apparatus, having jaws, which grip both ends of a specimen or anvils that compress both ends of a specimen, apply mechanical test forces while the furnace heats the specimen. To achieve a thermal gradient along the length of the specimen, multi-chamber furnaces are typically used. In such furnaces, a high temperature heating chamber heats one end of a specimen while a low temperature heating chamber heats another end. To accurately control the temperature in a mid-span region of the specimen, one or more intermediary heating chambers are positioned physically and thermally between the low and high temperature chambers. Consequently, the multi-chamber oven establishes a thermal gradient along the length of the specimen. However, multi-chamber furnaces tend to establish small, i.e., generally flat, thermal gradients that extend over relatively long specimen lengths. As such, multi-chamber furnaces are not capable of testing specimens in environments similar to those in which the materials operate, i.e., extreme thermal gradients.
Thus, a specified need exists in the art for a technique for use in conjunction with, for example, a dynamic thermal-mechanical testing system that can heat a ceramic or composite material specimen and which can generate steep thermal gradients along the length of the specimen.

Oven that exhibits both self-resistive and self-inductive heating


The systems and methods of the invention described herein improve classification accuracy by producing classifiers with individuality, in which each classifier exhibits its own distinctive behavior. A method according to one exemplary embodiment produces each classifier with individuality by randomly selecting subsets of a feature vector and using the randomly selected subsets of the feature vector in the design of the classifier. Because different subsets of the feature vector are used for each classifier, each classifier exhibits its own distinctive behavior or individuality. The classifiers with individuality improve classification accuracy, for example, when used as classifiers in a classifier array. This is because the individuality among the classifiers in the array ensures that a misclassification committed by one of the classifiers will not be repeated by other classifiers in the array, thereby improving the overall accuracy of the classifier array.

In the field of pattern recognition, classifiers are used to classify an object into one of a number of predefined classes or categories. For example, classifiers may be used to classify a loan applicant as either a high risk or a low risk. Other applications for classifiers include speech recognition, face recognition, image processing, and medical diagnosis.
Classifiers are used in image processing to classify pixels or regions in an image into one of a number of predefined classes. For example, a classifier may be used to classify regions in an image of natural scenery into one of a number of classes such as leaves, grass, or sky. In the medical field, classifiers are used to classify regions in images of patients into different types of tissue, for example, abnormal or diseased tissue and normal tissue.
Classification typically involves extracting a set of features of an object called a feature vector. A feature can be any characteristic or property of the object that provides useful information of the object's class. The feature may be in the form of a numeric measurement of a characteristic or property of the object. For example, a feature of a loan applicant may be the applicant's monthly income. A classifier uses the feature vector of the object to classify the object into one of a number of predefined classes or categories.
A classifier can be customized for a particular classification problem by training the classifier to identify particular classes. This usually involves a training phase, in which the classifier is presented with a set of example objects that are representative of known classes. The classifier extracts features of the example objects and learns to associate these features with the known classes of the objects based on association rules. Once the classifier has been trained to identify the classes, the classifier can be used to identify occurrences of these classes in new objects.
In practice, classifiers misclassify objects some of the time. Therefore, there is a need to improve classification accuracy.

Systems and methods for producing classifiers with individuality


The invention includes apparatus and methods for high-speed calculation of non-linear functions based upon a shifted adder and a offset generator. Various implementations may preferably include a input preprocessor and/or an output post processor. The invention includes a family of core cells built from instances of these calculators providing an upward, functionally compatible, extension to a family of Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) core cells. All of these core cells consistently provide the ability to perform high speed DSP tasks including Fast Fourier Transforms (FFTs), Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters and Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filters. The core cells built from the calculators can concurrently perform many non-linear function calculations. The core cells can switch between tasks every clock cycle.

Digital Signal Processing (DSP) is one of the most widely used digital technologies today. It is at the heart of audio and image compression innovations which have, and are, rapidly changing the world we live in. While the basic approach has been very successful, there are several problems the inventors have found to significantly limit use of its advantages.
FIG. 1A illustrates a simplified block diagram of a DSP system applicable to cellular base station, medical imaging and instrumentation system applications as found in the prior art.
In FIG. 1A, sensors 1 and 2 provide samples 10 and 12 to DSP Processor, which after performing one or more DSP tasks, generates DSP results. The samples and results are usually in the form of words composed of bits, and are often treated as numbers by DSP processors. The invention is focused on numerical processing, and from hereon, the discussion will assume that the samples and results are to be treated as numbers. The DSP Processor today is typically controlled by an internal processor clock. The sensors typically sample on a regular basis, which will be referred to herein as the sampling rate.
There is a large disparity today between processor clock rates and sensor sampling rates. Often sensors only generate between 20 million and 64 million samples per second, while the clock frequencies of processors are often between 300 and 1000 MHz. While DSP processors can run this fast, there are serious questions as to how to feed enough data into these engines to justify these clock speeds.
DSP Processors can typically perform one or more numeric operations such as adds/subtracts, multiplies and shifts per instruction cycle. A shift of a word of bits moves the bits up or down, effecting division or multiplication by powers of two.
The time between from the receipt of the last sample of a signal or message until the start (sometimes the end) of receiving the result is referred to as latency. Continuous processing means that samples enter the DSP processor continuous. In a clocked system, this means at least one sample enters the system during every clock cycle.
In many cellular base station, medical imaging and instrumentation system applications, there are excellent reasons to treat samples 10 and 12 as a single complex number. A complex number is composed of two numeric components, one called the real numeric component and the other the imaginary numeric component. The mathematical extension of numeric multiplication is called complex multiplication.
A complex number A1 will include a real component A1R 10 and an imaginary component A1I 12 and be denoted by A1=A1R+j A1I, where j refers to the square root of −1. A second complex number A2=A2R+j A2I. Complex multiplication of A1 by A2 gives a complex number with a real component of A1R*A2R−A1I*A2I and an imaginary component of A1R*A2I+A1I*A2R.
FIG. 1B illustrates a prior art complex multiplier multiplying A1 by A2 including four multipliers Mult RR, Mult RI, Mult IR and Mult II and two adders.
There are a number of common DSP tasks, which will be referred to throughout this patent application and to which the invention offers advantages. Many of these tasks are best seen as linear transformations from an input sample vector to a result vector. A vector is an ordered sequence of numbers, which may also be complex numbers.
A linear transformation acts upon an input sample vector by performing adds/subtracts, and multiplications on the numbers in the sample vector to generate the result vector. Examples of linear transformations include Fast Fourier Transforms (FFTs), Discrete Cosine Transforms (DCTs), Discrete Wavelet Transforms (DWT), Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters and Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filters.
Each of these linear transformations can be defined in terms of a matrix operating upon the sample vector to generate the result vector. FFTs and DCT's tend to be used on sample vectors containing a finite length sequence of samples. DWT's, FIR's, and IIR's operate on sample vectors of unlimited length. However, the matrices that define these linear transformations are finite in size, possessing a finite number of row and a finite number of columns, with a numeric entry at each row and column. The numeric entries are the coefficients, the A2R's by which the samples A1R are multiplied, with the products then summed to form the result vector components.
FFT's are extremely important. Typically, Fast Fourier Transform implementations focus on complex sample vectors whose sequence length is a power of two, such as 16 to 4,096, generating result vectors of the same sequence length as the sample vector. Without some of the amazing properties of the FFT matrix, computing an FFT of 64 complex samples, also known as points, would require up to 64 complex multiplications, and then summing those complex products to generate each of the complex vector results.
Matrix arithmetic, as with regular arithmetic, supports multiplicative inverses and factors, in the case of the FFT matrices. For a given 2^N point complex FFT matrix, the inventors are aware of four distinct factoring products that equal the FFT matrix. One of these is known as the Cooley-Tukey Factorization in honor of the two individuals credited with its discovery. While the other three methods of factoring the FFT are valid and important, the discussion from hereon will focus exclusively on the Cooley-Tukey. This decision is not meant to imply any limitation to the scope of the claims, but is done only for the sake of keeping the discussion as simple as possible.
The Cooley-Tukey Factorization for an FFT matrix is a collection of Radix 2 matrices, often called steps, which are performed in a specific sequence, the first acting upon the sample vector, generating a first result vector. The second Radix 2 matrix acts upon the first result vector to generate a second result vector, and so on until the last factor's result vector is essentially the same as the result vector of the FFT matrix acting upon the sample vector. These Radix 2 steps involve no more than two complex multiplications of an input to calculate the effect of that complex input on the complex components of the result vector. As used herein, a Radix operation will refer to the actions necessary to modify the current complex values of a result vector for a given complex input, which for the sake of consistency will be called the complex input A1.
Two adjacent Radix 2 steps in that sequence can be merged to form a Radix 4 step. Three adjacent Radix 2 steps in that sequence can be merged to form a Radix 8 step, and so on. The radix operation of a Radix 4 step will modify four complex components of the result vector for each complex input A1I of that steps's input vector. The radix operation of a Radix 8 step will modify eight complex components of the result vector for each complex input A1 of that step's input vector.
The last several hundred years have seen the emergence of the modern physical sciences and engineering as we know it today. That emergence has been fundamentally aided by the use and availability of a collection of non-linear functions and operations. The most common of these arithmetic tools of technology include division, square root, logarithms, exponentiation, sine and cosine.
These operations became the standard functions of the early scientific calculators, known as slide rules. Slide rules were in widespread use for the last several hundred years until the production of portable digital calculators, which replaced them as the tool of choice among scientists and engineers. These scientific calculators also incorporated at least this basic list of functions.
The following disclosure will make use of some basic facts regarding logarithms and exponentiation and their application to simplify the calculation of division and square roots in particular. Denote the logarithm of A1R by Log A1R, and the logarithm of A2R by Log A2R. The logarithm of the product of A1R and A2R, Log A1RA2R, is the sum of Log A1R and Log A2R. Exponentiation of Log X results in X.
FIG. 1C illustrates multiplier Mult RR of FIG. 1B, containing two log calculators receiving A1R and A2R, generating Log A1R and Log A2R, which Add R receives to generate Log A1RA2R, which Exp Calc receives to generate A1RA2R, as found in the prior art.
Summary of Some Basic Problems of DSP:
Today, DSP solutions have limited arithmetic operational flexibility. Typically, only the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and shifting can be done during every instruction cycle. Even a slide rule has some form of divide, square root, logarithm and exponentiation. But today's DSP solutions cannot deliver these operations at anywhere near the rate of adds, subtracts and multiplications, if they can deliver them at all in a real-time effective manner.
Today, DSP solutions face another set of problems, based upon the need for continuous processing of deep filters which may involve multi-dimensional FFT's, DCT's and DWT's.
There is a large disparity today between processor clock rates and sensor sampling rates. Often sensors only generate between 20 million and 64 million samples per second, while the clock frequencies of processors are often between 300 and 1000 MHz. While DSP processors can run this fast, there are serious questions as to how to feed enough data into these engines to justify these clock speeds.
Often systems require real-time processing of many sensors. Today this is done by buffering each sensor cluster and then bursting these sensor clusters through the DSP resources. There are two separate, consequent problems. First, the system now has to manage the scheduling, storage and communication resources required to buffer the data, setup its transmission to the DSP resources, and then act upon the results. Second, these activities lead, almost inevitably, to differing latency for data from differing, equally valued, sensors, creating further scheduling and resource problems in handling the results.

Method and apparatus for high speed calculation of non-linear functions and networks using non-linear function calculations for digital signal processing


The cleaning apparatus includes a reservoir tank for reserving a cleaning fluid, a pressure-feed unit for feeding the cleaning fluid while pressurizing the cleaning fluid above the atmospheric pressure, a heating unit for heating the cleaning fluid pressure-fed from the pressure-feed unit above an atmospheric pressure boiling point of the cleaning fluid, a gas supply unit for supplying a gas and an injection unit connected to the heating unit and the gas supply unit for injecting the cleaning fluid pressurized by the pressure-feeding unit and heated by the heating unit as a pressurized superheated cleaning fluid and the gas supplied from the gas supply unit to the member at the same time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cleaning method and a cleaning apparatus used for performing the cleaning method.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, to remove contamination or foreign matter from a member (a machined part or component, for example) which has adhered to the member during a manufacturing process of the member, or to remove remaining chemical liquid from the member which has been applied to the surface of the member during a surface treatment process of the member, a cleaning apparatus is used for injecting water or cleaning fluid to the member. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-296874 describes such a cleaning apparatus of the two-fluid nozzle type, which has a fluid injection nozzle for injecting fluid and a gas injection nozzle for injecting gas radially outward for reducing the mean particle diameter of droplets of the fluid injected from the fluid injection nozzle.
However, the cleaning apparatus of the two-fluid nozzle type as described in the above patent document has a problem in that it consumes a large amount of gas because the gas-liquid volume ratio representing the volume ratio of the gas injected from the gas injection nozzle to the fluid injected from the fluid injection nozzle has to be kept between 800 and 1000 in order to make the droplets sufficiently small.


A static random access memory (SRAM) circuit includes first SRAM cell and a second SRAM cell that are configured to operate in a shared mode and/or an independent mode. In one example, a shared mode includes the sharing of a memory node of a first SRAM cell. In another example, an independent mode includes isolating a first SRAM cell from a second SRAM cell such that they operate independently.

Static random access memory (SRAM) cells are susceptible to process and environmental variation. Such variation has become a greater concern as cell dimensions have become smaller. One example variation includes asymmetry in the cell, which may impact the ability to properly write or read an SRAM cell. Device asymmetry can be an even larger problem as the voltages provided to a cell are lowered.

International Business Machines Corporation


A bicycle generator including a coil stator and a magnetic rotor. The coil stator includes a planar support, and an induction coil portion formed by a plurality of series-connected coil units which are evenly spaced along the circumference of the planar support. The magnetic rotor is rotatable relative to and substantially parallel to the coil stator, and includes a permanent magnet having a plurality of magnetic pole pairs formed on its circumference. The number of coil units in the induction coil portion is equal to the number of magnetic pole pairs in the magnetic rotor, and the coil units is winded into trapezoid or sector shape, and the span angle of each of the magnetic pole in the magnetic rotor is substantially equal to the span angle of each of the coil units in the coil stator. Alternatively, the bicycle generator may comprises a cylindrical coil stator and a cylindrical magnetic rotor. The coil stator includes a cylindrical support having a first cylindrical surface, and a cylindrical induction coil portion formed by a plurality of series-connected coil units which are evenly spaced on the first cylindrical surface of the cylindrical support in the circumferential direction. The cylindrical magnetic rotor includes a second cylindrical surface and a permanent magnet having a plurality of magnetic pole pairs formed on the second cylindrical surface facing the cylindrical induction coil portion.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a generator, and more particularly, to a generator included in a bicycle having relatively rotatable members.
2. Background of the Invention
As is well known, a generator (dynamo) installed in a bicycle includes a stator fixed to the frame of the bicycle, and a rotor which can be driven by frictional force produced by a bicycle wheel so as to rotate relative to the stator. Through the relative rotation between the rotor which is usually a magnet and the stator including multiple teeth and slots formed between adjacent teeth for receiving stator coils, electricity generation is carried out to generate a voltage of alternating sine wave. Since the air gap between the tooth and the rotor and the air gap between the slot and the rotor are greatly different from each other, the magnetic property of the stator changes from place to place, which is the so-called "slot effect". When the rotor is assembled into the stator, the "slot effect" results in great reluctance torque which will greatly increase the rider's load and deteriorate the efficiency of the generator. Consequently, this sort of conventional bicycle installed with a prior generator has lost popularity in market today.

Industrial Technology Research Institute


An integrated apparatus for capillary electrophoresis which is automated using conveyors which carry vials containing electrolytes and samples, a capillary contained in a modular, portable, and interchangeable cartridge, and actuators for bringing the capillary into flow communication with the fluids in the vials. Electropotential is applied to the ends of the capillary to cause electrophoretic separation. The cartridge may include an opening to allow detection of fluid in the capillary using a detector provided in the apparatus.

Capillary electrophoresis is known. An electrolyte filled capillary is injected with sample. The two distal ends of the sample are each emerged in separate electrolyte baths. Each electrolyte bath is communicated with differing electrode potential sufficient for electrophoresis to occur in the capillary.
Electrophoresis is easy to understand. Typically, differing components of a sample subjected to electrophoresis have differing size and differing electric charge. Dependent upon the size of the particles and their charge, a migration of constituents of a sample occurs along the length of a capillary when the capillary is subjected at its distal ends to differing electrical potentials. The discrete particle migration through the capillary is the sum of two effects.
First, and assuming that the capillary is filled with an electrolyte, an overall flow of electrolyte can and does occur due to the difference in electrical potential across the length of the capillary.
Second, and relative to any overall induced flow in the capillary, individual particles of sample will move relative to one another. This movement constitutes the sought after classification due to electrophoresis.
It will be understood that the electrolyte filling in the capillary can be a liquid subject to overall flow or a gel, which is not usually subject to overall flow.
Typically the sample is placed adjacent one end of a capillary. A detector is placed adjacent the opposite end of a capillary. In the migration of the discrete sample constituents relative to the fluid in the capillary, the discrete constituents each form themselves into discrete flowing "bands". These discrete flowing bands are the product of the electrophoresis that are observed to determine both quantity and quality of the sample.

Automated capillary electrophoresis apparatus


A seal comprises a lid that is rotary-mounted to a filter container base and has a body with at least two stub pipes and an internal part attached to the body in which are formed circulation ducts positioned as an extension of the stub pipes in opened position, and at least one bypass duct connecting the stub pipes in closed position. The internal part is attached to the body using a rotary bayonet mount by rotating to closed position in which the stub pipes are connected by the bypass duct, and the body together with the attached internal part are attached to the base using a rotate-and-lock bayonet mount. In closed position the internal part is attached to the base in a stationary manner using a longitudinal head joint formed on the joined elements, and the changing to opened position occurs by rotating the body in the rotate-and-lock bayonet mount.

A water filter consisting of a filtering cartridge container and a nut-shaped lid with internal thread is known from patent application PL392024. A socket with circulation holes is made in the lid, with an embedded rotary divider valve with bypass function realized by a bypass duct. The divider valve consists of a fixed lower part and a rotary-mounted upper part in which two stub pipes are formed. The lower part has two vertical circulation ducts which, in opened position, connect the stub pipes with the circulation holes. Moreover, a bypass duct is formed in the lower part, which connects the stub pipes after rotating the valve to a closed position. In this position, water flow occurs through the bypass duct, and the valve may be disconnected from the lid. An inconvenience of this valve is its structure consisting of three parts, which makes it difficult to seal the valve and to disconnect it quickly from the lid. Moreover, in order to replace the cartridge it is also necessary to unscrew the lid from the filtering cartridge container.
The purpose of the invention is to eliminate these flaws.


A computer-implemented method for managing web browser histories may include (1) identifying a website visited via a web browser, (2) selecting one or more website categories for which websites are not to be referenced in the web browser history, (3) querying a website categorization database to verify whether the visited website belongs to a selected website category, (4) receiving, in response to querying the website categorization database, an indication that the website belongs to a selected website category, and (5) blocking, based on the website belonging to a selected category, the website from being referenced in the web browser history. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Although the Internet began as a communications medium primarily for military and academic research, it has increased in scope to include business, commerce, entertainment, and nearly every aspect of Internet users' personal lives. The intersections between personal, family, professional, and public spheres are areas of vulnerability, where private information may be disclosed to unintended audiences. Advertisers, law enforcement, current and potential employers, hackers, and scammers all have an interest in gathering personal information to which they may not be entitled, and individuals may wish to maintain a level of privacy even from close friends and immediate family members.
Web browser histories are a potential treasure trove of personal data. Records of visited websites may reveal a user's interests, beliefs, affiliations, habits, wishes, weaknesses, or addictions. To prevent the collection of a browser history, the option exists to not maintain a browser history at all, and most browsers now allow the user to easily switch to a browsing mode that does not maintain a history. However, browser histories are a useful record of websites to which the user may wish to return. Rather, the user may want maintain a browser history, but also protect their privacy by keeping a record of certain website visits out of the history. To that end, the user may delete certain websites from the browser history manually, but this approach would require a considerable commitment of time and attention from the user. Accordingly, the instant disclosure identifies and addresses a need for additional and improved systems and methods for managing web browser histories.

Systems and methods for managing web browser histories


A self-sustaining ultra-high frequency oscillator and method enable the ability to oscillate and output a signal. A balanced bridge circuit is utilized to null an embedding background response. A first vibrating nanoelectromechanical (NEMS) beam resonator is part of one of the branches of the balanced bridge circuit and determines the frequency of the oscillator's output signal. A feedback loop establishes and sets oscillation conditions of the oscillator's signal. Further, the feedback loop connects an output of the first resonator to an input of the balanced bridge circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to oscillators, and in particular, to a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for utilizing stable, low-noise, self-sustaining active oscillators operating at ultra-high frequency, based upon vibrating nanoelectromechanical resonators (NEMS resonators).
2. Description of the Related Art
(Note: This application references a number of different publications as indicated throughout the specification by reference numbers enclosed in brackets, e.g., [x]. A list of these different publications ordered according to these reference numbers can be found below in the section entitled "References." Each of these publications is incorporated by reference herein.)
Self-sustaining oscillators possess the unique property of spontaneously generating periodically occurring events and sustaining these oscillations by extracting energy from non-periodic sources. They exist in nature in many fields ranging from biological circadian rhythms [1] to fluids flows [2] and dynamic systems [3]. They also find important applications in human-enabled systems such as navigation and communication [4], sensors and transducers [5], clocks and timekeeping [6], where the technological progresses have mainly been driven to attain ultrafast (wide bandwidth) operation, high-precision, low-power and ultrahigh integration densities. Over the years it is proven that stable oscillators based on mechanical resonators made from high-quality crystals [7] are excellent solutions for the aforementioned applications. A recent thrust seeks to develop oscillators based on micro- and nanoscale vibrating mechanical devices [8].
Despite the great impetus and efforts in miniaturizing mechanical resonators, following that of the electronics for some 40 years [9], there have been formidable challenges for realizing self-sustaining oscillators with crystalline mechanical devices at the micro and nanoscale. While the operating frequencies have been remarkably scaled up into the regimes well beyond those of conventional crystal oscillators, by exploiting advanced nanofabrication techniques to keep shrinking the dimensions of these micro and nanodevices [10, 11], their electromechanical characteristics (usually described by equivalent circuit models) become increasingly incongruous with readout electronics, and the devices response signal levels decrease drastically [10, 11, 12]. For example, hitherto the state-of-the-art microelectromechanical system (MEMS) oscillators have only been realized at frequencies as high as ˜60 MHz [12]. Meanwhile, recently reported nanoelectromechanical system (NEMS) resonators made from both lithographically-patterned nanobeams [10, 11] and chemically-synthesized nanowires [13] and nanotubes [14], although operatable at very-high and ultra-high frequencies (VHF and UHF), all are passive resonators.
Accordingly, what is needed is a high frequency, self-sustaining, active oscillator with practical complexity and functionality.

Ultra-high frequency self-sustaining oscillators, coupled oscillators, voltage-controlled oscillators, and oscillator arrays based on vibrating nanoelectromechanical resonators


The present invention provides a process for an industrial scale extraction and purification of xanthophylls (e.g., lutein and zeaxanthin) from plant material (e.g., alfalfa or other leafy green crops having high levels of chlorophyll). The process involves harvesting lutein rich alfalfa, extracting an oleoresin from the alfalfa leaves, saponifying the oleoresin, extracting and extracting lutein using a series of solvent extractions specific for oleoresin obtained from alfalfa or other leafy green plants.

Carotenoids include hydrocarbons (carotenes) and their oxygenated, alcoholic, derivatives (xanthophylls). Representative examples of carotenes include beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and lycopene. Representative examples of xanthophylls include lutein, zeaxanthin, capsorubin, capsanthin, astaxanthin, and canthaxanthin. Carotenoids are abundant in fruits and vegetables and have been studied extensively as antioxidants for the prevention of cancer and other human diseases. Among the dietary carotenoids, the focus has been on beta-carotene that has been established to play an important role in the prevention of various types of cancer.
More recent research has shown that other carotenoids, particularly the xanthophylls, posses strong antioxidant capabilities and may be useful in the prevention of diseases including cancer. For example, it has been reported that the consumption of lutein and zeaxanthin leads to a 40 percent reduction in age-related macular degeneration (Seddon et al., 1994, J. Amer. Med. Assoc. 272 (18): 1413-1420). It has also been reported that an increased level of serum carotenoids other than beta-carotene is associated with a lower incidence of heart disease (Morris et al., 1994, J. Amer. Med. Assoc. 272 (18): 1439-1441). The xanthophylls, because of their yellow to red coloration and natural occurrence in human foods, also find uses as food colorants. Thus there is an increasing need for substantially pure xanthophylls, which can be used as nutritional supplements and food additives.
Although present in many plant tissues, carotenoids free of other plant pigments are most readily obtained from flowers (marigold), fruits (berries) and root tissue (carrots and yellow potatoes). Xanthophylls are typically present in plant chromoplasts as long chain fatty esters, typically diesters, of acids such as palmitic and myristic acids.
Although chemical processes for the synthesis of xanthophylls from commercially available starting materials are known, such processes are extremely time-consuming, involve multiple steps, and have not provided an economical process for the production of xanthophylls. A more economical route for the large-scale production of substantially pure xanthophylls is a process that extracts, isolates and purifies xanthophylls from natural sources. However, previous methods that isolate xanthophylls from natural plants suffer from one or more disadvantages. Specifically, previous methods are not suitable for commercial or industrial scale (e.g., about 10,000 lbs of green plants, or more); they do not provide at least about 0.25 kg of lutein and zeaxanthin substantially free (e.g., less than about 25 wt. %) of the lipids/fatty acids; they do not provide xanthophylls suitable for human consumption; they employ solvents and/or reagents that are relatively expensive, as well as relatively unsafe for the environment; they employ relatively large amounts of water; and/or they are carried out employing plants that are not an abundant renewable resource/perennial crop that require relatively low amounts of water, herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizer.
There is a need for a process for obtaining lutein and zeaxanthin (active metabolite of lutein) from green plants, suitable for commercial or industrial scale (e.g., about 10,000 lbs of green plants, or more). The process should provide at least about 0.25 kg of lutein and zeaxanthin substantially free (e.g., less than about 25 wt. %) of the lipids/fatty acids. As such, the lutein and zeaxanthin obtained will preferably include at least about 80 wt. % xanthophylls, suitable for human consumption. The process will preferably employ solvents and reagents that are relatively inexpensive, as well as relatively safe for the environment. The methods will preferably employ relatively low amounts of water. The methods can preferably be carried out employing a plant that is an abundant renewable resource/perennial crop that requires relatively low amounts of water, herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizer.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An example method includes causing a light projecting system of a distance sensor to project a three-dimensional pattern of light onto an object, wherein the three-dimensional pattern of light comprises a plurality of points of light that collectively forms the pattern, causing a light receiving system of the distance sensor to acquire an image of the three-dimensional pattern of light projected onto the object, causing the light receiving system to acquire a two-dimensional image of the object, detecting a feature point in the two-dimensional image of the object, identifying an interpolation area for the feature point, and computing three-dimensional coordinates for the feature point by interpolating using three-dimensional coordinates of two points of the plurality of points that are within the interpolation area.

Facial recognition is often used for device and application authentication. For instance, a real-time facial image of a user who is attempting to be authenticated to a device or application may be compared to one or more stored facial images of authorized users, if the facial image of the user attempting authentication matches a stored facial image, the user may be authenticated.
Some facial recognition techniques acquire a two-dimensional image of a user's face, extract feature points from the two-dimensional image, and then generate a user identification based on the positional relationship of the feature points. Since the feature points are represented by two-dimensional coordinates, a correction may be performed using three-dimensional measurement values. For instance, if the overall distance to the user's face in the two-dimensional image is known, it may be possible to determine the absolute size of the user's face, which helps to correct the positional relationships of the feature points. Additionally, it may be possible to detect the inclination of the user's face by acquiring the entire shape of a three-dimensional map and using the shape to correct the feature points.

Associating three-dimensional coordinates with two-dimensional feature points


A patient lift apparatus is provided with a U-shaped base that folds to enable convenient reduced width storage of the unit when not in use. Accordingly, the U-shaped base of the unit has a hinge with a vertical axis in each leg of the "U". These hinges are located midway of each of the vertical legs. Typically, these hinges provide for a pivotal movement of the casters at the ends of each leg of the "U" from a caster extended position for patient lifting and transport to a caster folded position parallel to and spaced apart from the base of the "U". A releasable lock mechanism is provided to each leg for locking the hinge in either the caster extended position or the caster folded position. The lock includes an outer moving sleeve with a spring biased inner key connected to the spring biased sleeve. The key moves with the sleeve and fits into and out of paired apertures in the hinge. One aperture of the hinge is for maintaining the hinge in the caster folded position; the other aperture of the hinge is for maintaining the hinge in the caster extended position. In operation, an attendant moves the sleeve to unlock the hinge. Thereafter, and while the rest of the lift apparatus is supported at its respective casters, the outer leg member of the "U" is moved between the caster folded position and the caster extended position for patient transport.

A patient lift apparatus is known which includes a U-shaped base. The U-shaped base of the unit has four casters provided; two casters are provided on the inside of the "U" and two casters are provided at the end of each distal leg of the "U". The base supports an overlying stretcher frame member in cantilevered fashion from the base of the "U" to one side of the frame. Typically, between the base and the cantilevered frame, there is provided apparatus for raising and lowering the frame with respect to the base.
Use of the device is easy to understand. Specifically, a patient on a hospital bed is placed on a stretcher sheet--the strong layer of fabric capable of supporting the patient in tensile suspension from the frame. Thereafter, the base is moved under the bed from one side while the rectilinear frame is lowered about the patient. When the rectilinear frame is lowered about the patient, the stretcher material is fastened to the frame. Thereafter, when the frame is lifted, the patient is lifted with the frame.
In Schaal et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,801 entitled PATIENT TRANSPORTING AND TURNING GURNEY issued Jul. 10, 1990, an apparatus for lifting, inverting, and lowering a patient from a hospital bed to an operating table is shown. The apparatus includes a "U-shaped" base with an overlying rectilinear frame. The stretcher frame of the Schaal et al. device is capable of being pivoted. Like the patient lift apparatus described above, a lift mechanism is provided from the base to the support of the stretcher frame.
In the Schaal et al. device, turning of the patient can occur--from either front to back or back to front. In either case, a second canvas sheet is utilized. This sheet is fastened from the same frame over the top of the patient. When the sheet is securely attached, the frame is inverted. When this occurs, the now upper sheet is removed and the patient lowered either onto a hospital bed or alternatively to an operating table.
Unfortunately, either the above described patient lifting device or the Schaal patient inverting lift is typically stored in hospital corridors when not in use. Since both the base and the frames utilized overlying the base are large, especially in width, such storage is other than convenient. Further, many hospitals are characterized by having other than the wide conventional corridors. This being the case, there is a need for the fabrication of a patient lift apparatus which can be conveniently stored.
Devices for the weighing of patients have been complicated. Further, they have not heretofore been combined with apparatus capable of raising, transporting, and placing the patient between locations in a hospital. Instead, separate handling of patient is required for weighing.

Folding patient lift and weighing apparatus


An apparatus and method of measuring pattern uniformity, and a method of manufacturing a mask by using the measurement method are provided. The measurement apparatus includes a light source configured to generate and output light, a stage configured to support a measurement target, an optical system configured to transfer the light, output from the light source, to the measurement target supported on the stage, and a first detector configured to detect light reflected and diffracted by the measurement target, or diffracted by passing through the measurement target, wherein the first detector is configured to detect a pupil image of a pupil plane and to measure pattern uniformity of an array area of the measurement target on the basis of intensity of at least one of zero-order light and 1st-order light of the pupil image.

The inventive concept relates to a measurement apparatus and a measurement method, and particularly, a measurement apparatus and a measurement method based on a pupil image.
Recently, in semiconductor manufacturing processes, design rules are being continuously shrunk, and thus, sizes of patterns are being progressively reduced. Also, in terms of a measurement apparatus for measuring a pattern of a wafer or a mask, a resolution issue caused by a reduced pattern size may occur, and the accuracy of measurement may be reduced. In order to address such problems, methods of enhancing optical resolution are being continuously researched and developed. The methods of enhancing the optical resolution include a method of implementing a short wavelength and a method of implementing a high numerical aperture (NA). The method of implementing a short wavelength may have a limitation because the amount of light may be insufficient. Also, the method of implementing a high NA may have a physical limitation in increasing a size of an objective lens.

Apparatus and method of measuring uniformity based on pupil image and method of manufacturing mask by using the method


A conductive metal pattern can be formed using a titania sol-gel obtained from a titania precursor composition having (a) a titanium alkoxide or titanium aryloxide, (b) a R(O)mCOCH2CO(O)nR′ compound wherein R and R′ are independently alkyl and m and n are independently 0 or 1, (c) water, (d) either an acid having a pKa less than 1 or a source of a halogen, and (e) a water-miscible organic solvent, on a substrate, wherein the molar amounts of (a) through (d) are sufficient to form a pattern of a titania sol-gel upon drying on the substrate. This pattern is contacted with electroless seed metal ions to form a pattern of electroless seed metal ions deposited within the pattern of titania sol-gel on the substrate, which electroless seed metal ions are exposed to electromagnetic radiation to reduce the electroless seed metal. The article is then subjected to electroless metal plating.

In recent decades accompanying rapid advances in information-oriented society, there have also been rapid technological advances to provide devices and systems for gathering and communicating information. Of these, display devices have been designed for television screens, commercial signage, personal and laptop computers, personal display devices, and phones of all types, to name the most common information sharing devices.
In display devices where a continuous conductive film is not practical for providing this protection from electromagnetic radiation emission, it has been found that conductive mesh or patterns can be used for electromagnetic wave shielding purpose.
Other technologies have been developed to provide new microfabrication methods to provide metallic, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional structures with conductive metals. Patterns have been provided for these purposes using photolithography and imaging through mask materials.
Improvements have been proposed for providing conductive patterns using photosensitive silver salt compositions such as silver halide emulsions. Such techniques have a number of disadvantages that are described in the art and efforts continue to make additional improvements.
As the noted display devices have developed in recent years, their attraction has increased greatly with the use of touch screen technology whereby a light touch on the screen surface with a finger or stylus can create signals to cause changes in screen views or cause the reception or sending of information, telecommunications, interaction with the internet, and many other features that are being developed at an ever-increasing pace of innovation. The touch screen technology has been made possible largely by the use of transparent conductive grids on the primary display so that the location of the noted touch on the screen surface can be detected by appropriate electrical circuitry and software. For a number of years, touch screen displays have been prepared using indium tin oxide (ITO) coatings to create arrays of capacitive patterns or areas used to distinguish multiple point contacts. ITO can be readily patterned using known semiconductor fabrication methods including photolithography and high vacuum processing. However, the use of ITO coatings has a number of disadvantages. Indium is an expensive rare earth metal and is available in limited supply. Moreover, ITO is a ceramic material and is not easily bent or flexed and such coatings require expensive vacuum deposition methods and equipment. In addition, ITO conductivity is relatively low, requiring short line lengths to achieve desired response rates (upon touch). Touch screens used in large displays are broken up into smaller segments in order to reduce the conductive line length to an acceptable electrical resistance. These smaller segments require additional driving and sensing electronics, further adding to the cost of the devices.
Silver is an ideal conductor having conductivity that is 50 to 100 times greater than that of ITO. Unlike most metal oxides, silver oxide is still reasonably conductive and its use reduces the problem of making reliable electrical connections. Moreover, silver is used in many commercial applications and is available from numerous commercial sources.
In other technologies, transparent polymeric films have been treated with conductive metals such as silver, copper, nickel, and indium by such methods as sputtering, ion plating, ion beam assist, wet coating, as well as the vacuum deposition. However, all of these technologies are expensive, tedious, or extremely complicated so that the relevant industries are spending considerable resources to design improved means for forming conductive patterns for various devices especially touch screen displays.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,415 (Fry et al.) describes a method for electroless plating on a substrate surface having hydroxyl groups involving treatment with silyl hydride to form silicon hydroxide bonds, followed by deposition of silver ions, and electroless plating.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2011/0117338 (Poquette et al.) describes electroless plating of open pore foam materials using tin or palladium catalysts.
U.S. Patent 2005/0133904 (Kim et al.) describes a method for forming multilayer pattern for hermetic sealing of packages by coating a titanate based photocatalytic compound to form a film, UV exposure, growing palladium catalysts, and electrolessly plating a metal.
Yan et al., Chem. Mater. 1995, 7, 2007-2009 describe the preparation of amorphous coatings using a composition of titanium alkoxide, acetoacetate, water, ethanol, propanol, and HCl on a porous silica substrate to provide differences in refractive index.
Tadanaga et al., Chem. Mater. 2000, 12, 590-592 describe the use of titanium alkoxide, acetoacetate, and water in a composition to form a superhydrophobic-superhydrophilic pattern on an alumina layer.
Stathatos et al. Langmuir 2000, 16, 2398-2400 describes photocatalytically depositing silver nanoparticles on mesoporous titanium dioxide films.
Despite the advances in the art to provide conductive metal patterns for various devices, it is very difficult to form very fine (thin) conductive lines on flexible films for electronic devices of all types. Catalytic seed materials must have significant durability to withstand electroless plating conditions and baths. Other problems are experienced with various known patterning materials and there remains a need to provide high strength, thin conductive lines.

Use of titania precursor composition pattern


A separately-derived, load-side transfer switch connected to the neutral leads of a load center in a single and switchable connection, which allows for connection and disconnection of the load center neutrals to a primary or an auxiliary power source in a single manual operation.

This invention relates to a transfer switch of the type that is adapted to be interconnected with an auxiliary power source, such as an electrical generator, for controlling the supply of electrical power from the generator to branch electrical circuits in an electrical load center. More particularly, the invention relates to a transfer switch that connects the neutrals of a load center in a single and switchable connection thereby allowing connection and disconnection of the load center neutrals to a primary power source or an auxiliary power source in a single operation.
A building, such as a home or other dwelling, will present critical and non-critical loads to the primary power source of the building, which is generally a utility power supply. The critical loads for a home, for instance, may include the HVAC system, sump pump, refrigerators, freezers, dishwasher, washer/dryer, and life-sustaining medical equipment. All other loads of the home will generally be considered non-critical. The non-critical loads are generally connected to non-critical branches that are hardwired to a load center and the critical loads may be connected to critical branches that are hardwired to a separate subpanel; both of which are powered by the primary power source during normal primary power source operation.
To ensure power to the critical loads during primary power source failure, it is known to connect the subpanel and, thus, the critical loads, to an auxiliary power source, such as electrical generator using a transfer switch. The majority of prior art transfer switches are manually operated. With transfer switches of this type, the operator initiates operation of an auxiliary power source, such as an electric generator, and connects the auxiliary power source to the transfer switch, unless there is a permanent connection between the generator and the transfer switch. The individual switches or circuit breakers of the transfer switch are then actuated to supply power from the generator to the circuits in which the individual transfer switches are connected.
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional manual transfer switch 10 is operative to selectively connect a series of loads 12 between a primary power source 14 and an auxiliary power source 16. In the illustrated example, the manual transfer switch 10 is a four-circuit, load-side, non-separately-derived transfer switch. In this regard, the manual transfer switch 10 services four loads, represented by resistors R1, R2, R3, and R4 and performs any switching of the loads 12 between the primary and auxiliary power sources 14, 16 using hot switches 18 after utility breakers 20 and distribution breakers 22. As evident in the schematic, the primary power source 14 includes two hot lines 24, 26 and a neutral line 28 and the auxiliary power source 16 similarly includes two hot lines 30, 32 and a neutral line 34. As further illustrated in the schematic, the neutral lines 28, 34 are permanently connected to, rather than switched between, the primary power source 14 and the auxiliary power source 16. Because of this permanent connection, the manual transfer switch 10 could not be used in a separately-derived, load-side manner, as may be desired.
Because of this desirability to have a separately-derived configuration, one proposed solution to the drawbacks presented by a non-separately-derived, load-side transfer switch, such as that shown in FIG. 1, is a transfer switch in which a neutral switch is used for each hot switch, as shown in FIG. 2. In this example, transfer switch 10 includes two hot switches 18 and two neutral switches 36 to selectively connect neutral wires 28, 34 of the primary power and auxiliary power sources 14, 16, respectively, to loads 12.
In the proposed solution shown in FIG. 2, the number of hot switches 18 is effectively reduced by one-half to account for the neutral switches 36. That is, if the transfer switch 10 is configured to have four switches, two of those switches are used as hot switches 18 and the remaining two switches are used as neutral switches 36. Alternately, the transfer switch 10 may be constructed to have a total of eight switches to provide the same number of hot switches 18 provided by the transfer switch 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. Doubling the number of switches effectively increases the size, wiring complexity, and cost of the transfer switch.

Common neutral for load-side separately-derived transfer switch


A reverse bias voltage is applied to a photodiode array provided with a plurality of avalanche photodiodes operated in Geiger mode and with quenching resistors connected in series to the respective avalanche photodiodes. Electric current is measured with change of the reverse bias voltage applied, and the reverse bias voltage at an inflection point in change of electric current measured is determined as a reference voltage. A voltage obtained by adding a predetermined value to the determined reference voltage is determined as a recommended operating voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photodiode array, a recommended operating voltage determining method for determining a recommended operating voltage of a reverse bias voltage to be applied to the photodiode array, and a reference voltage determining method for determining a reference voltage for determination of the recommended operating voltage.
2. Related Background Art
There is a known photodiode array provided with a plurality of avalanche photodiodes operated in Geiger mode and quenching resistors connected in series to the respective avalanche photodiodes (e.g., cf. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2011-003739). The photodiode array of this kind is used as an opto-semiconductor device for photon counting "MPPC" (registered trademark), as also described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2011-003739.

Photodiode array, method for determining reference voltage, and method for determining recommended operating voltage


An image merging method using viewpoint transformation and a system therefor are provided. The method includes obtaining images captured by a plurality of cameras included in the camera system, performing viewpoint transformation for each of the images using a depth map for the images, and merging the images, the viewpoint transformation of which is performed.

Embodiments of the inventive concept described herein relate to an image merging system and a method therefor, and more particularly, relate to technologies of merging images using viewpoint transformation and technologies of transforming viewpoints of the images and registering the images.
Methods of capturing several images and merging the images have been used to overcome limits of general digital cameras. Representative examples thereof are high dynamic range (HDR) imaging and focus stacking. The HDR imaging is to capture one scene using optimum exposure, overexposure, underexposure, and the like to produce several images and synthesize the images to overcome 300:1 which is a limit of a contrast capable of being obtained by a general digital camera. The focus stacking is to focus several images at different distances and capture the images (capture images with different focus positions) and synthesize the images to obtain an image with a very deep depth of field. The focus stacking may be technologies frequently used for close-up or photomicrography and may be used for scenery pictures.
Such image merging schemes are subject to accurate registration between images to be merged, so they use images which are captured while fixing a camera using one camera and changing settings of exposure or a focus position with respect to a fixed subject or are captured at a high speed while changing the settings. Such schemes are disclosed in the paper, Eden, Uyttendaele, and Szeliski, "Seamless image stitching of scenes with large motions and exposure differences", CVPR 2006 or Kang, Uyttendaele, Winder, and Szeliski, "High dynamic range video", SIGGRAPH 2003) HDR imaging.
However, in such a conventional image merging scheme, it is unable to obtain an accurately merged image when there is a little motion of a subject in a process of capturing the subject at a high speed and there is a need for a separate lighting device for obtaining sufficient exposure within a short image capturing time.
Thus, to address problems and disadvantages of the conventional image merging scheme, embodiments below propose technologies of accurately merging images simultaneously captured by a plurality of cameras.

Image merging method using viewpoint transformation and system therefor

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